The Nova-class was a type of Federation science vessel that entered service in the 2360s.
History[]
Technical information[]
The Nova-class was designed as a science and scout vessel to replace the aging Oberth-class. Ships of the type were commonly assigned to planetary research and analysis missions.
Novas had a maximum speed of warp 8 and carried approximately eighty crewmembers. Like most starships, the Nova was equipped with deflector shields, however, the Nova's shields could recharge to full capacity after only 45 seconds if brought to cold shutdown. The Nova also had 2 shuttlebays, a main shuttlebay on Deck 4, and the rear portion of the Main Cargo Bay which also served as an auxiliary shuttlebay. The Main Shuttlebay was large enough to hold two Type-8 shuttlecraft, with space for six more shuttlecraft immediately below on Deck 5. The auxiliary shuttlebay could carry two shuttlepods or one Type-8 Shuttlecraft. The Nova also carried 20 escape pods of the 4-6 personnel type, all on the primary hull. Additional shuttlecraft, like other equipment, were sometimes assigned as needed for certain mission profiles.
The Nova-class was not typically suitable for combat operations, though some saw service in the Dominion War and other conflicts as necessary. However, the Nova was ably equipped to defend herself when necessary, with 11 phaser arrays and 2 forward photon torpedo launchers, set into the "prongs" on opposite sides of the auxiliary deflector dish. The vessel was originally designed as the Defiant/Pathfinder vehicle, to be a torpedo gunship in combat against the Borg; this design was abandoned in favor of a more revolutionary design, what became the Defiant Class Starship. The original blueprints were altered, and the Nova Class became a lightly-armed science vessel, but still retained many of the features from that earlier incarnation: a sunken bridge module, two forward torpedo tubes, and eleven Type-Xb phaser arrays. Six torpedo tubes from the original design were deleted from the blueprints, replaced by state-of-the-art science sensors; this makes the Nova Class more sensor heavy than any other starship in the Federation, with the exception of a Nebula Class with sensor arrays in the upper equipment pod. Indeed, it was the USS Nova that detected the presence of Ambassador Spock on Romulus in 2368, from a full parsec distance.
The class bore some similarities in design to its contemporary, the Intrepid-class. Like the Intrepid, including the ability to land on planet surfaces and withstand an atmosphere for a long period of time. To that end, four landing struts were located on the secondary hull. Another unique feature of the Nova-class was its Waverider-class shuttle, similar to the Aero-class of the Intrepid-class, located in a special docking port on the ventral side of the primary hull. The Waverider lacked both impulse and warp engines, and was instead designed solely for operating within a planet's atmosphere when a mission required landing on the surface of a planet whose atmospheric conditions made it too hazardous to use transporters or traditional shuttlecraft.
Subclasses[]
Aurora[]
Like the Nova-class, the Aurora variant was designed for short-range scientific missions, as well as scouting during military operations. Its slim, aerodynamic design was intended to maximize the efficiency of its high-frequency warp envelope.
Quasar[]
Named for the distant black holes that are the most luminous objects in the universe, the Quasar-class variant boasted some of the most advanced technology available for small scouting and science vessels. It and the other variants of the Nova line were equipped with deflector shields to prevent space debris and objects from damaging the starship.
Rhode Island[]
The Rhode Island-class implemented many of the technological and design developments gathered in the early years of the 25th century.
Ships commissioned[]
The Equinox in orbit of a Delta Quadrant planet.
- USS Aurora (NCC-72321)
- USS Aurora (prototype Aurora-class, NCC-91270)
- USS Equinox (NCC-72381, launched 2370)
- USS Huxley
- USS Nova (prototype, NCC-73515)
- USS Pathfinder (NCC-753861, launched 2373)
- USS Pioneer (NCC-73409, launched 2367)
- USS Quasar (prototype Quasar-class, NX-93701)
- USS Rhode Island (prototype Rhode Island-class, NCC-72701)
- USS Tesla (NCC-58312, launched 2372)
- USS Twilight (NCC-74413, launched 2369)
- USS Kim
- USS Asimov (NCC 72384, launched 2371)
| Nova-class starships | |
|---|---|
| Prime universe: USS Pathfinder • USS Pioneer • USS Tesla | |
| Vanguard universe Tactical Frigates: USS Eclipse • USS Pulsar • USS Perigee | |
Gallery[]
Appendices[]
Last Unicorn Games statistics []
- Hull Characteristics: Size 4, 221.64m, 8 Decks
- Resistance: 3, Structural Pts: 70
- Crew/Passangers/Evac: 80/6/200 [8 Power/Rd]
- Computers: 4 [4 Pwr/Rd]
- Tractor Beams: 1av, 1fv [2/ Rating Used]
- Propulsion and Power Characateristics: Warp Systems: 6.0/7.0/8.0 [12 hrs] [2/Warp Factor]
- Impulse Systems: .60c, .75c [6/7 Pwr/Rd]
- Power: 120/140 (120 in Batteries) [120 / every 2 rounds; 20 more from aux. fusion reactors
- Emergency Power [20 / every 4 rounds]; 120 total in Batteries (One-shot Deal, takes 2 hrs to recharge)
- Weapons Systems: (Weapons Skill: 6)
- Type Xb Phasers (always on hot stand-by):
- Range: 10/30,000/100,000/300,000; Damage: 12/15/20 [Power 12, 16, 22]
- Type VI Photon Torpedoes: 30 Photon, 20 Probes
- Range: 15/300,000/1,000,000/3,500,000 Damage: 21 [Power 5/Tube] Tubes: 2f
- Starfleet Deflector Shield Protection: 55/70 [Power: 50]
- Upon onset of Dominion War: 20 Quantum Torpedoes, 10 Type VI Photons;
- 4 Valkyrie Warp Starfighters
- Quantum Torpedo Damage: 24 [30 maximum] (50-isoton explosion.)
External links[]
- Nova class article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.
- Nova class article at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki.
- Science Vessel article at The Star Trek Online Wiki.
- Science Vessel Refit article at The Star Trek Online Wiki.
- Nova class article at Star Trek Expanded Universe.