So I figure that you have to decommission ships after a certain point. Traveller posits a future where ships can be in service for a century at least.
Would you need to mothball ships for decades after their century of service? (if it turns out that naval ships actually have more or less time in service in Traveller, so be it) Assuming a relatively slow tech progression, a ship that was made two centuries ago might not be up to the standards of the day's modern battleship, but in cases where you're running out of ships and need anything that can fly, bringing a ship out of retirement is still an option.
Problems though: antiquated computer systems, a hull that's probably marked with micrometeorite impacts, and no doubt other maintenance concerns that would necessitate the ship still costing money even whilst in mothballs.
Or would you decommission the vessel? Today, when you want to get rid of a vessel properly you basically sink the thing and create an artificial reef. In space, what do you do? I imagine you can program a course orbit that will take the ship into the local sun. Or if there is a gas giant nearby then a one-way ticket down would work in a pinch.
Some particularly famous ships can be converted into museums. For everything else, that one final voyage is made.
Would you need to mothball ships for decades after their century of service? (if it turns out that naval ships actually have more or less time in service in Traveller, so be it) Assuming a relatively slow tech progression, a ship that was made two centuries ago might not be up to the standards of the day's modern battleship, but in cases where you're running out of ships and need anything that can fly, bringing a ship out of retirement is still an option.
Problems though: antiquated computer systems, a hull that's probably marked with micrometeorite impacts, and no doubt other maintenance concerns that would necessitate the ship still costing money even whilst in mothballs.
Or would you decommission the vessel? Today, when you want to get rid of a vessel properly you basically sink the thing and create an artificial reef. In space, what do you do? I imagine you can program a course orbit that will take the ship into the local sun. Or if there is a gas giant nearby then a one-way ticket down would work in a pinch.
Some particularly famous ships can be converted into museums. For everything else, that one final voyage is made.