That title seems like a bit of an oxymoron, doesn’t it? Generally speaking, if it flies though space it just ends up being way cooler than something that doesn’t fly through space. Braving the harsh temperatures, deadly radiation, the isolation and disorientation, the chance of micro meteor strikes or equipment malfunction, all to explore the vast open vacuum sounds like it could never be uncool, right? Well, I might have to beg to differ. We don’t even hear about the vast majority of space launches for a good reason. A lot of these craft are just cargo vessels, bringing supplies up to the space stations in orbit that do all the fun stuff (and get all the credit), making them some of the most complicated goods carriers that humanity has ever devised.

We don’t hear about these launches unless they go terribly, terribly wrong, much in the same way you don’t really hear any news about cargo planes or semi trucks unless they crash into something. There are other spacecraft that serve valuable purposes such as GPS and research satellites that get little attention compared to the giants like space observatories, deep space probes, and the landers designed to touch down on other planets.

It’s only natural that these less ground breaking craft would see a little less love from us on the ground, but the fact that they are absolutely vital to our exploration of space (not to mention many of our creature comforts here on the ground) makes them an interesting topic to delve into. Moreover, I think this kind of spacecraft is important to consider for any sci-fi landscapes you might be thinking of writing. As time goes on, this kind of spacecraft that doesn’t get much attention will become more and more common as space becomes a more and more natural place for us to visit. Besides, there’s always the chance that even a simple freighter could play a huge role in the story you want to tell.

Thank you for reading,

Benjamin Hawley