Top 50 sci-fi spaceships: 2015 edition | GamesRadar+
Top 50 sci-fi spaceships: 2015 edition
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Top 50 Greatest Spaceships
There was a time, back in the mid 20th century, when all the best spaceships were on the covers of sci-fi novels and magazines, drawn by such artists as Chris Foss (thats his work above). But movies, TV and eventually games eventually caught up with the detailed, colourful, bizarrely-shaped craft that cover artists had been imagining for decades.
George Lucas kickstarted a more exciting look for screen spaceships too with Star Wars, which boasted a bewildering range of designs, prefect for marketing as toys. Star Trek did its bit too, with a central spacecraft that took the idea of the saucer, and built on it quite literally.
Suddenly spaceships werent just vehicles for getting from planet A to planet B; they were vehicles that reflected the needs and personalities of their owners and crews.
And here are just a few of our very favourites
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48. The Heart of Gold - The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy
Why it's great: Equipped with the revolutionary Infinite Improbability Drive, this is probably the most advanced ship on the list. It can go anywhere in an instant, but may alter reality in doing so.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Its also the most unpredictable, with all kinds of bizarre occurrences whenever the drive is used. The pilot may find themselves turned into a bowl of petunias. The Genuine People Personalities of the ships robots and computers are likely to irritate. (Given the ease with which Zaphod Beeblebrox stole it, security is also an issue.)
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A Concorde.
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47. Prometheus - Prometheus
Why it's great: Because even a Ridley Scott turkey is still a beautiful turkey. The never-ending debate about whether Prometheus, the film, is great (At the Mountains Of Madness in space!) or awful ("Run to the side! RUN TO THE BLOODY SIDE!") aside, the Prometheus itself is just lovely. You can see echoes of what would become the Nostromo in its lines, as well as more than a hint of a certain Firefly-class freighter in the variable geometry engines. Most importantly, though, the Prometheus feels functional and real a working spaceship in a movie that, for many, barely works. Plus that shot of Janek standing on the cockpit windows as the shields butterfly open is gorgeous.
What it might fail its space MOT on: The problem isnt the ship, its the crew. Because lets face it, naming a ship thats on a mission to discover the origins of humanity after the Titan who was punished with an eternity of daily disembowelment for giving man the gift of fire is so unutterably stupid and portentous that those responsible clearly dont deserve to be in charge of wax crayons, let alone an interstellar spacecraft. And they do turn out to be very, very stupid indeed.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: An SUV that actually gets more than 16 metres to the gallon.
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46. The Event Horizon - Event Horizon
Why it's great: Its a Hell cathedral, in space. What, you want more? Okay, well first, its a nice functional design that smartly evokes the sort of interstellar ships weve seen a lot before. Secondly it has the same sense of functionality that the Discovery has (long neck is central corridor, marked docking ports, etc) and thirdly, that functionality has had CRAZY rubbed all over it. And, possibly, meat. The thing looks, internally, like a cathedral and a butchers shop got very drunk and did stuff to one another, and that frankly demented design work helps the movie along immensely.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Its alive and goes to Hell. A lot. That revolving-globe engine thing? Looks like a potential death trap to us.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: The Antipope-mobile.
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43. Fireball XL5 - Fireball XL5
Why it's great: Fireball XL5 is just a classic Dan Dare-type rocket ship. For many of a certain age it is the original rocket ship. Designed in a more innocent age, the ship personifies the wide-eyed wonder of the space race and its DNA can be found in the design of many of the iconic vehicles which followed it.
