T-5 Zenith

The T-5 Zenith is a military personnel transport SSTO vehicle with VTOL capability. The T-5 can operate as a lunar shuttle as well as an orbital vehicle for reaching space stations. With space for 10 total occupants, pilots included, the T-5 has sufficient capacity to bear just under a dozen or so astronauts to the lunar surface.

The Zenith is powered by four VTOL thrusters (operable via slider 1) and an efficient nuclear thermal engine powered by water. It has four emergency parachutes and an emergency burn setting if instant thrust is needed urgently. It’s door has a functional “ramp” which extends over the doors gap (operable with slider 2). It’s cockpit contains sensors to measure gravitational force, solar radiation and a series of HUD monitors which aid the pilot in flight. The T-5 has an operable nose cone which conceals a docking port.

The Zenith can cruise through the atmosphere at anywhere from 360 km/ph and 3,420 km/ph. In order to achieve orbit you must attain at least Mach 8.5 using both the orbital and VTOL engines. Landings should never be attempted above 30 m/ps and reentry is unsafe above 3,500 m/ps. The VTOL thrusters can reverse direction allowing the craft to burn retrograde without flipping first.