USS Vesta


USS Vesta
Vesta.png
Technical Details
Class: Vesta-class
Registry: NX-94200
Role: Ship-of-the-Line
Status: Experimental
Assignment
Task Force: Task Force 56
Task Force CO: Lieutenant Commander Canaan Serine
Crew Information
Commanding Officer: Captain Aviram Drell
Executive Officer: Commander Temperance Zachary
Dedication Plaque
VestaPlaque.png
[ Source ]


The USS Vesta (NX-82601) is a 24th century Federation Vesta-class starship operated by Starfleet and assigned to the Eleventh Fleet. She is the lead ship of the Vesta-class which was built after lessons learned from the quantum slipstream drive and other technologies brought back by the USS Voyager. The Vesta is currently under the command of Captain Aviram Drell.


History

Origins & Design

Main article: Vesta-class

The return of the USS Voyager in 2378 offered significant opportunities to assess the veritable treasure trove of new technology and experiences the Voyager crew had gathered along the way. One such technology of interest was the quantum slipstream drive. First encountered by Voyager in 2374, an attempt by the Voyager crew to recreate and utilize the slipstream drive as a way of hastening their trip home proved almost disastrous. Starfleet engineers spent months studying the data and eventually managed to improve upon Voyager’s earlier efforts.

Simulated trials appeared to show the technology was viable, though it was determined the only way to prove the system worked was to incorporate it into a complete testbed vessel. Initial tests were conducted using the specially designed Spirit-class courier. The results of these tests seemed to confirm what had been produced during simulated trials Their success eventually led to the development of the Vesta-class starship.

The prototype USS Vesta (NX-94200) was heralded as the “Next Great Experiment”, just as the USS Excelsior had been nearly a century before.

Construction & Launch

The Vesta was laid down in 2385 in orbit above Utopia Planetia, Mars by the Utopia Planetia Fleet Yards. Construction was overseen by Captain Emily Quinn. She was commissioned at Utopia Planetia Fleet Yards in 2386 with Captain Emily Quinn in command.

After fitting out, the Vesta trained at testing grounds just outside the Sol System. She then set out for the Eleventh Fleet patrol zone and arrived at Starbase 332 for resupply. Over the ensuing month, the Vesta conducted her shakedown and slipstream trials away from civilized areas. The results of these trials were found to be in line with those of earlier testing. Although early testing uncovered some flaws that the smaller test vessels did not experience, refinements to the system and additional tuning of the Vesta spaceframe ultimately proved the system's viability for use aboard larger starships. (“The Next Great Experiment”).

Departing Starbase 332, the Vesta proceeded to Cestus III and put into the Cestus Shipyards for post-shakedown availability.

Active Service

First Five-Year Mission (2387-2391)

By early 2387, the Vesta had been assigned her first five-year mission of deep-space exploration under the command of Captain Au’Chydri. This was partially a deliberate attempt to capture the spirit of those historic five-year missions that had first explored the Galactic South over one hundred years prior. Just like their predecessors, the primary objective of this mission was for the crew of the Vesta to seek out and contact alien life. They were also tasked with helping re-establish a Starfleet presence in the region.

The nature of their mission meant the Vesta was frequently one of the only Starfleet vessels in what were still little-known, relatively under-defended areas of space. While many of the species they encountered interacted peacefully, some did not. It was only on rare occasion that the Vesta had to resort to force in defense of herself or others. One such engagement took place early on in her mission when the Vesta provided support to Starfleet forces at the Battle of Thane in 2388. (“The Invasion of Thane”).

Overall, the mission proved a remarkable success. The Vesta visited many different worlds and investigated numerous scientific phenomena in those first five years.

Second Five-Year Mission (2391-Present)

The Vesta returned to Cestus III in mid-2391 where she underwent a minor overhaul at the Cestus Shipyards. A major portion of this refit focused on upgrades to the quantum slipstream drive developed from further study as well as the Vesta’s own experiences in the field. She also received updated software, several computer hardware upgrades, and minor changes to some of her internal spaces.

