Editing Alaya Ravenstone (section)

=== OPERATING MODES ===


'''Cruise Mode''' - The normal operating condition of the ship.


'''Yellow Alert''' - Designates a ship wide state of increased preparedness for possible crisis situations.


'''Red Alert''' - Designates an actual state of emergency in which the ship or crew is endangered, immediately impending emergencies, or combat situations.


'''Blue Alert''' – Mode used aboard ships with planetfall capability when landing mode is initialized.


'''Operation Zebra'''- Ship Lockdown. All non-essential personnel confined to quarters and all crew on duty supported by another crewman when on the move. Ship checkpoints manned by Security personnel with anyone alone and suspicious held for questioning.


'''External Support Mode''' - State of reduced activity that exists when a ship is docked at a starbase or other support facility.


'''Reduced Power Mode'''  - This protocol is invoked in case of a major failure in spacecraft power generation, in case of critical fuel shortage, or in the event that a tactical situation requires severe curtailment of onboard power generation.


During Cruise Mode, the ship’s operations are run on three 8-hour shifts designated Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. Should a crisis develop, it may revert to a four-shift system of six hours to keep crew fatigue down.

Typical Shift command is as follows:

'''Alpha Shift''' – Captain (CO)

'''Beta Shift''' – Executive Officer (XO)

'''Gamma Shift''' – Rotated amongst Senior Officers

''' LANDING MODE ''' 

Illuminar class vessels are capable of atmospheric entry and egress with equipment worked into the physical design of the starship. Each vessel is equipped with anti-gravity generators as well as impulse and RCS lifters strategically placed at the mass and stress points on the bottom portion of the engineering section.

During Blue Alert, the Illuminar class lowers the projection sphere of the deflector shields and assumes an angle of attack perpendicular to the angular rotation of the planetary body if it has an atmosphere. This allows the vessel’s shape to work as a lifting body with air traveling under the broad and flat saucer and under the wing-like nacelle struts. Once in the atmosphere, navigation is controlled with RCS thrusters and use of the aft impulse engines.

It is standard procedure to lower the landing gear at approximately 2500m above the Landing Zone (LZ) surface, regardless of LZ altitude. This minimizes the drag on the vessel. Once prepared for landing, Aft impulse engines are shut down and four vents on the ventral hull are opened.

These vents cover the ventral impulse thrust plates. Impulse engines in miniature, the thrust plates serve only to provide lift to the Illuminar class as the anti-gravity generators effectively reduce its weight. The RCS thrusters provide final maneuvering power.

Once on the ground, crew or equipment can be transported to the surface from the vessel, or use the ship’s turbolift system that connects to channels inside the landing struts themselves, and open out near the ‘feet’.

Take-off is done in reverse