There was a thread about re-imagining the NX-Class sometime back. That thread is pretty much dead. I do not wish to be perceived as "bumping" the thread as that is not my intention, plus I have a new take on how I would want to re-imagine the NX-Class and I feel it would be best to make an entirely new thread as it is a new idea.
For a simple description, I am thinking that the most realistic way to have produced a vessel with a cruise-velocity of Warp 4.5 (91.125 c) and a maximum emergency dash of Warp 5.2 (140.608 c), would be to have the ship feature four engines instead of two. Four engines would yield twice the propulsive power and should achieve the result without anywhere near as much difficulty has doing the job with just two engines. Additionally with a lower power output required per engine, the nacelles could be designed more like the Daedalus-Class which feature no visible grilles which make for much greater damage resistance.
For a more comprehensive description, I am going to use graphics and some descriptions from the old thread (as they were good descriptions) combined with some new ideas.
As noted before, I did not create any of these designs -- the source of these drawings is from ex-Astris Scientia, however the images displayed are stored on webspace which I posses
IMAGE ONE
IMAGE TWO
IMAGE THREE
SAUCER-CONFIGURATION
-The overall saucer shape is predominantly to be based on image-two with a similar convex upper saucer shape, and roughly the same rim thickness. The underside of the saucer would also however feature a convex curve as well, however slightly flatter than the top section. The saucer area however would feature no windows other than on the rim.
-The rim of the saucer would differ in that it's edge does not possess any angling (so as to make it appear cruder than later designs), with the windows located higher up along the rim.
-The base of the Bridge-module would be based on characteristics from image two predominantly with the height of the lower section of the bridge heightened to one full deck in height. The upper part of the upper module would be placed on top and centered on the saucer.
-The shape of the Navigation dome would be based on characteristics from image two and image three. The upper component would be based more along the lines of image two, however larger in circumference (about the same as the base of the bridge dome depicted in image two), with the larger lower-component dome depicted in image three. The dome would differ however in that it would not glow and would be the same color as the rest of the ships skin.
HULL-AFTERBODY (The area that trails behind the saucer and the nacelles connect to)
-The afterbody shape is essentially a blend of features from image one and two. The lateral width of the afterbody (and the fact that it runs through both the upper and lower saucer sections), and basic simple shape would be based on image one, with the vertical depth being similar to image two.
-The overall afterbody length would differ in being a little bit longer
-The impulse duct on the rear afterbody would be most like the type used in image one
WARP-NACELLES
-The basic nacelle shape is inspired largely by none other than the USS Daedalus differing in the possession of an enlarged portion of the nacelle as in image two with the nacelle afterbody resembling that from image one, differing in the addition of a small bulb on the back.
PYLONS
-The basic pylon-shape would be derived from image three possessing approximately the same chordwise length, but differing in lacking sweep
-Pylons would be mounted on the same position of the hull afterbody as in image one differing in that the ship would have four pylons as it has four nacelles
-The span of the pylons should place the nacelle at the edge of the saucer rim, but no farther.
-The angle at which the pylons cant up and down would be much flatter than on any of the depicted images. The upper nacelle positions should be about the same as the bridge (the top of the nacelle should be a little bit higher than the top of the bridge dome to be precise) with the cant angle being a little bit lower on the underside (as the convex-shape of the hull is a bit flatter on the bottom)
NAVIGATIONAL-DEFLECTOR
-Navigational deflector configuration would be more or less similar to image two with the exception of the area "scooped out" (I don't like the way it looks, as a result -- the idea I have wouldn't feature it). It would just be embedded in the rim. There would also be two smaller deflectors right beside it as a back-up. The entire assembly would be a little bit wider than the "scooped-out" portion on image two.
SURFACE-DETAIL
-Skin surface detail to be more or less the same as the Daedalus-Class as they are technological contemporaries
Exactly what that is I'm not entirely sure as there many images/models of the Daedalus-Class that depict various degrees of surface detail. Examples of this would include the following
- http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1409/754824085_6f6ec5eef8.jpg
- http://www.trekmania.net/the_fleet/utopia/fleet/daed6.jpg
- http://www.trekmania.net/the_fleet/utopia/fleet/daed3.jpg
OTHER NOTES
- Would not have designated the ship NX or Ennex Class; would have named the ship's class after the first-vessel like typical naval tradition.
