USS Challenger, CX-1986

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USS Challenger, CX-1986
Challenger.jpg
Class
Challenger-class
Registry
CX-1986
Affiliation
Federation/Star Fleet
Status
Scrapped (21103.18)
Specifications
Type: Challenger Research (CR)
Length: 550 Meters
Beam: 275 Meters
Height: 97 Meters without nacelle: 165 with top nacelle
Mass: 3,650,000 Metric Tons
Decks: 42 Deck Plans
Crew Compliment: Standard: 150 Officers, 982 Enlisted Crew Breakdown
Emergency: 3,000
Warp Speed: Type: 4 Main Warp Nacelles(Type 5B2)
Cruise Speed: 5 (2 with saucer separation)
Sustainable Speed: 7 (4 with saucer separation)
Emergency Speed: 9.2 (12 hour automatic shutdown)
Impulse Engines: Type:2 Main Impulse Engines (Class 8), 2 Secondary Impulse Engines (Class 4B)
Speed: .95 C
Defensive Systems: Type 2 Main Shield Generator (MSG-3)
Type 2 Auxiliary Shield Generator (for use during saucer separation)
Armament: Phasers: 2 banks of 3 Type 1 (P/S) 2 banks of 2 Type 1 (1F/2A-360D/1A-360D)
Torpedoes: 4 Quantum Photon Torpedo Launchers (3F/1A)
Computer System: Daystrom Industries HSCS-1
Tractor/Repulsor: 2 Main Tractor/Repulsor Beams, 6 Docking Tractors, 6 Shuttle Tractors
Shuttlecraft: Main Shuttle bay (A), 6 Shuttles (Type 9A) 1 Runabout (Type 1). 1 Seleya Class Captains Yacht
Auxiliary bay, 2 Shuttles (Type 7): 1 Shuttles (Type 9A), 1 Runabout (Type 1)Saucer docking port: 1 Cicero Class support escort
Fighters:
Sensors: Andorian Industries FSMSA-5
Offensive Rating: Classified
Defensive Rating: Classified
Maneuverability Rating: Classified
CER: Classified


Vessel Dedication Quote

Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.
- Arthur Conan Doyle

Memorial

On January 28, 1986, Space Shuttle Challenger (mission STS-51-L) broke apart 73 seconds into flight, leading to the deaths of all aboard. This tragic circumstance grounded the shuttle fleet for nearly three years as safety improvements and procedures were put in place. We at Federation Space and the writers of our fictional USS Challenger crew honor the memories and courage of the crew of STS-51-L; that in this day and age, manned space-flight is still very much a challenging, yet worthwhile endeavor:


Commander Francis “Dick” Scobee
Pilot Michael J. Smith
Payload Specialist Gregory B. Jarvis
Mission Specialist Ronald E. McNair
Mission Specialist Ellison S. Onizuka
Mission Specialist Judith A. Resnik
School Teacher Christa McAuliffe

An Important Note

The USS Challenger, CX-1986 was an NPC Starship under the control of the Starfleet Intelligence Corps.

Lineage

In response to growing concerns in the Federation and new management in the SFIC, an internal review of the Intrepid program was commissioned. Upon review, a consensus decided to expand and refit the USS Intrepid for a less obviously clandestine approach. With a new mission, new equipment, and a new attitude on life, SFIC also decided to rechristen the Intrepid. As a result, the Challenger Program was born.

The Star Fleet Intelligence Corps would pilot test the Challenger program with Star Fleet’s finest, led by the Star Fleet Intelligence Corps, the program would appear, at the surface level, at least to be an open attempt at scientific inquiry, advancing the current state and approaches of knowledge with a purely integrated approach. The new research vessel will be nearly as much a scientific community as an intelligence gathering vessel. SFIC’s intention is to draw the best and brightest minds in the Federation together for investigation and research. The Challenger will be dispatched to investigate strange and unusual phenomena and to assist with non-standard and delicate scenarios. An unusual ship demands an unusual crew, Star Fleet decided to crew it with the best and brightest young cadets along side veteran officers from the fleet. Star Fleet makes a conscious decision to find a place for its mavericks and non conformists. Added to this are the best civilian scientists, engineers and other specialists that can be recruited. Furthermore the ship is to be a community, those with family are encouraged to bring them. Star Fleet sees this as a research hothouse, a place where the quadrants brilliant minds can push back the boundaries of science and medicine. Over all this the intelligence services are entrusted to protect and command.

