Guide:Edison (22nd c.)

Edison
Class Overview
Category	research vessel
Operational	2150 - 2171
Constructed	7
Dimensions
Length	165.5m
Beam	74.7m
Height	48.7 m
Mass	4,158 mt
Performance
Cruise Speed	w 2.5
Max Speed	w 2.75
Endurance	9 months
Complement
Officers	2
Enlisted	6
Passengers	24 researchers
Tactical Systems
Beam Weapons	2x Gould class lasers 1x TDM-28 class plasma cannon
Shields	HPG Mk III hull polarization
Laboratories	SR-1 sensors 5x labs: Gravimetrics Stellar Cartography Physics Planetary science General Sciences
Auxiliary Craft	1x SP-36 light atmo/spatial shuttle
Historical
Ships of Note	UESS Edison UESS Goddard
Canonicity
Design	Vance graphic (originally Shade)
Name	Timo
History	DD

Background: The Hobbyist's Guide

In 2069, when UESPA assumed the duties of intrasolar and interstellar exploration from the various national agencies on Earth, it also inherited a modest fleet of varying craft with a range of scientific capabilities. Where the United Earth Defense Pact granted the United Earth Stellar Navy with armed vessels and a budget to further develop the defense mission, UESPA saw only a fraction of that support. Over time, as the motley fleet aged and became less capable with Humanity's reach expanding outward, UESPA sought means in which to keep abreast of the Human experience.

Several methods were utilized: financial backing of research missions by private and corporate entities was one and providing scientific expertise on military or scouting missions by the UESF was another. Cargo haulers were sometimes approached with the offer of an extra able hand aboard a crew on a particularly interesting leg, free of charge. The vessel's sensors would be made accessible to the UESPA representative, especially if passing a significant astronomical feature or visiting a world previously unsurveyed by what ever branch of science was at the moment specifically interested.

In 2133, when the United Earth Starfleet was directed to take charge of both the defense of Earth and its extrasolar interests, it also assumed the mission of exploration, whereby UESPA became an entity within it. The scientific rank-and-file at first was considerably alarmed by this, but prompt identification of the role of science in the fleet's structure was quickly made and taken control of by the existing UESPA authorities. With such a strong voice filled with scientific fervor crying out for attention and respect, Starfleet Headquarters often acknowledged the need to consider its sister mission to defense. That had its greatest influence in the development of cruisers and the role of exploration within the fleet, as well as on a dedicated education path for the officers serving in science roles.

However, dedicated survey and research ships were few and far between. When scouts were commissioned for the fleet, their primary purpose remained to seek out not new worlds and civilizations, but to find the sources of the pirates and raiders that continuously harassed Earth vessels. Having sensors on these scouts available to UESPA was still a significant boon over lending a scientist to a cargo run, but UESPA's collective members still felt that they could have a greater presence within the fleet. By the early 2140s, the command structure of the UESF had been led to the realization that just as a scout on a military mission could provide value to the scientific community, a dedicated scientific platform could likewise provide a military benefit to Starfleet, especially in the way of subspace constant mapping and interstellar cartography. More than a few geologic features and mineral deposits on various encountered planetoids had garnered interest from a military point of view and could merit further investigation by subject matter experts. In 2044, a Fleet Requirement was issued for a class that would provide a general focus on scientific issues that were curiosities for both civilian and military minds.

Speed was not as much a factor, for it was felt this first dedicated platform had more than enough potential objects of fascination well within the easy reach of Earth and the freed-up engineering space would grant the ship more room for sensors, labs, and scientific personnel. Various designs from many shipbuilding firms came in, but the proposal by a distant offshoot of the venerable Dinyan-Yoyodyne Conglomerate garnered the most attention. It made the most use of the older DY-700 design, with the long conical body and a top-mounted tower for piloting controls. Sensors were lined back along the sides and ventral hull and a large radio telescope was mounted amidships on each side. The body had been both slightly elongated over that of its ancestor and widened. Because the powerplant became much more sturdy over the intervening years and because basic laborers were not needed, the crew was minimized and replaced by scientists only too eager to accept the meager staterooms afforded the design, if it meant getting out into the relatively deep space beyond.

Tactical systems had to be addressed, because the current age demanded acknowledgment of the predators stalking ships throughout local space. Two top-of-the-line lasers, capable of alternate settings for scientific purposes, were installed, as was a medium-strength plasma cannon, in an effort to grant the ship an initial perspective of a civilian vessel with considerable teeth. It was understood that any attackers would probably either overpower or outnumber, but a tactical crew that was prepared to skillfully fire at the first sign of hostility might have the opportunity to convince their attacker that the ship was not the easiest target around. The latest in hull polarization was also installed, a feature not seen on civilian cousins.

The Edison was also outfitted with one light atmospheric/spatial shuttle to get up close to spaceborne objects of interest and land a survey on planets. It was understood that the ship would probably be operating well outside range of immediate sources of help, so any deployment of the shuttle had to be limited to arenas where there was absolutely no sense of danger, since there would be no way to retrieve said shuttle if it found itself in distress.

The class was unveiled in 2150 with great fanfare by Starfleet, eager to show that it still had its eyes on the more favorable side of peaceful missions, in spite of being devoted to identifying and eradicating the source of the constant raids. Not just a little excitement was displayed by the scientific leaders of the exploration agency whom had nominal control over their own little fleet. Six ships were originally budgeted, each being delivered a year apart by the same orbital shipyard over Earth, with an option for more as the needs were identified. UESS Edison was followed by UESS Goddard, with reports from both not only eagerly received by UESPA, but also frequently shared via both professional scientific journals and the common media.

The UESS Goddard was lost to what was later assumed to be Romulan forces in 2155, though never verified nor found. But, by this time, a seventh ship had already been ordered and due to be delivered the next year. Additional ships past the seventh were not considered, however, because the Romulan War was in full swing and it was not considered prudent to build ships that needed escort resources in order to fulfill their primary mission. Two more ships would be lost during the war and with the formation of the UFP declared in 2160, the remaining ships were deemed to be just four additional scientific assets from the plethora sure to arrive from the combined members' fleets. The development of sensor technology had continued at an enhanced rate during the war and the Edison class was not deemed appropriate, both due to speed and size, to receive upgrades. They would continue to operate with the UFP Star Fleet, still sporting a UESPA banner, until 2171, when they were retired and mothballed. Two of the four are now in museum collections, while the remaining two continue to drift within the Uranus L3 point, on the opposite side of Sol.

Star Fleet Registry

• USS Sikorsky (NCC-U09)
• USS Edison (NCC-U11)
• USS Fourneyron (NCC-U13)
• USS Hoffmann (NCC-U14)

Notes

• This was my first custom design for the Guide. The Edison was mentioned in the Mercury guide as slow, but well-equipped with sensors. A review of Vance Schematics turned up several possible candidates, but the Shade's obvious lineage, plus two large circular attachments, sold it to me. The complete body of text is my creation.

• If any additional Edisons need to be named:

UESS Goddard

UESS al-Din

UESS Marconi

• The four surviving Edison ships served with the UFP Star Fleet in the NCC-U registry range.

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• Back to the Table of Contents
• Back to "Into The Romulan War"
• Appendix A: Of Ship Statistics
• Appendix B: Glossary
• Appendix C: Star Fleet Organization - General Outline
• Appendix D: Abbreviations From Outside