Constellation class technical manual
- Thread starter MichaelS
- Start date
Hey, I like it! Finally, that sturdy starship is getting its due.
About that 'ventral sensor cannon'... Using the word 'cannon' sounds odd to me. Perhaps the word 'module' would be better. Or something to the effect of 'long range sensor platform'. Unless it's specifically stated somewhere as being the 'ventral sensor cannon', in which case I withdraw my objection.
About that 'ventral sensor cannon'... Using the word 'cannon' sounds odd to me. Perhaps the word 'module' would be better. Or something to the effect of 'long range sensor platform'. Unless it's specifically stated somewhere as being the 'ventral sensor cannon', in which case I withdraw my objection.
Regarding the cannon: I didn't have access to the STTM when it was still around, but somebody nice scanned the article in question for me. Here's a quote from it:
I hope that alleviates your concerns.
Anyway, here's that surprise I promised: Click here.
Cheers!
I hope that alleviates your concerns.
Anyway, here's that surprise I promised: Click here.
Cheers!
Good. I like how you've used the older interface style.
You've got the central turboshaft finishing a deck brfore the bridge - was that intentional?
You've got the central turboshaft finishing a deck brfore the bridge - was that intentional?
So....are you gonna make deckplans of this ship?
Go on...say "yes"
Go on...say "yes"
I put the word "cannon" in quotes precisely to give the impression of a long hollow tube. I would imagine that a very tight focus sensor system, with both active and passive elements, could live inside the barrel and accompanying turret. The barrel would be shielded from outside interference, and stare at distant stellar targets in much the same way that Hubble stares at distant galaxies.
Rick
www.spacemodelsystems.com
Maybe call it a Long Range Sensor Waveguide? That might be a decent term for it. Better than a sensor cannon in any case IMHO.
very nice work. You seem to have a general approach from the art side, and I don't know how much you are going to approach from the tech side. I have a list of tech notes and ideas I thought up for the ship that I could post if you would like, they are mostly from a tech side and I don't know how much they would work with the art approuch. Also some of them run counter to the ship discreptions from the STTM article as they were developed befor it came out.
I will dig them up and post them, see what you think. When I post them I will post some of the tech spicific comments reguarding the MSD.
Or possibly Super Narrow Angle Reconnaisance Emission Sensor (SNARES).
Equipment designers are always trying to force acronyms into words.Rick
www.spacemodelsystems.com
^That's pretty good, actually. I think I'll shamelessly steal your idea and use it for my own sinister purposes if you don't mind.
Sure, go ahead. I do have some of the tech already mapped out (it'll be a mix of both movie-era and TNG-era tech, adapted to an early 24th-century timeframe), but I thought I'd do the art first, mostly because I enjoy creating it. And judging from the responses here and at SFM, there are quite a few people who like the Constellation.
Posted by Rick Sternbach:
Or possibly Super Narrow Angle Reconnaisance Emission Sensor (SNARES).
I work for a military Avionics company. Homey knows acronyns!
For years I've been trying to get them to develop an Avionics Security System With Integral Peripheral Equipment, but we can't figure out a good logo that includes that acronym.
^^
.
The class was designed for extended duration exploration missions/recon patrols.
History:
Following the public scandle reguarding the classified Genisis project and the touting of the "failure" of the transwarp program by the pascifist block in the federation council, star fleet began to look for ways to boost public opinion and support for the fleet. With the critical success and public support following the historic five year exploration mission program, star fleet decided that a new round of even more ambitious exploration missions would be the key. The call was out to the major ship manuufacturing firms calling for a deep exploration ship, within cruiser designation, and using the proven successful Constitution II/Enterprise design platform. Mission expectations were for 8 to 10 years mission time, mostly spent in the unknowns. After just two weeks all but two firms drouped out of the design compition. Of the two, onely the one submited by the Newportnews/Honda firm meet all the requirments. The design was heavily reinforced structorally over the basic Enterprise design fraim works. The addition of a second warp reactor, and pair of nacells added to the reudenticy aspect favored by the NNH design group in many of their earlier design submitions (origonally they were seen as unneeded and costly in the orher submitions). The Lamate saucer hull provided greater internal space with smaller additional exterior surface. The design, as well as the proposed ten year exploration mission cought the public eye. And on january 25, 2287, star fleet was authorised funding for 13 vessels of the newly designated Constellation class, named for the lost constitution class ship.
