2200's Integrity-Class Starship WIP

[aalenfae]

Here's a starship design I've been working on for a while - the Integrity-Class, which I imagine was launched in 2200.

Halfway between the NX-class and the Constitution-class, this ship borrows from both eras of design. Also, imagining that the USS Kelvin was launched sometime BEFORE 2233 (maybe 2215, given that the Kelvin appears pretty used when we see her), I chose to borrow lots of elements from that design as well.

Preliminary 3D Animation:
>>>Integrity-Class Flyby on Vimeo<<<
^
This animation uses an extremely low-poly version of the ship, which I'm slowly re-modeling into the high-detail version.

Low-poly ship, with the beginnings of high-poly bridge module.

Detail of the bridge module.

 

[Forbin]

Nice detailing!

 

[aalenfae]

Work has progressed to the nacelles!

 

[MadMan1701A]

Neat, I like the guy wires holding the nacelles.

What software are you using?

-Ricky

 

[aalenfae]

I thought the cables would be pretty controversial. Glad somebody likes them!

I'm using Anim8or. A very homely, underpowered program that I've taken an odd liking to.


Here's some progress.
Working on the superstructure between the nacelles. I'm imagining some kind of secondary engineering up there, so I've given a lot of space for people to work, as well as railings and hatches for exterior maintenance and stuff.

Here's a top view, showing a better view of the massive couplers that hold the nacelles in place. In an emergency, the nacelles can be detached at these points.

 

[Starscape]

Wow, the Anim8or renderer has progressed since I last used it. I started 3D-ing using Anim8or (before I moving onto Blender), I'm always pleased to see people still using it.

I'm torn on the superstructure and wires. I like the look of them, but I'm not sure how well they fit into the Trek design-scheme.

 

[aalenfae]

Well, maybe they don't fit in so well to what we've seen. But What I'm really interested in doing is legitimately taking steps backward from the TOS Enterprise. The NX-01, while having some small nods to modern spacecraft, really doesn't seem to feel like the sort of spacecraft we'd build in the 2100's. And the TOS Enterprise is too far removed from anything we currently have to make a judgement.

So with something like this, I'm trying to push things away from the NX-01, and into the "actual future spaceship" realm, and justifying why the TOS Enterprise looks the way it does (and hopefully retroactively making it look more advanced at the same time). So I'm stealing elements from the real-world - rather than the Trek world - to do that.

 

[Starship]

Interesting combination of details. And don´t be fooled by Animat8r... you can do good things with this little app, as you´re showing us.
Ca I invite you to post over www.foundation3d.com too?

 

[Albertese]

This a great design. I like how it ties 20th Century looking stuff in with the Kelvin design.

I'm not sure how well it fits the established Trek esthetic, but screw 'em! I love it anyhow. It's a refreshing take on a familiar subject.

I look forward to seeing more.

 

[Mage]

I love the look of the wires, but in space, would something like that ben nesecarry?

Still, they look very cool!! As does the rest of the ship.

 

[Bernard Guignard]

Very nice work there

 

[Albertese]

I think the wires make sense actually. Maybe the SIF technology is not mature enough to handle a load as massive as these engines so the wires are there to help compensate for the limitations of the field technology. By the time of the Kelvin, the SIF generation abilities have matured to the point of being able to handle the mass.

Plus, they look cool, dammit!



--Alex

 

[Bell'Orso]

Needs something below the saucer to balance it out imho. Also, take a look at ENT era Klingon ships to see how they implemented the idea of cables to support structures.

I do love the structure between the nacelles, though. Reminds me of old battleships.

 

[aalenfae]

Thanks for the input!
And yeah, Albertese's explanation is sort of what I was imagining when I added the cables. Even in space, such massive engines would put a lot of stress on a their relatively small contact point during acceleration in any direction - forwards, backwards, spinning, etc. So it just felt right to imagine that more primitive ships might need to lash down the protrusions to spread the load.

Got some more progress!

Here's a rear view, showing some of the new details on the superstructure

And here's a shot showing off the previously undepicted undercarriage, which will hold the navigational deflector and other goodies.

 

[Albertese]

Looking good!

--Alex

 

[Noah]

I see you've put a lot of time into your model. And I do remember seeing NX class era Klingon ships with that kind of reinforcing cable support. Which worked, the long thin boom section of the Klingon ships. Lent to the notion of needing more support where it was shown. And gave it a retro or old school look and feel compared to later Klingon design. Kind of like biplane v.s monoplane but I don’t see this in much of the NX era or later Starfleet design. I do see it on older freighter or commercial transport ships. Maybe its some sort of structural fix for ships that are past their prime of service. or a temporary fix until reaching a proper repair facility. I do love the bridge, and admhereire your hard work!

 

[publiusr]

Here's a starship design I've been working on for a while - the Integrity-Class, which I imagine was launched in 2200.

All I get are boxes with the X on them

I'd like to see that Kelvin type saucer on the NX-01 refit secondary hull--a different type of Kelvin prise.

 

[aalenfae]

Ah - I wonder why you can't view the images : \
Is anybody else having issues with the images not loading?


So I was thinking - for all those times that the reactor has to go offline (and auxiliary power randomly goes offline as well), Starfleet ships would do really well to have an alternative source of power. While browsing through some NASA images, pondering what sorts of details I might carry over from real-world spacecraft, I thought "solar panels!"
But, does anything in Star Trek have solar panels? Well, we never SEE them on any Starfleet ship (though some sort of unrecognizable photovoltaic device might be present). But we do actually see traditional-looking solar panel structures on some Federation space stations - such as the MIDAS Array and Jupiter Station. So it's safe to believe that - unless these structures just look exactly like modern-day solar panels - solar panels are still in use as late as the 2300's. It's not strange to expect a long-range interstellar exploration ship to employ a similar technology.

That's where the Integrity-Class comes in.

 

[Albertese]

Seems to me that they take up a whole bunch of internal volume. Photovoltaic panels are pretty slim and probably wouldn't need such heavy duty mechanisms to unfold them.

And how much actual utility would such panels have? Most places beyond the outer edge of the "Goldilocks" zone of Sol-like stars would yield precious little actual electricity. Surely not enough to benefit a starship. I would expect such equipment to be rolled up and tucked quietly away somewhere for the really rare occasions such a thing would be useful...

Just my opinion...

--Alex

 

[aalenfae]

All good points!
Here's some progress.
More details, and this time - compact, collapsible solar panels.