The ‘Star-Strider’ Class is the standard, long-range autonomous exploration probe utilized by the Unity Accord for the execution of its primary mission: the mapping of the Orion Spur. Deployed by all Six Expeditions, these probes are the unsung workhorses of human expansion, serving as our eyes and ears in the vast, uncharted regions between colonial hubs.

Their mission directive is threefold:

1. Survey and Identify: To travel to designated star systems and identify potential candidates for future colonization or resource extraction according to the “1 in 100” habitability metrics.
2. Map and Chart: To map safe navigational routes, identify spatial hazards (asteroid fields, nebulae, gravitational anomalies), and contribute data to the central stellar cartography database.
3. Relay and Report: To transmit all collected data back to the nearest Accord hub via a quantum-entangled communication array.

The Star-Strider is an uncrewed, semi-sentient vessel designed for extreme durability and multi-decade autonomous operation.

• Propulsion: Equipped with a miniaturized, low-power Quantum Drive (Q-Drive). Unlike a full-sized ship, its drive is capable of only a single, pre-calculated jump. Upon arrival in a target system, it relies on conventional ion thrusters for maneuvering.

• Power Source: A combination of wide-spectrum solar collectors and a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) provides sustained power for its decades-long missions.

• Sensor Suite: Each probe is equipped with a comprehensive sensor package, including:
• Spectrometers: For atmospheric and geological analysis.
• Gravimetric Sensors: For mapping planetary mass and detecting gravitational anomalies.
• Long-Range Telescopes: For imaging planetary surfaces.
• Subspace Scanners: To detect unique energy signatures and potential FTL travel routes (see Section IV: Known Anomalies).
• Durability: The hull is composed of a self-repairing, ablative ceramic-alloy matrix, designed to withstand constant micrometeoroid impacts and high levels of cosmic radiation.

A Star-Strider’s mission follows a standard protocol:

1. Deployment: Probes are launched from a ‘Whale’ ark or a dedicated Accord science vessel.
2. The Jump: The probe executes its single, long-range Q-Drive jump to its designated target star system. This jump can take it hundreds of light-years into uncharted territory.
3. The Long Survey: Upon arrival, the probe spends 10-20 standard years methodically surveying the system, moving from planet to planet on its low-power ion drive.
4. The Final Report: Once its survey is complete, the probe transmits its full data package. After a successful transmission, most probes are programmed to de-orbit into the local star to prevent technological proliferation.

Any field operative or citizen detecting anomalous subspace readings matching the “Current” profile is ordered to observe from a safe distance and report immediately to the Exploration Division. Direct interaction is strictly prohibited pending further analysis.