Star Trek Prometheus Class

• Star Trek Prometheus Class Starship Interior Images
• Star Trek - Prometheus - YouTube
• Star Trek Prometheus Class Specs

'Message in a Bottle' is the 14th episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager, the 82nd episode overall. It aired on January 21, 1998 on the UPN network.

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet and Maquis crew of the starship USS Voyager after they were stranded in the Delta Quadrant far from the rest of the Federation. Using an ancient alien relay network, the ship's holographic Doctor is transmitted to the Alpha Quadrant to make contact with Starfleet Command.

Jul 25, 2019  Description edit edit source. Aside from refitting older vessels as well as building more combat-focused ships like the Akiras and the Defiants to fight the Dominion, Starfleet covertly designed and constructed the Prometheus Class - an agile and battlecruiser solely built for combat, despite being even smaller thn the Akira Class, the Prometheus' firepower exceeds that of the refitted. The USS Prometheus (NX-59650) is a Prometheus-class starship and was the first of its class. It was launched in 2374 and was under the command of Captain Logan MacLeod as of 2378. (Star Trek: Prometheus) 1 Starship History 2 Class History 3 Cruise modes and alerts 4 Design Features 4.1 Secure Access 4.2 Propulsion Systems 4.2.1 Reaction Control System 4.2.2 Impulse Drive 4.2.3 Warp Drive 4.3.

This episode features a new Federation ship design called the U.S.S. Prometheus, which was designed by Rick Sternbach for the show.^[1] The starship forms both a major plot element and theatrical location for Message in a Bottle.^[2] It is also the first episode to feature the movie gray-shoulder uniform on Star Trek: Voyager, despite that the Voyager crew had already continued to use the old DS9 uniforms, as they are stuck in the Delta Quadrant.

Production[edit]

The exterior of the fictional spacecraft depicted in the episode was designed by Rich Sternbach with special effect sequence by Foundation Imaging.^[3] The interior sets of the same spacecraft were designed by Richard James.^[3] The exterior visual shots by Foundation were done using computer generated imagery.^[3]

Plot[edit]

Seven of Nine uses the newly extended range of the starship USS Voyager (NCC-74656)'s sensors to locate an unattended network of alien sensor stations. Patching into this, she is able to locate a United Federation of Planets vessel in the Alpha Quadrant. Hoping to contact Starfleet after more than three years in the Delta Quadrant, Voyager's crew attempts to send a message along the relay but it is reflected back after degrading en route. Thinking that a holographic signal would not degrade, they send the Doctor, Voyager's Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH).

The Doctor arrives in the sickbay of the USS Prometheus, a secret experimental Federation warship. He learns from a dying crewman that the Romulans had learned of the prototype and captured it, killing all onboard. Being pursued by the USS Bonchune, the Romulans initiate the first test of the new multi-vector assault mode, in which Prometheus splits into three pieces to engage hostile ships.

Seeking assistance, the Doctor activates the Prometheus's EMH (Andy Dick), a Mark II version of the program. The Doctor learns from the other EMH of the Dominion War, which the Federation is fighting in and Romulans have not entered. The second EMH cites protocol for an EMH to deactivate when its vessel is taken over but Voyager's doctor notes that they cannot do so as both ships are at risk.

The Romulans do not view EMHs as threats. Using the pretense of an infection on board, the Doctor goes to the bridge to open the atmospheric filters to flood the ship with anesthetizing gas. The ruse fails but when he is captured and interrogated, the Doctor keeps the Romulans stalled long enough for the EMH Mark II to fool the ship's computer into opening the filters, permitting the distribution of the gas. Just after they take control, Prometheus is intercepted by three Romulan D'deridex-class warbirds.

Unfamiliar with the helm and weapons systems, the two EMH programs fail to fool the Romulans into leaving, before three more Starfleet vessels arrive. In the ensuing battle, all six other vessels target Prometheus. The EMH Mark II stumbles upon the command to put the ship into multi-vector assault mode. Prometheus overpowers and destroys one of the Romulan warbirds; the Romulans retreat and a Starfleet security detail arrives aboard.

