Janet's Star Trek Voyager Site

APPENDIX TO PAGE 9 (AEROSHUTTLE)
: INTREPID-CLASS AEROSHUTTLES

screenshots by Janet

 

APPENDIX to Aeroshuttle (Detailed Exterior Ship's Tour)

PREAMBLE

USS Voyager's Aeroshuttle is not seen or used in the series. Only its keel outline is seen, flush with the hull, in shots of the ship's exterior, and no emphasis is placed upon the sight. Information is here in an Appendix.

This page is only about the Intrepid-class aeroshuttle (the type carried by Voyager, which is an Intrepid-class starship), and includes mention of other Federation starships in the Intrepid-class. The main page about the aeroshuttle, namely Detailed Exterior Ship's Tour: Aeroshuttle, also contains a line of information about the area surrounding its docked location. That page's headings are given at the bottom of this page.

Information on this page is correct as at stardate 56328.74. I believe this is shortly after the time of USS Voyager's return to the Alpha Quadrant after seven years in the Delta Quadrant. My reasons for believing this are:

  1. Rick Sternbach and Tim Earls who designed the aeroshuttle for [Star Trek: Voyager] state in ST:M that the information on this page is produced as at stardate 56328.74 as it forms part of the Starfleet Technical Database (published in ST:M). This stardate means that the data mentioned in point 4. was added at a later date namely stardate 56734.21 (interestingly two digits are given at the end of the latter stardate, pinpointing the time far more precisely than when only one digit is cited).
  2. The events of [#170 Renaissance Man], the penultimate story, occurred about stardate 54890, not that long before the stardate of this page's information, and there is no stardate given on the tv screen for the events depicted in the show's finale [#171 and #172 Endgame].
  3. No stardate is given for the events depicted in the tenth Star Trek film [Star Trek: Nemesis] but the year given is 2378 i.e. up to a year after USS Voyager's return to the Alpha Quadrant (which occurred at/towards the end of 2377), and the article mentioned in point 1. was published after the film's release.
  4. Data is given on some of the 15 aeroshuttles as of stardate 56734.21 which gives the status of Voyager's aeroshuttle as "Operational; overhaul in progress", which means that Voyager is obviously present in Federation territory for the overhaul to be carried out.

 

DESIGN HISTORY

The AeroShuttle, a multi-mission spacecraft that is based on the Danube-class runabout hull, was integrated with the Intrepid-class starship design in 2368, just as the U.S.S. Danube was completing its light trials. The mission requirements included independent warp flight operations, defense of the home vessel, extended planetary landing and reconnaissance asks, and crew evacuation.

Below: exterior view of the Intrepid-class aeroshuttle

The runabout plan was chosen for its rugged central structure and available components, onto which new wings and warp nacelles would be grafted. Construction began the following year, after impulse and warp flight simulations had validated the concept. The initial procurement order was for two structural testing units, two flying prototypes, and 15 production vehicles. While Starfleet called for seven AeroShuttles to be fitted to Intrepid-class starships to serve a similar function to the Captain's Yacht on the Galaxy-classNOTE 1, eight others would be used as independent flyers or assigned to other heavy starship classes as hangered shuttles. Unlike the runabouts, the AeroShuttles did not enjoy unique vessel class status, nor did they receive commissioning names. Construction and integrated systems followed basic Starfleet standards of the period. Spaceframe and plating included tritanium, duranium, and polyboranide composites, chosen for their wide availability in distant locations and ease of repair by the ship's crew. Modularity as in the runabout was not a requirement; all necessary ship's stores and mission-specific gear could be loaded through normal hatches and consumables ports. Most major systems were accessible through hull plates or, in the case of the warp core, could be exposed on the AeroShuttle exterior. All hull sections vulnerable to possible collision or weapons fire were reinforced structurally and with shield emitters.

 

DEFENSIVE TESTING

Prior to full production, one of the two test vehicles was equipped with all standard systems plus telemetry gear and a remote piloting system. In order to test its defenses and structural integrity, it was fired upon by a recovered Klingon Vor'Cha-class attack cruiser manned by a Starfleet crew. Although hopelessly overmatched, the AeroShuttle was destroyed by three torpedoes only after a 15-minute running battle, providing invaluable performance data for Starfleet planners and engineers. The AeroShuttle's warp propulsion system (WPS) consisted of a single racetrack dilithium swirl chamber, two plasma conduits, and twin nacelles with eight verterium titanide coils each. Fuel included 2,725 kilograms of deuterium in a compartmentalized tank plus six magnetic containment pods holding a total of 790 kilograms of antimatter.