- NX designation would have been dropped after prototype entered service after NCC would have been used.
CuttingEdge100
For a simple description, I am thinking that the most realistic way to have produced a vessel with a cruise-velocity of Warp 4.5 (91.125 c) and a maximum emergency dash of Warp 5.2 (140.608 c), would be to have the ship feature four engines instead of two. Four engines would yield twice the propulsive power and should achieve the result without anywhere near as much difficulty has doing the job with just two engines. Additionally with a lower power output required per engine, the nacelles could be designed more like the Daedalus-Class which feature no visible grilles which make for much greater damage resistance.
For a more comprehensive description, I am going to use graphics and some descriptions from the old thread (as they were good descriptions) combined with some new ideas.
As noted before, I did not create any of these designs -- the source of these drawings is from ex-Astris Scientia, however the images displayed are stored on webspace which I posses
IMAGE ONE
IMAGE TWO
IMAGE THREE
SAUCER-CONFIGURATION
-The overall saucer shape is predominantly to be based on image-two with a similar convex upper saucer shape, and roughly the same rim thickness. The underside of the saucer would also however feature a convex curve as well, however slightly flatter than the top section. The saucer area however would feature no windows other than on the rim.
-The rim of the saucer would differ in that it's edge does not possess any angling (so as to make it appear cruder than later designs), with the windows located higher up along the rim.
-The base of the Bridge-module would be based on characteristics from image two predominantly with the height of the lower section of the bridge heightened to one full deck in height. The upper part of the upper module would be placed on top and centered on the saucer.
-The shape of the Navigation dome would be based on characteristics from image two and image three. The upper component would be based more along the lines of image two, however larger in circumference (about the same as the base of the bridge dome depicted in image two), with the larger lower-component dome depicted in image three. The dome would differ however in that it would not glow and would be the same color as the rest of the ships skin.
HULL-AFTERBODY (The area that trails behind the saucer and the nacelles connect to)
-The afterbody shape is essentially a blend of features from image one and two. The lateral width of the afterbody (and the fact that it runs through both the upper and lower saucer sections), and basic simple shape would be based on image one, with the vertical depth being similar to image two.
-The overall afterbody length would differ in being a little bit longer
-The impulse duct on the rear afterbody would be most like the type used in image one
WARP-NACELLES
-The basic nacelle shape is inspired largely by none other than the USS Daedalus differing in the possession of an enlarged portion of the nacelle as in image two with the nacelle afterbody resembling that from image one, differing in the addition of a small bulb on the back.
PYLONS
-The basic pylon-shape would be derived from image three possessing approximately the same chordwise length, but differing in lacking sweep
-Pylons would be mounted on the same position of the hull afterbody as in image one differing in that the ship would have four pylons as it has four nacelles
-The span of the pylons should place the nacelle at the edge of the saucer rim, but no farther.
-The angle at which the pylons cant up and down would be much flatter than on any of the depicted images. The upper nacelle positions should be about the same as the bridge (the top of the nacelle should be a little bit higher than the top of the bridge dome to be precise) with the cant angle being a little bit lower on the underside (as the convex-shape of the hull is a bit flatter on the bottom)
NAVIGATIONAL-DEFLECTOR
-Navigational deflector configuration would be more or less similar to image two with the exception of the area "scooped out" (I don't like the way it looks, as a result -- the idea I have wouldn't feature it). It would just be embedded in the rim. There would also be two smaller deflectors right beside it as a back-up. The entire assembly would be a little bit wider than the "scooped-out" portion on image two.
SURFACE-DETAIL
-Skin surface detail to be more or less the same as the Daedalus-Class as they are technological contemporaries
Exactly what that is I'm not entirely sure as there many images/models of the Daedalus-Class that depict various degrees of surface detail. Examples of this would include the following
- http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1409/754824085_6f6ec5eef8.jpg
- http://www.trekmania.net/the_fleet/utopia/fleet/daed6.jpg
- http://www.trekmania.net/the_fleet/utopia/fleet/daed3.jpg
OTHER NOTES
- Would not have designated the ship NX or Ennex Class; would have named the ship's class after the first-vessel like typical naval tradition.
- NX designation would have been dropped after prototype entered service after NCC would have been used.
CuttingEdge100