On Voyager, the crew has learned that the sensor array was not abandoned but is claimed by the Hirogen, who announce themselves and demand that Voyager disconnect at once. Janeway tries to negotiate but the Hirogen officer is recalcitrant. Seven of Nine buys time to await the Doctor's return by stunning the officer with a feedback loop. The Doctor returns via the array with good news; he has briefed Starfleet Headquarters about Voyager, the first time Starfleet has heard from the vessel since it disappeared four years earlier. Voyager has been removed from Starfleet's list of destroyed ships and a message sent back, 'You're no longer alone'. Starfleet will attempt to help Voyager and will tell next of kin that the crew is alive.^[4]

Reception[edit]

The episode was ranked as one of the top 10 episodes of Star Trek: Voyager in 2018.^[5] In 2012, Den of Geek also ranked 'Message in a Bottle' as one of the top ten episodes of Star Trek: Voyager.^[6]

In 2018, CBR rated the science fiction spacecraft the Prometheus presented in this episode, as the 3rd most powerful spacecraft in the Star Trek universe, noting the vehicle for its ability to operate with a very small crew size.^[7] The fictional spacecraft of Starfleet, the USS Prometheus, was rated as the 12th best spacecraft of Star Trek by Space.com in 2017.^[8]

In 2019, ScreenRant ranked the fictional spacecraft of Star Trek, the USS Prometheus as the 2nd fastest Federation Starfleet spacecraft.^[9] They note the experimental nature of the vessel in the Star Trek universe, and suggest that it might have been used to make contact with the missing-in-action Starfleet spacecraft the USS Voyager.^[9]

In July 2019, Screen Rant ranked this episode as one of the top five episodes of the Star Trek: Voyager television series.^[10]

In 2020, SyFy Wire ranked this episode the 3rd best episode of Star Trek: Voyager.^[11]

Continuity[edit]

This episode is noted in the story arc of the Star Trek: Voyager show, as the first time they make contact with The Federation in the Alpha Quadrant since being stranded on the other side of the Galaxy.^[12] This provides a back-story for many character developments, such as an increased morale and hope of making it back to Earth, as well as establish backstory for further contact with Starfleet in later episodes.^[13]

Expanded Universe[edit]

A novel published in 2017 features the fictional spacecraft depicted in this episode, Star Trek Prometheus: Fire with Fire by Christian Humberg and Bernd Perplies.^[14] The same authors also wrote Star Trek Prometheus : The Root of All Rage published the following year.^[15]

See also[edit]

• Pathfinder (Star Trek: Voyager) (S6E10), this is one of the next times Voyager and Earth connect

References[edit]

1. ^[1] The Star Trek EncyclopediaBy Michael Okuda, Denise Okuda, Debbie Mirek
2. ^[2] The Star Trek EncyclopediaBy Michael Okuda, Denise Okuda, Debbie Mirek
3. ^ ^abcOkuda, Michael; Okuda, Denise; Mirek, Debbie (2011-05-17). The Star Trek Encyclopedia. Simon and Schuster. ISBN9781451646887.
4. ^'Message in a Bottle'. StarTrek.com. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
5. ^Nigel Mitchell. 'Must-Watch Episodes of 'Star Trek: Voyager''. LiveAbout.
6. ^'Top 10 Star Trek: Voyager episodes'. Den of Geek.
7. ^'Star Trek: The 20 Most Powerful Ships In The Galaxy, Ranked'. CBR. 17 December 2018.
8. ^Entertainment, Elizabeth Howell 2017-09-22T12:02:15Z. 'The 15 Best Ships on Star Trek, from V-ger to the Vengeance'. Space.com. Retrieved 2019-02-27.
9. ^ ^ab'Star Trek: The 10 Fastest Ships In The Federation Starfleet, Ranked'. ScreenRant. 26 May 2019.
10. ^'Star Trek: The 5 Best Episodes Of Voyager (& The 5 Worst)'. ScreenRant. 2019-07-11. Retrieved 2019-07-15.
11. ^Pirrello, Phil (2020-01-16). 'The 15 greatest Star Trek: Voyager episodes, ranked'. SYFY WIRE. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
12. ^Ruditis, Paul (1 June 2019). 'Star Trek Voyager Companion'. Simon and Schuster – via Google Books.
13. ^Ruditis, Paul (2003). Star Trek Voyager Companion. Simon and Schuster. ISBN9780743417518.
14. ^Humberg, Christian; Perplies, Bernd (28 November 2017). 'Star Trek Prometheus -Fire with Fire'. Titan Books (US, CA) – via Google Books.
15. ^Humberg, Christian; Perplies, Bernd (29 May 2018). 'Star Trek Prometheus - The Root of All Rage'. Titan Books (US, CA) – via Google Books.

