ADMIRAL JANEWAY'S SHUTTLECRAFT

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Screenshots and scans by Janet. Scans source TOSTFF.

shuttlecraft in orbit

Starfleet's policy of continual development and implementation of new and improved systems into its starships continues into the 25th century, and is perfectly illustrated by the small personal shuttlecraft, registry number SC-4, employed by Admiral Kathryn Janeway in her attempt to prematurely rescue the crew of USS Voyager from the Delta Quadrant in 2377. The shuttlecraft was built at Utopia Planitia shipyards (source TOSTFF, not stated on screen). Its registry number is SC-4, with "SC" probably standing for Starfleet Command (not "Shuttle Craft"!).

Admiral Janeway's shuttlecraft, parked in USS Voyager's shuttlebay, after travelling back to 2377

Admiral Janeway carries out a number of modifications to the sleek and agile vessel in order to provide examples of future technology that will allow her (a) to reach USS Voyager in the Delta Quadrant at a precisely chosen time in the year 2377 (b) pass on its technical secrets to her past self in order to successfully navigate Voyager through a Borg transwarp hub back to the Alpha Quadrant. The shuttlecraft includes a defensive shield that is virtually impenetrable to both Klingon and Borg weapons (although not to Borg-locating scans), an offensive capability that includes transphasic torpedoes, and a control system based on a synaptic transceiver located within the pilot's brain. The synaptic transceiver was implanted in Admiral Janeway's brain by the Doctor.

The cockpit. At the right of the picture is a view of the armour from inside the shuttlecraft. Click for close-up communications viewscreen Captain Kim of the USS Rhode Island is on the viewscreen in this picture. Article: USS Rhode Island shuttlecraft with chrono-deflector activated having successfully arrived in the Delta Quadrant in the year 2377, the shuttlecraft races to reach towards USS Voyager display on a medical monitor of Admiral Janeway's synaptic transceiver which allows her to pilot a vessel equipped with a neural interface

Admiral Janeway's specially modified shuttle is originally housed at the Oakland Shipyard on Earth awaiting her command, and in keeping with all Starfleet shuttlecraft it is capable of both atmospheric and deep space flight. The outer styling of the ship is considerably sleeker than earlier shuttlecraft designs, with its long pointed bow and very low profile making it ideal for entering and exiting the atmosphere of a planet. One of the oldest design features of Starfleet shuttles is maintained in the overall positioning of the twin warp nacelles directly below and to the sides of the main hull, with the flat underside of the nacelles also doubling as a landing skid capable of supporting the entire weight of the ship as it rests on the surface of a planet or shuttlebay floor.   The configuration of the shuttlecraft is a logical progression of previous designs and features the same single hull and twin warp nacelle arrangement that has proved so reliable and robust over Starfleet's long history. Viewed from the front, the vessel provides a very low profile with outwardly angled port and starboard sides terminating in the hull's mid-line that forms the widest part of the ship. This shape is closely mirrored in the shuttlecraft's small but well designed interior, with the proximity of the pilot to the port, starboard, and forward viewing ports providing an excellent field of vision during flight. The bottom of the hull angles downward to a flat underside that runs in line with the centres of the warp nacelles, providing adequate clearance beneath the ship for landings on uneven surfaces. Located on the underside of the main hull are a series of transporter emitters, allowing the occupant to beam into or out of the vessel.   Admiral Janeway employs an automatic transportation sequence when she steals an experimental chrono-deflector from the Klingon Korath, illustrating the flexibility of the system and its high degree of automation. In its unshielded mode, it is possible for sensors to scan the ship and detect its various systems, but once the shields are employed it becomes impenetrable to attack although audiovisual communications from within the cockpit can be carried out as normal. The shuttlecraft's powerful shield generator is located on top of the shuttle, directly behind the forward viewing port, and takes the form of a flattened delta shaped panel.   As regards propulsion systems the port and starboard panels running down the sides of the vessel from the shield generator flare outward slightly to incorporate the twin impulse engine exhausts, which glow orange when the ship is under power. The port and starboard warp nacelles are attached to the mid-line of the hull's rear section by stubby fins connected to short vertically angled struts, and while the nacelles themselves are much smaller than previous designs they can nevertheless propel the ship to a speed of at least warp 6. Navigation and propulsion can be handled automatically by the ship's computer system once coordinates have been inputted by the pilot, and while the various control systems within the shuttle provide a degree of manual control, it is designed to carry out the majority of its functions via voice commands.   The stern of the shuttle is formed by a large panel positioned on the upper sloping rear, which angles down to the small loading hatch that forms the back of the vessel. The underside from this ledge is flat, with the bottom of the shuttlecraft curving downward at the point where the rear of the warp nacelle struts join the hull. Displayed directly above the nacelles are the identification markers for the ship, an alpha-numeric code with the words 'Starfleet Command Staff' positioned directly below. Twin blue lines run forward into the rear of the early 25th century Starfleet chevrons on the forward port and starboard hull, directly below the side viewing ports.

 

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