Vessel dimensions & masses

Discussion in 'Trek Tech' started by Bill Morris, Feb 8, 2009.

  1. Bill Morris

    Bill Morris Commodore Commodore

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    Right. I'd better change my mass figures for the Galaxy class (make it 4,960,000) and Nebula (make it 4,047,000).
     
  2. DSG2k

    DSG2k Captain Captain

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    Gotta point out here that the mass stated in "Mudd's Women" for a TOS Constitution is "almost a million gross tons". The 190,000 tonne figure is non-canon and non-sensical. If the ship were 190,000 tonnes then it would be 25% less dense than an Apollo capsule or the later USS Voyager (the two being equal is not a coincidence, BTW). It would also be 90% as dense as water.

    We know that starships of the 23rd and 24th Century are generally more dense than water. Voyager, which we would expect to be as light as possible, had a density 20% greater than that of water, based on canon statements of mass and observable dimensions. Vessels seen to crash in water (Jem'Hadar or Klingon) have all been seen to sink (though the KBoP was in the shallow waters of the SF Bay (average depth 14 feet)).

    I personally conclude that if the Constitution could have been 900,000 gross tons, give or take, resulting in a mass of some 915,000 metric tonnes. However, you could swing the gross tonnage about 100k either way to your liking.
     
  3. JNG

    JNG Chief of Staff, Starfleet Command Rear Admiral

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    ^

    Yeah, we just had a thread about this.

    I don't see a big problem with a floating 1701, myself, and would expect Voyager to be a bit more dense than 1701, but not wayyyyy less dense. Voyager is the only one we know for sure is more dense than water; Enterprise-D isn't (around .86 by your volume numbers). 1701 at a million tons would be the outlier, so I can't view 190,000 tons as nonsensical. The "gross tons" thing is a bit odd and a number of non-canon sources support the 190,000 ton figure, so it works for stuff like this.
     
  4. DSG2k

    DSG2k Captain Captain

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    I have replied in the thread you referred to, and will take your post and my reply to that thread, as well. Didn't see it on the second page and haven't been here in awhile, sorry.
     
  5. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

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    Anyone have a good overhead picture or ortho of the AWACS-type pod on the Nebula? Trying to get a fix on how big that pod is.

    Also, it's my understanding the nacelles on the Enterprise-E were moved around for "Nemesis" and that the ship is actually a bit shorter now; is that true? Anyone have the revised length/width/height for the "new" E?

    Well, I guess width wouldn't really change...
     
  6. JNG

    JNG Chief of Staff, Starfleet Command Rear Admiral

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    I got:

    Length, 673.3 meters; beam, 250.6 meters; height, 89.35 meters.

    :shifty:
     
  7. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

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    Thanks, JNG. Since asking the question, I have seen a link to an article on the Sov redesign for "Nemesis", but there was mention that the nacelles were moved upwards as well some eight meters, making the ship now some 96 meters tall now? Seems a bit excessive. Any thoughts?
     
  8. Bill Morris

    Bill Morris Commodore Commodore

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    Also, a correction for the Type 9 shuttlecraft: 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.34. And for the Starfleet Command staff shuttle (seen in VOY: Endgame), it's 9.5 x 5.14 x 2.36.
     
  9. JNG

    JNG Chief of Staff, Starfleet Command Rear Admiral

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    Can I read the link? The comparison sketches I looked at showed that the nacelles were moved up only very slightly (slightly enough that the whole thing seems faintly ridiculous in aesthetic terms, but hey, in-universe it must have been important for reasons involving warp stresses or something); I don't think the changes look that radical on the ship in the movie, but it is hard to say for certain.

    EDIT: I think the 8m comes from comparing the drawings on the same set of sketches floating around, but those actually specify 1.3% height increase in writing. The question would then be whether this meant 1.3% of the height, as you would think and as the numbers I posted above assume, or if for some ungodly reason this would mean the nacelle height was increased by 1.3% of the overall length of the ship (the only way I can think to interpret it to get anything close to 8 meters, though it'd be more like 9). Because that seems kinda silly and the nacelle height increase is not really noticeable anyway, I personally take the 1.3% as a height percentage and just assume the sketches are not drawn to scale because the difference would have been visually insignificant at the size of the drawing. That would result in the height I listed above.