Internal Layout:
The way I had seen it, the designers sliced an ent saucer between decks five and six (the two largest saucer decks) and added the "engeneering hull" between. So, a Constellations decks 1 through 5 and 10 through 14 are nearly identical to decks 1 through 5 and 6 through 10 on the Ent refit (with deck 10 haveing the most changes to incorporate the above shuttle bays). Decks 6 through 9 are the port, starboard, and foward main shuttle bays, the central cargo complex ( a U shaped cargo bay system similar to the bay setup in TMP but larger), Main engineering, primary and secondary science labs, and "expanded crew facilities" which include the arboretum, crew lounge, officers and crew mess, and additional crew quarters.
Main Engineering.
Main Engineering is a uneque layout. It uses the reactor and intermix shaft system seen in TMP/TWOK but in a diferent configuration. It has two reactors (To the Ent one) mounted in a dorsal/ventural configuration. The dorsal one is located under what you call the core ejection hatch, the ventural one is located directly down from it on deck 9. Their is an intermix shaft between the two. Main engineering is a two deck structure, on decks 7-8. Centered between those decks is the Intermix shaft which runs aft toward the Impulse engins and warp nacell supply shafts. At the end of main engineering the shaft splits into four smaller shafts. One set goes to port and starboard into the Impulse engines, the other two go Ventural and dorsal, into the Dorsal and ventural necks. They pass through the PhoTorp launcher bays in a similar fasion to how they go through the bay on the Ent Class. then they split off to port and starboard to each nacell.
Engineering notes:
While the ship does have four nacells, this doesn't directly relate to the ships top speed. In fact the class is actually slightly slower than the Ent class, but the rudendancy of the "Twin Propulsion System" allowed for better survivability numbers for extended deep space missions. The ship could, in theory, loose two of its nacells and still make its maximum warp. Another interesting thing reguarding the propulsion system was discovered durring the testing of prototype hull #2, when the engineering team found the ship could alternate between each pair of nacells without the need to drop out of warp. This technique, named "warp Coasting" by the design team, could theoritically allow for a constellation class ship to travle at maximum warp untill fuel expendture. Though Warp stress tests proved that that while possible, it would result in vast structural strain after a sertin period of time, It did add a new line in the ship specifacation table for Max rated Warp Coasting time, which was set at two days, a vast improvment over the Ent class time at max warp. While the propulsion tests proved the feesability of the alternating between pairs of nacells (to reduce nacell stress and ficalitate the nessary cooldown perioud following maximum duration high warp travel) It also lead to another discovery, that the ship couldn't operate with both pairs of nacells in mid to high warp. This was a disapointment, as the designers wanted to use both pairs as a way to improve warp field effencicy and dynamics, thus preventing any greater speeds than the Ent class. However the nacells could work "in quad" at both low warp (up to warp 2.5) and for Warp jump (Going from low speed impulse to warp two instantly) Both of which improved the class power usage and field dynamics over all other classes in both catagories. Unfortinatly the Twin propulsion system was also extremely fuel ineffenchant, resulting in larger than expected fuel cells and antimatter containment bottles. However, Star Fleet viewed this as an acceptable exchange for the greater survivability of the systems.
Weapons notes:
The ship has dual aft torpedo launchers, one in the dorsal Torp bay, one in the ventural Torp bay. though never really seen on the models, I felt it was onely logical to include this as star fleet had seemed to have learned to "cover its ass" over the years. Considering the otherwise heavy loadout for the weapons system, I also felt that it should have an aft twin turret phaser bank mounted between the two impulse engins.
