Nova Class

Nova Class variants

Name: Nova
Craft: United Federation of Planets Nova-Class Research / Laboratory Vessel
Type: science vessel
Scale: capital
Length: 160.64 x 42.78 x 34.55 meters
Ship Mass: 210,000 metric tons
Starship Size: 5
Skill: capital ship pilot
Autopilot: 3D+1
Crew: 78; Skeleton: 8/+10
Passengers: 25
Cargo Capacity: 66,000 metric tons
Consumables: 2 years
Warp Drive: 6 / 7 / 8 (18 Hours)
Nav Computer: yes
Maneuverability: 1D+2
Space: 9
Hull: 2D+2
Shields: 1D+1
Sensors

• Passive: 60 / 2D
• Scan: 130 / 2D+2
• Search: 170 / 3D+2
• Focus: 5 / 4D+1

Weapons

• 2 Type VIII Phaser Arrays

Fire Arc: 200 degrees dorsal
Location: saucer dorsal: 1 port, 1 starboard
Crew: 1
Scale: capital
Skill: capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 0D+2
Space Range: 1-2/5/15
Firing Modes: Standard, Continuous, Pulse, Wide-Beam
Rate of fire: 3
Damage: 3D

• 9 Type VIII Phaser Arrays

Fire Arc: 6x 200 degrees dorsal, 3x 360 degrees ventral,
Location: saucer dorsal: 2 port, 2 starboard; 1 engineering ventral, 1 engineering dorsal starboard, 1 engineering dorsal starboard.
Crew: 1
Scale: capital
Skill: capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 0D+2
Space Range: 1-2/5/15
Firing Modes: Standard, Continuous, Pulse, Wide-Beam
Rate of fire: 1
Damage: 3D

• Photon Torpedo Launcher

Fire Arc: forward, but are self guided
Location: forward evntral
Crew: 1
Scale: capital
Skill: capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 0D+2
Space Range: 1-18/75/203
Ammunition: 30 Type II Photon Torpedoes total
Spread: 4
Damage: 4D

• 2 Class Delta Tractor Beams

Fire Arc: 1 forward. 1 aft
Location: forward, aft ventral
Crew: 1
Scale: capital
Skill: capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 0D+2
Space Range: 1-3/5/10
Rate of fire: 1
Strength: 4D+2

• Class Alpha Tractor Beam

Fire Arc: Shuttlebay
Location: Shuttlebay
Crew: 1
Scale: starfighter
Skill: capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 0D
Space Range: 1-3/5/10
Rate of fire: 1
Strength: 3D

Miscellaneous:

• Crew Quarters:
  • Basic: 65
  • Expanded: 15
  • Luxury: 4
  • Unusual: 8
• Decks: 8
• Escape Pods: 120

• Capacity per Pod: 4

• Year Commissioned: 2370 (Earth Reckoning)

Transporters

• Personnel: 3

• Range: 40,000 km
• Capacity: 4 persons

• Emergency: 3

• Range: 15,000 km
• Capacity: 14 persons

• Cargo: 2

• Range: 40,000 km
• Capacity: 400 kg

Complement

• Shuttle Craft: 1
• Shuttle Pods: 2
• Probes:200

Description: The Nova-class was a type of Federation science vessel and scout starship in service in the 24th century, first entering service in 2368. The class was designed for short-range and limited duration research missions such as planetary or system surveys. Nova-class vessels were also tasked with doing the extensive and in-depth research and analysis on a chosen region after a larger explorer type ship had made the initial analysis. (ST reference: Starship Spotter)

Development

The name "Nova-class" was coined for a new Starfleet design in the 2360s. At the time of its inception, it was being modeled as the next evolution of the explorer design dynamic of the Galaxy-class. At least four designs were conceptualized for the new class; with a variety of innovative new arrangements, propulsion systems and modular designs proposed. One radical design featured a nacelles-forward central hull that would trail mission modules behind it. Another design maintained a more typical Starfleet arrangement, but distorted to make use of anticipated advances in warp technology to allow greater z-axis warp field compression. A third design also maintained a recognizable silhouette, but proposed variable geometry warp nacelles and a primary hull that was composed of interchangeable modules. The fourth design had entered service by 2370, as evidenced by the USS Aquitaine; like the Nova-class, of another design which had gone into production by 2368, this design featured an angular, almost triangular, primary hull, and was used as a small explorer and research vessel. (TNG reference: Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual; TNG comics: "Children of Chaos", "Mother of Madness", "Brothers in Darkness")

The final design of the Nova-class initially started out as a pathfinder for the proposed Defiant-class fast torpedo ship. However, with the looming threat of the Borg Collective, Starfleet Command radically altered the concept of the Defiant-class, rendering the pathfinder design unsuitable.

