The Duckling Space Shuttles are reusable space vehicles developed by the United Nations International Space Cooperation (ISC) during the Sunset Era. As part of the Alice Project, they were designed to transport Alice, the first true artificial intelligence robot, and other payloads between Earth and the Laputa Space Stations.
Design and Production
Small footprint: The Ducklings are significantly smaller than traditional space shuttles. Its design goal was to launch just one robot, Alice, or equipments and satellite parts to Laputa 1, where Alice can assemble them on site.
Flexible and cost-effective: The Ducklings utilize space more efficiently than traditional space shuttles by eliminating life support systems and pressurized compartments. Their compact size allows for transport via standard trucks, and their lightweight design enables launches with small rockets, regardless of launch site latitude. They are also cheap to manufacture, ensuring excellent cost efficiency.
Self-powered flight, landing everywhere: The Ducklings can fly (not just glide) independently for a short duration within the atmosphere, making them true “spaceplanes.” They require very little runway length and can easily take off and land at small airports with unpaved runways or even on water.
Units built: By the time Alice joined Class 3, a total of three first-generation units were built.
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 classmate jokingly called them “Ducklings” due to their appearance, and the name stuck as the official name.
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