    Anyone have any screenshots from Nemesis that really make it look as if the nacelles were jacked up more than that?
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2009
  10. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

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    To add to what LCARS 24 posted at the beginning of this thread are some figures, and their published sources, all dimensions in meters. I am not attempting to evaluate their respective qualifications or differences, just merely post the figures from the books for discussion.

    My apologies if posting information from published sources is considered faux pas or forbidden by BBS rules. I am trying to be all-inclusive to multiple sources so we can nail this down. Mods, if so, feel free to pull the post and advise me accordingly; don't want to run afoul of the rules.

    "Ships Of The Star Fleet:Volume One Revised", July 1991

    Constitution-class (original)...285.9 overall length x 125.6 overall width x 71.5 overall height; primary hull (saucer) 126.8 long x 125.6 wide x 32.8 high; nacelles 153.8 long x 19.2 wide x 18.8 high. 181,000 tons.

    Constitution-class (refit)...304.8 overall length x 141.7 overall width x 71.3 overall height; primary hull 146.3 long x 141.7 wide x 32.9 high; nacelles 154.8 long x 12.6 wide x 18.3 high. 210,000 tons.

    NOTE:Constitution-class (refit) for NCC-1701-A is same as regular Con-refit, but nacelles are 155.0 x 13.5 wide x 18.3 high, and 211,500 tons.

    Avenger-class (Miranda-class)...234.9 overall length x 141.2 overall width x 58.8 overall height; primary hull 178.3 long x 141.2 wide x 32.5 high; nacelles 154.8 long x 12.6 wide x 17.8 high. 150,000 tons.

    old black Franz Joseph "Starfleet Technical Manual", 1975

    Constitution-class (original)...288.6 overall length x 127.1 overall width x 72.6 overall height; primary hull 127.1 diameter; secondary hull 103.6 long x 34.1 diameter; nacelles 153.6 long x 17.3 diameter. 190,000 tons.

    "Deep Space Nine Technical Manual", November 1998

    Deep Space Nine...1451.82 overall diameter x 969.26 overall height; Habitat Ring 579.12 diameter; Core 285.90 diameter (maximum)/59.43 diameter at Ops; Weapon Sail Towers 192.02 high. Could not find weight.

    Following figures are length, width, height, followed by tonnage.

    Danube-class...23.1 x 13.7 x 5.4. 158.7 tons.
    Galaxy-class...642.51 x 463.73 x 195.26. 4,500,000 tons.
    Nebula-class...442.23 x 318.11 x 130.43. 3,309,000 tons.
    Excelsior-class...511.25 x 195.64 x 86.76. 2,350,000 tons.
    Defiant-class...170.68 x 134.1 x 30.1. 355,000 tons.
    Akira-class...464.43 x 316.67 x 87.43. 3,055,000 tons.
    Miranda-class...277.76 x 173.98 x 65.23. 655,000 tons.
    Norway-class...364.77 x 225.61 x 52.48. 622,000 tons.

    Saber-class...stats are the same as Norway-class, obviously an error. Following the Saber-class were a number of kitbashed ships, but I am trying to stay with known ship classes.

    Vor'Cha-class...481.32 x 341.76 x 106.87. 2,238,000 tons.
    Negh'Var-class...682.32 x 470.09 x 136.65. 4,310,000 tons.
    B'Rel-class...157.76 x 181.54 x 98.54. 236,000 tons.
    K'T'inga-class...349.54 x 251.76 x 98.41. 760,000 tons.

    Keldon-class...371.88 x 192.23 x 70.13. 2,230,000 tons.
    Galor-class...371.88 x 192.23 x 59.00. 1,678,000 tons.
    Hideki-class...85.78 x 60.14 x 12.43. 120,000 tons.