Current: USS Challenger CX-1986
Vessel Class: Challenger Research Vessel
Assigned: Starfleet Intelligence Corps

Commanding Officers:
Kiron Hunter, Stardate 21010.05--- Present

Previous Vessels Named USS Challenger

Lineage
HMS Challenger a 16 gun brig sloop. Captured by France in 1811 1806 - 1811
HMS Challenger a 18 gun brig sloop. Sold for scrap 1824 1813 - 1824
HMS Challenger a 18 gun 6th Rate partly responsible for the colonization of Western Australia in 1829. Wrecked off Chile 1835 1826 - 1835
HMS Challenger a 'protected cruiser' after which this class of ships was named 1902 – 1920
HMS Challenger a 'survey ship' 1931 – 1954
LM-12 Challenger the NASA Luna landing module used during the Apollo 17 mission to the moon Launched 07/12/1972
HMS Challenger the Royal Navy's first purpose built ship for support of saturation diving missions. Sold in 1993 1981 - 1993
OV-099 Challenger Early Space Shuttle Orbiter. The Challenger Completed 9 missions before a tragic disaster occurred 73 seconds in to its tenth mission. It exploded 28 January 1986 04/04/1983 - 28/01/1986
NCC-2032 USS Challenger a Byrd-class Galactic Survey Cruiser 2293 - 2313
NCC-71099 USS Challenger a Galaxy class starship and was one of the starships which intercepted the Borg sphere which carried the USS Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant in 2378. Destroyed in service 2390 2376 - 2390

Features

The Challenger is an experimental vessel and it is as much a small town as a research ship. Although it shares the hull utilized by a Colony Ship, the resemblance ends there. At 1,132 personnel in total with only 150 dedicated officers, its crew is much smaller than those of the other classes that share this hull. As a consequence quarters are much larger. It has one very large shuttle bay rather than two smaller bays, and no flight deck save for a docking port for the USS Fleming. Despite its size it has no Fighters or Marine facilities as these were not deemed necessary on a research vessel (not to mention a tenuous relationship between the Marine Corps, Fighter Corps and SFIC). Challenger has the engines and tractor beams of a Carrier, the shields and weapons of Light Cruiser, and the sensors of a Galactic Exploration Cruiser, in addition to some special redundancies and modifications by SFIC.

A major effort has been made to provide its crew with a sense of community. It boasts a promenade and a large park which is two decks high and includes a small wood and a playground. There is even a small farm which is used as an educational facility for the benefit of the ship's children, and all the crew are encouraged to take their turn working there.

Unusually it has an industrial grade processing and manufacturing facility. The Challenger is quite capable of collecting raw materials such as asteroids and producing the finished goods it needs for whatever project it is undertaking.

The ship also possesses a wealth of research facilities that are part of its on board University/School. There are also three lecture halls, a main theatre/ auditorium, and 20 classrooms within this educational facility.

Last but not least is 'Area 51'. Actually comprising of three decks labeled for the sake of argument as 51 – 53 this is a highly secure area to which access is strictly limited and granted only by permission of the CO, the Program Director, or a direct order from SFIC HQ. Deck 51 comprises a Research and Development laboratory, and SFIC’s mobile headquarters. Deck 52 and is a storage facility, and deck 53 is a auxiliary shuttle bay big enough for only a few shuttles.

Amongst its auxiliary craft is a Cicero classed support escort located on the belly of the saucer in place of a captain’s yacht.


Images

Crew Manifest

Project Challenger
Int-cdr.jpg Kiron Hunter {Hudson} Commanding Officer 1/2 Human, 1/2 Ktarian E-Mail
Int-cdr.jpg Elizabeth Jones {Mitchell} First Officer and Program Director Human E-Mail
Int-lt.jpg Crystal Davis {DeWitt} Chief Medical Officer 3/4 Human, 1/4 Betazoid E-Mail
Sci-lt.jpg Isabella Ekman {Fields} Chief of Science 1/2 Human 1/2 Orion E-Mail
Int-lt.jpg Candice Baker {Vaughn} Director of Security—Area 51 Human E-Mail
Int-lt.jpg Michael Winchester {Archer} Tactical Analysis Human E-Mail
Com-ltjg.jpg Kamiro Tosamien Deklos {Dys} Acting Chief of Security Ullian E-Mail

Mission Logs

Challenger Mission 1: "Portent" -Stardate 21112.21