Bigger pics: http://crossovercomic.com/index.php?page=extras&base=media/extras/Unrelated&folder=excelsior Re-christened version of my Enterprise F for the "Design the Next Enterprise" Contest. Added an impulse engine and a couple more airlocks and removed a bunch of windows. Still working on retexturing. Suggestions welcome. When I'm done I'll post some fly-by animations. Tech details: Saucer Separation and Impulse Maneuvering Unlike traditional stardrive coupling the primary bridge is retained, releasing only the outer ring of the saucer. This removes the need for the Captain the move to a battle bridge, saving precious seconds in an emergency. Instead a secondary bridge in the saucer is crewed by third shift personnel. The primary purpose of separation is to give non military crew and passengers a chance to escape while the stardrive engages an opponent. A disadvantage is the loss of two impulse engines in the process. The Excelsior offers an alternative, with two tertiary impulse engines on either side of the secondary hull. Normally dormant, they can provide short boots in speed, or be used separately for dramatically improved banking. Trajectory is traditionally controlled by maneuvering thrusters alone with impulse engines providing only forward thrust due to the limitations of structural integrity fields. Thus these engines should only be engaged while the shield booster is in effect or the saucer is separated, as otherwise minor hull damage could prove catastrophic. Anti-Protonic Shield Booster Based on a technique provided to the USS Voyager by the Q Continuum, Beta-tachyon emitters in the neck flood the shield projectors on the ventral side of the saucer with anti-protons. The result is an annihilation barrier, providing enough protection to pass through a supernova unharmed. Due to necessitated system coupling with the deflector dish, the booster can only be used with the saucer attached or in range of the emitters, and an extended cooldown is necessary to prevent ignition of the shields themselves, which would follow the projector to the hull and disintegrate the majority of the saucer. Using an annihilation barrier as a battering ram is a violation of the Second Khitomer Accords.
If you don't mind the smallest of suggestions, the portion of the saucer that separates might prosper by having petite warp nacelles that swing down to provide something like warp three or four. The separated saucer might not be able to run from a fight, but it could walk away.
It's funny that the nacelles are my favorite feature in that they're so sleek and simple while still having that very cool bussard transition red to the warp coil blue...
i think the oval saucer section is a good choice, but possibly make it a little wider, would be better.
I really dig the idea of Defiant style nacelles descending from the bulbous area behind the saucer's impulse engines There are already panels for landing gear, as the saucer is capable of atmospheric entry.
Someone else noted we're up above 75,000 in registry numbers as of DS9, and that vessel classes are named after the first in the series (and there has already been an Excelsior class.) The USS Frontier was destroyed with all hands when attempting to activate the shield booster for the first time, when anti-protons back flowed to the beta-tachyon emitters in the saucer and ignited. This has been remedied by emitters on the neck, slaved to the main deflector for precision. Perhaps the Excelsior's registry should be 300001?