THE NEBULA-CLASS STARSHIP



The Nebula-class starship is a unique design currently fulfilling several roles for Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets. Slightly smaller than a Galaxy-class vessel, Nebula-class starships can be customized for different mission profiles. Over eighty have been built to date, replacing the Oberth, Miranda, and Constellation-class vessels. Each ship carries over 500 personnel and are equipped with a upper equipment module stationed above the saucer. Although usually used for sensors, this module is also capable of carrying heavy photon launchers that can fire photon torpedoes, quantum torpedoes, warp torpedoes, and tri-cobalt devices. The new Block II Nebula-class vessels are currently being upgraded with polarized phasers, new heavy shields, and subspace transporters. They also have new multi-use "pods" on the upper equipment module that can be "swapped out" for whatever mission Starfleet Command has for them.

The first Nebula-class starship was constructed on Stardate 23398. The first prototype suffered a catastrophic spaceframe collapse in the early stages of construction, which killed 89 Starfleet personnel. Construction was halted while a three-month investigation was conducted. Main body construction is located at Starbase 18 (Hamal) and the Fleet Yards at L-5 (Terra). Primary warp nacelle construction is conducted at Centaurus and Hudlar. Tolat engineers have helped upgrade Federation shipyards, cutting build time and costs by 30%, and new transporter construction techniques are being tried with the latest Nebula-class starship, the USS Eternity (NCC-60027)

An extremely capable class of vessels, the only losses among the Nebula starships has been on Stardate 24339, when the USS Vengence (NCC-60028) encountered several Romulan warbirds in disputed space. Although the Vengence proved herself worthy of her name, she was lost with all hands after destroying one Romulan warbird and crippling another. Her Captain, Bolian Chief Ranta Kell is listed in the Federation's Hall of Heroes on Andor. The USS Renown (NCC-56560) was lost on Stardate 31098. Her last known location was in the Triangle, where she was conducting a support mission to Bersallis Station, a Federation science outpost. No further transmission was received from the USS Renown and extensive Starfleet search patterns were conducted to no avail. 

The Nebula-class starship has performed well in combat situations across the Federation. The USS Relentless (NCC-65649) was struck by a Zalkonian vessel on her way to the planet Wayfare. The Zalkonian vessel fired on the Relentless, causing serious damage and killing Captain MacPherson. The bridge and nearly 30% of the crew quarters were destroyed, and 200 crewmen injured. The USS Relentless was able to return fire and made repairs at Starbase 45. The USS Merrimac (NCC-61827) was struck by a Breen warship on her way to Gamarus Prime. The Merrimac returned fire and destroyed the Breen vessel but not before taking additional damage. The USS Merrimac, which suffered minor damage, proceeded to Starbase 315. A Romulan warbird fired on the USS Monitor (NCC-61826) in neutral space off the exclusion zone imposed by the Romulans around the planet Tannamara. The Monitor returned fired, forcing the Romulans to retreat and cloak. The USS Hera (NCC-62006) was hit by powerful Sheliak warships near Sector 80, setting fire to the vessel's bridge and engine room, and killing 213 crew and colonists. The fire was brought under control within a few hours. The attack was carried out 70 light years from Deep Space 9, after the Hera had taken on a full load of colonists at Bajor and was heading for the colony world Llyra. The USS Hera headed instead for Starbase 310 for repairs but she later disappeared en route to that station. On Stardate 41914.1, the USS Magellan (NCC-65479) was patrolling the Neutral Zone when it came under long-range fire from an unknown source. A photon torpedo impacted the Magellan’s port nacelle, blowing a massive hole in it and causing a major plasma explosion which destroyed the nacelle and caused serious secondary fires in the saucer. Thirty-two crewmen were injured before the fire was extinguished three hours later. The USS Sutherland (NCC-72015) served in Starfleet's armada to blockade Romulan supply ships during the Klingon Civil War. The Sutherland's senior officer, Lt. Commander Data, foiled a plot by cloaked Romulan vessels to sneak across the border. After being detected and fired upon by the USS Sutherland, the Romulan vessels retreated. The USS Vigilance (NCC-70110) badly was damaged by Cardassian warships off the high-population world Mycos. Although the two Galor-class vessels were destroyed, seventy-eight crew onboard the Vigilance were also killed.

The construction of this class of starship is located at the Antares Fleet Yards (Antares IV), the New Aberdeen Fleetyard (Aldebaran), Utopia Planitia (Mars), the Atlas V Fleetyard (Deneb Kaitos V), and the Copernicus Fleetyard (Luna).

The newest Nebula-class vessel, the USS Pegasus (NCC-53847) was completed last month at Deneb Kaitos and was commissioned to scout the Delta Quadrant. She is commanded by Captain Claudius Gaius Victinus, a Magna Roman. 






 




 





 

MISSION PODS

The Nebula-class is well-known for being a test bed of modular components that would later be integrated, on a smaller scale, into the Danube-class runabout design. The vessel's upper outboard structures vary from vessel to vessel. Whilst several configurations had been fielded by the 2380s, during the aftermath of the Dominion War the most common variant was the tactical configuration. In order to exchange pods, the ship must be docked at a certified facility for a minimum of two days in order to give sufficient time to perform diagnostics on all connections and systems. Many of the modules listed below contain habitable decks, and are referred to by letters; Deck A would be the top-most deck, Deck B would be below it, and so on.





