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Auspicious-class Transwarp Research Platform



U.S.S. Adventurous NCC-1306


Specifications

Type: transwarp prototype
Entered service: 2389
Mass: 1,231,500 metric tons
Length: 340 m (1116 ft)
Width: 136 m (446 ft)
Height: 122 m (400 ft)
Complement: 75 (13 officers)
Speed: classified


History:

by Julie Winningham

The Auspicious class was a bold and innovative experiment in Starfleet ship design. Conceived in the mid 2380s, the Transwarp Research Platform was a joint project between Galaxy Exploration Command and the Advanced Starship Design Board; its goal to create a long-range research vessel with a minimal crew complement.

Still in the cost-conscious stages of rebuilding the fleet after Wolf-359 and the Dominion War, the ASDB and GALEXCOM opened the TWP contract to bid, and after some deliberation, contracted to San Francisco Fleet Yards. The transwarp platform itself was contracted separately to Warp Industries Ltd.

Construction on the class model, USS Auspicious NCC 1300, was completed in the summer of 2386, managing to come in just under budget, due to SF Fleet Yard's careful subcontracting, and ASDB use of existing structural features in their design of the primary hull structure.

Auspicious was launched in the fall of 2386, and officially entered service in January, 2387. Five more were constructed between 2387 and 2389: the Ingenuous, Advantageous, Impetuous, Audacious, and Adventurous.

Unfortunately, a pall of ill-luck hung over this experiment almost from the start. Within six months of entering service, the USS Auspicious was caught in a freak gravimetric anomoly while observing the last stages of a star about to go nova, and destroyed with all hands. And within the next 22 months, the Ingenuous, Advantageous and Audacious were destroyed or damaged beyond repair.

Little in known about the fate of the Impetuous, only that it was lost in 2394; all details concerning her fate are still classified.

And the USS Adventurous NCC 1306, the last of the Auspicious Class in active service, was destroyed in a classified situation on May 16, 2396 at 14:38 EDT, six years after she entered service.

For more information about USS Adventurous, read The USS Adventurous series from Julie Winningham's original fiction.


Image gallery:


U.S.S. Audacious, NCC-1302.


Model notes:

The Auspicious-class starship was designed by J. G. "Zoo" Lobbezoo and Julie Winningham in 1991. The model was built by Markus C. Nee and was completed in September 1997. The U.S.S. Adventurous model is in 1:1400 scale, and is approximately 9.5 inches long. Primary hull was modified from custom resin castings made in the same mold created for the Floyd-class primary hull, with addition of sheet styrene structure. The secondary hull is made from sheet styrene. Warp nacelles are modified AMT/Ertl Danube class runabout nacelles. The finish is airbrushed Tamiya acrylic paints, Letraset and Chartpak dry transfer lettering, and AMT decals.

Here's a link to a real research vessel named Adventurous, NOAA R 311


Credits:

The Auspicious class starship concept and related stories are the creation of Julie Winningham. All original text is copyright 1991, 1992, 1997 Julie Winningham. All rights reserved.

The Auspicious class starship was designed by Jeremy G. Lobbezoo and Julie Winningham. The starship design is Copyright 1991 J. G. Lobbezoo and Julie Winningham. All rights reserved.

Auspicious class model was constructed by Markus C. Nee, and is Copyright 1997 Markus C. Nee. All rights reserved

Photographs are Copyright 1997 Mark J. Stock. All rights reserved.

Line drawings are Copyright 1998 Markus C. Nee. All rights reserved.

Ask for our permission before using any of this work. Thanks.


Markus C. Nee, Aerospace Engineering Alumnus, University of Michigan. mail: markusn at umich.edu

This page was last modified 2001-06-20.