The ST-46 is a typical example of the numerous types of shuttlecraft that operate in the Inner Sphere. Many stations and transports prefer to use small craft such as the ST-46 to transfer cargo to avoid docking with larger vessels, and most carry at least one such shuttlecraft. A streamlined aerodyne, the ST-46 is designed to carry both cargo and passengers. The shuttle’s aerodynamic properties enable it to conserve fuel on trips from space to a planet’s surface.
         Because the ST-46 is an aerodyne, the unarmed craft is difficult to land vertically and most pilots require a prepared runway for landing, preferably one made of ferrocrete or a similar building material. Five tons of armor provide the ST-46 with limited protection against landing and docking mishaps. The vessel’s passenger compartment is situated behind the ST-46’s small cockpit. This section can accommodate eight passengers and may be accessed through the cockpit or the vessel’s single airlock. The ST-46’s 50-ton capacity cargo bay can only be reached through the main cargo door on the vessel’s starboard side, or through ducting in the craft’s engineering section.