What it might fail its space MOT on: With the XL series having multiple independently operating segments careful owners should be wary of the possibility of a Cut and Shut.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A Hillman Imp or a Morris Traveller
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42. Moya - Farscape
Why it's great: Looking like something from Earths prehistoric oceans, Moya is a Gaia of a ship, a mammoth nurturing space goddess with no armoury and only one defensive manoeuvre - the starburst, aka, Lets get the hell out of here! She was a sentient, part-organic Leviathan who escaped from Peacekeeper slavery when she was used as the getaway vehicle by a bunch of political prisoners. She had a symbiotic relation with her four-armed Pilot, who was bonded to her. Onboard maintenance was provided by robotic DRDs who were only a couple of permanent marker pen swipes away from Henry Hoovers. She gave birth (painfully) to Talyn who was armed, which was handy.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Dangerously badly installed pipes that seem to drop and dangle and icky stuff whenever the ship was even mildly hit by something. The pilot has a habit of going into indignant sulks as well; though hes usually morally in the right, it can still make things hairy at times.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: The Rainbow Warrior.
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41. SSD Executor - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Why it's great: Remember the opening to the original Star Wars? Of course you do. Big, giant, triangular spaceship, eclipsing everything in its shadow. Well, the Executor class ship is that all over again only bigger! Much bigger. And we all know bigger is better. Right? Hell, if Star Wars had opened with one of these guys the film would be seven minutes longer.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Darth Vader would not allow the ship to fail its MOT!
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A nuclear-powered Nimitz class aircraft carrier.
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40. Valley Forge - Silent Running
Why it's great: The Valley Forge was one of a fleet of ships near Saturn that contained the last of Earths forests in vast geodesic domes (dont ask how anyone on Earth was breathing). It was also the last surviving ship after orders came from Earth to nuke all the forests. But one botanist on board the Forge refused to let his shipmates carry out the order, killing the rest of the crew and kidnapping the ship. (Hes not a very bright botanist though he steers the ship away from the sun then it takes him ages to realise that the reason the plants are dying is the inability to photosynthesise.)
What it might fail its space MOT on: Rust, moss on the engines, dandelion clocks clogging up the air recycling systems
If it were a real vehicle, it would be: One of those barges you see on canals covered in pot plants.
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39. UD-4L Cheyenne-class Dropship - Aliens
Why it's great: Have you SEEN the thing?! Firstly, it looks almost exactly like what youd imagine the mutant, steroidal offspring of an Apache gunship and a tank would look like in the future. Its squat and muscular and nasty and when those magnificent and completely aerodynamically hilarious missile pods deploy? Its like a dog showing you its teeth. The thing looks big and tough and capable. Its the perfect visual summation of the Marines; all go, no quit, knives, sharp sticks and all. For all the good it ends up doing poor Ferro and Spunkmeyer
What it might fail its space MOT on: Aside from its occasional tendency to carry acid-blooded killing machines as stowaways, theres maybe the small problem of those missile pylons tearing off the second you deploy them in atmosphere and the dropship becoming a really exciting looking brick, with all the aerodynamic qualities that go with that.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A tank. With helicopter blades. Because its just that badass.
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38. The White Star - Babylon 5
Why it's great: Its purple! Is that enough? No? Okay The ship combines various races technologies and gets the best of all of them. Its also over-powered and over-armed and would kick the ass of most of the other vessels on this list. And its still purple. Not white, oddly.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Being a partially living, organic ship it could get a space cold. Also the crew needs to speak Minbari or nothing will work.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: Some sort of kick-ass fighter aircraft like the F22 Raptor.
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37. Romulan Warbird - Star Trek, various
Why it's great: The largest and most powerful Romulan spacecraft, it massively dwarfed most ships it came up against, and was nearly twice the size of the Enterprise D. Designed by Andrew Probert (who worked on the original Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek: TOS), they were designed to look like large predatory birds.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Its powered by a forced quantum singularity (ie, a black hole). We cant help thinking thats a huge potential risk against health and safety.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: B2 Spirit Bomber - large, scary, stealthy.
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36. The Gunstar - The Last Starfighter
Why it's great: There are two answers to this; the first is Death Blossom! The second is that the Gunstar isnt just a cool, functional looking ship (HUGE engines attached to about 8,000 guns and a cockpit) its also one of the first CGI ships in the movies. The Death Blossom, even now, is just an amazingly great moment and so much of that comes from how fallible the ship is. Its incredibly tough, its just not indestructible.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Its polygons are getting on a bit these days.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: An Audi Quatro. Possibly with a TRON paint job.
