Type:

Explorer

Unit Run:

U.S.S. Bellerephon, NCC-62048
U.S.S. Endeavour, NCC-71805
U.S.S. Farragut, NCC-60591
U.S.S. Hera NCC-62006
U.S.S. Honshu, NCC-60205
U.S.S. Lexington, NCC-61832
U.S.S. Merrimac, NCC-61827
U.S.S. Monitor, NCC-61826
U.S.S. Phoenix, NCC-65420
U.S.S. Prometheus, NCC-71201
U.S.S. Proxima, NCC-61952
U.S.S. Sutherland, NCC-72015
U.S.S. Ulysses, NCC-66808 plus 178 vessels built since 2354.
Of these, 50 are currently the basic model;
25 of these carry the enhanced weapon pod.
All new Nebula production is of the upgraded model, with enhanced weapon pod now fitted as standard.

Commissioned

2355 - present

Dimensions

Length 433 m
Width 560 m
Height 145 m
Decks 42 (including pod)
Mass 4,500,000 tons

Crew

780 including family members

Warp Speeds

Normal Cruise Warp 6
Maximum Cruise Warp 9
Maximum Rated Warp 9.4 for twelve hours

Armament

8 x Type X Phaser arrays, total output 32,500 TeraWatts
3 x Type 3 burst fire photon torpedo tubes + 180 torpedoes
Antimatter spread emitter

Defense Systems

High capacity shield system, total capacity 2,349,000 TeraJoules
Standard Duranium/Tritanium double hull plus 8.0 cm High Density armour
Standard level Structural Integrity Field

Diplomatic Capability

Grade 1

Expected Lifetime

100 years

Refit Cycle

Minor 1 year
Standard 5 years
Major 20 years

General Information

The Nebula class was fielded in the 2350's to provide a smaller, more numerous counterpart to the Galaxy class then under construction. The design was intended to parallel that of the Galaxy class as closely as possible in order to allow for many identical systems to be installed in both classes; this has resulted in significant improvements in the design and construction processes for the Nebula class and thus allowed comparatively high numbers to be fielded.
Compared to the Galaxy class the Nebula has a more compact shape - the engineering hull is mounted directly to the underside of the saucer section, a measure which saves some 200 metres in length. The major difference in capability is the addition of a prominent housing aft of the saucer section of the Nebula class. This enables the vessel to carry any one of a variety of special equipment pods - current models include a high capacity sensor pod, an enhanced weapons pod, a colony transport pod, an emergency field hospital unit, or a science laboratory pod. Although the basic Nebula design has approximately 80% of the capability of a Galaxy class vessel in most areas, the addition of the mission pod brings that figure up to 95% or more in that specific area.
This flexibility actually allows the Nebula design to accomplish almost almost identical missions despite its smaller size. In service the Nebula class has proved highly satisfactory, and in many ways these ships form the backbone of Starfleets exploratory and scientific programmes. Like the Galaxy class they have received regular upgrades to their systems, most notably a new Warp Core design. With the advent of the threats from the Romulan, Dominion and Borg, Starfleet invested in sixty seven new enhanced weapon pods for the Nebula class; most of the vessels now carry this as a standard item.