 
Anti-Borg Pod
With the recent Borg invasions and Dominion war, Starfleet quickly mobilized to deploy the weapons pod, which contains 8 forward-facing pulse fire torpedo launchers and 3 additional type X phaser banks. The launchers are fed by an additional 200 photon torpedoes stored in the pod itself. The weapons pod is also equipped with two shield generators (one main, one 


backup), since it was realized that the pod would be an easy target. The shield generators are the same type used through-out the rest of the ship, and draw power directly from the auxiliary energy reserves during red alert situations.






 
Balanced Operations Pod
Includes a standard sensor suite with fore/aft torpedo launchers. This unit is a copy of the one used aboard the
Nebula-class starships and is the most common type in service.






 
Cargo Pod
Sports a shuttle bay for 6 dedicated cargo tugs, 8 low quantum resolution cargo transporters, their associated computer systems and buffer tanks. Also includes a bio-hazard cutoff option to isolate  hazardous cargo from the rest of the ship.






 
Carrier Pod
This module features a through-deck design that is utilized as a large hangar bay, effectively converting the Nebula into a carrier variant. An additional flight operations control tower is also featured. Whilst the pod could theoretically be used to house an additional complement of shuttlecraft, during the Dominion War the module was primarily used to stage fighter squadrons. Capable of deploying as many as 80 shuttles and up to 8 runabout sized vessels.








 
Colony Pod
The colony pod simply features additional quarters at the same standard as those provided for enlisted Starfleet personnel. Whilst the colony pod and the Nebula's inherent cargo capacity are insufficient on their own to colonize a new world, they make a useful addition to a colony convoy or as a follow-up trip.






 
Emergency Evacuation Pod
Capable of carrying up to 30 additional shuttles with temporary housing for 3,000 evacuees. Also includes ten emergency transporters with their associated computer facilities, buffer tanks and support technicians.





 
Intelligence Platform
Fit with enhanced long range passive sensors for intelligence gathering purposes. Includes crew quarters for 50 mission specialists and their equipment. Also mounts sensor jamming equipment and other low observable technologies. Includes rudimentary fore/aft torpedo/probe launchers.




 
Marine Transport
Includes quarters for 1500 marines, their equipment, training facilities and 8 “Hopper” combat shuttles. Also mounts rudimentary fore/aft torpedo/probe launchers. Mounts ten combat transporters with their associated computer facilities, buffer tanks and support technicians.




 
Mine Layer/Sweeper
Capable of dispensing up to 2000 mines. Also equipped with specialized mine detection/sweeping equipment.




 
Rescue/Hospital Ship
Features emergency triage and surgical suites for 500 individuals with an EMH backup. Includes shuttle facilities for up to ten additional transports, 6 personnel transporters, and an independent power supply and lift support.




 
Research Pod
Mounts a enhanced sensor suite for exploration missions that can be reconfigured with specific sensor pallets. Includes crew quarters, facilities and lab space for 50 mission specialists. Mounts a fore mounted torpedo launcher with a magazine and launch capacity 50% that of the Balanced Operations Pod.




 
SWACS (Spaceborne Warning and Control System)
Utilizes sensors with triple the normal active sensor range, doubles passive sensor range, and carries jammers and other low observability technologies. Includes full CIC facilities with crew quarters for 50 mission specialists and a rudimentary fore/aft torpedo/probe launchers.




 
Tactical Pod
This design combines the tactical scanning elements of the advanced sensor pod with the offensive capabilities of a weapons pod. Following the Borg invasions and Dominion War, Starfleet quickly mobilized to deploy the tactical pod, which contains 6 forward-facing & 2 rear-facing torpedo launchers, as well 
as 3 Type X point-defense phaser emitters. The launchers are fed by an additional 125 photon torpedoes stored in the pod itself. While equipped with eight launchers, each launcher is a smaller type similar to that used by Intrepid-class ships, and as such can only fire up to 3 torpedoes at once, with a reload time of 6 seconds. Later versions of the pod are also equipped with a limited number of quantum torpedoes. The weapons pod is also equipped with two shield generators (one main, one backup), since it was realized that the pod would be an easy target. The shield generators are the same type used throughout the rest of the ship, and draw power directly from the auxiliary energy reserves during Red Alert situations. The tactical pod contains less torpedo storage than the original design in order to make room for the sensor pallets. Additionally, as the scanners are primarily designed to aid in targeting for the torpedoes and phasers they are not optimized for long-range use.




 
Warp Pod
This type of pod is still considered experimental, and most likely will not be approved for fleet-wide use. The design features two nacelles, each approximately one-third scale, positioned directly above the main nacelles. While not giving the ship a higher warp speed, it does allow the ship to maintain high warp for a longer period of time. Given the amount of work that must be put into properly 


work that must be put into properly connecting the mini-nacelles, they are likely to remain in the experimental phase for some time. At this time, only four Nebula-class starships are equipped with this ‘module’.