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34. The Cygnus - The Black Hole
Why it's great: Because its so gloriously impractical. Who in their right mind would want to build something as fragile as the Crystal Palace in space? And then park it near a black hole where the gravitational forces must be phenomenal? Its like building a house of cards in an earthquake zone.
But it looks wonderful. Especially the first time it illuminates, putting turning on the Christmas lights at Oxford Street to shame. A massive, steampunk folly before the term steampunk had even passed into popular culture, the Cygnus is by far the best thing about the movie.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Cracked and scratched windows every time. Can you imagine having to clean the bloody things?
If it were a real vehicle it would be: The SS Great Britain
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33. Discovery One - 2001: A Space Odyssey
Why it's great: Because its so elegant. Look at that design, at how form and function combine to make something that looks futuristic and awesome and at the same time completely functional. The crew bulb at one end, the engines at the other, the dish in the middle, its just a simple, graceful, cool-looking design.
What it might fail its space MOT on: The satnav responds to every destination that isnt Jupiter with, Sorry Dave, I cant let you do that. And then kills you.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A Rolls-Royce.
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32. The USS Sulaco - Aliens
Why it's great: Just look at it. Its big, brash and functional. It looks like a flying gun. And what about all those things sticking out of the front? Are they weapons? Are they antennae? Who knows? But it does look kick ass!
What it might fail its space MOT on: Having everybody on board asleep all the time would create big gaps in any maintenance schedules. All sorts of little things could be overlooked. Like when your garage cant pinpoint any major issues but it still costs you a grand to get the car through the MOT anyway.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: The Ark Royal.
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28 Delta-7 Aethersprite-Class Light Interceptor Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Why it's great: The Delta-7 is battle transport of choice for Jedi Knights in the Old Republic. They even pimp them with paint jobs suited to their home planet and personality.
What it might fail its space MOT on: The ship uses a detachable booster ring that it can hook up to when it needs to travel through hyperspace. Careless piloting means that blimmin things are forever getting battered out of shape.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A dragster. (We were going to include the Sith Infiltrator or Scimitar in this countdown as well but, being a stealth ship, we couldnt find a decent picture of one)
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26. Borg Cube - Star Trek, various
Why it's great: Capable of transwarp speeds, Borg cubes are heavily armed and protected by a number of defensive systems. They are designed to remain operable even if up to 78% of the ship is destroyed. Best of all, they are visually unlike any other ship, and look really cool. The Borg sphere as pretty nifty as well, but weve sadly yet to see a Borg dodecahedron.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Although extremely destructive - they destroyed 39 out of 40 Federation ships at Wolf 359 - they are apparently easily defeated if the attacker knows enough about Borg ships. Therefore, MOTs should only be attempted by recovering former Locutuses.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A Nissan Cube.
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25. SA-23E Mitchell-Hyundyne Starfury - Babylon 5
Why it's great: It was the first ship developed in sci-fi TV to explore how Newtonian physics might actually be used in the design of a space fighter craft. But really, just look at it. Its a kick ass little ship and youd think twice about taking it on. Extremely agile, it was heavily armed and later versions just increased its great all-round abilities and versatility.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Those pesky RCT units. The Starfury had 16 of the little engines dotted around its frame for supreme manoeuvrability, but just one blockage in one unit could seriously spoil a pilots day.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A small over-powered dune buggy. With guns.
