so i've been thinking about a Matt Jefferies quote from elsewhere on the board, that the first concept model of the original 1701 was concieved as "upside down" compared to how we know it today.
this got me thinking about my NX rework where i was trying to mix in a secondary hull, and this is what i've come up with so far.
here's a simple sketch
i have another idea, but this is the one i've been sketching with today. the other idea incorporates the twin-boom things. this one removes them completely
this design moves several elements inside the saucer to new positions. impulse engines are now located where the main shuttle bay used to be. and the shuttle bay is moved up to the top side of the saucer,at the base of the root for the new engineering hull. now with rear facing egresss, as opposed to the way they dropped from below before.
the way the bridge structure used to follow the hull back like a sort of spine, is now the basis for the transition up to the engineering hull as well.
obviously the dish has now been moved to the new hull as well. and slightly enlarged.
the overall length has been shortened, as the nacelles are now both farther forward. they are also on a narrower centerline to each other.
my working theory for this configuration close to doubles the available volume in the saucer section. so much of the available space was eaten up by routing massive power distribution all over the place. like from the engines, and all the way forward to the dish, and all the engineering space taken up by those big booms.
think this design is worth flushing out in 3d?
this got me thinking about my NX rework where i was trying to mix in a secondary hull, and this is what i've come up with so far.
here's a simple sketch

i have another idea, but this is the one i've been sketching with today. the other idea incorporates the twin-boom things. this one removes them completely
this design moves several elements inside the saucer to new positions. impulse engines are now located where the main shuttle bay used to be. and the shuttle bay is moved up to the top side of the saucer,at the base of the root for the new engineering hull. now with rear facing egresss, as opposed to the way they dropped from below before.
the way the bridge structure used to follow the hull back like a sort of spine, is now the basis for the transition up to the engineering hull as well.
obviously the dish has now been moved to the new hull as well. and slightly enlarged.
the overall length has been shortened, as the nacelles are now both farther forward. they are also on a narrower centerline to each other.
my working theory for this configuration close to doubles the available volume in the saucer section. so much of the available space was eaten up by routing massive power distribution all over the place. like from the engines, and all the way forward to the dish, and all the engineering space taken up by those big booms.
think this design is worth flushing out in 3d?