Ore Refinery Ship?

[BrotherBenny]

I don't think that's practical, having smaller ships docked at a bigger one, makes it seem more like a movable space station than a ship in its own right.

The plan I had, which hasn't changed at the moment, is that the mining/refinery ship is huge by today's standards, larger than the largest oil tanker or supercarrier at over 400m long, over 200m wide and almost 20m high. This may change once I have done my research on refineries to know what needs to fit into one, along with the engine section, crew quarters and bridge.

 

[PurpleBuddha]

I don't think that's practical, having smaller ships docked at a bigger one, makes it seem more like a movable space station than a ship in its own right.

Yep that is kind of what it would be. There are other terms for it such as mothership.

But the main advantage of the approach is how much more practical it is.

The plan I had, which hasn't changed at the moment, is that the mining/refinery ship is huge by today's standards, larger than the largest oil tanker or supercarrier at over 400m long, over 200m wide and almost 20m high. This may change once I have done my research on refineries to know what needs to fit into one, along with the engine section, crew quarters and bridge.

Having a ship that big makes it even more important to have several little craft that can fly away from it. There is no chance those would be left out if something like this were really made. Leaving such an obvious thing out for arbitrary reasons such as worrying that people will think it is a flying space station seems silly, unless you actually have a really good reason that has yet to be stated.

And sure, if it fits your story better that is a good enough reason by itself.

 

[BrotherBenny]

That ship would have manned and unmanned jackhammers, drones, escape pods, small one- or two-man maintenance pods like ST's workbees, a small shuttle equivalent or something to ferry a few people about without needing to move the whole ship. I guess instead of calling it a ship I should call it a mobile mining/refinery platform.