Excelsior class starship
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In the Star Trek fictional universe, the Excelsior class is a very common type of starship used by Starfleet from the 2280s through at least ninety years later. The pathfinder, the USS Excelsior (NX-2000), was used as a testbed for transwarp, a new and more efficient variety of warp travel. Although the transwarp project may have been a failure, the Excelsior class design was successful and was put into mass production, serving for decades in distinguished service alongside the Miranda class starship as the backbone of Starfleet. In the 2370s, the Excelsior class, through periodic refits, remains a relevant force in space, with such features as type-ten phaser emitters, quantum torpedoes, and a top speed of warp 9.5.
The basic configuration of an Excelsior class vessel is similar to that of the earlier Constitution class: at the forefront, a circular primary hull with a bridge at the center of the dorsal side, a sensor dome at the bottom of the ventral, and impulse engines at the aft end. The lifeboats, officers' quarters and sensor platforms are contained in the saucer. The saucer is attached to a backward-angled neck extending downward from the aft of the ventral side to a secondary hull, roughly tubular with a flat platform on the dorsal side; the hull has a navigational deflector at the forefront and a shuttlebay at the aft. Two warp nacelles are above the secondary hull, slightly above the altitude of the primary hull, supported by pylons that attach to a bulge on the top of the secondary hull, run to the sides, and go upward from an angle (slightly less than 90°) to the nacelles. A semi-circular cargo bay lies at the bottom of the secondary hull, designed for shuttlecraft and other cargo vessels.
A different version of the class has been seen in the Enterprise-B and Lakota, usually considered a refit, though apparently not intended to be applied to all Excelsior class vessels as standard versions are still seen eighty years after the refit's first appearance. The most notable external differences are two extensions running aftward out of the saucer, one port and one starboard of the impulse system, likely either shuttlebays or additional impulse engines, and two raised areas on the front of the engineering hull on either side of the deflector dish.
In addition to the Excelsior class ships listed below, there exist several Excelsior class variants. The first is the USS Centaur (NCC-42043), named for the centaur, a hybrid creature. The Centaur variant is composed of an Excelsior saucer and an enlarged Miranda class torpedo pod attached to the bottom with its support pylons supporting two nacelles. It is unknown if further ships of this type exist. The second is similar, with the only notable difference in design being a third nacelle over the top of the saucer, supported by two backward-angled pylons, each running upward from one side of the saucer. Another variety seen is composed of a saucer over an Excelsior engineering hull with the shuttlebay moved to the forefront of the top of the hull where the neck standardly attaches, and the two hulls connected by a thin, forward-angled neck; two nacelles run alongside, connected to the ship by two sets of pylons, one set large and attaching to the underside of the saucer and the other thin and ribbed widthwise attaching to the engineering section. The only known ships of this type (which some fanon materials have labelled as a troop transport for Starfleet marines and given the designation "Shelley class", a reference to Frankenstein author Mary Shelley) are the USS Curry (NCC-45617) and the Raging Queen (NCC-42284), with no "USS". However, the Raging Queen is likely not intended to be considered canon, its name being a reference to a Saturday Night Live skit. Whether any of these variants are new classes or merely anomalous inventions slapped together to face the Dominion threat is unknown.
In real life, the Excelsior class was designed by Bill George at ILM for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and the Enterprise-B refit was designed by John Eaves for Star Trek: Generations.
Specifications
These specifications are from Star Trek Technical Manuals and other official but non-canon sources. Weapons counts have been determined by observing on-screen footage as well as examining pictures of official models. The canonicity of this method is in dispute.
- Production facilities:
- Type: Explorer
- Dimensions:
- Height: 86.87 m
- Length: 467 m
- Beam: 195.64 m
- Accommodation: 750 standard; 9,800 limit
- Propulsion:
- One matter/antimatter reactor powering two twenty-six-coil warp engines
- Two impulse engines (standard); Three impulse engines (refit)
- Performance: Warp 9.5
- Weaponry:
- 10+ phaser turrets
- 4 photon torpedo launchers (standard); 6 photon torpedo launchers (refit)
- Defenses:
- Auxiliary vessels: Unknown shuttlecraft and/or other vessels in at least one shuttlebay
Known Excelsior class vessels
- USS Al-Batani (NCC-42995)
- Named for astronomer Al-Batani, Kathryn Janeway served aboard the Al-Batani as science officer under the command of Captain Owen Paris before commanding the USS Voyager. The Al-Batani was once trapped by gravimetric forces inside a proto-nebula for three days before escaping.
