The Duckling Space Shuttles are reusable launch vehicles developed by the International Space Cooperation (ISC) during the Sunset Era. Upon Alice’s transition to Class 3, a total of three first-generation models were produced. The Ducklings served as the primary means of transportation for Alice and other payloads between Earth and the Laputa Space Stations.
Design
The footprints of the Ducklings are significantly smaller than traditional space shuttles. Its initial design goal was to launch just one robot, Alice, or equipments and satellites as parts to Laputa 1, where Alice would assemble them on site.
Ducklings have a higher space utilization rate than traditional shuttles due to their lack of life support systems and pressurized compartments. Their compact size enables transport by regular trucks and launch by small civilian rockets, unrestricted by the latitude of the launch site, resulting in exceptional cost performance.
The Ducklings can fly (not just glide) short distances, making them a true “spaceplane” that easily takes off and lands at small airports.
Name
The original name of the Duckling space shuttles was “Kun Peng” (鲲鹏), derived from “Xiao Yao You” (逍遥游: The Carefree Journey), the first chapter of the Taoist classic Zhuangzi (庄子). This name was chosen because Kun Peng, a mythical creature, can “fly up to infinity.” However, Alice’s classmates jokingly called them “Ducklings” due to their appearance, and the name stuck as the official name.
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