Below: warp core of the Intrepid-class aeroshuttle

The impulse drive (IPS) was situated behind each coil set and shared the WPS deuterium fuel supply. Atmospheric flight often involved the heating of intake gases, requiring lateral scoops which led through the wings to the impulse chambers. Impulse exhaust could be temporarily stored in a clamshell nozzle for stealth operations, minimizing telltale ion trails. Completing the engine systems were six reaction control thruster blocks and standard Bussard matter collectors.

Below: dorsal, fore and aft views of the Intrepid-class aeroshuttle. Red alert: The picture is 102Kb.
dorsal, fore and aft views

Below: (starboard) profile of the Intrepid-class aeroshuttle

 

ENGINE MODIFICATIONS

One known problem discovered in the runabout data linked the Bussard collectors vith subspace torsional effects from the warp core, potentially leading to a catastrophic loss of yaw control; this was eliminated by modifying the nacelle yaw dampers. Another design issue involved framing stresses on the two large forward rransparent aluminum windows at speeds over warp 3.5. One by one, all powered flight issues were addressed and solutions devised in what engineers call a "data burn down." Computer, flight control, and all other medium-energy systems were adapted from proven runabout components. The main computer core was made triply-redundant and given 12 bio-neural gel pack processors to aid in flight control and tactical decision-making. Interestingly, in the event of thruster failure at sublight speeds, a high degree of directional control could be maintained by automatic throttling of each impulse engine. Sensor pallets received upgraded detectors and optical data cabling just prior to commissioning, increasing the reliable long range view to 3.2 light years.

Below: dilithium swirl chamber of the Intrepid-class aeroshuttle

 

TACTICAL SOFTWARE

Advanced software algorithms allowed sensor readings from all-sky views to be synthesized into a complete environmental or tactical picture 233 times per second. This allowed the AeroShuttle crew to react to a changing situation at least three seconds earlier than a runabout in a similar setting. Improved hull skin sensors added to the computer's awareness of subspace pressure, electromagnetic fields, gravitational forces, and acoustics. The high-energy devices, including defensive shields, navigational deflector, and phasers, drew power directly from the warp core or adjacent EPS capacitors. The shield grid, embedded below the skin, was capable of dissipating Type X phaser energy for up to 63.4 seconds total dwell time, or the equivalent of two standard photon torpedoes detonated at a distance of 72 meters. The navigational deflector, proportionally smaller than those on shuttles, emitted nearly the same energy as the larger units, and was augmented by biasing the shield energy forward. The Type VI phasers, collocated with four pairs of wing sensors for increased aerodynamic efficiency, covered 80 percent of the AeroShuttle sky. Two microtorpedo launchers were also set within wing cut-ins, just outboard of the warp nacelles. Mission loadouts of three different types of torpedoes could be dropped into the magazines while the AeroShuttle was docked with its starship.

 

PLANETARY FLIGHT

Atmospheric operations, as mentioned previously in the literature, improved 450 percent in total hover time with the use of the Aeroshuttle's large wings. Energy from the impulse system drove both direct-exhaust vents as well as electrostatic air-flow coils, allowing the AeroShuttle to generate lift at a standstill. While traditional starship and shuttle impulse fields accomplished hovering with a brute gravity-canceling force, airflow manipulation was considered a more elegant solution. The multiple benefits of better fuel use, lower stress, and stealth could not be ignored. Parallel forcefield studies in the Nova class ultimately led to the vessel's waverider shuttle. The AeroShuttle's landing gear was a tri-cycle leg system operated by electrohydraulics. Unlike the Intrepid footpad structure, which only held the vessel steady while under impulse field support, the shuttle legs supported the entire mass of the craft. In case of gear failure, the shuttle could make touchdown on a relatively flat or soft surface with minimal damage to the hull plating.

