Spoilers Starship Design in Star Trek: Picard

[fireproof78]

This is almost exactly like the Franz Joseph tech manual, which basically interchanged the same parts for each ship.

Exactly this. I prefer more modular hull design with components being swapped out rather than one specific hull for medical, for exploration, etc. Given the multi-modal nature of Starfleet having hulls that can do multiple jobs is more preferred, and in line with what Star Trek has shown in the past, including with the Enterprise.

 

[cooleddie74]

The Inquiry-class looks so much better with registration numbers, pennants and other hull markings. That's what she was missing all along. The design itself is just fine and fits in with that era of Starfleet. It's just the rushed nature of getting the wire frame models done in time for the season finale made them look lifeless and boring.

 

[fireproof78]

I guess the pragmatist in me is like "It served it's purpose in the story."

We of course will get ten million renderings now that its in STO and what not so I never understand the worry over how it looks in the show.

 

[cooleddie74]

Honestly the use of a K't'inga-class Klingon battle cruiser model in "Unexpected(ENT)" was a far bigger problem and that was an actual example of not using the design they originally intended. Both examples are rushed and lazy to a degree but for all we've said about it at least the Inquiry-class fits into its time period.

 

[Tuskin38]

an actual example of not using the design they originally intended

I've always heard that the Producers wanted the D7/K't'inga, and that the artists tried to change their minds (going as far as actually designing a new ship), but they didn't win.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Thus started the inevitable fan rationalization, saying the Klingons (like the Pakleds) stole all their technology from others. In the case of the D-7/K't'inga, from the Hurq (hence the design never having changed for 200+ years), and the Bird of Prey from the Romulans (100+ years). I really do wish they used the D-4 for that episode, but it is what it is I guess...

 

[cooleddie74]

I was fine with it at first and it was kind of comforting thinking the Klingons used that basic design for nearly 230 years with few external modifications but as time passed it became increasingly ridiculous that even the Klingons would reuse one basic design for nearly two and a half centuries with practically no changes to the observer.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Exactly.

 

[valkyrie013]

I don't buy 4 ships in that fleet.
Even if the nacelle are canted different directions or different nacelles entirely does not make it a new class. Example the nimitz class carrier, none are 100% alike. And for engines, many planes have options for a GE or Rolls Royce engine. Doesn't make it a different 737.
Now if one was a thru deck carrier and another wasn't then yes. But it's practically visually indistingusable from others.
Not that I hate the ship. Just saying implying other classes where they don't exist is wrong imo

 

[cooleddie74]

There are also the Ohio-class SSBNs and the slightly longer and internally-modified Ohio-class SSGNs to carry cruise missiles and special operations forces. They're the same class...but at the same time they're not.

 

[The Old Mixer]

The Enterprise 1701 used at least four engine designs--3 minor variants of the round nacelles, and one major redesign after the TMP refit. That didn't change the class of the ship.

 

[137th Gebirg]

DO NOT confuse the issue with facts! How DARE you?!?

 

[Timo]

Hmh? We hear her called by at least three class names over the course of her onscreen service: "Starship class", "Constitution class" and "Enterprise class".

It's the very same ship in all three cases. Or four, in fact, because "Constitution class" applied to her both back in the days of DSC and in the days of ST6:TUC, while "Starship class" was there during TOS and "Enterprise class" was used in ST2:TWoK, both in between the "Constitution class" periods.

It's not particularly objectionable, really. Every time the class name changes, the configuration of the ship also changes, and indeed often quite drastically so! In contrast, the slight variation in nacelles, dishes and bridge shapes during TOS is not known to have altered the class name.

Where the class name in each particular case comes from is a separate issue. ITRW, it would come from the first ship brought to this configuration, so that, say, a major modifying of USS Enterprise of Constitution class to a new configuration, or a new engine standard, or a new weapons outfit or whatever, would make her the spearhead of the all-new Enterprise class, and others likewise refitted would then belong to Enterprise class. Starfleet practices don't need to differ from this, in light of the evidence. (We may or may not wish to postulate the existence of a USS Starship there...)

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Tuskin38]

Or four, in fact, because "Constitution class" applied to her both back in the days of DSC

You can't read it clearly, so it really doesn't count, but the dedication plaque on the DSC Set also says Starship Class, so it seems to be both. (there's also an unreadble screen in TOS that also says constitution class)

 

[Dukhat]

I've always heard that the Producers wanted the D7/K't'inga, and that the artists tried to change their minds (going as far as actually designing a new ship), but they didn't win.

From what I understand, a CGI model for a 'new' old Klingon ship was built and would have been used in the episode, but Berman or whoever was in charge didn't like the ship's lights. So it wasn't used.

 

[Tuskin38]

From what I understand, a CGI model for a 'new' old Klingon ship was built and would have been used in the episode, but Berman or whoever was in charge didn't like the ship's lights. So it wasn't used.

The windows weren't prominent enough, but yes, it was something mundane like that.

 

[137th Gebirg]

You can't read it clearly, so it really doesn't count, but the dedication plaque on the DSC Set also says Starship Class, so it seems to be both. (there's also an unreadble screen in TOS that also says constitution class)

Ah yes, the phaser bank schematic that Scotty was looking at:

 

[The Old Mixer]

We hear her called by at least three class names over the course of her onscreen service: "Starship class", "Constitution class" and "Enterprise class".

I can't recall ever hearing the dedication plaques.

 

[cooleddie74]

The NX-01 dedication plaque from 2151 has "SPACECRAFT NX-01" on it and doesn't even designate that Enterprise as a starship, so whatever some dedication plaques from the 22nd and 23rd centuries say we can probably not take them at literal face value as the final word on which class of vessel it's describing.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Well there was that curious line from “Bread and Circuses” when Merikus mentioned that the Enterprise wasn’t a spaceship, but a STARship, with verbal emphasis on the “Star” part, implying that it was an official nomenclature that indicated that Kirk’s ship was much bigger and more powerful than anything he flew. There was an explicit distinction back then, but faded away in time in favor of “Constitution” and other proper class names. By this definition, NX-01, her contemporaries and all others like her were likely considered spaceships (or spacecraft, as the plaque would indicate).