- USS Berlin (NCC-14232)
- Named for the city of Berlin, Germany, the starship Berlin was stationed near the Romulan neutral zone in 2364 and again circa stardate 46357.4 in 2368. Circa stardate 46360.8, the Berlin was assigned to a task force with the starships Sutherland and Aries to defend against a Cardassian attack on the Minos Korva system in Federation space.
- USS Cairo (NCC-42136)
- Named for the city of Cairo, the starship Cairo was commanded by Captain Edward Jellico in 2367 and met with the Enterprise-D circa stardate 46357.4 carrying Vice Admiral Alynna Nechayev. Shortly afterward, Captain Jellico transferred to the Enterprise in Captain Picard's absence. Later commanded by Captain Leslie Wong, the Cairo disappeared on patrol near the Romulan neutral zone, presumably destroyed by the Dominion circa stardate 51721.3.
- USS Charleston (NCC-42285)
- Named for the city of Charleston, South Carolina, the starship Charleston transported three cryogenically frozen people from the 20th century to Earth while heading to Arloff IX in 2364. The Charleston was later involved in the Romulan tachyon blockade at the outbreak of the Klingon Civil War in 2368. Circa stardate 46357.4 in 2369, the Charleston was assigned to a deep space exploration mission to sector 22055.
- USS Crazy Horse (NCC-50446)
- Named for Oglala Sioux chief Crazy Horse, the starship Crazy Horse was part of a fleet sent to face an anticipated Borg invasion in 2369. The Crazy Horse rendezvoused with the Enterprise-D in Sector 1607 circa stardate 47457.1 in 2370 to pick up Rear Admiral Erik Pressman.
- USS Crockett (NCC-38955)
- Named for United States folk hero, soldier, and politician David Crockett, the starship Crockett transported Admiral Mitsuya to Deep Space Nine in 2370.
- USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-B)
- Named for several naval vessels in Earth history as well as several previous Starfleet vessels, the Enterprise-B was commissioned on stardate 9715.5 in 2293 and commanded by Captain John Harriman at its launch. Fans speculated an Excelsior class USS Enterprise-B, which was confirmed in Star Trek: Generations. The Enterprise-B is presumed decommissioned, preserved as a museum ship or lost in action to give her name to the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-C) sometime in the 24th century.
- USS Excelsior (NCC-2000, ex-NX-2000)
- The Excelsior was the pathfinder of her class, launched on stardate 8205.5 from the San Francisco Fleet Yards under the command of Captain Styles and was a testbed for new technology, most notably transwarp drive. Later commanded by Captain Hikaru Sulu in 2290, she was stationed along the Klingon-Federation border, cataloguing gaseous planetary anomalies in the Beta Quadrant for three years. On stardate 9521.6 in 2293, the Excelsior encountered the shockwave from the explosion of Praxis. Shortly afterward, the Excelsior was briefly involved in a failed attempt to rescue Captain James T. Kirk and Dr. McCoy and was later attacked by several K't'inga class starships. The Excelsior later played a vital role in defeating General Chang over Khitomer during the signing of the First Khitomer Accords. Fate unknown.
- USS Farragut (Registry unknown)
- Named for Admiral David Farragut, the starship Farragut was reactivated during the Dominion War and transported several genetically enhanced humans to Deep Space Nine in early 2375.
- USS Fearless (NCC-14598)
- Named for the HMS Fearless, the starship Fearless was used for testing engine and software upgrades in 2364. Circa stardate 46357.4, the Fearless was assigned to planetary mapping in the Beta Mahoga system.
- USS Frederickson (NCC-42111)
- Named for Anthony Frederickson, the starship Frederickson briefly docked at Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards in 2371 and served during the Dominion War.
- USS Gorkon (NCC-40512)
- USS Grissom (NCC-42857)
- Named for astronaut Virgil Grissom, the starship Grissom assisted the Enterprise-D during a contamination problem on Beta Agni II in 2368. The Grissom was destroyed by Jem'Hadar forces in the battle of Ricktor Prime in 2375 during the Dominion War. Only six crewmembers survived, including Vulcan science officer Lieutenant Chu'lak, who later murdered several Starfleet officers on Deep Space Nine.
- USS Hood (NCC-42296)
- Named for HMS Hood, the starship Hood was commanded by Captain Robert DeSoto and was Commander William Riker's assignment before his transfer to the USS Enterprise-D in 2364. Circa stardate 43714.1 in 2366, the Hood was on a terraforming project on Browder IV. Around stardate 43798.3, the Hood transferred Tam Elbrun to the Enterprise-D in the Hayashi system. In 2368. the Hood underwent a major systems upgrade at Starbase 174 and was later involved in the Romulan tachyon blockade at the outbreak of the Klingon Civil War. The Hood served during the Dominion War, fought at the Battle of Chin'toka and was part of Battle Group Omega sent to intercept the Reman warship Scimitar circa stardate 56844.9 in 2379.
