GORBILLIAN TRANSPORTATION
VPPS Speed Scale
The universal Vessel Propulsive Performance Scale — 12 categories, sustained and peak ratings, and the thresholds that classify any spacecraft.
A Universal Performance Scale
VPPS is universal: it can classify human, commercial, military, scientific, private, and alien spacecraft. The rating describes demonstrated or certified vessel performance — not ownership, mission, species, or engine type.
Sustained and Peak Ratings
A vessel may receive two ratings. VP-S is sustained performance: the class it can maintain for at least 30 continuous minutes under normal certified conditions. VP-P is peak performance: the class it can maintain for at least 10 continuous seconds without propulsion failure, structural failure, or metric-field collapse.
Example: VP-7S / VP-10P means sustained 0.50–1.0 g performance with a short-duration 4–8 g peak.
Why high VP does not mean lethal g-loads
The 12 VP Categories
| VP Class | Acceleration Band | Typical Role |
|---|---|---|
| VP-1 | < 0.001 g | Drift / stationkeeping |
| VP-2 | 0.001–0.01 g | Slow cargo / orbital trim |
| VP-3 | 0.01–0.05 g | Heavy freight / long-haul |
| VP-4 | 0.05–0.10 g | Light freight / passenger |
| VP-5 | 0.10–0.25 g | Civilian transport |
| VP-6 | 0.25–0.50 g | Priority courier |
| VP-7● | 0.50–1.0 g | Patrol / escort |
| VP-8 | 1.0–2.0 g | Light warship |
| VP-9 | 2.0–4.0 g | Combat-response |
| VP-10● | 4.0–8.0 g | Interceptor / fighter |
| VP-11 | 8.0–16 g | High-performance military |
| VP-12 | 16–32 g | Extreme / uninhabited or fully compensated |
● = canon-anchored band (VP-7 and VP-10 are established by the source document's example). Remaining bands are a working progression consistent with those anchors.
Human Vessel Ratings — Provisional