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24. Engineers Ship - Alien, Prometheus
Why it's great A truly alien-looking alien ship that looked mightily creepy and mysterious and cavernous when we first saw it back in 1979. Even in 2012, in Prometheus, when we first learned it was an Engineers Ship (though Engineer is only our term for the aliens) it still looked iconic and wonderfully weird. But the design is not random. Its all part of the none-too-subtle Freudian imagery Ridley Scott and concept artist HR Giger inserted into the first Alien movie. The ship is in the shape of a pair of womans legs splayed apart. Why specify a womans legs? Because the ship has a vagina - or an entrance in the place where a vagina would be. Not convinced yet? Then how about the fact that the Nostromo away team enters the ship via the vagina and discover yep - eggs. Metaphorically, the "mother" ship gives birth to the alien.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Having a gaping great hole in it for a start. Theres also evidence of an alarming amount of slime and seepage. Plus any engineer performing an MOT would probably end up with a facehugger kiss as well, so its not doing itself any favours.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A catamaran.
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23. Slave 1 - Star Wars
Why it's great: Another design classic from that galaxy far, far away, Slave I looks completely unlike anything else in the Star Wars universe - rather appropriate for its loner owner, Boba Fett. (Yes, we know that Jango Fett had it first, but Boba made it his own.) Theres an element of Art Deco to Slave 1s curves, complemented by an impressive array of weapons and the downright weird design choice of making it fly upright. It also comes with a roomy cargo hold and a big windscreen that gives you a good chance of spotting sneaky smugglers.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Having to rotate through 90 degrees on take-off can be disorientating and could make you vulnerable to attack.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: Aston Martin DB5 a timelessly elegant design classic with a few optional extras.
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21. Red Dwarf - Red Dwarf
Why it's great: Thanks to the scoop on the front of the ship - which collects hydrogen from space and converts it into fuel - Red Dwarf can theoretically keep going forever. (Its already been traveling for more than 3,000,200 years, and has survived a radiation leak, being turned into a planetoid by Krytens nanobots and a highly-corrosive micro-organism.)
What it might fail its space MOT on: A faulty drive plate resulted in almost the entire crew being killed (though this is likely due to human error.) Ships computer Holly has gone a bit peculiar after spending 3,000,000 years alone. The ships supply of ShakenVac has run out, and there is only one After Eight mint left.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A garbage truck.
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18. The USCSS Nostromo - Alien
Why it's great: Its a tug. Basically it's the space-faring equivalent of a pack horse. Not pretty, not elegant, but a tough ship that'll always get the job done.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Being a workhorse of the space-lanes - a long haul vehicle if you will all the basics would be shot. Suspension, brake pads, oil and air filters, everything would need replacing.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A white Ford transit van. Probably with clean me daubed in the dirt on its back doors
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17. SSV Normandy - Mass Effect
Why it's great: This is the ship that saved all life in the known universe from destruction by the Reapers. Commanded by human hero Shepard in the three Mass Effect games, its your home base, your tactical briefing room, your research lab, your flying fortress and more. Launched as the SR-1 in 2183 by the Systems Alliance, blown up by aliens and rebuilt by the paramilitary group Cerberus, then taken back by the Alliance and retrofitted, by the year 2186 its the sleekest, fastest ship in anyones fleet. A Tantalus drive core is cutting edge stealth technology meaning the ship is fast and quiet and can travel faster than light for longer than similar-sized vessels. Its also sleek and pointy and crackles with energy when it initiates a mass relay jump.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Did you read the part above about how it was blown up? The Alliance retrofit model didnt fair much better either, crash-landing on an unknown world after the battle of the Crucible, so its held together with gaffer tape and goodwill right now. But even at its peak, the Normandy was rocking an unlicensed self-aware AI which would have raised a frown at the highest levels.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A custom Millennium 140 Superyacht.
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16. SHADO Interceptors - UFO
Why it's great: Because its like an angry sports car, that can travel through space and has a missile for a nose. Some of the UFO vehicle designs were a bit wacky, but the interceptors looked absolutely brilliant. Also deploying the pilots down a slide was just top. We can only hope at least one went "Wheeeee!" every time they were scrambled.