External links[edit]

• 'Message in a Bottle' on IMDb
• 'Message in a Bottle' at TV.com
• Message in a Bottle at Memory Alpha (a Star Trekwiki)
• Message in a Bottle at StarTrek.com

About CGI special effects

docked mode

Notes

Star Trek Prometheus Class Starship Interior Images

Starfleet also decided to incorporate the separation concept into the new vessel. Many Starfleet ships have had the ability to separate their primary hull from the rest of the ship, but this has historically been an emergency measure intended to allow the engineering hull to be abandoned in the event that a warp core breach is imminent. Reconnection has generally required the services of a starbase or drydock in a process which takes several days.

With the Galaxy class, Starfleet took the separation process a step further. The primary and engineering hulls both had impulse engine systems, allowing them to operate as fully equipped STL spacecraft in their own right. The engineering hull was able to use its warp drive whilst separated, not simply as an emergency measure for a few seconds or minutes but as a viable interstellar drive system. The intent was to allow the primary hull to escape a combat area with the civilians and family members whilst the engineering hull kept the enemy occupied.

However, this concept was never really as successful as Starfleet wanted. The primary hull was essentially stationary by warp drive standards, making it an easy target for an enemy which defeated the engineering hull in battle. What was needed was a ship which could split into multiple sections, each capable of independent warp speed travel. This is the technology Starfleet decided to incorporate into the new Prometheus class.

The ship which emerged from the drawing boards was capable of separating into three sections - the upper and lower engineering hulls and the saucer section. Both parts of the engineering hull had two nacelles whilst the saucer section had a small auxiliary unit which would deploy once separated.

The warp core arrangement was also unique. The efficiency of a warp core is in part dependant on its height - the longer a core is, the more accurately the matter and antimatter streams can be controlled. Starfleet had initially wanted to equip each section of the Prometheus design with a Defiant-style warp core. This is very compact at only three decks tall, but suffers from inefficiency as a result. It overcomes this by using multiple matter and antimatter streams, so achieving high fuel throughput and so high power output. This gives the core a very high fuel consumption, something considered acceptable for the short range Defiant but not for the Prometheus.

To solve the problem the designers came up with a unique core design for the engineering hull. Solveigmm avi trimmer mkv serial key. The warp core has no less than three reaction chambers along its height. During normal operation matter is fed in at the top of the core and antimatter at the bottom, as in any normal warp core. The fuel streams pass directly through the upper and lower reaction chambers and continue down to their meeting point in the central chamber. The core thus operates in a manner similar to any standard model, achieving high efficiency through the long core design.

The central reaction chamber lies on the separation plane, and once the ship splits it is shut down. In the lower engineering section a secondary matter feed just under the central chamber comes into operation, feeding deuterium down to the lower reaction core. This process is mirrored in the upper engineering section, with an antimatter feed sending fuel up to the upper core.

As a result, the combined engineering sections can operate at an efficiency level comparable to any contemporary starship, while the separated sections lose a measure of efficiency because of the shorter warp cores. The primary hull operates on a separate Defiant-style warp core when separated.

The original intent was to have the saucer serve to evacuate civilians as in the Galaxy class, but at warp speed. The idea of carrying civilians was quickly abandoned, however, and the saucer section up-gunned to match the remainder of the vessel. In separated mode the ship is thus able to attack on enemy from three different directions simultaneously, a tactic known as 'multi-vector assault mode'.