    Jem'Hadar battle cruiser...639.75 x 568.44 x 204.97. 4,215,000 tons.
    Jem'Hadar attack ship...68.32 x 70.02 x 18.32. 2,450 tons.

    D'Deridex-class...1,041.65 x 772.43 x 285.47. 4,320,000 tons.

    "Starship Spotter", November 2001. Figures are length, width, height, followed by tonnage.

    Constitution-class (original)...288.6 x 127.1 x 72.6. 190,000 tons.
    Constitution-class (refit)...304.8 x 141.7 x 71.3. 210,000 tons.
    Miranda-class...237.6 x 141.7 x 58.0. 150,000 tons.
    Nebula-class...465.0 x 467.1 x 140.5. 3,309,000 tons.
    Galaxy-class...641.0 x 467.1 x 137.5. 4,500,000 tons.
    Danube-class...23.1 x 13.7 x 5.4. 158.7 tons.
    Nova-class...165.0 x 81.2 x 31.4. 110,000 tons.
    Akira-class...464.4 x 316.7 x 87.4. 3,055,000 tons.
    Defiant-class...119.5 x 90.3 x 25.5. 355,000 tons.
    Sovereign-class...685.3 x 250.6 x 88.2. 3,205,000 tons.
    Intrepid-class...344.5 x 132.1 x 64.4. 700,000 tons.
    Prometheus-class...415.0 x 170.0 x 113.0. 850,000 tons.
    SpaceDock (ST:TSFS)...4,600 diameter x 6,900 tall. 236,642,306 tons.

    K'T'inga-class...214.3 x 152.4 x 57.3. 120,000 tons.
    B'Rel-class...88.0 x 130.0 x 21.7. 46,300 tons.
    Vor'Cha-class...481.3 x 341.8 x 106.9. 2,238,000 tons.
    Romulan Bird-of-Prey (TOS)...68.2 x 90.6 x 21.9. 25,000 tons.
    D'Deridex-class...1,041.7 x 772.4 x 285.5. 4,320,000 tons.
    Galor-class...229.5 x 118.7 x 38.1. 412,930 tons.
    Jem'Hadar attack ship...68.3 x 70.02 x 18.3. 2,450 tons.

    Listed below, by way of comparison, are lengths given by the excellent website Ex Astris Scientia. Please see that website for various discussions regarding ship sizes.

    Akira-class...440
    Ambassador-class...526
    Centaur-type...381
    Challenger-class...390
    Cheyenne-class...362
    Constellation-class...310
    Constitution-class (original)...289
    Constitution-class (refit)...305
    Daedalus-class...105
    Danube-class...23
    Defiant-class...120
    Excelsior-class...467
    Excelsior-class (Enterprise-B)...469
    Freedom-class...430
    Galaxy-class...642.5
    Intrepid-class...344
    Miranda-class...243
    Nebula-class (triangular pod)...440
    Nebula-class (AWACS-type pod)...465
    New Orleans-class...340
    Niagara-class...480
    Norway-class...355
    Nova-class...180
    NX-class...225
    Oberth-class...150
    Olympic-class...320
    Prometheus-class...415
    Raven-type...90
    Saber-class...172
    Sovereign-class...685
    Sovereign-class (for "Nemesis)...673
    Steamrunner-class...355
    Sydney-class...235
    Yeager-type...330

    Delta Flyer...21
    Intrepid-class aeroshuttle...27
    Argo shuttle...20
    Enterprise-E shuttle...16
    Federation scout ship...24
    Sovereign-class Captain's Yacht...33.5

    Borg Cube...3,040
    Borg Sphere...450 some, 600 others
    Breen destroyer...330
    Galor-class...481
    Keldon-class...481
    Hideki-class...98
    Ferengi Marauder...366
    Jem'Hadar attack ship...95
    Jem'Hadar battle cruiser...650
    B'Rel-class...110
    K'T'inga-class...214
    Vor'Cha-class...481
    Negh'Var-class...682 no spike, 718 with spike
    Romulan Bird-of-Prey (TOS)...131
    D'Deridex-class...1,200
    Romulan science ship...95
    Romulan scout ship...89
    Valdore-type (Norexan-class?)...604
    Scimitar...890

    Other items from Ex Astris Scientia...

