Throughout technological development sophonts have found that standardization promotes the advancement of infrastructures. This was a concept mastered millennia ago by the First Empire. Standardization promotes trade. Technological products from one world find a better market on another world if they are standardized to use common power systems, common control interfaces, common communication protocols. Operators, designers, and technicians can better utilize their skills when working on standard systems. Some devices lend themselves to standardization due to the limits of the available technology or the limits set by basic engineering principles.

In star ship construction standards have helped to ensure safe transport in a very hostile environment. Standards have helped to insure that vessels are crewed by competent personnel, who can more easily qualify on a variety of craft.

The purpose of this technical guide is to familiarize the student with starship systems. Not every ship will have all of the systems covered. Military Craft will have more extensive sensor, weapon and safety systems. Liners and Megamerchants will have a higher level of redundancy than the typical tramp trader.