Protostar class

STARSHIP CLASS
Protostar class

Affiliation:	Federation, Starfleet
Type:	Experimental starship Science vessel
Service period:	2380s
Length:	at least 200 meters
Specifications
Speed:	Warp 9.97 (Warp, transwarp, and proto-warp capable)
Maximum speed:	protostar warp velocity
Cruising speed:	warp factor 9
Armaments:	Phaser arrays, pulse cannons, torpedo bays
Defences:	Deflector shields, polarized hull plating
Systems:	protostar drive
Auxiliary craft':	Federation shuttlecraft, Runaway rover

The Protostar class was a small prototype starship class launched by Starfleet during the late 24th century. The Protostar class was a 24th century Federation starship class, an experimental vessel in Starfleet service from the 2380s decade to the 25th century. (PRD episode: "Lost and Found")

Technical data[]

Based on its size, Zero estimated that the ship needed at least twenty crew members, or "depending on species, thirty-seven appendages". (PRD episode: "Lost and Found")

The Protostar class possessed a "sufficient tactical array", including three phaser arrays (covering the dorsal saucer firing arc, ventral saucer arc, and ventral aft secondary hull arc), pulse cannons, and fore and aft torpedo bays loaded with type 6 photon torpedoes. It was protected by deflector shields and polarized hull plating. (PRD episodes: "Lost and Found", "Starstruck", "Terror Firma")

The ship's airlocks could generate a force field bridge to dock with other spacecraft. (PRO episode: "Asylum")

The ship was capable of entering a planetary atmospheres and landing on a solid surface, for which it was equipped with a single large landing strut beneath its center of gravity. The strut was wide and sturdy enough to withstand skidding across surfaces. (PRO episode: "Dream Catcher")

The ship's navigational deflector also incorporated a tractor beam. (PRO episode: "Asylum")

Technical specifications[]

Armaments[]

Phaser beam arrays were installed on the ship's saucer section. Ships of the class were equipped with deflector shields whose shield bubble formed close the ship's hull. (PRD episode: "Lost and Found")

The tactical array allowed auto-targeting at the push of a button. (PRD episode: "Starstruck")

Projectile weapons included at least one torpedo launcher loaded with photon torpedoes. (PRD episode: "Dream Catcher")

Propulsion[]

When it was developed, the Protostar class was the fastest ship in Starfleet. The class featured tandem warp drives, one alone capable of warp 9.97, and console diagrams for transwarp drive. Normal space propulsion systems included impulse engines and RCS thrusters. (PRD episodes: "Lost and Found", "Starstruck", "Kobayashi"", "A Moral Star, Part 1")

This class of ship also featured a gravimetric protostar containment, which was powered by a protostar, and allowed it to travel considerably faster than conventional warp speed. The ship could cross over 4,000 light years in a matter of minutes, a journey that would originally take four years at maximum warp. When activated, a third nacelle was deployed from the stern of the ship while the two main nacelles were shifted to a lower angle. The engine itself was a high-priority system and consumed a large fraction of the ship's total power. (PRD episodes: "Terror Firma", "Kobayashi")

A ship of this class was equipped with an impulse engine and two warp cores. (PRD episode: "Starstruck")

It would accelerate to a warp factor of 9. The protostar drive outpaced warp. At protostar warp, a ship could cross 4.000 lightyears in an incredibly short amount of time. (PRD episode: "Terror Firma")

The protostar engine had to be engaged in order to perform a jump. (PRD episode: "A Moral Star")

Systems[]

The vehicle replicator allowed for the swift construction of auxiliary vessels. (PRD episode: "Lost and Found")

A holodeck was included. (PRD episode: "Kobayashi")

The transporter allowed instantaneous matter transport. In 2383, the Unwanted discovered this system and used it to beam a piece of pecan pie across 200 meters inside the ship. (PRD episode: "First Con-tact")

History[]

The prototype of this class, the USS Protostar was dispatched by Starfleet on a mission to the Delta Quadrant. (PRD episode: "First Con-tact")

