The more I look at those engines the more I am convinced it is a Gabe or Gabe inspired design. There is definitely a 'hood' or bulge above the bussards.
Wow, thanks! I gotta say, except for the lack of phaser turrets the saucer looks almost identical to the one on the refit. Those turbines sure do look like they mean business though.
On the subject of the Earth-based construction : From The Making of Star Trek : Stephen Whitfield & Gene Roddenberry Of course, books are not canon. And I'm not too concerned about canon either. But there you go
This is slighty off topic -- but I visted the 'startrek.com' message board for a moment to see what they are saying about this picture. All I can say is that after reading a few posts there, I quicky made my way back here -- to the ADULT TABLE.
And it looks just the opposite to me. The front of the nacelles looks almost identical to Koerner's design, and the upper saucer is dramatically different from the TOS Enterprise. I'll have to reserve judgment until I see the whole thing, but since I don't particularly like Koerner's Enterprise (other than the rotating 'collectors' on the front of the nacelles), I expect this design will have to grow on me. ---------------
There's a bit of an extra step between the superstructure and the rest of the saucer though, which IIRC is unique amongst the main interpretations of the design.
I hate the ST.com boards. Anyway, in the book "A Flag Full of Stars", the Enterprise refit of the Saucer takes place on Earth and the bloody thing just takes off by itself. Pretty crazy. I remember looking at the cover like, what the hell? The pic depicts only the saucer flying through space, it threw me off.
So what do we think... do the nacelles get a translucent "cap" upon completion or is the familiar glow some sort of energy wash that occurs when they start spinning? I am so happy to have some real meat to chew on! Can't wait to see the teaser!
Well, what are the bussard collectors? They're GAS collectors... and the gas is extremely hot (and thus radiating light) as it's compressed during collection, right? Imagine, if you will, orange-red swirling FLAME in that cavity... not just a few whispy flames but the entire hemispherical volume just FILLED with brilliant, swirling, fire. (what we see as "Fire," after all, is just hot gas coming off as a combustion product, remember)
Well, this isn't as far removed as you might thing. The entire structural framework is present, and the nacelles aren't being built in-place... they were built separately and are being ASSEMBLED to the rest of the ship in that image. We know that external hull plating on the NX-01 can be removed for access to subsystems located underneath them (proven when they had to get rid of the Romulan mine). I suspect that the INTENTION is what you're saying, at least in part (the nacelles were built elsewhere, I think that's obvious!) But it's by no means conclusive. And in cases where "Enterprise" and "Star Trek" are in disagreement, I go with the original every time."
They get a cap. The turbines are meant to give the layman some idea of the inner workings of the engine systems. It also gives the nacelles a more "muscular" look.
She looks pretty buff, nacelle-wise... and the saucer looks definitely more detailed and industrial than TOS... I like what I am seeking and am intrigued to see how she'll look in space. I just hope they haven't toughed things up too much... she also needs to be sleek, elegant and beautiful...
Gabe's in on it those nacelles look alot like his SOL entry. As long as that is as far is it goes I can live with it, but if starts looking more like a nuBSG remake job on the big 'E' I will be disappointed. As far as her sitting on terra firma wasn't there some back story about April in the novelzation by Foster in the Counter Clock Incident going to look at her under construction and that they where going to tractor the sections to orbit or some such? Soar Dude
Looks like those "Pudgy" images that Boeing uses for its production model a/c -- where the fuselage is not much longer (fore to aft) than the engine nacelles, and is about the same diameter. http://www.boeingstore.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&theParentId=136&id=4299
I'm not going to lie... I'm not extremely impressed. It looks exactly like an updated version of the Enterprise would.... Technically sleek but without much personality.