- USS Intrepid (NCC-38907)
- Named for the USS Intrepid, the starship Intrepid was commanded by Captain Drew Deighan when the Intrepid responded to a Klingon distress call from the Khitomer outpost following a Romulan attack in 2346. Presumed decomissioned or destroyed to give her name to the Intrepid class starship. The starship Intrepid was an assignment of Chief Petty Officer Sergey Rozhenko in 2346, when he met and adopted Worf.
- USS Lakota (NCC-42768)
- Named for the Native American Lakota tribe, the starship Lakota was commanded by Captain Erika Benteen circa stardate 49170.65 in 2372. The Lakota transported Captain Benjamin Sisko from Deep Space Nine to Earth shortly after the terrorist attack during the Antwerp Conference. The Lakota fired on the USS Defiant (NX-74205) during an attempted coup of the United Federation of Planets during the Changeling crisis on Earth; two crewmembers on the Defiant and two dozen crewmembers on the Lakota were killed.
- USS Lexington (NCC-14427)
- Named for the USS Lexington, the starship Lexington carried medical supplies to the Enterprise-D for the Taranko colony. Conflicts with the Nebula class starship of the same name.
- USS Livingston (NCC-34099)
- Named for Robert Livingston, the starship Livingston was an assignment of Benjamin Sisko and Curzon Dax in the 2350s.
- USS Malinche (NCC-38997)
- Named for 16th century Mexican princess La Malinche, the starship Malinche was commanded by Captain Sanders in 2373. She towed the USS Defiant to Deep Space Nine after she was disabled by a computer failure. Circa stardate 50485.2, the Malinche was disabled by the Maquis while on patrol along the Cardassian demilitarized zone. Presumed recovered and repaired.
- USS Okinawa (NCC-13958)
- Named for the island of Okinawa, the starship Okinawa was a former assignment of Benjamin Sisko and of Admiral Leyton, the former chief of Starfleet Operations, and participated in the Federation-Tzenkethi War.
- USS Potemkin (NCC-18253)
- Named for Russian minister Grigori Aleksandrovich Potemkin, Commander William Riker served on the Potemkin immediately prior to serving on the USS Hood. The Potemkin rendezvoused with the Enterprise-D to transfer Dr. Toby Russell on stardate 45587 in 2368. The starship Potemkin also served in the Ninth Fleet during the Dominion War and docked at Deep Space Nine in 2374 for repairs.
- USS Repulse (NCC-2544)
- Named for HMS Repulse and commanded by Captain Taggert, the starship Repulse was Dr. Katherine Pulaski's assignment before her transfer to the Enterprise-D circa stardate 42073.1 in 2365. Circa stardate 46357.4, the Repulse was assigned to deep space exploration in sectors 22036 and 22358. The Repulse served during the Dominion War.
- USS Roosevelt (NCC-2573)
- Named for President Theodore Roosevelt, the starship Roosevelt was destroyed by the Borg at the Battle of Wolf 359 on stardate 43997 in 2366.
- USS Tecumseh (NCC-14934)
- Named for Native American leader Tecumseh, the starship Tecumseh was commanded by Captain Raymond and led the starship Rutledge on a counterattack against Klingon forces in the Archanis sector during the Second Federation-Klingon War in early 2373.
- USS Valley Forge (NCC-43305)
- Named for Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, the starship Valley Forge was destroyed by a Cardassian orbital defense platform during an offensive into Cardassian space during the Dominion War in 2375.
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External links
- "Excelsior class" at Memory Alpha (http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/index.php/Excelsior_class)
- "Excelsior class" Neutral Zone Starship Database (http://www.neutralzone.de/database/Federation/StarFleet/Excelsior.htm)
- "Starship Gallery - Excelsior" at Ex Astris Scientia (http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/scans/excelsior1.htm)
- "The DS9TM Kitbashes" at Ex Astris Scientia (http://ex-astris-scientia.org/articles/ds9tm.htm)
- "The Excelsior class study models" at Trekmania.net (http://www.trekmania.net/the_fleet/utopia/variants/excelsior_models.htm)
- "Size of the Excelsior Class" at Ex Astris Scientia (http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/articles/excelsior-size.htm)