What's the differance between a personnel shuttlecraft & shuttlepod as seen on TNG?
James
James
Shuttlecraft vs Shuttlepod
- Thread starter James Wright
- Start date
I'd just guess size, and versatility. The pod was probably equipped with lower powered engines (did it even have warp drive? I can't remember), and fewer supplies for shorter duration missions. If I remember correctly, all it really had was a pilot's seat, with no crew space aft. It's sole purpose was to get people from point A to point B. With the larger shuttle craft, you have the options for longer flights, using them to conduct research missions, because they have something akin to crew space.
As for the technical aspects, I'm sure others who are far more knowledgeable than myself will chime in in no time.
As for the technical aspects, I'm sure others who are far more knowledgeable than myself will chime in in no time.
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Largely a difference of size...
Shuttlecraft are similar to TOS shuttles, seating about seven persons.
Shuttlepods are the little two-seaters.
There may be other differences regarding impulse/warp speed capabilities and weapons and so on.
But basically it's a two-seater (shuttlepod) versus anything larger (shuttlecraft).
Shuttlecraft are similar to TOS shuttles, seating about seven persons.
Shuttlepods are the little two-seaters.
There may be other differences regarding impulse/warp speed capabilities and weapons and so on.
But basically it's a two-seater (shuttlepod) versus anything larger (shuttlecraft).
Why didn't TNG shuttlepods have any crew spaces in the aft section?
James
James
Probably because they didn't need to. If they were designed for short duration flight (as previously mentioned, limited in duration by their provisions and speed/fuel supply), then there would be no need to include a crew compartment. You don't need to rent an RV to take a two hour road trip, y'know. 
I always wondered if the Ent-D carried runabouts as part of her standard complement of shuttles? I know Picard & co. took one once, but runabouts have their own registry numbers. So they're a little different.
At least both (non-canon) deck plans contained Runabouts although at that time they were still not as refined as later on during TNG. But I liked the earlier idea to make the warp sled optional in favor of a more modular approach.
And Shuttlepods are smaller and pretty much sacrifice any additional crew compartment to allow for more equipment space and bigger engines (e.g. the TNG shuttlepod´s aft compartment contained some sort of cargo trunk and a (probably weak) impulse engine that was integrated into the hatch).
How are shuttlecraft and shuttlepods stocked with survival supplies in case of a crash that strands the crew for a few days?
James
James
Beats me...
I know in ENT, the shuttlepod was equipped with ration packs (similar to modern day MREs), and some sore of convection oven (or something along those lines) to heat it, along with blankets, and other survival supplies.
We know that in TNG, the shuttles have replicators (at least, I think they do, as Picard produces a stack of sandwiches for Wesely and him to share during a long shuttle ride in one episode), so I'd assume they'd be fine in the event of an emergency landing, as long as they have power. And, I'd also assume that there's a first aid kit in there, along with a compliment of phasers, and tricorders. And, ration packs, should the shuttle's energy supply fail. Just conjecture, but it seems logical to have on any craft that goes away from it's home berth.
I know in ENT, the shuttlepod was equipped with ration packs (similar to modern day MREs), and some sore of convection oven (or something along those lines) to heat it, along with blankets, and other survival supplies.
We know that in TNG, the shuttles have replicators (at least, I think they do, as Picard produces a stack of sandwiches for Wesely and him to share during a long shuttle ride in one episode), so I'd assume they'd be fine in the event of an emergency landing, as long as they have power. And, I'd also assume that there's a first aid kit in there, along with a compliment of phasers, and tricorders. And, ration packs, should the shuttle's energy supply fail. Just conjecture, but it seems logical to have on any craft that goes away from it's home berth.
I've always thought of shuttlepods as the Mini-Coopers (short trips in tight spaces) and the shuttlecraft as Chevy Tahoes....
...guess that makes the runabouts the RV's of ST....
Does that make the Captain's Yacht one of those Gold Wing touring bikes?
I loved the Runabouts theme of Earth rivers
I'd name my runabout the Credit (for the Credit River which is close to my house
I'd name my runabout the Credit (for the Credit River which is close to my house
I've always thought of shuttlepods as the Mini-Coopers (short trips in tight spaces) and the shuttlecraft as Chevy Tahoes....
...guess that makes the runabouts the RV's of ST....
Does that make the Captain's Yacht one of those Gold Wing touring bikes?
More like a Mazda Miata....just a fun little craft you take for a spin on the weekends....