Following first contact between the Federation and the Vau N'Akat, the people of Solum descended into a civil war and devastated their planet. The Diviner held the Federation responsible. In the 25th century, he captured the Protostar and wanted to use it to infect Starfleet's systems with a destructive agent. However, both the Diviner and the Protostar stranded at Tars Lamora sometime in the 2360s. (PRD episode: "A Moral Star")

The Unwanted, prisoners of Tars Lamora, escaped with the Diviner's daughter Gwyn aboard the Protostar in 2383. (PRD episode: "Lost and Found")

At the time, Starfleet had dispatched the USS Dauntless to search for the missing Protostar. In 2384, the Dauntless detected the protostar signature. (PRD episode: "A Moral Star")

Interior design[]

Unusual for most Federation starships, this class had several staircases to travel between some decks, although the ship was equipped with a turbolift as well. (PRD episode: "Lost and Found" et al.)

Bridge[]

The bridge had a white, black and steel color scheme, and adopted a blue LCARS software interface.

The bridge lacked a standard viewscreen typically integrated into the ship's bulkhead of most 24th century Starfleet vessels, and was instead dominated by a transparent roof dome for direct visual contact with the exterior. However, a holographic viewscreen could be summoned for hails or subspace communications. (PRD episode: "Terror Firma")

The captain's chair was located at the center of the bridge and had holographic displays and consoles. Standard paired operations and helm consoles were fitted at the front of the bridge. Two additional consoles were also placed slightly behind and to either side of the captain's chair. (PRD episode: "Lost and Found" et al.)

Sickbay[]

The ship contained a sickbay equipped with biobeds. (PRD episode: "Kobayashi")

Brig[]

This type of starship was equipped with a brig, labeled as a holding cell on the ship diagram. It was located in the starboard side of the ship. (PRD episodes: "Starstruck", "Dream Catcher")

Mess hall[]

This type of starship had a communal mess hall, with at least three food replicators. Each replicator had two dispensing slots with a transparent sliding door in a stacked formation, with the higher one being slightly smaller than the lower one. Once the order was replicated along with a tray and any eating utensils, the door automatically retracted upward, and the tray extended outwards so that it could be removed from the slot, as a single tray virtually took up all the horizontal space within the slot. (PRD episode: "Starstruck")

Crew quarters[]

Much of the ship's crew were berthed in the bunk room, where individuals shared bunk beds. (PRD episodes: "Starstruck", "First Con-tact")

The ship's commanding officer had individual quarters, which featured a large bed, work station, wall-mounted display screen, tables, and shelves. (PRD episode: "Starstruck")

Holodeck[]

The ship included a holodeck available to the crew. (PRD episode: "Kobayashi")

Transporter room[]

This class had at least one transporter room. The distance from the transporter room to the warp core was at least 200 meters. (PRD episode: "First Con-tact")

Auxiliary craft facilities[]

The shuttlebay was located in the lowermost section of the secondary hull. It was equipped with a vehicle replicator which could be used for the production of shuttlecraft. It also served as practical storage and deployment of ground vehicles like the Runaway, and the disembarkation and boarding point for the crew on planetary surfaces. In addition, there was a compartment where workbees were stored. There was a separate section for shuttlecraft fuel storage.

On the master systems display it is indicated that the shuttlebay is at the rear section of the secondary hull, despite clearly being shown in its forward section. (PRO: "Terror Firma") This is most likely a simple error, as most detailed Starfleet ships of this typical configuration do have their shuttlebays facing to the rear.

The ship's escape pods were located in two banks of six each on the underside of the saucer section. (PRD episode: "Starstruck")

Ships commissioned[]

USS Protostar (NX-76884)

Appendices[]

Background information[]

Early concept art for the Protostar design was developed by John Eaves, with eventual "design and form" done by Nuen Studio and Ben Hibon, and textures by Nikie Monteleone. Two years were spent designing the vessel.