Science Laboratories



== '''Science Laboratories: ''' == Most Federation starships have a number of scientific laboratories, to facilitate Starfleet’s primary mission of exploration, “to seek out new worlds, and new civilizations.”  While larger exploratory vessels such as Galaxy and Sovereign Class, and especially science vessels like theNova Class, all have ten or more science labs, a rare few such as the Defiant Class have none.

On a Nova Class starship such as USS Twilight, including the two stellar cartography labs and two medical labs, there are a total of 14 science laboratories, four of which are non-specific labs that can be easily modified for various scientific endeavors including Bio/Chem, and Physics tests and/or experiments. Crew members rotate often among these laboratories. Located on Decks 1 through 4, and 7, the Nova Class’ laboratories are well equipped due to the nature of their mission profile. More specific and specialized laboratories include Atmospheric Physics, as well as the more dangerous High-Energy Physics (note: additional SIF Field Generators are installed in the bulkheads around this lab.)

Additional laboratories include a Botany Lab, where experiments and studies are done on the various phylum found on the surfaces of planets being surveyed for new medications, as well as development of better, more robust terraforming flora for use in colonization. This lab is also called the Arboretum. The Geology Laboratories cover two major areas, Planetary and Astronomical (astrometrics.)  Though a good portion of the Nova’s time is spent in-system, other missions may include studying astronomical phenomena, and these laboratories are provided for that purpose. Still other laboratories study genetics and Xenobiology. The Xenobiology lab is separated from the rest of the ship by two security doors and an internal airlock, and this lab is the only one with its own turbolift stop, located one meter from the door. This is to protect the ship in the event of a viral contagion outbreak spreading beyond this laboratory. A dedicated air-vent connects this laboratory directly to the ship’s outer hull, to decompress the lab and sterilize all surfaces by exposing them to the cold vacuum of space.

There is also one sealed non-specific laboratory on Deck 4, starboard, that does classified research for Starfleet Intelligence. This laboratory is ray- and sensor- shielded with both devices and ablative-armor, so nothing can be beamed in or out, nor recorded, nor detected by threat forces. It is here that captured alien technology or bio-weapons are brought to be studied in the field, until they can be off-loaded onto a starbase or other secure facility. Only a security Level of Nine or higher can gain access to this lab, so typically, the captain or another officer of command rank has to grant access through the computer. An automated defense system is built into the ceiling of the lab, similar to the device on the Bridge, which will automatically stun any intruder who gains access to this compartment, and then automatically use site-to-site transport to beam the interloper to the ship’s brig. Besides the Bridge, this is the one area of the ship that is protected in this manner.