One of the Bentenmaru's shuttles
A Shuttle (シャトル, Shatoru) is a small craft meant for transporting people and goods between places.
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Shuttles are vessels, smaller than most other kinds of spacecraft, which are used to transport people, either between ships and facilities in space, or between surface and space. They are often stationed in facilities in space, particular ones which see plenty of transit, and onboard certain ships (such as the Bentenmaru) [1].
Shuttle services are often run between important orbital and surface facilities on a planet, such as the one between New Okuhama Airport and the Sea of the Morning Star Relay Station [2][3].
The Bentenmaru shuttle's interior
Shuttle designs and layouts differ depending on the shuttle's operators and intended purpose - commercial shuttles tend to have an internal layout with a separate cockpit and rows of seats to accommodate many passengers [2], while others, such as the Bentenmaru's shuttles, may have a more spacious passenger area linked to the cockpit, enabling discussing and planning mid-flight [4].