in space all things are weightles regardless of mass and there is near 0 resistance. thrust speed and volume are the factors in which propell all items of size and mass example a tiny thruster on a suit for example has a thrust speed of 72 miles per hour to move a human body that fast you need to burn that thruster 27 seconds now if you put that same thruster on a carrack you would have to burn that thruster for months to get it up to 72 miles per hour based on mass... if you keep the thrust speed the same but add massive volume to the thrust now the thruster has to grow in size to provide volume. now with some fancy calulations you could get a truster big enough to move a carack 72 MPH faster than 27 seconds if so choose. now if you strap that massive thruster to a human mass lol instant 72MPH in a fraction of a second but the thrust speed no matter size is limited by the thrust speed of the thruster the volume just makes it quicker. so for you that think smaller ships would be faster the science will disagree as often with larger thrusters volume is almost indicitive to speed not exactly but safe bet if you build a bigger volume engine you are likely adding speed maybe a small light craft can get to a short distance quicker but in a long distance the more massive thrusters will attain higher speeds and eventually overtake the slower smaller engines an smaller craft. news flash! in game ships can leave atmo at any speed and this is a grose violation of common sense and physics. you need to attain a minimum speed to exit earths atmo or any atmo..... quantum should be set in low orbit to destination activated and like elon musk space x rocket blast off into space!!!! the sound of your speakers will excite you and the blast off will be so emmersive if your worried you cut travel time to short make ships drop out of quantum sooner as the forward trusters stops ships way to fast. we need bigger thrusters on front or slow sooner or turn and burn. is no one at CIG concerned with this so called SIM not having an ounce of realism in flight mechanics????? or maybe we can stop calling this a SIM and do what ever tickels the fancy... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- let me try to toss a little bit of science at you in lamens terms lets begin with the troposphere the oxygin rich enviroment dense and exreme pressure that allows for life. it is dificult for any craft to move at any high rate of speed due to emense resistance. this is the altitude jets can make hairpin turns or other forms of arial acrobatics this is the altitude that rockets are manditory to move massive payloads off the ground next is stratosphere yet it is so high that the oxygen is to thin to breath there still is a ton of oxygen to maintaina strong burn and is the last stage gravity has full effect but the density thins out allowing to attain some of our crafts highest speed to attain an exit momentum also if you ever saw the pretty glow or that line where you think atmosphere ends and space begins well no 3 more layers of atmo to go the ignorant say after this line your in space NOPE!!!! next is mesosphere there is no oxygen here and the pont weather ballons pop this looks and feels like space but whit a mild gravitational pull this is the highest point a jet has ever achieved and intercontinental balistic missiles go to reach the other side of the planet next is the thermosphere this is a rockets last stage where it has its last boost before you hit the deadzone this sphere is so thin like the 1 before it that fire is not possilble without onboard liqid oxygen this is where the ship can reach its trajectory and speed for a safe exit this is also a low level orbit many craft can use gravity to maintain an orbit next is the exosphere where many craft can be set to long range orbit this is the deadzone . the vacuum of space here is as strong is deep space and rockets can nolonger burn its engines and you need speed to set course to log off distances in space from here on out the only perpultion is thruster..... (may thrusters are in development and as wild and new as laser) "my team works in R&D for thrusters but to get here you have to know a thing or 2 about rockets like have a doctorate" and thrusters are ionized particulates that are focused and due to its hi power and reaction puts off a glow of energy that kind of looks like a rocket flame but it is not really a flame as its not possible here nor deep space . but since you all know science better that the subject matter expert why are you not at my work training me???? fun fact!!! winter at north and south pole our atmo can be as low as 7000 feet!!!!! what!!!! lol