Odyssey class


Revision as of 17:48, 7 November 2020 by Clement (talk | contribs) (Added USS Astraea to ships commissioned)

Odyssey class.png
Odyssey-class
Class Information
Class: Odyssey-class
Affiliation: Starfleet
Role: Explorer
Date Introduced: 2381
Expected Design Duration: 100 years
Time Between Minor Refit: 5 years
Time Between Major Refit: 20 years
Time Between Resupply: 3-5 years
Dimensions
Length: 1061.1 m
Width: 371.9 m
Height: 147.9 m
Decks: 37 decks
Personnel
Total Crew: 2,502 persons
Officers: 417 persons
Enlisted: 2,085 persons
Maximum (Evacuation) Capacity: 10,608 persons
Propulsion
“Efficient” Cruising Velocity: Warp 8
Maximum “Sustainable” Velocity: Warp 9.6
Emergency Velocity: Warp 9.99 (for 12 hours)
Slipstream Capable: Yes
Armaments
Energy Weapons:
  • 12 phaser arrays
Launchers:
  • 2 forward launchers
  • 2 aft launchers
Payload Types:
  • Photon Torpedoes
  • Quantum Torpedoes
  • Probes
Shielding Systems:
  • Standard Shielding System
Defensive Systems:
  • Ablative Hull Armor
  • Duranium/Tritanium Double Hull
  • Structural Integrity Field
Auxiliary Craft
Facilities:
  • 3 shuttlebays
Support Craft:
  • 30 shuttlecraft
  • 6 transports
  • 12 maintenance craft
Other
Additional Features:
[ Source ]


The Odyssey-class starship was a Starfleet vessel first introduced in the early 2380s. It was one of the largest and most powerful Federation starship classes of its time, a true successor to the earlier Galaxy-class.

Class History

Development of the Odyssey-class began in the early 2370s. Even as the Sovereign-class was entering service, the Starfleet Corps of Engineers looked ahead to its next groundbreaking achievement. It was felt by some that the Sovereign had been pressed into service too soon, largely in an effort to meet the Borg threat, and that this had significantly altered the trajectory of the class itself. The plan moving forward was to design a vessel that would succeed (and ultimately surpass) both the Galaxy-class and the Sovereign-class by building upon the lessons learned from each.

No one could have imagined such a design would need to have been implemented so quickly, especially with the Galaxy- and Sovereign-classes still actively serving frontline duties. Yet, circumstances changed and Starfleet’s experiences with the Dominion War pressured engineers to once again push ahead earlier than they had planned.

The keel for the USS Odyssey was laid down in 2376 at the San Francisco Fleet Yards. Work began on a second vessel, the USS Verity, soon afterward at the Utopia Planetia Fleet Yards. Conflicts between the Odyssey, Ascension, and Excalibur projects, however, led to tension among the respective design teams and a stiff competition for resources. Ultimately, the Odyssey-class was deemed a higher priority and the necessary resources were allocated accordingly.

Despite these protests and setbacks, both the Odyssey and the Verity were launched in 2381, five years after construction had begun. They quickly proved their worth in field trials as well as on active duty and were considered by many to be a successful demonstration of the project. Unfortunately, their size placed certain limitations on the number of vessels that could be constructed, fielded, or otherwise serviced by existing fleet yards. These included the amount of physical resources as well as the personnel available. Still, Starfleet had every intention of requisitioning the class for serial production.

That all changed with the destruction of the Utopia Planetia Fleet Yards in 2385. The Starfleet Corps of Engineers immediately put a hold on further production, first to address the more urgent need of sorting out the aftermath of the attack, and then to seek other Federation facilities with the resources and the infrastructure to support such a project. They eventually identified the San Francisco Fleet Yards, the 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards, and the Gavor Shipyards as possible candidates for when the time came to resume.

The Odyssey and Verity were the absolute pinnacle of Starfleet engineering upon their launch. However, the Corps of Engineers knew that would not always be the case. Thus, it was always their intent to further upgrade and modernize the class as new capabilities and technologies became available, allowing it to remain relevant well into the future. This enabled them to use the hold on production to refine the design and to incorporate systems that had been field tested on other starships during the interim. Most notable for the Mark II Odyssey-class was the addition of quantum slipstream drive and enhanced sensor arrays.

Mission and Purpose

Content Coming Soon

Shipboard Life

Content Coming Soon

Ships Commissioned

Appendices

Background Information

Writing Notes

The Odyssey-class is by far one of the largest starship designs ever fielded by Starfleet, second only to the Valkyrie-class USS Dreadnought. Similar to the Vesta-class, encountering a vessel of this type as an NPC would be extremely unusual as there are literally only a handful currently operating throughout the entire Federation. Characters should be impressed, proud, and perhaps humbled to even set foot aboard one.

It makes sense, then, that serving aboard an Odyssey-class starship would be as prestigious (if not moreso) than even the much sought after Vesta-class. All personnel are most likely to be the best in their fields and, given the ship's size and importance, it's not unheard of for certain department heads (e.g. chief engineer, chief medical officer, executive officer) to hold the rank of captain alongside the commanding officer.

In cases where the vessel is being used as a flagship for a member of the admiralty, command may be assigned to a relatively junior captain who oversees the daily operations on behalf of the flag officer. Ships not utilized for this purpose are assigned to senior captains with considerable experience in long-range exploratory and diplomatic missions.

Special Note: Because of their unique role as flagships and emissaries on behalf of the Federation, an Odyssey-class starship may include departments not normally found aboard smaller vessels or simulations.

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