Is it me, or does that StarBase feel larger than the Mushroom shaped SpaceDock we're used to seeing?
You mean the one at the end with the domed habitats? Yeah, it's quite a bit wider. Maybe not as tall.
Is it me, or does that StarBase feel larger than the Mushroom shaped SpaceDock we're used to seeing?
Not just you.Is it me, or does that StarBase feel larger than the Mushroom shaped SpaceDock we're used to seeing?
Is it me, or does that StarBase feel larger than the Mushroom shaped SpaceDock we're used to seeing?
I might have to rewatch the episode eventually, but the idea of a pre-warp faction being able to "reverse engineer" warp technology from apparent observation seems a bit convenient. But I suppose it's consistent with Nurse Chapel's DNA- modifying serum, even though the Feds tend to not like that sort of thing.![]()
Or the US Feral Hog issue that is a Eco System menace and needs as many hunters to hunt them down so that they don't ravage the local ecology.I think it was explicitly identified as Starbase One near the end of the episode, apparently retconning SB1’s appearance as a domeless space station of the same type on the outskirts of the solar system orbiting a duplicate of Earth. Though it looks like they cleaned it up nicely after the Klingons ransacked the place three years earlier. It’d be kind of funny if there was still a bunch of feral targs left in one of the domes, like the semi-aquatic herd of moose that’s been apparently surviving off the coast of New Zealand for the past century.
Given the Single Deck nature of the USS Archer and 3 person crew, it definitely feels like the Pre-Cursor to the RunAbout.
Do we know for sure the USS Archer only has 1 deck though?
The rim of the saucer could be big enough for 2 or 3 decks (easily).
I dont think the deck count was mentioned in the episode, and the ship carrying 3 people only could mean that's all that was necessary for this mission... and it doesn't necessarily mean its a precursor to the Runabout though.
We know that SF can send ships equipped for only specific types of missions... so perhaps in this instance a larger crew was not considered to be needed.
I recall a similar (albeit larger) design of this ship was seen in ST: 25th anniversary game though.
Given this ship was sent to initiate First Contact, and given its science nature... perhaps its more of a precursor to the Oberth and eventually Nova class ships?
Usually they estimate the # of decks via window sizing, but since there are no windows on the model and the front cavity looks like a foreward facing window, that leads to the assumption that it's a small saucer with a small warp nacelle, ergo the skeleton like pylon and the small 3 person crew running the vessel.Do we know for sure the USS Archer only has 1 deck though?
The rim of the saucer could be big enough for 2 or 3 decks (easily).
In VOY: "The 37s" Chakotay says that they'd struggle to run Voyager with fewer than 100 crew, and it's hugely more sophisticated than a 23rd century scout ship. Whether or not the mission required just a handful of people, ship operations would require at least a skeleton crew on their own. Consider all the times we see an Enterprise take on board a specialist or two for a specific mission; or the Grissom in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock having David Marcus and Saavik as the Genesis mission specialists in addition to its regular crew, rather than instead of them.
It seems bizarre to me that such a mission as presented in SNW would use so few people, with no additional operational crew, and they'd all leave the ship at the same time.
Remember that in the movies, the 1701 was automated and can be operated with only a few people aboard.
VOY writers neglected the automation angle it seems for the sake of drama (or temporary amnezia)...
but otherwise, from what we saw, 24th century technology has a great degree of automation and generally self-maintain and self-repair. During combat, etc., my guess is that repairs usually go faster if the crew is operating with automation (which can also do it by itself, but would take much longer).
Its also possible that what Chakotay meant in the 37's episode was that for some unexpected situations, you need a security force, means to defend the ship from potential invaders, etc.
And there's Year of Hell... less than 10 people were onboard and VOY was hiding in a nebula. The ship was maintained to a certain degree, repaired, etc. but with so few people and reduced power reserves, it took longer... but they could still run the ship.
In "Workforce" the EMH – who doesn't need to rest, eat, and has superhuman stamina, knowledge, and sundry other abilities – is being run ragged just doing regular maintenance on a ship that's not doing anything. He couldn't operate the ship, he could just about keep it running. When key crew members returned, it still took days to restore more functionality. I'm afraid that, as with "The Year of Hell", I don't think this is quite the winning argument you think it isAnd then there's season 7 when the crew was kidnapped and their memories wiped... the Doctor as a single person was able to maintain certain systems, but repairs were slow. When Kim, Neelix and Chakotay returned to the ship, better functionality was restored in what... days?
And after that, the ship engaged other alien ships in combat, etc.
So, 100 people needed to run the ship was probably a number where if you wanted to ensure relative smooth operations, occasional maintenance, repairs and prevent invasions.
That was only in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. It's made clear this is something Scotty has lashed together at short notice, and the first time the Enterprise comes under fire the entire automation system breaks down leaving the ship all but adrift and helpless.
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