What it might fail its space MOT on: The whole one-missile thing puts an unfair amount of pressure on the pilot. Plus the targeting computers are clearly old Imperial surplus. Or possibly just an exciting picture of a targeting computer. Whichever, theyre not that accurate.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A midget sports car. With a missile launcher on the bonnet.
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15. Klingon Bird Of Prey - Star Trek, various
Why it's great: A versatile warship that could cause maximum devastation with minimum crew; used at various points as a scout, raider and patrol ship, and able to cause lots of damage thanks to its generally high-level firepower. Designed by Industrial Light and Magic, the Klingon Bird of Prey made its first appearance in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock, where in early drafts of the script it was a Romulan vessel. Although the enemies changed race, the Romulan feather-like hull plating was kept, as was its cloaking device, making it the first Klingon ship to boast such technology, although it wasnt until the sixth film that the ship was able to fire while cloaked.
What it might fail its space MOT on: That weak-spot under the hull shot through by two blasts of a disruptor in DS9s Return To Grace.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: An Apache helicopter - stealthy and nimble.
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14. The Defiant - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (and a cameo in First Contact)
Why it's great: Surely the toughest ship the Federation has ever built. Armed to the teeth with phase cannons and quantum torpedoes as well as the more commonly seen phasers. The ships ablative armour offers protection even when the shields fail. And on top of all that, it has a cloaking device. The Federation may not make a habit of building warships, but the Defiant proves it is more than capable of doing so if required.
What it might fail its space MOT on: The ship was quickly discovered to be overgunned and overpowered for its size, and needed drastic modifications to prevent it tearing itself apart. Its also not much fun to serve on - no holodecks, no bars, and only a limited infirmary. It proved vulnerable to a Breen energy-dampening weapon and was destroyed during the Second Battle of Chintoka.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A Hawk T1.
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12. Colonial Viper - Battlestar Galactica
Why it's great: Along with the X-Wing, this is arguably the definitive space fighter design in sci-fi. It manages that because, like a lot of the other ships on this list, it manages to combine functionality with looking flat-out cool. Even in the original series, the Viper looked like a warhorse, a sturdy, solid ship that could take a beating and hand out a worse one. The fact that it launched in the coolest method imaginable, had the ability to reverse thrust on a dime and, as the reboot shows, is insanely manoeuvrable, is just a bonus. Not just a design classic, the Viper is a pilots best friend; rough, tough, and ready to go.
What it might fail its space MOT on: A complete lack of indicators or a voice yelling CAUTION! THIS COLONIAL VIPER IS REVERSING! when it hits reverse thrust.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A Hawker Hurricane fighter plane.
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11. The Liberator - Blakes Seven
Why it's great: Probably the most advanced ship in the galaxy, the Liberator is significantly faster than the ships of the Federation and is equipped with neutron blaster cannons. The hull is covered in herculanium, a material which is impervious to almost all forms of weaponry. The ship also has a teleport, which is highly sought-after by the Federation. Its such an advanced ship that its a target for just about everyone, including the extremely intelligent race that built it. It was eventually destroyed by a cloud of corrosive micro-organisms.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Those struts connecting it altogether looks suspiciously flimsy to us It could also do with a Flies This Way information sign, just to avoid confusion and accidentally backing into black holes.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: The Spruce Goose.
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9. Star Destroyers - Star Wars
Why it's great: The names probably the big giveaway: theres no hyperbole there, the Star Destroyers really can obliterate entire star systems with their heavy fire power or stamp out rebellions on hostile planets. Another ILM-designed ship on the list, the dagger-shaped vessels are as much a threat for the 72 TIE Fighters and dozens of AT-ATs and AT-STs as they can carry as much as their own onboard weapons (turbolasers, ion cannons, and tractor beams).
What it might fail its space MOT on: Nothing. If there was any chance its MOT might fail itd just vapourise the test centre.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A Humvee.
