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Description
Launched 2151, the Enterprise NX-01 was the most famous spacecraft launched under the Warp 5 project. While at least a dozen or more vessels before the NX-01 had utilized the revolutionary Warp 5 Engine, the NX-01 was to be the first deep-space United Earth Space Probe Agency (UESPA) vessel to utilize the Warp 5 Engine.

Its original mission profile placed it as a deep-space exploration craft, equipped with an extensive array of research vehicles, landing craft, and scientific facilities. Budget cuts during the development process continually necessitated a more stripped-down design. Even then, the NX-01 project became increasingly more expensive than UESPA could handle.

Recognizing the potential of a long-range multimission design like the NX-01 within their own service, the United Earth Space Service (UESS) proposed that the NX Project be turned into a joint UESPA-UESS venture. It took nearly a year of debate, but the NX Project eventually got under way once more.

The original design was relativley lightly armed - a number of strategically-placed close-in laser clusters, and a set of defensive counter-missiles. The revised armament used a set of eight high-velocity gauss turrets for point-defense. A pair of 100 MJ laser cannons on retractable mounts provided the NX-01's primary punch. Six torpedo tubes were mounted dorsal and ventral, with the torpedo magazines redesigned from the standard UESS design to allow for storage and preparation of research and observation probes.

The original 2236 design proposal for the NX-01 included; 4 landers, 2 "heavy landers" equipped with long-term accomodations and research facilities, and a warp-powered scouting/reconaissance craft. The revised 2249 proposal, which eventually became the final design, was significantly more conservative: 2 lifting body craft capable of ferrying 7 passengers to and from a planet.

Her Warp 5 engine was powered by a pair of Dyson-Yoyodyne matter/antimatter reactors, firing in an alternating pattern to provide a powerful gamma stream, and a steady plasma charge. The powerplant's safety limits limited the output to a level sufficient to achieve warp 4.8. The main reactors were also connected to a power converter and transformer assembly, a bulky, primitive cathedral of technological bulk which allowed usable electrical output to be derived from the warp reactors. This was unique at the time, as most craft were forced to derive power for onboard systems from sources other than the warp reactor(s).

The NX-01, dubbed "Enterprise", was pressed into service a week before its scheduled launch, when a Kzinti assault on the Earth colony on Akkad necessitated a rapid response.

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I have my beefs with the design of the NX-01. I don't think the visual detail clashes with the Original Show which its set before. Indeed, Doug Drexler designed it with an external rail system, tons of external gear, manipulator arms, bottle suits, the works (hardly ANY of which was seen on screen because the writers and producers phail). I just don't like the re-use of the Akira-Class ship.

Hundreds of worlds in the Federation and hundreds of years of growth and they're using designs which are practically exclusivley human? Come on.

So, I've ditched the saucer and, thus the most recognizable 'Federation' design element to push the idea that this is not a Federation ship. Same thing w/ the blue paint job.

Description
Launched 2151, the Enterprise NX-01 was the most famous spacecraft launched under the Warp 5 project. While at least a dozen or more vessels before the NX-01 had utilized the revolutionary Warp 5 Engine, the NX-01 was to be the first deep-space United Earth Space Probe Agency (UESPA) vessel to utilize the Warp 5 Engine.

Its original mission profile placed it as a deep-space exploration craft, equipped with an extensive array of research vehicles, landing craft, and scientific facilities. Budget cuts during the development process continually necessitated a more stripped-down design. Even then, the NX-01 project became increasingly more expensive than UESPA could handle.

Recognizing the potential of a long-range multimission design like the NX-01 within their own service, the United Earth Space Service (UESS) proposed that the NX Project be turned into a joint UESPA-UESS venture. It took nearly a year of debate, but the NX Project eventually got under way once more.

The original design was relativley lightly armed - a number of strategically-placed close-in laser clusters, and a set of defensive counter-missiles. The revised armament used a set of eight high-velocity gauss turrets for point-defense. A pair of 100 MJ laser cannons on retractable mounts provided the NX-01's primary punch. Six torpedo tubes were mounted dorsal and ventral, with the torpedo magazines redesigned from the standard UESS design to allow for storage and preparation of research and observation probes.

The original 2236 design proposal for the NX-01 included; 4 landers, 2 "heavy landers" equipped with long-term accomodations and research facilities, and a warp-powered scouting/reconaissance craft. The revised 2249 proposal, which eventually became the final design, was significantly more conservative: 2 lifting body craft capable of ferrying 7 passengers to and from a planet.

Her Warp 5 engine was powered by a pair of Dyson-Yoyodyne matter/antimatter reactors, firing in an alternating pattern to provide a powerful gamma stream, and a steady plasma charge. The powerplant's safety limits limited the output to a level sufficient to achieve warp 4.8. The main reactors were also connected to a power converter and transformer assembly, a bulky, primitive cathedral of technological bulk which allowed usable electrical output to be derived from the warp reactors. This was unique at the time, as most craft were forced to derive power for onboard systems from sources other than the warp reactor(s).

The NX-01, dubbed "Enterprise", was pressed into service a week before its scheduled launch, when a Kzinti assault on the Earth colony on Akkad necessitated a rapid response.

-----------------------------------------

I have my beefs with the design of the NX-01. I don't think the visual detail clashes with the Original Show which its set before. Indeed, Doug Drexler designed it with an external rail system, tons of external gear, manipulator arms, bottle suits, the works (hardly ANY of which was seen on screen because the writers and producers phail). I just don't like the re-use of the Akira-Class ship.

Hundreds of worlds in the Federation and hundreds of years of growth and they're using designs which are practically exclusivley human? Come on.

So, I've ditched the saucer and, thus the most recognizable 'Federation' design element to push the idea that this is not a Federation ship. Same thing w/ the blue paint job.