NEBULA-CLASS LIGHT CRUISER
Class:
With the success of the New Orleans, and failure of the Challenger, Star Fleet returned to the drawing board in 2339. At the time, the Ambassador class starship was the largest vessel in Fleet service, but Star Fleet wanted the new vessel to be large enough to fulfill a variety of roles Crew comfort and space flexibility also played an important role. When the call for designs went out, Shinohara Heavy Industries responded with a monster – the Nebula class.
Classification:
Though such a moniker seems a misnomer on such a large vessel, the Nebula class was originally classified as a Light Cruiser as it is smaller than the specifications for the Galaxy class. Though Heavy Cruiser seems more fitting, for the time the CL designation remains.
Design:
The Nebula class shares general design concepts with the New Orleans and Challenger classes, though the secondary hull has been extensively modified and the saucer is almost twice as large. The entire ship is quite compact for its size, presenting a smaller cross section. The rear of the secondary hull has undergone extensive modification to both mount the nacelles and to provide the hanger deck space.
The Nebula mounts much of the laboratory and sensor suite capability of the Galaxy class. The primary saucer has the same specifications as the Galaxy class, the exception being the bridge module which is unique to the Nebula class. The secondary hull is generally similar in layout to the Galaxy, though there are differences such as the location of main engineering. In addition, there is a single hangar bay, located at the base of the pod tower. It is roughly the same size as the primary hangar bay on the Galaxy, though total embarked craft is about 25% lower.
The ship’s most distinguishing feature is a large pod that fits atop the tower. The pod is replaceable and numerous models exist in support of specific missions, including long range S.W.A.C. (Spaceborne Warning and Control), exploration, tactical, volatile cargo, and others.
Engineering:
The Nebula class served as the test mule for the LF-41 series of warp drives. The mounting arrangement is different than that of the Galaxy in that the nacelles are attached to the pylons from the top, as opposed to the bottom. The FIG-5 impulse drive is also mounted. Though lighter, the pod restricts performance to that of the Galaxy class – Warp 6.0 cruise and Warp 9.6 maximum.
Tactical:
The Nebula class mounts the same Type X phaser strips as the Galaxy, though she carries eight instead of twelve. Two Mk 85 photon torpedo launchers are fitted, one forward firing and one rear-firing. The tactical pod mounts two additional Type X arrays as well as four more Mk 85 torpedo launchers. The Nebula carries the FSQ shield system.
Computer Systems:
The Nebula was the first ship to mount the new M-15 Isolinear III with the LCARS supplement. The system proved to be the quantum leap forward in computing power that Daystrom Industries claimed. During testing, the Nebula was fed much of the code developed for the Galaxy class to test it in an operational capacity. This helped immensely when it came time for the U.S.S. Galaxy (CKE 70637) to begin systems programming.
Builders:
The first vessels were built in the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards in Mars orbit. Since then, the San Francisco Fleet Yards have also built vessels. Shinohara Heavy Industries is prime contractor, but Daimler-Chrysler Aerospace took over on later models as Shinohara was heavily involved in developing the Galaxy class.
Development and Construction History:
Final design of the Nebula class was locked down in August of 2339 and the keel was laid the following year. It was decided that additional vessels could help with system “debugging” on the new components, and a second ship, Farragut (CL 60591) was started at the same time. By this time, computer simulation showed that the ship would be an effective platform, and three more vessels were approved in 2345, with an additional ten added in 2350. Nebula and Farragut were completed in 2350. They immediately went into service testing the systems both ships shared in common. Nebula and Farragut were released from component testing in 2357 when Galaxy was commissioned and both vessels entered regular Star Fleet service at that time. The last Nebula class cruiser entered service in 2363, though funding for additional vessels has been authorized.
Current Specifications for the Nebula class:
Displacement 3,309,000 mt
Overall Length 442.23 m
Overall Draft 130.43 m
Overall Beam 463.73 m
Propulsion:
Two LF-41 Mod 1 energized-energized antimatter warp drive units
One FIG-5 subatomic unified energy impulse unit
QASR-2 particle beam maneuvering thrusters
“Trentis IV” pulsed laser reaction control system
Velocity:
Warp 6.0 Standard Cruising Speed
Warp 9.2 Maximum Cruising Speed
Warp 9.6 Maximum Attainable Velocity
Duration:
5 years, standard
Complement:
173 Officers
400 Enlisted Crew
127 Passengers (Normal – Up to 500 Maximum)
700 Total Crew (Standard)
Embarked Craft:
0 Danube Class Runabout
4 Type 6 Personnel Shuttle
4 Type 7 Personnel Shuttle
4 Type 9A Cargo Shuttle
8 Type 16 Shuttlepod
8 Peregrine Class Fighter
1 S-3 Sentry SWAC Shuttle
Navigation:
RAV / ISHAK Mod 3 Warp Celestial Guidance
Computers:
M-15 Isolinear III with LCARS interface software
Phasers:
8 Type X Collimated Phaser Array
Missiles:
2 Mk 85 Photon Torpedo Launchers
Defence:
FSQ Primary Force Field
Life Support:
MM6 Modular Gravity Unit
AL4 Life Support System