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8. Mothership - Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
Why it's great: Its great because, even nearly 40 years on, it still does what it was designed to do make us go Wow! Designed by Ralph McQuarrie (most famous for his Star Wars preproduction art) and built by Greg Jein, it was inspired by an oil refinery at night that Spielberg saw while in India. To be honest, it looks more like a Cathedral at Christmas, and theres certainly something almost like a religious experience taking place at the climax of the movie. Its got one hell of a bass on its sound system as well. You wouldnt want one as a neighbour.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Off-side rear light not working.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A tall ship in full sail.
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7. Serenity - Firefly/Serenity
Why it's great: She may look like a plucked parrot and lack the sleek design and elegant stylings of other ships on this list, but the Serenity is still as loveable as a fluffy wee kitten. Perhaps its because her crew all talk about her as though shes alive (which were doing too - its catching!). Perhaps its because she seems to make sense, not only visually but practically; you can understand easily which bits of her do what, and her interiors reek of realism. Or perhaps its because shes just as much a part of the crew as the crew themselves. We particularly love the way her interiors have been given Changing Rooms-style makeovers by the crew, from Inaras silk-draped shuttle (whod have thought such a tiny metal room could be so pretty?) to the flower stencils on the walls of the kitchen (no doubt applied by Kayleigh; we cant really see Mal doing that). Little touches like this helped to turn the spaceship star of the show into an actual home and wait, thats it, by jove! THIS is why Serenity is so loveable. Its because we can all see ourselves living on her, cant we? Who wouldnt give an arm and a leg for a meal around the table in the galley, eh? Also, you have to love any ship so relaxed that there are toy dinosaurs on its flight deck. Superb.
What it might fail its space MOT on: The engines port compression coil has a tendency to pack up, resulting in a whopping great explosion. In the depths of space theyre also hard to come by, as Mal found out to his cost in Out Of Gas. Also, one thing thats always bugged us about the Serenity are the ladders leading down into the crew quarters. All very ship-like, yes, but if you have to climb up and down a vertical ladder to go to bed at night, youre a bit screwed if youre also carrying a nice cup of cocoa.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A Citroen DS 23 Pallas.
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6. TIE Fighters - Star Wars
Why it's great: In a film franchise packed with iconic ships, the TIE (Twin Ion Engine) Fighter remains one of the most iconic, with its hexagonal wing design and spherical cockpit. The TIE Fighter has great speed and manoeuvrability, which is great, but the downside of this is, well, its a bit disposable - along with the lackeys who fly them on behalf of the Empire.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Theyre worryingly flimsy - no hyperdrive, no life support, no shields, no ejector seats. In car terms were assuming this is most definitely lacking an airbag and basic safety measures. Any slight nick to the wings seems to send them into a spin.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: The original Mini Cooper small, nimble, fast, and theres a lot of them.
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5. The TARDIS - Doctor Who
Why it's great: Where to begin? Bigger on the inside, can go anywhere in time and space and can camouflage itself when it arrives (well, in theory). The interior has regular makeovers (from retro-60s sci-fi, to mock-Star Wars, to gothic revival, organic oceanic, junk yard and beyond) and even timber-clad secondary control rooms but the flight deck has always contained the iconic hexagon central console and some form of moving time rotor. Other rooms include a wardrobe, various bedrooms, a Zero Room, a boot cupboard, a swimming pool and an art gallery, although the Doctors always ejecting and rearranging rooms so who knows whats inside at any given point. The real beauty of the TARDIS is that its quirky and unique, a series of budget-friendly solutions that culminated in something that sent shockwaves through the zeitgeist almost immediately when it appeared.
What it might fail its space MOT on: Chameleon circuit is likely to break. Tends to arrive slap bang in the middle of dangerous situations. Simple problems like jammed switches can have very strange consequences. And the state of temporal grace (a defence mechanism which means guns cannot be used in the TARDIS) has worked only once in the last 49 years.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A VW camper.