At this time, in the mid-2360s, Starfleet was looking for a successor for the long-lived Oberth-class which had been in constant operation for almost a century. After noting how well the Defiant pathfinder spaceframe had performed in early warp field simulations, the Advanced Starship Design Bureau selected the design as a suitable basis for the Oberth-class replacement. The original design underwent a series of modifications as it was re-purposed from being a warship to a science vessel, with the most notable change being the removal of the forward torpedo launchers and their replacement with powerful sensor arrays. (ST reference: Starship Spotter)

In service

By 2368 the prototype USS Nova had been built and commissioned. Unfortunately, the Nova-class program hit a misstep in 2370, when the newly launched USS Equinox vanished near the Badlands while performing a scientific survey. The loss of the Equinox, coupled with the fact it was a new class, led to concern over the design. However, these fears were put to rest when a detailed analysis of the USS Nova revealed no discernible design flaws. Any lingering concerns were finally put to rest several years later, when the Equinox was discovered in the Delta Quadrant by the USS Voyager. (ST reference: Starship Spotter; VOY episode & novelization: Equinox)

Despite the concerns regarding the Equinox, other vessels of the class performed exceedingly well and Starfleet increased production, confident that they had found a suitable replacement for the Oberth-class. (ST reference: Starship Spotter)

Specification

Appropriately for their mission profile, the Nova-class were essentially flying sensor platforms, with the most finely tuned and integrated large sensor arrays, which was unparalleled in its application on Starfleet vessels at the time. With the ships' main purpose being research and analysis, they weren't typically suitable for combat operations.

The class was also not designed with long term missions in mind; its compact design limited the amount of consumables able to be carried and also put restraints on the number of facilities more common on larger designs - the Nova-class did not have any holodeck facilities, nor did it carry the components to assemble a reserve warp core. With these considerations the typical maximum mission duration recommended for the class was two years. (Star Trek Fact Files; ST reference: Starship Spotter)

The Nova design was designed to operate at a maximum speed of warp eight, but maintain a suitable cruising speed of warp 6, which was provided through an LF-47 Advanced Linear Warp Drive system. (ST reference: Starship Spotter)

The Nova-class was also one of a few Federation starship classes to be equipped with the ability to enter a planet's atmosphere and land on the surface, thanks to breakthroughs in gravity control and vessel structural integrity. Landing was achieved on four landing pads which extended from ports on the underside of the engineering hull. Although not a routine maneuver, this capability extended the uses of the ship, making it possible for a Nova-class vessel's crew to utilize the ship as a planetary research base. (ST reference: Starship Spotter; Star Trek Fact Files; Decipher RPG module: Starships)

Arrangement and layout

The design of the Nova-class was considered a compact form of its much larger contemporary, the Sovereign-class, and was also similar to the Intrepid-class, although the Nova was only half its size with a length of 165 meters. The layout of the ship included a primary hull with a curved triangular shape, with the secondary hull directly attached to the primary hull and the ship's twin warp nacelles protruding to either side of the rear of the engineering section. (Star Trek Fact Files; VOY episode: "Equinox")

In keeping with traditional Starfleet design the bridge was located on deck one, although atypically it was surrounded by a built up area of the hull, making the bridge slightly less vulnerable to attack (in a similar concept to the Akira-class and a hangover from the original warship design used as the basis for the class). The ships' impulse engines occupied the rear of deck two, while decks three and four featured a large cargo bay. The front of deck three housed the auxiliary deflector dish, and below it on deck four was a large array of sensor pallets, with additional sensors located on the underside of the saucer on deck four as well. To the rear of deck four was the ship's shuttlebay, as well as sickbay and the primary laboratory facilities. The remaining decks were largely occupied by engineering facilities, with the warp core extending through decks five to eight, and the primary deflector taking up most of the front of the engineering hull. (Star Trek Fact Files)

Source:

• Memory Alpha: Nova-class
• Memory Beta: Nova class
• Ship Recognition Manual vol 1 (Spacedock) (pages 93-96)
• thedemonapostle