Below: visible components, and deploying the Intrepid-class aeroshuttle. Red alert: The two pictures total 157Kb.
visible components and aeroshuttle deployment

Below: deploying the Intrepid-class aeroshuttle. Red alert: The set of pictures totals 132Kb.
pictures of aeroshuttle deployment

 

VESSEL LONGEVITY

The AeroShuttle continues to serve Starfleet in various capacities. With continued maintenance and upgrades of its systems, the craft should continue to fly well into the late-2400's, with transfers to training and science missions near the fourth quarter of its lifetime. Lessons learned with AeroShuttle and waverider technology are already facilitating new propulsion schemes and vessel configurations, including subspace-generated power and continuum sail transport. Other innovations will undoubtedly follow.

 

AEROSHUTTLE STATUS REPORT

Information on the disposition of some of the 15 AeroShuttles as of stardate 56734.21 is classified, as they may be performing missions to hostile territory. However, the following information is available.

Hull #Attached toRemarksJanet's Remarks
AS-501U.S.S. IntrepidOperationalThis starship is mentioned in [#98 In The Flesh].
AS-502U.S.S. BellerophonOperationalThere is information about USS Bellerophon, including behind-the-scenes notes about the re-use of [Voyager] sets for [DS9], at Intrepid class starship USS Bellerophon.
AS-503U.S.S. VoyagerOperational; overhaul in progress 
AS-506Utopia PlanitiaOperational; warp researchUtopia Planitia is the Federation Starfleet spaceborne construction and maintenance facility which built USS Voyager, and is first seen on Star Trek in [#118 Relativity]; screenshots are in SHIP'S LOGS: Episode Guide [Relativity]. Utopia Planitia is also mentioned in [#35 Lifesigns].
AS-508Starbase 375N/AClassifiedA starbase is any one of over five hundred command, scientific, strategic, service, and supply posts operated by the Federation Starfleet, located throughout Federation space and beyond. Many starbases are located on planetary surfaces, while others are space stations. They are not all numbered with a straightforward number e.g. Starbase G-6 near the Sigma III solar system [TNG: Hide and Q] or have a name instead e.g. Starbase India [TNG: Unnatural Selection], or were known by more than one version of a name e.g. Starbase Earhart also known as Farspace Starbase Earhart [TNG: Samaritan Snare] and [TNG: Tapestry]. The highest known starbase number is Starbase 718 [TNG: The Neutral Zone]. (After this episode was made, it was decided that starbase numbers should not go much higher than 500, so this Aeroshuttle Status Report, published by ST:M, sort of breaches that.) There are few starbase numbers that do go above the number 500; these are Starbase 514 [TNG: Hero Worship], Starbase 515 (a planetside Starfleet facility located in the Scylla Sector, near the Epsilon IX Sector) [TNG: Samaritan Snare], Starbase 621 [TNG: Sub Rosa], and (already mentioned above) Starbase 718.
AS-509Jupiter StationOperational; experiment transportThere is information about Jupiter Station, ref. [#144 Lifeline], at Jupiter Station.
AS-511Starbase 524N/AClassifiedsee note above under AS-509
AS-514Starfleet HQOperational; courierThere is information about Starfleet Headquarters at the site section FEDERATION AND STARFLEET.
AS-515Starfleet HQOperational; research, testing upgradessee note above under entry AS-514

 

NOTE 1 THE STARSHIPS CALLED ENTERPRISE AND THEIR RESPECTIVE STARSHIP CLASSES

 

Sources:
  • ST:M.    On this page (Page B), unless otherwise stated, the words and pictures are by Rick Sternbach (the show's senior illustrator) and Tim Earls (the show's set designer), who designed the aeroshuttle.
  • TOSTFF
  • SS
  • TNG Tech

    • The MAIN PAGE ABOUT THE AEROSHUTTLE is about:
    • introduction
    • table of specifications
    • docked location and access
    • mission profile
    • deployment
    • main features
    • design background

    Pressing the PREVIOUS PAGE button below takes you to the previous page in the Detailed Exterior Ship's Tour, namely Page 8: Escape Pods and Escape Pod Hatches.

    Pressing the NEXT PAGE button below takes you to the next page in the Detailed Exterior Ship's Tour, namely Page 10: Main Deflector, Auxiliary Deflector.