The Fantastic is the name of two faster-than-light spacecraft used by the Fantastic Four. The first was the prototype craft originally flown on the flight which gave the Fantastic Four their powers. The second is a slightly larger craft developed by Dr. Richards with the help of Ben Grimm and Tony Stark, which includes many technologies not available anywhere else on Earth. It is this latter craft which sees use by the Fantastic Four on their missions to other star-faring races.
The original Fantastic is a prototype spacecraft built from the hull of the NASA Space Shuttle Endeavor as a test bed for a prototype faster-than-light hyperspace drive designed by Dr. Reed Richards. The craft has only flown once, launched from Cape Canaveral by Dr. Richards and his handpicked skeleton crew, which consisted of himself, pilot Major Ben Grimm, medical specialist Susan Storm, and technical specialist Jonathan Storm.
The Fantastic's only journey took the crew from low Earth orbit to the vicinity of Mars and back, before the effects of improper shielding through hyperspace forced them to land the craft at Edwards AFB.
Today, the Fantastic sits on display at the Smithsonian Air and Space History Museum, a testament to the first manned faster than light flight. The only component not on board the ship from its maiden flight is its hyperspace drive, which has been removed by Dr. Richards for further refinement.
First Post-Reboot Appearance: FANTASTIC FOUR #1.
Front:
[1] Armor, Advanced Metallic Laminate; DR 30, $100K.
[2] Control Room; Computer Complexity 3, Comm/Sensor Array Level 3, 2 Control Stations, 0 Workspaces, $200K.
[3a-b] Passenger Seating; 4 seats, $20K.
[3c] Cargo Hold; 1.5 t.
[4] Science Comm/Sensor Array; Level 5, 0 Workspaces, $1M.
[5-6] Habitat; 2 cabins, 0 Workspaces, $200K.
Middle:
[1] Armor, Advanced Metallic Laminate; DR 30, $100K.
[2!] Stardrive Engine; 0 Workspaces, $1M.
[3] Power Plant, Fuel Cell; 1 PP, 6 hours endurance, 0 Workspaces, $50K.
[4] Fuel Tank (for Fuel Cell Plant); 5 t, $30K, gives 18 additional hours endurance.
[5] Engine Room; 1 Control Station, 1 Workspace, $30K.
[6, core] Fuel Tanks; 0.36 mps, 10 t, $60K.
Rear:
[1] Armor, Advanced Metallic Laminate; DR 30, $100K.
[2] Chemical Rocket; 3G accel, 0 Workspaces, $200K.
[3-6, core] Fuel Tanks; 0.9 mps, 25 t, $150K.
Habitat Breakdown:
Labs:
Science!: 1 (2), $30M
Design Features:
Winged Hull; $500K.
Crew:
| Control Stations: | 3 |
| Technicians: | 1 |
| Scientists: | 2 |
| Total: | 6 |
The second craft to go by the name of the Fantastic is the Fantastic Four's current spaceship. This ship was designed and built from the ground up by Dr. Richards, Ben Grimm, and Tony Stark for the Fantastic Four's personal use. Inside its hull are many experimental technologies developed by either Richards and/or Stark, making the craft the most technologically advanced spacecraft ever built by humans.
The front section of the Fantastic is designed to hold the Fantasticar, the Fantastic Four's personal ultra-tech aircraft, as well as the craft's scientific sensors and lab facilities. The middle section is designed to house the Fantastic Four and their guests, as well as deal with normal ship-board activities.
The stardrive of the Fantastic has been upgraded to operate for up to 40 light-years before refueling. At present, the Fantastic is housed and maintained at a private hangar at JFK International Airport, alongside the Fantastic Four's long-range private aircraft.
First Post-Reboot Appearance: FANTASTIC FOUR#
Front:
[1] Armor, Advanced Metallic Laminate; DR 70, $600K
[2] Scientific Comm/Sensor Array; Level 7, 0 Workspaces, $3M
[3] Habitat; 2 Cabins, $300K
[4-5] Hangar Bay; Capacity 20t, Launch Rate 10t, 0 Workspaces, $20K
[6] Cargo Hold; Capacity 15t.
Middle:
[1] Armor, Advanced Metallic Laminate; DR 70, $600K
[2] Control Room; Complexity 5, Comm/Sensor 5, 3 Control Stations, 0 Workspaces, $600K
[3-5] Habitat; 6 Cabins, $600K
[6] Engine Room; 1 Control Station, 1 Workspace, $100K
[core] Power Plant, Fusion; 2 PP, 50 year endurance, 0 Workspaces, $3M
Rear:
[1] Armor, Advanced Metallic Laminate; DR 70, $600K
[2!] Contragravity Lifter; 0 Workspaces, $3M
[3!] Light Force Screen; DR 500, $5M
[4-5!] Standard Reactionless Engines, 1G acceleration, 0 Workspaces, $600K
[6!] Stardrive Engine; 0 Workspaces, $3M
[core] Power Plant, Fusion; 2 PP, 50 year endurance, 0 Workspaces, $3M
Design Features:
Artificial Gravity; $300K
Design Switches:
Adjustable Force Screen; $5M
Habitat Breakdown:
Cabins: 3 (3).
Labs:
Science!: 1 (2), $30M
Sickbays: 3 (3)
Crew:
| Control Stations: | 3 |
| Technicians: | 1 |
| Medics: | 1 |
| Scientists: | 1 |
| Total: | 6 |
| PILOTING (AEROSPACE) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL | Vehicle | ST/HP | Hnd/SR | HT | Move | LWt | Load | SM | Occ | DR | Range | Cost | Notes |
| 8^ | The Fantastic Mk I | 300 | +3/4 | 13 | 30/2,100 | 100 | 2.1 | +6 | 6SV | 30 | 2 AU | $3.4B | [1, 2, 3] |
| 9^ | The Fantastic Mk II | 500 | +1/5 | 13 | 10/1,300 | 300 | 35.6 | +7 | 6ASV | 70 | 40 ly | $25B | [1, 4, 5] |
| PILOTING (HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPACECRAFT) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL | Vehicle | ST/HP | Hnd/SR | HT | Move | LWt | Load | SM | Occ | DR | Range | Cost | Notes |
| 8^ | The Fantastic Mk I | 300 | -1/3 | 13 | 3G/1.26 mps | 100 | 2.1 | +6 | 6SV | 30 | 2 AU | $3.4B | [1, 2, 3] |
| 9^ | The Fantastic Mk II | 500 | -1/5 | 13 | 1G/c | 300 | 35.6 | +7 | 6ASV | 70 | 40 ly | $25B | [1, 4, 5] |
Notes:
[1] Streamlined Hull
[2] Prototype built on existing limited production craft; final cost multiplied by a factor of 100 from book value.
[3] Requires external boosters to reach low Earth orbit.
[4] Prototype spacecraft built with experimental technologies; final cost multiplied by a factor of 1,000 from book value.
[5] Adjustable Light Force Screen gives DR 500.