Nebula vs. Galaxy

Discussion in 'Trek Tech' started by Tribble puncher, Jan 4, 2014.

  1. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

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    I do have a couple of questions about the Nebula, though.

    (1) Given the 440m length of the Nebula-class, what are the dimensions of both pods?

    (2) Is there a forward torpedo tube in the engineering hull right above the main deflector dish? I remember a Nebula in "Star Trek:First Contact" firing on a Borg cube thusly, but I don't know if there's enough room between the bottom of the primary hull and the top of the main deflector dish for a torpedo tube.
     
  2. Nob Akimoto

    Nob Akimoto Captain Captain

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    1/ I don't recall the exact volume of the pods, but they're actually not all that large.

    2. This is one of those VFX oddities I think we should put up there with a phaser coming out of the Galaxy class torpedo launcher. Since the connecting area between the saucer and engineering hull doesn't really have a location fit for a torpedo launcher, and so far as I can tell the First Contact Nebula is actually the physical model version (rather than the CGI one), it looks like a VFX blunder to me. (Note this is true of most of that battle scene, since there's weird scaling issues with the Sabre class, and the Akira fires torpedoes from where it doesn't actually have any launchers.)
     
  3. Nob Akimoto

    Nob Akimoto Captain Captain

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    On the rest of your theory, Sic, I think part of it is simply that the Nebula while sharing many of the same structural frames of the Galaxy clearly seem to be using inferior internal components. It might be akin to building with merely cutting edge technology vs. with bleeding edge technology and as a result having to use more of the internal volume in efficient ways compared to the Galaxy. Throughout TNG's run, we kind of got the impression that a lot of Galaxy class systems were somewhat over complicated or untested, up to and including the warp core. It may simply be that as a "workhorse" design, the Nebula is designed with less of the flash bang, and thus doesn't have as much internal volume to use, and thus had to make use of things like external pods.
     
  4. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

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    The pods look like they have more volume than an Oberth in its entirety. Perhaps even a Nova-class. But do we know their dimensions?

    We'll chalk the torpedo tube scene up to VFX blunders, then. Canon purists can argue differently, but I don't see space for one.

    What is wrong with the Saber scaling? How big is it supposed to be?

    I thought I had read a blurb in the TNG Tech Manual regarding the internal volume of the Galaxy primary hull was something like 35% free space? If so, there should still be plenty of room for extras even in the Nebula, I would think. Earlier, less gee-whiz components than the Galaxy, yes; inferior components, no. And being the next newest design down from the then state-of-the-art Galaxy, I would think Starfleet would work diligently at correcting any such flaws, especially if they're the workhorses of the fleet.

    Do we know from episodes or Trek lit if the Nebula has saucer separation capability? I am inclined to think it doesn't...rather, certainly it has an emergency separation function, but I don't think it has an easy disconnect/reconnect like the Galaxy does.
     
  5. Nob Akimoto

    Nob Akimoto Captain Captain

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    Well, as noted above, the Galaxy has about 30% more internal volume over the Nebula pod included. So basically a Nebula that has been fully fitted out would have about the same payload volume as a standard 35% volume empty Galaxy. The pod's are about 170m x 280m x 20m. Lazily assuming they're triangular gives us a volume of about 476,000 m³. Which is big. It's about 2 Mirandas, or half an Excelsior.
     
  6. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

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    Galaxy has 30% more internal volume than Nebula, pod included? All due respect, but that figure seems to me to be a bit off, at first glance. I know the engineering hull is shorter than that of Galaxy, but it doesn't seem THAT much shorter. And most of the part that seems to be missing on the Nebula but exists on the Galaxy appears to be the wide, flat parts that support the nacelles as well as the flaring part of the neck that, while sizable, doesn't seem to me to make up the 30%. Also, Nebula's pod, while not very tall, is still pretty damned big and the pod supporting strut (at least on the tac pod variants...have never gotten a close look at the sensor pod supports of the Phoenix-type variant), and those two structures (pod and support pylon) would, I think, go a long way in making up a volume shortage vis-a-vis Galaxy.