Star Trek - Prometheus - YouTube

The development and construction of the prototype vessel took three years, and the USS Prometheus was launched in April of 2374. The ship included all of the latest systems, including holographic projectors on every deck so as to facilitate operations of the EMH1 and other such holographic supplements planned to come into service in the future. Initial trials went well, but during the shakedown cruise the Prometheus was stolen by Romulan operatives intent on handing the ship over to the Tal Shiar. The power of the Prometheus was graphically demonstrated during the incident. Although the prototype was still in the test phase, she was able to inflict devastating damage on a Nebula class ship and withstand a combined attack by two Defiant class Escort vessels and an Akira class cruiser. In the same battle she used multi-vector assault mode to destroy a Romulan Warbird with ease. The ship was eventually recovered with the assistance of two EMH units on board,1 and after some assessment of the project's security procedures the testing resumed.

The performance of the Prometheus during this accidental live-fire trial has exceeded all expectations for the ship. The ability to pack firepower little short of a Sovereign class into a ship the size of an Intrepid class offers the prospect of a prodigious increase in Starfleet's potential combat capability.

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References

Comments

Star Trek Prometheus Class Specs

One can assume that the Romulans would be going as fast as they could given the circumstances, but this is not as clear-cut as it may seem. Starfleet ships are generally given three speeds - normal cruise, maximum cruise and maximum rated. According to the TNG TM normal cruise is the speed the ship can hold until fuel exhaustion. Maximum cruise is the fastest speed it can sustain for a long but unspecified period of time. Maximum rated is the ships top speed, beyond which you risk immediate engine damage - the Galaxy class can hold its maximum rated speed of Warp 9.6 for twelve hours according to the TNG TM.

Since we don't know how long a trip the Romulans had to make, this only tells us that Warp 9.9 is somewhere between the maximum cruise and maximum rated speed. However, since we know Voyagers maximum sustainable cruise speed is Warp 9.975 ('Caretaker', 'Relativity'), then the Prometheus would have to be faster than this to be rated as the fastest ship in the fleet. Hence, I've put Warp 9.9 as the top cruise speed and stated that the ships top speed is expected to be Warp 9.99+.

The Prometheus was able to inflict damage on a Nebula class ship after just a few phaser strikes (some said the Nebula was destroyed, but this is not made clear in the episode). This led me to make the Prometheus' phasers Type 12, very heavy for such a small ship. From her looks, the Prometheus seems to be a cross between the intrepid and the Sovereign. She has Sov-style nacelles, but the basic hull is clearly an Intrepid variant. Her combat power indicates that she is built like the Defiant - no laboratories, no holodecks, etc. to give extra space to support the type 12's.

Much of the speculation regarding the ship is a result of lengthy discussions with Robert Brandt. The warp core layout was largely suggested by Robert, as was the ship's relationship to the Defiant and Sovereign. That the engineering hulls have one large core which splits in two comes from the CGI model of the ship - the split warp core can clearly be seen in close up views of the ship from backstage sources. The three chambers model is only one possible way to explain this - some have suggested that the warp core of the Intrepid class brings the matter and antimatter together at the base and has them reacting all the way up the core, and it's possible that the Prometheus class operates on this principle.

Of course the multi-vector attack mode is something new, but it's hard to see how this would help the Prometheus. The best I can suggest is that it splits the enemy fire and thus gives each section an advantage.

One interesting possibility is that the docked mode is intended to hide the strength of the Prometheus - when docked fully one third of the ships phaser arrays and 60% of the torpedo tubes are hidden from view. The Prometheus could be seen as an attempt by Starfleet to field much more powerful ships while still trying to maintain a non-military face. I don't like this idea, however, as it implies a certain dishonesty on Starfleet's part.

With the Galaxy class I gave strength numbers for the ship only in docked mode, but since the separation aspect is apparently a very important part of the Prometheus concept, I have detailed the weaponry of each section, the total for the separated sections, and the total for the integrated ship. The number of arrays and torpedo tubes carried is taken from a newsgroup posting made by Ryan McReynolds. Ryan says he got these numbers from analysing the pictures of the Prometheus in Star Trek : The Magazine. Since those pictures are made from the CGI model of the ship actually used in the episode, they should be regarded as being pretty solid.

The sizes of the Prometheus are reported to have been given by Rick Sternbach.