    Deep Space Nine...1,097 diameter intended, 1,451 compromised...note that a 120-meter Defiant fits well with the smaller diameter, while a 170m Defiant fits well with the larger diameter.

    SpaceDock (ST3)...3,800 diameter x 5,500 tall.

    If anyone else knows of other websites that have solid (or well-reasoned) explanations of ship dimensions, feel free to contribute here.
     
  11. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

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    JNG, I am not sufficently tech-savvy to post links (I know it's probably pathetically easy, but I don't have one of my sarcastic teenagers here to help me), but if you look at the Sovereign article in the Starship Database section of Ex Astris Scientia, at www.ex-astris-scientia.com, they discussed the Nemesis changes there but gave no figures on new height.

    Also, folks, per the cutaway posters (from 1993 on the Enterprise-D and 1996 on the Enterprise-E)...

    Galaxy-class...464.25 meters long x 467.0 wide x 137.5 tall, and 397,805 tons (!)

    Sovereign-class...685 meters long x 250 wide (214 across the nacelles) x 88 tall, and 3,205,000 tons.
     
  12. JNG

    JNG Chief of Staff, Starfleet Command Rear Admiral

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    You did it :)

    The EAS article on Sovereign changes does indeed contain those same sketches under discussion.
     
  13. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

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    Yeah, by accident, not design. If I really knew what I was doing, I'd be able to post a link right to that section.
     
  14. BrookeStephen

    BrookeStephen Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    I copied and pasted this German paragraph into
    Google's Language Translation webpage...

    Gradually they surrounded the huge white ship: its elegantly arched, 146 meters wide, Disc primary shell, the curved, like a Schiffssteven Connection Finn secondary to elongated cigar-hull or machinery, and the two 155 meters long, each 31 000-ton main engine nacelles allocated to their slanted, 60 meters long outriggers. The entire length of the ship measured 305 meters, its weight was 190 000 tons.
     
  15. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

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    From "Mr. Scott's Guide To The Enterprise", July 1987, by Shane Johnson...

    Constitution-class (refit)...990.6 feet long x 460.5 feet wide x 231.7 feet high overall; primary hull 475.4 feet long x 460.5 feet wide x 106.9 feet high; secondary hull 393.2 feet long x 106.9 feet wide x 154.3 feet high; nacelles 503.1 feet long x 40.9 feet wide x 54.9 feet high. Ship has 21 decks.
     
  16. Praetor

    Praetor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I thought the refit was supposed to be an even 1000 feet long at one point?
     
  17. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

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    I thought so, too, but it doesn't appear Mr. Johnson had access to the Star Trek III size chart we have seen. Of course, the materials he probably had access to in the mid-80s weren't anything like we have access to now.
     
  18. Praetor

    Praetor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Ah, well as long as I didn't hallucinate it. ;)

    There are certain things in Mr. Scott's Guide (such as transwarp being a success) that I take with a grain of salt. Perhaps the size figures should be another?
     
  19. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

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    Praetor, there were a number of items in the book that weren't "right", such as the Enterprise returning from the five-year mission in 2212, and the "Whalesong Incident" (ST4) in 2222. But then again, this was written well before the Okudachron...

    Mr. Scott's guide did have something neat...the port and starboard ventral phasers at the bottom of the secondary hull, as well as the two single-mount phasers above the shuttlebay door. Not sure off the top of my head if even "Starship Spotter" had that.
     
  20. Praetor

    Praetor Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Ah yes, I'd forgotten the date weirdnesses.

    I think those phasers were present in Starship Spotter, but I'm not sure.