Sciance notes:
The ship is outfited with a vast array of sensors. It also includes a number of science labs. While primarly for its deep space exploration mission, it also allowed for star fleet to add reconisence as a mission profile.
Crew notes:
When fully outfited the Constellation class has a standard crew complement similar to that of the Avenger class frigate.
Thats all that I could find, but it is most of what I wrote up. I Would like to mention that insperation for some of the above came from Ships of the Star Fleet vol1 and 2. As well as some internet sources, though the onely one that comes to mind at the moment is the Pubs from the ASDB.net web site.
Let me know what you guys think. And Rick any comments you would like to make are more than welcome.
History:
Following the public scandle reguarding the classified Genisis project and the touting of the "failure" of the transwarp program by the pascifist block in the federation council, star fleet began to look for ways to boost public opinion and support for the fleet. With the critical success and public support following the historic five year exploration mission program, star fleet decided that a new round of even more ambitious exploration missions would be the key. The call was out to the major ship manuufacturing firms calling for a deep exploration ship, within cruiser designation, and using the proven successful Constitution II/Enterprise design platform. Mission expectations were for 8 to 10 years mission time, mostly spent in the unknowns. After just two weeks all but two firms drouped out of the design compition. Of the two, onely the one submited by the Newportnews/Honda firm meet all the requirments. The design was heavily reinforced structorally over the basic Enterprise design fraim works. The addition of a second warp reactor, and pair of nacells added to the reudenticy aspect favored by the NNH design group in many of their earlier design submitions (origonally they were seen as unneeded and costly in the orher submitions). The Lamate saucer hull provided greater internal space with smaller additional exterior surface. The design, as well as the proposed ten year exploration mission cought the public eye. And on january 25, 2287, star fleet was authorised funding for 13 vessels of the newly designated Constellation class, named for the lost constitution class ship.
Internal Layout:
The way I had seen it, the designers sliced an ent saucer between decks five and six (the two largest saucer decks) and added the "engeneering hull" between. So, a Constellations decks 1 through 5 and 10 through 14 are nearly identical to decks 1 through 5 and 6 through 10 on the Ent refit (with deck 10 haveing the most changes to incorporate the above shuttle bays). Decks 6 through 9 are the port, starboard, and foward main shuttle bays, the central cargo complex ( a U shaped cargo bay system similar to the bay setup in TMP but larger), Main engineering, primary and secondary science labs, and "expanded crew facilities" which include the arboretum, crew lounge, officers and crew mess, and additional crew quarters.
Main Engineering.
Main Engineering is a uneque layout. It uses the reactor and intermix shaft system seen in TMP/TWOK but in a diferent configuration. It has two reactors (To the Ent one) mounted in a dorsal/ventural configuration. The dorsal one is located under what you call the core ejection hatch, the ventural one is located directly down from it on deck 9. Their is an intermix shaft between the two. Main engineering is a two deck structure, on decks 7-8. Centered between those decks is the Intermix shaft which runs aft toward the Impulse engins and warp nacell supply shafts. At the end of main engineering the shaft splits into four smaller shafts. One set goes to port and starboard into the Impulse engines, the other two go Ventural and dorsal, into the Dorsal and ventural necks. They pass through the PhoTorp launcher bays in a similar fasion to how they go through the bay on the Ent Class. then they split off to port and starboard to each nacell.
