NOVA-CLASS RESEARCH VESSEL
NOVA
CLASS SURVEYOR
The Nova class has a long design history and the vessel that eventually emerged bears little resemblance to the original plans, in either design or mission. The Nova class can trace its roots back to 2365 when the Advanced Starship Design Bureau began to chart their plans for the next generation of Explorers to replace the Galaxy class. Though the Galaxy had been in service for less than a decade, the costs involved in building and operating such vessels essentially ensured that no more than the original twelve funded would be built. Therefore, Starfleet’s R&D Facility at New Aberdeen Fleet Yards in the Aldeberan system was tasked to design a smaller vessel that would be cheaper to build and operate.
At the same time, the ASDB started work on the Pathfinder Project to develop a high-speed torpedo attack ship to compliment the Akira class battlecruiser — itself a torpedo-heavy design. The vessel would be optimized for extreme high-warp speeds in excess of Warp 9.98 and serve as a “hit-and-run” type vessel to be used against Threat defences such as starbases and other orbital facilities. With the arrival of the Borg in 2366, Pathfinder Project Director Batelle Toh scrapped the existing design and began a significant redesign that would lead to the Defiant class escort.
Also by 2366 the Galaxy class was showing severe design problems, especially in tactical and power-distribution. Rear Admiral Chris Wallace, the Executive Director of the Galaxy Class Starship Development Project, was named to head a new panel to develop corrections. These would eventually result in the Galaxy (II) class of CKEs. The Sovereign class heavy cruiser, though not formally created to replace the Galaxy class, was showing itself to be an excellent design in computer simulations of the two spaceframes under construction and Star Fleet was giving serious consideration to a larger-scale production run of the vessel then originally envisioned.
Class:
The ASDB team working on the Nova class design study began to re-evaluate the need for a large multi-mission explorer based on the feedback they were receiving from both the Galaxy (II) and Sovereign class SDPs. As the Pathfinder project became the Defiant class SDP, one of the senior designers was moved to the Nova class design study in 2367, and he brought his computer model of the original Pathfinder, the NXP-2365WP/T, with him. The Nova team reviewed the model and determined that it would make an excellent replacement of the over one-century old Oberth class as a science surveyor. A design study was completed and presented in 2367 to the Star Fleet Spacecraft Design Advisory Commission, who approved the new design and designated the ASDB to create the Nova Class Starship Development Project.
Classification:
The Nova class is designated a Surveyor, a sub-class of Scout that specializes in the mapping of an area of space for later follow-up by dedicated explorers should anything of interest be found.
Design:
The Nova class design is almost identical to that chosen for the original Pathfinder project. The vessel has a blended primary and secondary hull, like the Intrepid class, a contemporary design. Twin nacelles rise up on struts to a position slightly above the primary hull. Both nacelles are slightly tapered backwards to improve field formation and balance. The Nova class was designed for deep-space survey missions, and the eighty crewmembers enjoy spacious quarters and excellent facilities. One main and four small holodecks have been added, and are used for astrometrics research in addition to their more traditional crew-relaxation and recreation purposes.
Engineering:
The original Pathfinder proposal called for the Shuvinaaljis Warp Technologies LF-35 drive system. As employed on the Defiant, the drive system proved too powerful for the structure and subsequent vessels of that class used a detuned version which provided a better balance. Therefore, the Nova was fitted with the less-powerful LF-40 system from Leeding Energies. This allows the vessel to maintain a top speed of Warp 8 for long durations — three full warp factors above the Oberth class.
Tactical:
While weapons are never a primary design function for a survey vessel, the Nova class are expected to operate alone and far from help. Therefore, she is well-armed for her size, with three Mk 75 launchers and an extensive phaser array – eleven Type VI phaser strips. The FSP shield system is fitted.
Computer Systems:
The M-14 computer core with LCARS has been added, with as much space as possible dedicated to memory storage.
Builders:
Cosmadyne was the original prime contractor on the Pathfinder class and was chosen to make the Nova class a reality. Though designed at New Aberdeen, the first two Nova class vessels were built at Utopia Planitia on Mars. The remaining five vessels of the first batch were completed at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The next batch were assigned to Utopia Planitia and Chandley Works in Mars.
Development and Construction History:
Two vessels were commissioned, the USS Nova and the USS Equinox. Both vessels were launched in 2370 and began trials, entering general service three months later. However, the Equinox was lost with all hands, and without a trace, in early 2371 near the Badlands. An extensive search was undertaken, with no debris found. The Nova was returned to the yards and underwent an extensive one-year teardown and examination to make sure there were no design flaws that had not been caught. The ship passed with a clean bill of health, and was returned to service. It was assumed either the Maquis or the plasma storms in the Badlands destroyed the ship (it was later discovered it, too, had been caught in the Caretaker’s array and sent to the Delta Quadrant). At that point the decision was made to start full-scale production with an additional five vessels. In 2373, four additional vessels were added, these named after Terran explorers. An additional ship, Pathfinder, was added in 2376. Funding for an additional two dozen vessels is pending, and expected to pass.
Conclusion:
With the discovery of the truth behind the loss of the Equinox, the engineers and crews of the Nova class can feel confident that their vessel is well-designed and safe. The significant speed increase and better systems that this class offers over the Oberth should make the ships very popular with Exploration Command and the crews assigned to them can expect to remain busy.
Nomenclature:
Nova and Equinox were assigned NCC numbers in 2361 during a separate development project that was later cancelled. When the new surveyor was named Nova, it was decided to assign these two names and NCCs to the class.
Specifications for the Nova Class
Displacement 450,000 mt
Overall Length 160 m
Overall Draft 39 m
Overall Beam 108 m
Propulsion:
Two LF-40 Mod 1 energized-energized antimatter warp drive units
One FIG-3 subatomic unified energy impulse unit
QASR-2 particle beam maneuvering thrusters
“Trentis IV” pulsed laser reaction control system
Velocity:
Warp 7.0 Standard Cruising Speed
Warp 8.0 Maximum Cruising Speed
Warp 8.3 Maximum Attainable Velocity
Duration:
5 years, standard
Complement: 30 Officers
50 Enlisted Crew
0 Passengers (Normal – Up to 50 Maximum)
80 Total Crew (Standard)
Embarked Craft:
0 Aerowing Type Runabout
0 Type 6 Personnel Shuttle
0 Type 7 Personnel Shuttle
0 Type 9A Cargo Shuttle
2 Type 16 Shuttlepod
Navigation:
RAV / ISHAK Mod 3 Warp Celestial Guidance
Computers:
M-14 Isolinear II with LCARS interface software
Phasers:
11 Type VI Collimated Phaser Array
Missiles:
3 Mk 75 Photon Torpedo Launchers
Defense:
FSP Primary Force Field
Life Support: MM6 Modular Gravity Unit
AL4 Life Support System
