intrepid

[joe5]

hi,

i was watching voyager, when i realized i don't actually know what the purpose of the intrepid class is

i have always assumed it was meant for exploration but i was wondering what the general consensus is

[Black Patriot]

I think the consensus is long range exploration and scientific study. When in doubt check with the wiki: http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Intrepid_class

[Vadek]

I think the Eu said it was basically, an Sovereign Class...but Smaller, and less punch.

[Roar54]

but Smaller, and less punch.

i.e. No quantums...

[webxro]

Less punch , how about the "Warship Voyager" it packs a HEAVY punch  http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Warship_Voyager
Also the "normal" voyager has quantums

[Roar54]

Less punch , how about the "Warship Voyager" it packs a HEAVY punch  http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Warship_Voyager

That works, and it doesn't... Looks like lego guns have been attached to the hull.

Also the "normal" voyager has quantums

It does? They were never featured in the show. I know it is capable of firing them, but I didn't know that it carried a compliment of them. Maybe it was considered not to need them for the mission it was originally sent out to do.

[MajorD]

I figure the Intrepid class is militarily a scout, it might be called a corvette. Scientifically, it's a single mission, rapid, survey ship.

First, it's unusually maneuverable for it's size.
Second, it's one of the fastest ships we know.
Third, it has extremely limited laboratory facilities.
Fourth, it's first mission was intended as a one time, short term military style action.

In either role, I imagine the ship striking out to a particular location, or along a particular heading as fast as possible, using its sensors to collect as much high quality data as possible. It doesn't process this data itself, instead it either relays the information or brings it back in person, and goes off on its next mission.

This is as apposed to an Oberth or Nova class, which I imagine would go off on single missions too, but survey in a much more local manner, or investigate phenomena that aren't time critical.

[AricwithanA]

I should ask, will the Intrepid class come with Astrometrics?  lol

[Roar54]

God I hope so!

[AricwithanA]

God I hope so!

I do also, but I can understand if it isn't.  The lab was a Voyager thing, not an Intrepid Class thing but it would still be awesome to have it!

[Atlantisbase]

I do also, but I can understand if it isn't.  The lab was a Voyager thing, not an Intrepid Class thing but it would still be awesome to have it!

My understanding was that what we came to know as astrometrics was an spruced up version of the existing lab.

I figure the Intrepid class is militarily a scout, it might be called a corvette. Scientifically, it's a single mission, rapid, survey ship.

First, it's unusually maneuverable for it's size.
Second, it's one of the fastest ships we know.
Third, it has extremely limited laboratory facilities.
Fourth, it's first mission was intended as a one time, short term military style action.

In either role, I imagine the ship striking out to a particular location, or along a particular heading as fast as possible, using its sensors to collect as much high quality data as possible. It doesn't process this data itself, instead it either relays the information or brings it back in person, and goes off on its next mission.

This is as apposed to an Oberth or Nova class, which I imagine would go off on single missions too, but survey in a much more local manner, or investigate phenomena that aren't time critical.

That's probably close although I don't think it is intended as a "get-in-get-out" kind of ship. As I understand it the Intrepid was intended to be a multi-role vessel primarily intended for deep space exploration, surveying, and cataloging, but could also serve as a mid-weight cruiser capable of holding its own in a fight. I see it as being designed to roughly replace the aging Excelsior class. But it certainly has labs suited to processing any data gathered. Perhaps an Intrepid would only do some preliminary processing to determine if further investigation was needed, and Starfleet would then send a Nova or a similar ship to do a more detailed survey based on that. But I could also see an Intrepid being sent to do detailed surveys and cataloging. An Intrepid could be very well suited to planitary survey as it can land, allowing the crew to more easily conduct an extended survey of the surface.

[joe5]

i thought it was ment to augment the galicy class

[MajorD]

i thought it was ment to augment the galicy class

It doesn't make sense because it has nearly no independent scientific analysis ability.  It shouldn't be meant for long term exploration either, because it's recreation facilities are far non-existent except for holodecks, and it has no civilian capacity.

It's a different issue, but I believe carrying civilians makes perfect sense for a mission that might last a decade or longer. It didn't make sense for the Enteprise-D because it was almost always inside the Federation. Rather than a civilian crew, it should have cycled crew off in year or two year long shifts.

[Atlantisbase]

The Galaxy - and probably the Ambassador before it - were built with the philosophy of taking your family with you, most of the civilians on the ship were probably crew families and perhaps people traveling to a particular world that the ship would be visiting. The Enterprise is probably the exception in terms of its mission. Since it's the flagship and commanded by Picard it makes sense that it would be tasked with internal diplomatic missions more often. The Intrepid was not built with the concept of bringing your family with you, a change visible in other ships as well due to emerging threats from the Borg and Dominion. I don't think that it was really intended for extended deep space missions. Maybe one or two years max before coming back to a port to restock; of course Voyager showed that an Intrepid could survive an extended deep space mission with limited access to supplies.

However I disagree about the Intrepid not having any analysis equipment. The Intrepid was intended as a mid-weight science vessel so I would expect it to have sufficient facilities for scientific study; Voyager clearly had the facilities to survive in the uncharted Delta Quadrant. Now it probably doesn't have a dedicated lab for every field of study, nor very specialized equipment you might find on a larger ship, but it clearly has enough to get by.

[MajorD]

Voyager canonically has something like three labs, a medical lab, the holographic lab, and astrometrics which was added later. Neither of those are related to exploration except the last, and astrometrics not being originally included indicates it was never meant to blaze trails. The Enterprise has something like 13 labs for various exploration study, including astrometrics.

[Atlantisbase]

Astrometrics existed all along, we just never see it until after it's renovated.

From MA

Kim and Seven updated Voyager's astrometrics lab at the request of Commander Chakotay in 2374. According to Chakotay, the lab had not been updated since Voyager left spacedock. (VOY: "Revulsion")

While we may only see three or four labs on screen, that does not preclude the existence of others. On top of that those few labs can probably be retasked for related subjects. A medical lab could easily be used to examine anything biological and a holographics lab for anything mechanical. So to say that an Intrepid is not equipped to conduct analyses is a bit of a stretch. I would not expect them to have a lab dedicated to evey subject imaginable, but they certainly have enough to get by.

[MajorD]

It does limit it a lot, because Voyager and TNG lasted the same amount of time, and encountered just as much science stuff, yet the Enterprise-D used far more labs with far greater diversity.  Astrometrics at least makes some sense for any ship if it's considered like a map room.

[Darkthunder]

Astrometrics existed all along, we just never see it until after it's renovated.

From MA
While we may only see three or four labs on screen, that does not preclude the existence of others. On top of that those few labs can probably be retasked for related subjects. A medical lab could easily be used to examine anything biological and a holographics lab for anything mechanical. So to say that an Intrepid is not equipped to conduct analyses is a bit of a stretch. I would not expect them to have a lab dedicated to evey subject imaginable, but they certainly have enough to get by.

One (of many) inconsistencies however, comes in Season 7's episode 'Shattered', where an earlier version of Janeway (possibly from around the time of the pilot episode), specifically stated "Voyager doesn't have an Astrometrics Lab".

[AricwithanA]

One (of many) inconsistencies however, comes in Season 7's episode 'Shattered', where an earlier version of Janeway (possibly from around the time of the pilot episode), specifically stated "Voyager doesn't have an Astrometrics Lab".

Might be in reference to what they knew as astrometrics at that time.  I'd wager that without the enhancements that were in place, the original astrometrics wouldn't be able to do what they needed to do.

[MajorD]

Well, they didn't have that astrometrics lab.