Enterprise E Saucer Separation

[Kazeite]

Well yeah, but, comparing Ent-D and Ent-E, it seems... weird that E-E engineering section, the one that has the most weapons and would therefore go into the battle, doesn't have its own impulse engine.

I think we can all agree that Ent-E is more militaristic vessel than family friendly, exploration oriented Ent-D. Therefore, I think that if Ent-E could separate, it would have separate impulse engine for engineering section, right?

I don't know... in-universe, maybe it was initially designed with separation capability, which was later removed?

 

[Ebuntor]

Christopher said:
^^Err, the saucer's impulse engines aren't the problem -- they're clearly visible on the model and are ahead of the separation line, so they would undoubtedly stay with the saucer. The problem is that, unlike the Galaxy class, the Sovereign class has no evident impulse engines on the stardrive section. (Although, as I've said, I see no reason why warp engines couldn't drive a ship slower than light if necessary.)

Perhaps the stardrive's impulse engines are located on top of the point which is normally covered by the saucer?
Of course there's no indication of any impulse engines on the cutaway diagram but these engines normally wouldn't operate when the saucer is attached. Unlike the Galaxy class where both the saucer and stardrive impule engines do show up on the cutaway.

Just a theory of course.

 

[Ebuntor]

Kazeite said:
Well yeah, but, comparing Ent-D and Ent-E, it seems... weird that E-E engineering section, the one that has the most weapons and would therefore go into the battle, doesn't have its own impulse engine.

I wouldn't say the engineering section is more heavily armed.
If you look at the model the saucer has 11 phaser arrays. The stardrive section of course had all the torpedo launchers (before Nemesis) and just 5 small phaser arrays.

Perhaps the saucer has some extra torpedo launchers hidden at the point the it's connected to the stardrive section but if this is not the case it seems to me both sections are armed equally.

 

[Christopher]

Ebuntor said:
Perhaps the stardrive's impulse engines are located on top of the point which is normally covered by the saucer?

See the concept sketch posted earlier in the thread -- that section would be on top and facing forward.

Although I suppose theoretically there's no reason the stardrive section couldn't fly aft-first at impulse. It's not like the driver has to look out the front window or something. "Ahead full reverse! Backward to victory!"

 

[Cobalt Frost]

Impulse engines for the stardrive section are due on Tuesday...

 

[David cgc]

I stand by my theory that the impulse engines are a couple of those cutouts on the fantail, just above the torpedo launchers. The ones that appear to be lit up in the "Lighted Model - Rear and Bottom" shot on this page.

 

[Ebuntor]

Christopher said:

Ebuntor said:
Perhaps the stardrive's impulse engines are located on top of the point which is normally covered by the saucer?

See the concept sketch posted earlier in the thread -- that section would be on top and facing forward.

Although I suppose theoretically there's no reason the stardrive section couldn't fly aft-first at impulse. It's not like the driver has to look out the front window or something. "Ahead full reverse! Backward to victory!"

Yeah I saw the sketch, otherwise I wouldn't have posted such a detailed theory based upon that image.
I made a few photo's of an Ent-E model I'm still working on. The model's separation line is the same as on that sketch, in fact the model is made in such a way that it can easily separate.

The photos aren't of the best quality because I quickly made them, I'm a little busy at the moment. The photos are just to give an impression.

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/895/00001qu3.jpg
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/360/00002dc5.jpg
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/246/00003lg1.jpg
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/415/00004zz0.jpg

As you can see the "tongue" shaped part of the secondary hull that is normally covered by the saucer is completely flat.
The Sovereign's saucer impulse engines are very flat, I see no reason why there couldn't be a second pair of these on this "platform" that move up to give them a clear line of sight once the saucer is cleared. Heck there's even enough room left for a few extra phaser arrays and a battle bridge.

 

[Ebuntor]

David cgc said:
I stand by my theory that the impulse engines are a couple of those cutouts on the fantail, just above the torpedo launchers. The ones that appear to be lit up in the "Lighted Model - Rear and Bottom" shot on this page.

That's funny, there was actually someone who made a refitted Sovereign class model for the ST Bridge Commander pc game which placed two impulse engines at exactly that location.

Why are those places lighted on the model though?

EDIT: I found it.
http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/screenshots/File/62629/2 http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/file/PostNemesis_Sovereign;62629

 

[Christopher]

Hmm, good catch. Those could be impulse engines.

Why are those places lighted on the model though?

Either because they're supposed to be impulse engines or because they thought it would look cool. Most likely the latter.

 

[David cgc]

Actually, that photo is only place I've seen them lit on an on-screen model. I was surprised to find it that way. I had thought the only place they were lit up were on the Enterprise-E in-game model of "Elite Force II."

The picture isn't large enough for me to tell if that's internal lighting or some sort of reflection.

 

[AlxxlA]

Timo said:
Which would explain why only the Feds seem to go for saucer hulls: they are the only ones to care enough about multiply redundant means of evacuation. Other species find lifepods sufficient, or then have separating sections that are less lavishly equipped for survival (possibly including Galor bridge sections or K't'inga forward pods).

The capability to divide the ship into two functional halves would probably be unique to the Galaxy class - added as an afterthought when Starfleet wanted to build a showcase vessel, a Nebula-with-all-the-bells-and-whistles-and-don't-hold-the -mayo. All other ships would typically leave behind a crippled stardrive section when separating.

Huh. I always thought that they were round so that the passageways would go around in circles and make people think that the ship was bigger than it actually was.

And also, what about the Prometheus Class? It's capable of splitting into three Warp Capable, heavily armed (and fully automated) segments.

 

[DumbDumb2007]

oops i forgot.. the stardrive section impulse engine would pop up from under that module on top or the black squares would eject to reveal impulse engines. the 1701 e was full of surprises like the captain's yacht.
is a shame Picard never used the yacht on the show or in another film. the captain's yacht should have been seen in nemesis bringing riker to the Titan or the wedding party up top the ship early in the film if the terk movies get remastered . they should all get remastered.