Except that the Yacht tends to have plenty more space than the pod or craft together. It's just that, a yacht, especially on the Galaxy class - and for whatever reason it's a Captain's perk. Smaller ships don't have 'em, and the space is taken up by specialized craft (aeroshuttle, waverider...). One wonders if it's just a thing Picard had installed as his personal option, and other ships had other craft docked there. Varley had a spare photon loauncher, Keogh had a hot tub with a clear bottom...
Mark
Mark
Personally, I think the yacht is misnamed. It is more like a pinnace than anything else. See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinnace for additional info.
Also, when I took my wife and kids to Jamestown a few summers back, I asked one of the guides if the 3 boats were pinnaces, since they are very small. He said that under today's terms they would be, but at the time, 2 of the ships were not pinnaces and 1 of the ships would have been considered a pinnace, but was used as a cargo vessel for purposes of the voyage from England to Virginia.
YMMV, but it seems to fit the general usage a bit more (ferrying diplomats between various ships where the transporters were out, for formalities, social reasons, or other reasons; transporting the flag officer between craft, etc.).
Also, when I took my wife and kids to Jamestown a few summers back, I asked one of the guides if the 3 boats were pinnaces, since they are very small. He said that under today's terms they would be, but at the time, 2 of the ships were not pinnaces and 1 of the ships would have been considered a pinnace, but was used as a cargo vessel for purposes of the voyage from England to Virginia.
YMMV, but it seems to fit the general usage a bit more (ferrying diplomats between various ships where the transporters were out, for formalities, social reasons, or other reasons; transporting the flag officer between craft, etc.).
Let's remember we have never seen a Captain's Yacht do things it was intended to do. That is, we can probably rest assured that supporting guerilla warfare or boldly attacking large but lightly armed command vessels was not the reason Starfleet equipped the E-E with a Yacht.
So we don't know what the CY was intended to do. "Shuttling diplomats or flag officers" sounds fine, until one remembers that standard shuttles did that in TNG, and the CY was never even mentioned as an option.
Perhaps the term is something of a misnomer, an antiquated expression, like so many things naval or military? Perhaps the Captain isn't directly involved in the operations of the CY, and the craft indeed is primarily a planetary assault vehicle?
I like the idea of the CY being an optional extra, and indeed Picard didn't seem to have one on the E-D originally. In its place, in the same berth and thus identically shaped, was some sort of an energy emitter in "Encounter at Farpoint". Perhaps once the mission of exploring beyond Farpoint was scuttled (because Farpoint itself ceased to exist), and a mission of diplomatic representation was adopted instead, Picard received a CY for whatever purpose the CYs have.
The way the craft is portrayed in the TNG TM (but never shown onscreen), it could probably best be used as a detachable UFP Consulate. It doesn't have much in the way of propulsion and thus probably is useless as a shuttle or other liaison, and it doesn't have cargo capacity. But it does seem to have creature comforts and an uncanny ability to sit tight on a planetary surface and look cool and host wild diplomatic parties...
Timo Saloniemi
So we don't know what the CY was intended to do. "Shuttling diplomats or flag officers" sounds fine, until one remembers that standard shuttles did that in TNG, and the CY was never even mentioned as an option.
Perhaps the term is something of a misnomer, an antiquated expression, like so many things naval or military? Perhaps the Captain isn't directly involved in the operations of the CY, and the craft indeed is primarily a planetary assault vehicle?
I like the idea of the CY being an optional extra, and indeed Picard didn't seem to have one on the E-D originally. In its place, in the same berth and thus identically shaped, was some sort of an energy emitter in "Encounter at Farpoint". Perhaps once the mission of exploring beyond Farpoint was scuttled (because Farpoint itself ceased to exist), and a mission of diplomatic representation was adopted instead, Picard received a CY for whatever purpose the CYs have.
The way the craft is portrayed in the TNG TM (but never shown onscreen), it could probably best be used as a detachable UFP Consulate. It doesn't have much in the way of propulsion and thus probably is useless as a shuttle or other liaison, and it doesn't have cargo capacity. But it does seem to have creature comforts and an uncanny ability to sit tight on a planetary surface and look cool and host wild diplomatic parties...
Timo Saloniemi
I like this idea. It was actually a movable night club hehe."Did you hear? The Captain's Yacht is coming to our system this week!"
"Cool let's go!"
a few days later ...
"Oh noes! it looks like the Captain's Yacht isn't coming after all. Apparently it got cut out of the Enterprise's hull by a Borg cutting beam"
"Uh oh. Was anyone in there?"
*looking sad* "Aye."
