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1995-08-20
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Declaration Class
In scanning the ST Chronology, it is apparent that not all ships
can be accounted for by known starship classes. The time period
from 2196 to 2245 features a number of exploratory missions, but
no starship designs from that era are detailed by canonical
sources. However, by looking at the evidence presented, it is
possible to reconstruct the design of those ships, given a few
basic assumptions.
For the purposes of this reconstruction, I have assumed the
following:
o The hypothetical design is known as Declaration Class.
o The ship design based on one of Matt Jeffries' preliminary
designs for the Enterprise, the same source as the
Daedalus Class design. ("The Making of Star Trek")
o The following ships were of this class:
- USS Valiant (TOS "A Taste of Armageddon")
- SS Columbia (TOS "The Cage", "The Menagerie")
- USS Republic (TOS "Court Martial")
- SS Beagle (TOS "Bread and Circuses")
The Declaration Class was the Federation's primary vehicle of
operations from 2196, when the Daedalus Class was withdrawn from
service, until 2245, when the Constitution Class came into use.
Noted ships of this Class were the USS Valiant, lost in 2217 and
the SS Columbia, lost in 2236. Typical missions included
exploration, research, and first contact.
After the introduction of the Constitution Class, ships of this
type were relegated to exploration and training duties. Known
ships include the USS Republic NCC-1371, in service in the 2250s,
and the SS Beagle, lost in 2261.
The Declaration Class was equipped with Warp Drive, but a
relatively primitive design known as the "Stardrive", giving the
class its alternate name of a Class-IV Stardrive type.
Matter/antimatter engines were not yet in use aboard starships at
that time, severely limiting the capabilities of the ship. A
fusion/fission reactor core provided the plasma needed to power
the Warp Drives. ("Court Martial") Some time between 2236 and
2254 ("The Cage"), matter/antimatter engines came into use.
Long range subspace radio had not yet been invented during the
initial years of the Declaration Class' service. While short range
subspace radio was used to conduct the negotiations ending the
Romulan Wars ("Balance of Terror") in 2161, conventional radio
signals were still used to report back to the Federation in 2168
("A Piece of the Action") aboard Daedalus Class ships, and as
late as 2236 when the SS Columbia was lost.
Physically, the ship resembled an inverted Constitution Class
vessel, with a large saucer-shaped Primary Hull housing the
main bridge, sick bay, engineering, and crew quarters. A sensor
dome on the ventral surface acted as a source for shipboard
lasers ("The Cage", "Obsession") and photon torpedos ("If Wishes
Were Horses"). The bridge was positioned on the dorsal surface of
the saucer. The computers were pre-duotronic in design. ("The
Ultimate Computer")
The crew complement was approximately 75, plus or minus 25
depending on the mission. Engineering was located just forward of
the Impulse Drives, which themselves were at the aft end of the
Primary Hull. The fission/fusion reactor cores were located here,
and conduits transfered plasma to the Warp Drives, and the
Navigational Deflector on the Secondary Hull.
Two underslung Warp Nacelles connected by small pylons to the
Primary Hull. The Warp Nacelles were slightly more advanced than
those of the Daedalus Class; individual coil segments were not
visible, and the entire nacelle was encased in a protective
outer layer. A Bussard hydrogen collector extended from the
front of each nacelle, and just behind it were a number of vents
for flushing unwanted materials.
A short dorsal rose from the Primary Hull, angled back above the
Warp Nacelles, and supported a small Secondary Hull. The upper
surface would clamshell open, similar to the cargo bay of the old
NASA Space Shuttles, to allow the 2 standard shuttlecraft entry
and egress, as well as permit easy loading of cargo. On the
forward surface, a golden dish acted as Navigational Deflector.
Because of the dangerous nature of fission fuel, it was also kept
in this part of the ship.
Declaration Class - USS Valiant NCC-1301
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