Doable -- "legally" to around 190,000 tons, realistically around 100,000 tons, but theoretically to any tonnage.
And there's at least two ways to do it:
(1) Calculate things. There are formula. Some are easier than others. A spreadsheet can help (a lot).
Using formula lets you calculate any hull size and any drive requirements.
(2) Scale. It is possible to scale without a lot of inefficiency.
This limits you to maybe 100,000 tons or so.
Kiloton Freighters
The easiest big ships are things like the Tukera AT and the Mora World-class transports: they're only 3,000 tons.
The trick is to leverage hull and drive multiples. Keep them all in sync and scaling becomes easy.
I'll build the 3,000 ton J4 M1 freighter frame using the 1000 ton hull (K).
J4 M1 P4 on the K hull are drives V and E, and V respectively.
Now scale all four up.
And there's at least two ways to do it:
(1) Calculate things. There are formula. Some are easier than others. A spreadsheet can help (a lot).
Using formula lets you calculate any hull size and any drive requirements.
(2) Scale. It is possible to scale without a lot of inefficiency.
This limits you to maybe 100,000 tons or so.
Kiloton Freighters
The easiest big ships are things like the Tukera AT and the Mora World-class transports: they're only 3,000 tons.
The trick is to leverage hull and drive multiples. Keep them all in sync and scaling becomes easy.
I'll build the 3,000 ton J4 M1 freighter frame using the 1000 ton hull (K).
J4 M1 P4 on the K hull are drives V and E, and V respectively.
Now scale all four up.
- Hull = 3K
- Jump = 3V
- Maneuver = 3E
- Power = 3V