Black boxes are major installations intended to survive by being strong. EPIRBs are small and easily detached, and hopefully survive by being out of the way of the damage, then floating away to alert the world. I assume both approaches should be in use on every ship in the Imperium. 



From: Knapp <xxxxxx@gmail.com>
To: xxxxxx@simplelists.com
Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2016 12:49 PM
Subject: Re: Off-topic - tracking enemy vessels, was Re: [TML] Instant city

All this boat safety is a good model but what of the Black boxes on jets?  There are many good cases where they crashed but no one ever found the plane or the box and this was on the Earth in a very small space compared to TU and with satellites watching and the Black boxes broadcasting where they are and with flight plans. I do admit that water is a big factor but in space you might also have the Black Boxes falling planetside or even into the sun.