Built as a test bed for a new experimental propulsion system, the Protostar Class is a unique breed of Starship and one of the smallest corvette style ships designed by Starfleet in the 24th century. Following the revelation that warp drive was damaging the fabric of subspace ion 2370, Starfleet enacted several branches of research to find a way to ensure their exploration missions caused no damage to the natural environment.
Over the next few years we’d see a massive shift in Starship design to alter the geometry of warp fields which included building the elongated Sovereign Class to the variable field generating nacelles of the Intrepid. One idea that took traction was shifting to an idea closer to the Romulans use of black holes for generating enough energy for warp drive.
Taking a different route, Starfleet would utilise a manufactured protostar to fuel a new type of propulsion system that would far exceed the potential of traditional warp drive. While the Protostar – named after it’s fuel type – would carry a traditional duel warp core, the protostar drive could be activated at any point and take over. Once engaged,the engineering section of the ship would deploy a third nacelle while transforming the entire rear of the ship to additional propulsion to channel the mass amounts of energy dispersed by the drive.
When engaged, the drive could propel a ship 4,000 light years distance in a matter of minutes. Though it doesn’t come without it’s risks and therefore can only be engaged by a recognised command level officer and still requires a traditional matter-antimatter intermix chamber to trigger the engines.
Significantly smaller than other ships of the era, the Protostar Class came with a lot of facilities despite it’s limited space. The crew were bunked together in a communal room with the mess hall, sickbay and holodeck access in close proximity. The Captain would receive a private office and living space, unique to them for privacy.
With the deflector built into the undersize of it’s primary hull, the secondary hull was mostly filled out with warp drive equipment and an isolated engineering bay to controls and operate both warp and proto drives. The rear of the secondary hull also hosted complex and bulky landing gear, giving the ship more range in operating both in space and on a planets surface for focused research and other missions.
Front of the ships secondary hull, where a traditional deflector would be, is a large shuttle and cargo bay which interestingly maximised it’s limited space with an industrial replicator capable of creating mission-specific vehicles on demand.
Other areas, including a brig and transporter room, could be accessed with ease through stairwells as well as a dedicated turbolift between the ships handful of decks. Though most vital areas could be accessed directly through a central atrium behind the bridge, connecting the command centre to the heart of the ship itself.
Also unique in design, the bridge was given holographic holoscreens to compliment it’s mostly transparent exterior. Offering a panoramic view of space and it’s surroundings, the bridge was a perfect place to look upon the stars as well as give a full view of any threat or phenomenon to study. Ops and Helm stood up front with science and tactical stations on each side of a large central captains chair. Despite a handful of open panels for ease of repair, the bridge was typically za bright and clean design that could operate nearly everything on board with it’s limited amount of crew.
And the crew was limited. General operations would only require around twenty officers to run the ship, though it was capable of holding a little bit more. The prototype USS Protostar was able to operate with just eight officers under Captain Chakotay’s command and six civilians with guidance.
Despite the amazing achievement in engineering, the prototype USS Protostar had a troubling journey. Using the advanced drive to return to the Delta Quadrant on a mission of exploration, Admiral Janeway sent her former first officer Captain Chakotay to lead his new team. Unfortunately for them, Chakotay ended up lost in time and his ship buried after becoming host to a dangerous alien technology.
Destroyed before it could properly return home, taking out half a fleet alongside it, the class itself still considered a success for it’s drive and capabilities. Unburdened with the fate of the original, Starfleet began to build more of the same class of ship due to its capabilities of long range missions in a short span of time. Unfortunately due to the Romulan crisis and an attack on Mars, Starfleet began to relocate it’s resources and prioritise on defence and stability over exploration. Thisa in turn shelves the Protosar project indefinitely.
Starfleets return to exploration near the end of the 24th century meant production could begin again. Especially as the smaller size meant swift production at a time where resources were so think that older ships were being used for spare parts in new builds such as the Titan-A.
In the real world, the original plans for the protostar were sketched down by Jon Eaves before being handed over to Nuen Studio for full development. Project lead Gia Nguyen worked alongside director Ben Hibon to create an all new design, advancing on the spearhead style hull mirroring the likes of Voyager and the Dauntless.
Together the details of the Protostar were hammered out, both inside and out, with moving parts and the unique elements such as the bridge and ‘third nacelle’ being at the core of the work. You can read about the development process at Nuen Studios Porfolio.
Typically ‘hero’ ships tend to be limited in our New Unit Application process. However, with it’s focus on science, speed and short history, the Protostar Class is being added to our Fleet’s roster for new and veteran CO’s!
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