This page covers the logistics of travelling in space. Anyone may know the information on this page, but it is assumed that characters with General Piloting are all aware of the information presented here. The key things to be aware of are:
Travelling in space is a non-trivial task. It takes time to master and can go wrong if you don't know what you're doing. Anyone who undergoes any sort of pilot training, however, will be familiar with the key elements of space travel enough to successfully jump a ship between systems, fly the ship in space within that system, and to enter and leave the gravitational pull of a planet.
Those familiar with Space Travel will also be aware of objects that may be found in space, as well as how to exit a starship to perform a space walk or other Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA).
Travel between Solar Systems requires the most expensive and most technologically advanced piece of equipment in the known world: the Black Box Faster Than Light Jump Drive, so named due to the nigh incomprehensible nature of its interior workings1). The Black Box FTL Jump Drive is installed on every ship that survived the destruction of Earth2) and its operation is mostly computerised: so long as the ship attempting to jump is in a fit state to jump and is carrying no more than 3 units of Deimium FTL Jump Drive Fuel (with the exception of The Princess).
It is worth noting that units of Deimium Fuel, usually stored in 2m x 2m cubes, can be moved and transported even between ships in the same system without a problem, but only the Princess and a similar (but rather shinier) ship in the Salvation Fleet have so far been made capable of jumping with more than 3 of them in storage: without the appropriate compartmentalisation that these ships have, large quantites of Deimium undergoing an FTL jump together have a tendency to resonate… unpleasantly. The Princess is therefore relied on to regularly dispense units to all other ships.
Space travel within systems, or indeed at any speed that is below Light Speed, is managed by the pilot of a starship using the Photonic Impulse Engines of the ship. These engines do not require additional refuelling but rather charge their batteries from the solar power of even distant suns and are fully recharged by the radiation spat out by their own ship during a successful FTL Jump.
Navigating and Piloting a starship within solar systems is a complicated job, and requires at least General Piloting or a functioning Advanced Autopilot to be able to achieve without risking ripping the entire ship apart, as well as an engine capable of making interplanetary trips.
With a capable engine and competent pilot, travelling between planets takes between hours and minutes depending on the distances involve and the speed of the engine (consult your owner's manual). This is, however, the easy part of piloting. The harder part comes from avoiding obstacles.
There are many things that may require avoiding in a star system: planets, asteroids, comets, other ships, missiles hurtling toward you… a competent pilot should be able to avoid the larger ones of these at reasonable speeds, but navigating asteroid fields or avoiding fire in an intense dogfight requires better skill.
Transporting between ships in a fleet is a somewhat simpler job and can be achieved with a ship's basic autopilot and stock engines if needs be. Even those without ships can pretty easily get a lift if need be. It is not necessary to leave the security of a ship to transfer to another since all ships in the Fleet are capable of docking with each other.
The final crucial part of space travel is landing. Certain celestial bodies, such as planets, asteroids and comets, as well as ships that are equipped with hangars, can be landed on with General Piloting and a functioning ship. Other bodies, such as stars and gas giants, cannot be landed on.
Bodies with atmospheres take their toll on the hulls of ships that attempt to enter and exit them. As such, a certain level of hull integrity is necessary to enter and exit atmospheres (as detailed in your owner's manual). If this integrity is not there, the ship will simply disintegrate as it enters the atmosphere.
Within an atmosphere, it is possible to continue flying a ship (though with the full effect of gravity and the atmosphere it is a task that requires additional training) but most intend to land the ship. With General Piloting, it is possible to land an undamaged ship successfully and in a condition to take off again. Without this, landing may be possible, but it is highly likely to damage the ship!
It is also impossible to dock two ships together – transportation between the two ships will occur simply through the entrance through the adjoining cargo bay doors. Again, this requires General Piloting or an Advanced Autopilot to achieve.
Most starships are equipped with spacesuits that would allow the wearer to survive in the vacuum of space. It is possible for those wearing these suits to exit most starships through airlocks and explore the immediate area around the ship. This is often to perform maintenance on the exterior of the ship or to investigate small celestial bodies such as asteroids and comets. There are, of course, many dangers associated with this, including but not limited to:
It is not necessary to perform a space walk to transfer between ships in the same system provided both are cooperating and happy to dock with each other.
Space is, for the most part, empty. Where it is not, we find star systems, and where we find star systems we find a whole manner of interesting phenomena. Anyone with a degree of experience with space travel may be familiar with the following objects and their associated problems: