Nebula Class



Type: Heavy Cruiser

The Nebula class was developed alongside the Galaxy class in the 2340s and ‘50s. While Starfleet firmly believed in the feasibility of the Galaxy class, they wanted a more cost-effective ship that would be able to perform much of the same missions as the larger, more expensive capital ships under construction. Part of the design that was approved by Starfleet included a multi-mission module that could easily be exchanged within days at a suitably euipped starbase. The first pod consisted of a sensor dome attached to the rear of the ship. Designed to aid in long-range reconnaissance and search-and-rescue operations, the sensor pod quickly proved its usefulness, so much so that several Nebula class vessels were allocated to border patrols.

Although the basic Nebula design has approximately 80% of the capability of a Galaxy class vessel in most areas, the addition of the mission pod brings that figure up to 95% or more in that specific area. This flexibility actually allows the Nebula design to accomplish almost identical missions despite its smaller size. With the flexibility given to it by the replaceable pod/module, the Nebula class has quickly become one of the most produced and utilized starships of the 24th century.