Following the overhaul, she was assigned another five-year mission and command passed to Captain Aviram Drell. Shifts in the political landscape in recent years combined with an expansion of the Eleventh Fleet’s patrol zone meant this new mission took the Vesta into the Federation territories beyond the Klingon and Romulan Empires. Once again, her primary purpose was to seek out and contact alien life, though her standing orders also included slightly more explicit instructions regarding the ongoing situation that was unfolding within Romulan space.

Significant Contacts

First Contacts

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Commanding Officers

Captain Emily Quinn (2385-2386)

Aviram Drell, Vesta's Commanding Officer (2391)
Captain Emily Quinn served as the Vesta’s supervising officer during its construction. An accomplished engineer, Quinn was a leader in the design of the Vesta-class as well as the development of Starfleet’s quantum slipstream drive. She oversaw and coordinated the construction of the USS Vesta at the Utopia Planetia Fleet Yards from 2385 to 2386. Later, she accompanied the Vesta as an observer during its shakedown and slipstream trials before assuming the role of Director of Research & Development for the Eleventh Fleet.

Captain Valerie Palmer (2386)

Captain Valerie Palmer succeeded Quinn as supervising officer for the project and became the Vesta’s first official commanding officer in 2386. She had also been a valued member of the Vesta-class design team who played a significant role in the development of the quantum slipstream drive. Chosen because of her experience, Palmer commanded the Vesta during its initial shakedown and slipstream trials later that year. The success of those tests meant that she returned to Utopia Planetia Fleet Yards with plenty of data to continue her work to further refine the slipstream drive system.

Captain Au’Chydri (2386-2391)

Captain Au’Chydri became commanding officer following the successful shakedown and slipstream tests. Prior to commanding the Vesta, Au’Chydri had led two successful long-term missions aboard the Galaxy-class USS Bolivar. His experience, both as a tactician and a diplomat, played an important role in helping this new crew through their first five-year mission together. However, there were those who found his demeanor gruff and abrasive, qualities that sometimes made it difficult to serve under him.

Captain Aviram Drell (2391-Present)

Captain Aviram Drell is technically the fourth individual to have served as commanding officer of the Vesta since her construction. He was appointed by Vice Admiral Emily Quinn as part of the transitional period during the Vesta’s overhaul at the Cestus Shipyards in 2391. Despite a somewhat unconventional career path, Starfleet felt Drell’s experience and ability to navigate difficult situations while providing a non-anxious presence made him an ideal candidate for the position.

Command Crew

For a full listing of Vesta crew past and present, see USS Vesta personnel.

Valerie Palmer's command crew

Au’Chydri's command crew

Aviram Drell's command crew

Alternate Vestas

Quantum slipstream failure

One alternate version of the Vesta existed in a timeline where development of the quantum slipstream drive was initially considered a failure. Early testing proceeded as it had in the prime timeline and, although reports seemed promising, the end results were far less than what had been hoped for. The Vesta prototype returned to drydock for retrofitting while subsequent Vesta-class starships were constructed without quantum slipstream capabilities. (“Pomp and Circumstance”).

This version of the Vesta was eventually assigned to exploratory efforts in the Delta Quadrant under the command of Captain Yoshi Minawara beginning in 2392. She operated there for less than a year before suddenly disappearing while returning from the Trans Stellar Relay. (“Fastest Ship in the Quadrant”). Three years later, she reappeared inside the Sol System, her crew unaware that any additional time had passed. It was discovered that an unknown surge in the quantum slipstream drive resulting from sabotage caused the Vesta to become temporally displaced and to travel much further than originally intended. (“Refit and Relaxation”).

Appendices

Appearances

References

Background Information

Related Links

Categories Relating to the USS Vesta

USS Vesta Web Links

Vesta-class Starships
USS VestaUSS Niagara
Planned:   USS Ceres • USS Diana • USS Jupiter • USS Juno • USS Minerva • USS Venus