An Enterprise-E Question

[MapleJack]

I've begun to wonder about the tail end of the Enterprise-E.
I know I've seen the structure referred to as a shuttle bay, since it also looks a bit like the one on the old Constitution one, but since the Enterprise-B's similar structure has been labeled at times as a cargo bay, could that structure at the end of the E-E also be a cargo bay? Would it be better identified as one? It does seem more similar to the cargo hatches on the E-D and not so much like the hangers on the E-D, Voyager or most other TNG era ships.

Any thoughts?

I prefer thinking it of it as another shuttlebay, but this thought did crop up and seemed to make a little bit of sense.

 

[SchwEnt]

Let's check the MSD...

 

[Mage]

I've wondered that myself, since we've seen two shuttles launches from the E-E, and both were from a shuttlebay at the end of the saucersection.

 

[judge alba]

maybe it's like a maintence hatch for main engineering allowing shuttles or work bees with very bulky items to enter the ship and from there to engineering.
That's assuming the 2ndry hull is similar to the connies where i think it was mainly engineering and cargo.
where as the one in the saucer is for personell ans smaller items.

 

[MLJames]

On the other hand, having it as a shuttlebay follows in the tradition of the E-D, since it gives shuttle capability to both parts of the ship in the event of saucer separation.

 

[Timo]

...On the other hand, the E-E does not seem to feature any means for the warp section to continue operating as a starship after separation. That is, there is no impulse engine for that section, unlike the case with the E-D.

The E-nil, E-A and E-B similarly lacked warp section impulse drives, and they supposedly would discard the warp section after an emergency-only separation, only the saucer remaining operational. If the E-E also is supposed to discard its warp section, then there's little point in giving it a dedicated shuttlebay for separated use. But of course the bay could be there for nonseparated use, like in the -nil, -A and -B.

Then again, the -C curiously didn't seem to have an impulse drive for the saucer, but did have one that would remain with the warp section in case of separation. So the engineering logic of impulse engine placement may not be all that clear-cut.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[MatthiasRussell]

Just because we never saw shuttles launch from there, doesn't mean we should doubt what it is. We never saw shuttles launch from the D's main bay; only saw the interior once. If I remember the bridge display, it shows shuttles back there anyway, so there you go.

 

[MapleJack]

First, thank you for all the answers

After reading some of the responses, I began to wonder if it could be a structure like the Enterprise Refit. It's shuttle bay that opens into the/a cargo bay.

I often wondered why a ship would need two bays. I've thought that maybe it had to do with the saucer seps as some have said here, but also, I thought it could have to do with isolating visiting craft for one reason or another. Now, I've wondering if it could be a design similar to that which I mention here.

As a note, I don't think the E-E has a saucer sep. It seems unneeded given the warpcore ejection ability, life pods, shuttles and lack of families on board. But, that's just my opinion.

What a beautiful ship, but then, ships called Enterprise tend to be.

 

[sojourner]

As a note, I don't think the E-E has a saucer sep. It seems unneeded given the warpcore ejection ability, life pods, shuttles and lack of families on board. But, that's just my opinion.

Most of the other Enterprise's had these features and saucer separation as well.

 

[MapleJack]

As a note, I don't think the E-E has a saucer sep. It seems unneeded given the warpcore ejection ability, life pods, shuttles and lack of families on board. But, that's just my opinion.

Most of the other Enterprise's had these features and saucer separation as well.

True, but that doesn't mean they'd still have it with the E-E. It's not impossible and I think it was designed to have it by the designer, but it doesn't appear to really need it. To me it seems that the improvements with life support systems and other systems involved, a saucer separation is moot for the reasons I mentioned prior.

 

[sojourner]

the improvements with life support systems and other systems involved, a saucer separation is moot for the reasons I mentioned prior.

But then again, everything else has been improved too, hence, everything is still equal. you would still want saucer sep in the current ship for the same reasons you had it in the previous ships.

 

[Timo]

...And the thing is, you probably wouldn't want a saucer unless you could separate it. The frisbee shape seems to exist because it is useful for landing on a planet; if no such landing (in emergency, or regularly) was intended, the hull would take some other form, such as that of the Intrepid class, or one of the alien classes.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[MacLeod]

Just because we never saw shuttles launch from there, doesn't mean we should doubt what it is. We never saw shuttles launch from the D's main bay; only saw the interior once. If I remember the bridge display, it shows shuttles back there anyway, so there you go.

Might be mistaken as it's been a while since I saw the episode but I'm fairly sure in "BOBW, Part II" there is a line where Data says they are departing the main shuttlebay

 

[Timo]

True enough - he doesn't specify the bay, but we know he's departing from the saucer section, and we don't know of any saucer bays other than the main one.

To be sure, we only see the launch sequence from the POV of the shuttle crew, through the shuttle windows, but that still ought to count as "seeing".

Timo Saloniemi

 

[MatthiasRussell]

^ Excellent catch guys.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

the improvements with life support systems and other systems involved, a saucer separation is moot for the reasons I mentioned prior.

But then again, everything else has been improved too, hence, everything is still equal. you would still want saucer sep in the current ship for the same reasons you had it in the previous ships.

Eaves' FC sketches show the ship with saucer separation and what appears to be a battle bridge. The book Ship of the Line also says the E has a battle bridge.

 

[SicOne]

I'd have to dig out my First Contact Sketchbook, but I do remember a line in there about a saucer sep line for the E.

No matter how many shuttles or escape pods, worst-case scenario would have the E's saucer separation being the best bet for survival during a shipwide emergency involving something like uncontrollable antimatter release and/or warp core breach.

 

[Tiberius]

The Delta Flier had those pop out impulse boosters. Perhaps the E has something similar to power the engineering hull. Heck, there could even be impulse engines at the back of each warp nacelle for all we know.

 

[Saul]

http://www.starshipdatalink.net/art/images/dee-7.jpg sketch of saucer separation by eaves. http://www.starshipdatalink.net/art/1701-e.html

http://trekspert.blogspot.com/2009/04/singular-honor-part-1.html


I do remember a while back there been mention of a cut line in Nemesis that has Riker mention something about the ship not being able to separate it's saucer. But i don't know how much truth there is to that.

 

[SicOne]

Nope, I did not see anything in the Gen/FC Sketchbook about saucer sep, but it was apparently in a Trek Magazine per the link above.