Engineering notes:
While the ship does have four nacells, this doesn't directly relate to the ships top speed. In fact the class is actually slightly slower than the Ent class, but the rudendancy of the "Twin Propulsion System" allowed for better survivability numbers for extended deep space missions. The ship could, in theory, loose two of its nacells and still make its maximum warp. Another interesting thing reguarding the propulsion system was discovered durring the testing of prototype hull #2, when the engineering team found the ship could alternate between each pair of nacells without the need to drop out of warp. This technique, named "warp Coasting" by the design team, could theoritically allow for a constellation class ship to travle at maximum warp untill fuel expendture. Though Warp stress tests proved that that while possible, it would result in vast structural strain after a sertin period of time, It did add a new line in the ship specifacation table for Max rated Warp Coasting time, which was set at two days, a vast improvment over the Ent class time at max warp. While the propulsion tests proved the feesability of the alternating between pairs of nacells (to reduce nacell stress and ficalitate the nessary cooldown perioud following maximum duration high warp travel) It also lead to another discovery, that the ship couldn't operate with both pairs of nacells in mid to high warp. This was a disapointment, as the designers wanted to use both pairs as a way to improve warp field effencicy and dynamics, thus preventing any greater speeds than the Ent class. However the nacells could work "in quad" at both low warp (up to warp 2.5) and for Warp jump (Going from low speed impulse to warp two instantly) Both of which improved the class power usage and field dynamics over all other classes in both catagories. Unfortinatly the Twin propulsion system was also extremely fuel ineffenchant, resulting in larger than expected fuel cells and antimatter containment bottles. However, Star Fleet viewed this as an acceptable exchange for the greater survivability of the systems.
Weapons notes:
The ship has dual aft torpedo launchers, one in the dorsal Torp bay, one in the ventural Torp bay. though never really seen on the models, I felt it was onely logical to include this as star fleet had seemed to have learned to "cover its ass" over the years. Considering the otherwise heavy loadout for the weapons system, I also felt that it should have an aft twin turret phaser bank mounted between the two impulse engins.
Sciance notes:
The ship is outfited with a vast array of sensors. It also includes a number of science labs. While primarly for its deep space exploration mission, it also allowed for star fleet to add reconisence as a mission profile.
Crew notes:
When fully outfited the Constellation class has a standard crew complement similar to that of the Avenger class frigate.
Thats all that I could find, but it is most of what I wrote up. I Would like to mention that insperation for some of the above came from Ships of the Star Fleet vol1 and 2. As well as some internet sources, though the onely one that comes to mind at the moment is the Pubs from the ASDB.net web site.
Let me know what you guys think. And Rick any comments you would like to make are more than welcome.
Mysterion, even if he isn't I am. I still have the one you did for the akyazi class, and have been wondering when you were going to post more.
^Oh, I am, worry not.
Speaking of the Akyazi, I ordered Ships of the Star Fleet yesterday (Amazon Marketplace) because I heard so many good things about it, and I'm always glad about yet another source of inspiration.
Anyway, I want to post something I forgot earlier. I should have included it in my first post as it was already done then, but better late than never ...
My idea of a type-4 shuttle.
Speaking of the Akyazi, I ordered Ships of the Star Fleet yesterday (Amazon Marketplace) because I heard so many good things about it, and I'm always glad about yet another source of inspiration.
Anyway, I want to post something I forgot earlier. I should have included it in my first post as it was already done then, but better late than never ...
My idea of a type-4 shuttle.
Posted by MichaelS:
^Oh, I am, worry not.
Speaking of the Akyazi, I ordered Ships of the Star Fleet yesterday (Amazon Marketplace) because I heard so many good things about it, and I'm always glad about yet another source of inspiration.
Anyway, I want to post something I forgot earlier. I should have included it in my first post as it was already done then, but better late than never ...
My idea of a type-4 shuttle.
Nice. Which copy of Ships did you pick up, Volume 1 revised or volume 2. Both are probily the best of the Trek Fandome Tech works out there, and I highly recomend trying to get both.
Something else I thought about. You said that your idea was that the foward shuttlebay was used for a large aux craft similar to the DS9 era runabouts. I think that the lat TOS film era's version of that would be the "excutive shuttle" from TUC. I have felt for a while that this was that eras runabout. Espically when I saw it at the end of Generations.
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