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4. X-Wing Fighters - Star Wars
Why it's great: The Rebel Alliances fighter of choice (you can keep your Y-Wings, B-Wings and A-Wings), the X-Wing is simplicity in motion. Elegant straight lines echo the basic structure of an Earth aeroplane, while the moveable S-foils that give the craft its name help make really cool toy replicas. Theres also room for your R2 unit, and they seem mercifully resistant to rust (one was submerged in a bog on Dagobah, but emerged fully flight-worthy).
What it might fail its space MOT on: Targeting computers can struggle to hit thermal exhaust ports at high speeds. Only room for one person. Vulnerable to attacks from behind. Handling becomes nigh-on impossible in Dagobahs atmosphere - and removing the ship from swamps may require assistance from diminutive Jedi masters.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: A Volkswagen Golf. It wont stand out in a crowd, but it does the job and will rarely let you down.
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3. Battlestar Galactica - Battlestar Galactica
Why it's great: A warhorse of a ship, Galactica is a military grade aircraft carrier equivalent. While so many of the ships on this list are all shiny and white and clean, this is held together with blind faith and whatever Chief Tyrol could cobble together. It genuinely always felt like a ship only just surviving in a desperate situation. The classic series design was so iconic, the new series modified it only subtly and intelligently. In the new series she is only one of two of the 12 Colonies Battleships to survive an attack by the Cylons, partly because shes so old shes never had the integrated computer systems installed; disabling these systems is part of the Cylons strategy. So Yay! for stingy Government defence cuts! More than 1,400 metres long, the Galactica, at its peak, could carry four squadrons of 20 Vipers, launched from the Flight Pops on either side of the main ship. It was also built with siege situations in mind, and if fully equipped and fully functioning, it could maintain a crew of at least 2,800 for several years. It even had battery back-up power.
What it might fail its space MOT on: While solidly built, various factors during Galacticas construction led to the shipyard cutting corners, with various components not completed to spec. Which is probably less of a problem than all that constant battle damage from Cylon attacks (and on-board espionage).
If it were a real vehicle it would be: The USS Enterprise (no, not that one, the WW2 US Naval warship that earned the nickname of The Grey Ghost after being reported sunk on three different occasions only to survive to fight another battle).
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2. USS Enterprise NCC-1701 - Star Trek
Why it's great: Long before Han Solos much-loved heap of junk was a twinkle in George Lucas eyes, the USS Enterprise, with its mission to boldly go where no man had gone before, had inspired a generation. The ship was such a cultural icon that NASA renamed its first space shuttle Enterprise (rather than the less catchy Constitution) after it received thousands of letters lobbying for the change. As well as warp drive technology, the ship boasted 14 science labs, an observation deck and weaponry including phasers and photon torpedoes. It had many upgrades and at least two refits and, by the time it was destroyed (Kirk activated the auto-destruct sequence in Star Trek III to stop the ship falling into the hands of the Klingons), it had become the most celebrated starship of its time. (And were counting all the different versions NX-01, NCC-1701, NCC-1701-A to J, etc as one here, otherwise there would be enough different Enterprises to fill half the countdown)
What it might fail its space MOT on: Nothing, so long as Scotty was able to lurk around while it was being tested and step in to fix anything on the fly where necessary.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: Surely it has to be the Space Shuttle Enterprise - the first of its kind and the shuttle that took its name.
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1. The Millennium Falcon - Star Wars
Why it's great: Look at it! The coolest ship in the galaxy is made up of numerous design elements that shouldnt really work - willful asymmetry, a visible cockpit, a satellite dish (?!) - but when they come together its like poetry in a spaceship. Its fast (can your vehicle do the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs, whatever that actually means?), highly manoeuvrable in both asteroid fields and Death Stars, and comes with some excellent user modifications, such as removable floorboards that create a convenient hiding place when youre being chased by the law. The ship can also be used as currency when gambling.
What it might fail its space MOT on: The hyperdrive can be a bit glitchy, which may prove problematic if you want to avoid Imperial entanglements.
If it were a real vehicle it would be: An Alfa Romeo - looks sexy, but notoriously unreliable.
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