    The Starship Spotter book of 2001 mentions that Nebula has a cargo pod and a probe pod in addition to a tactical pod and sensor pod...have we seen any of those variants? I am also thinking that such pods can't be too much taller than the tactical and sensor versions, or else they'd interfere with the ship's warp bubble.

    (Starship Spotter gives 3,309,000 tons displacement for Nebula and 4,500,000 tons for Galaxy, making Nebula 73.53% the volume of Galaxy...nonetheless, given those stats, looking at side/top/bottom/front/back views of both types, I still don't see THAT significant of a volume difference. What am I doing wrong?)
     
  7. bbjeg

    bbjeg Admiral Admiral

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    It just came to my attention that the Nebula Class and the several other ships at Wolf 359 couldn't take down a cube while the Galaxy Class alone finished the job.
     
  8. Hartzilla2007

    Hartzilla2007 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    You mean Picard and Data finished the job by hacking the Borg, all the Enterprise did is provide equipment for the hacking and prepare for a likely to be ineffective suicide run.
     
  9. bbjeg

    bbjeg Admiral Admiral

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    True it was more the crew than the ship on that one but the Nebula Class couldn't have pulled off that saucer separation diversionary tactic on it's own.
     
  10. Crazy Eddie

    Crazy Eddie Vice Admiral Admiral

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    A Nebula and an Ambassador could have if the Enterprise crew had been on one of them.
     
  11. Pippin209

    Pippin209 Ensign Newbie

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    From 20 mins of looking at pics and stats it seams that the nebula was designed to be more efficient and use more tried and tested tech than the galaxy. That coupled with the compact interiors and variability of the pods make it ideally suited to a fast reaction ship, capable of been sent on any kind of mission be it combat, humanitarian or scientific anywhere in sf controlled space. it seams to be a good ship with a nice service record standing against the Borg Cardassians Klingon and any others (if it has some main character backup!;))
    and the Galaxy was designed for long term space exploration to quote 'to explore strange new worlds and seek out new civilisations' and generally go gallivanting about uncharted space without backup or need to resupply hence the 30 odd % extra space.
     
  12. Blip

    Blip Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Agree with just about all of the above, though I'd point out there are at least three known major variants (upgrade modifications aside), including one with a smaller, spare set of nacelles atop the very aft saucer IIRC.
     
  13. EmperorTiberius

    EmperorTiberius Captain Captain

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    When it comes to combat, it has to be said that even though Nebula has smaller shield envelope, Galaxy has two extra impulse engines which can be used by shields.
     
  14. Blip

    Blip Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Good point, although the tactical pod could potentially feature extra fusion generators to provide a "complete package"...
     
  15. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

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    What was the purpose of the Nebula with the two small warp nacelles atop the primary hull? I didn't think Nebula was equipped with saucer-sep capability, so it doesn't make sense to have those nacelles there, at least in some kind of in-universe explanation. And, yes, Blip, I think the tactical pod would have extra fusion generators, though I think they'd more support the shield envelope rather than route to the impulse engines.
     
  16. F. King Daniel

    F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    More speed?
     
  17. SicOne

    SicOne Commodore Commodore

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    More nacelles doesn't necessarily mean more speed, despite what Prometheus fans will tell you. And the wrong-sized nacelles just looked...wrong. Just because.
     
  18. Blip

    Blip Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    That's precisely what I was saying.

    There'd be no point to sticking impulse drives up top so far away from the centre of mass anyway IMO, even if they aren't a conventional thrust propulsion.
     
  19. AverageWriter

    AverageWriter Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    I know that it's not a true basis for judging something, but I always preferred the Galaxy Class over the other similar designs of the day.
    To me, the Nebula just looks like a Galaxy that's squatting down to pick up a penny.
     
  20. blssdwlf

    blssdwlf Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Didn't they convert the rear end of the torpedo pods of the Reliants in DS9 to have extra impulse engines during the Dominion War? Those top pods could very well be additional engines for maneuvering because the ship got too heavy from additional equipment being added internally...