4.1 Ship Requirements

Every interstellar spacecraft must fulfill certain requirements concerning crew and equipment; for example, the captain of the ship must have a first class master's license, and all crew members must have licenses appropriate to their duties. The spacecraft itself must be inspected at regular intervals to insure that critical components and equipment are operable, and the propulsion and life support systems properly maintained. Safety-related items such as environmental suits and life support belts are mandatory, and on larger ships shuttlecraft or lifeboats are required. Starships must have emergency transporters capable of sending the entire ship's complement down to a planet's surface.