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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MarkB" data-source="post: 7529824" data-attributes="member: 40176">Depending upon the setting and the society, you could go for an ecological angle. The shuttle is designed with atmospheric flight in mind, and has a propulsion system that works well for that context. But the ship's engines produce waste products including radioactive particles, dangerous carcinogens etc. that have effectively zero environmental impact when dumped into the vastness of space, but can cause serious issues within a planet's atmosphere. Therefore, the ship is generally only landed upon lifeless worlds except in dire emergencies.Other considerations could be political or tactical. Maybe bringing an entire capital ship down to surface is considered a provocative act compared to just coming down in a shuttle. Or, tactically, the shuttle is stealthier and more maneuverable in atmosphere than the ship, so can get in and out on a hostile planet when the ship would be a sitting duck for artillery fire.</blockquote>