Miranda class

## SPACECRAFT CLASS

The ***Miranda*-class** was a type of spacecraft developed by Starfleet in the mid-23rd century. It would continue to serve into the 25th century, inspiring many variations, and was the longest serving class in Starfleet history.

## History

### Inception

The development of more efficient warp drive systems derived from the experimental USS *Repulse* prompted Starfleet to refit the fleet to take advantage of this new, third generation warp technology. USS *Anton* (NCC-1609), a *Malachowski*-class vessel overdue for an update, was chosen to receive and test the first warp drive units. The admiralty hoped the test vessel would prove the effectiveness of the new Rodis-George drive, allowing Starfleet to counter losses from the First Federation-Klingon War and at the TL-9139 Starfleet Maintenance Yards with refits of outdated surviving vessels.

The *Anton* put into the San Francisco Fleet Yards in August 2260 and work progressed quickly. By the end of the year, the starship and its new nacelles were ready for testing, which occurred at the Bonneville Flats. A marked success, the new systems provided significant longevity for *Malachowski* hulls and other vessels marked for refit under Starfleet's new Theseus Modernization Project, part of the Fleet Modernization Program. However, Starfleet Command eventually determined that new designs were required to take advantage of the true potential of the Rodis-George warp drive.

Employing the successes of the *Malachowski*-class, and its *Anton*-class refit, Starfleet engineers created a compact design with an elongated primary hull and underslung nacelles. To broaden its mission profile, a mission pod, suspended via struts over the hull, was added. The new class was designated *Miranda* and it was approved by the admiralty in 2262.

### Construction and launch

Construction of the prototype was undertaken at the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards while USS *Anton* and USS *Sioux*, also refitted to *Anton*-class specifications, continued to test the Rodis/George drive. Since the new *Miranda*-class was similar in design to the *Malachowski*, engineers made use of a slip which was designed for maintaining the older vessels and had recently been vacated by *Sioux*. Since it needed limited retooling, this allowed construction of USS *Miranda* to proceed quickly and the vessel left its slips in September 2363 to begin its trials.

The warp drive proved itself well, although the engineers had expected as much after months of testing on the *Anton*-class. The additional power and weapons systems exceeded expectations and the class was officially ordered for production. USS *Miranda* was commissioned as NCC-1800 alongside two sibling ships, USS *Prospero* (NCC-1801) and USS *K'hotan* (NCC-1802), in October 2364.

A secondary deflector, added to the mission pod with the slight 2305 redesign, expanded the scientific capabilities of the Miranda and provided a valuable redundancy.

## Technical information

### Physical arrangement

Like the *Malachowski*-class it was designed to replace, the *Miranda* consisted of a saucer-shaped primary hull connected to two underslung nacelles. The design measured 237.6 meters in length with a beam of 141.7 meters and height of 58 meters.

#### Deck plan

The following was the standard internal layout of *Miranda*-class vessels.

 2
 3
 4
 6
 7

### Computer systems

The primary computer system of the class was the Daystrom Duotronic III Processor with a Multitronic M-9 Supplement. *Mirandas* initially employed RAV/ISHAK Warp Celestial Guidance for their primary navigation system.

### Propulsion systems

The original design of the *Miranda*-class made use of two LN-64 Mod 3 Linear Warp Drive Units and two RST Subatomic Unified Energy Impulse engines.

## Configurations

### *Soyuz*

Intended for border patrol and surveillance, the *Soyuz*-class carried a suite of advanced sensors on both sides of the primary hull and on a tower at the aft. Due to the Rittenhouse Scandal, only eight starships were built to these specifications. The configuration was retired in 2288 and *Soyuz* vessels were refit into the newer *Buckner*-class design.

### *Hippocrates*

Recognizing the need for a dedicated medical vessel, Starfleet Medical Command worked with the Corps of Engineers to develop the *Hippocrates*-class variant of the *Miranda* spaceframe. Much of the design's secondary hull was devoted to an expansive medical complex. As larger, purpose-built medical vessels were introduced in the 24th century, *Hippocrates*-class cruisers were repurposed as transport and supply ships.

### *Saratoga*

The *Saratoga*-class was an update to the *Hippocrates* design, although not all *Lantree*-class vessels were refit to *Saratoga* specifications. This configuration did not have the upper mission pod, but carried sensor modules attached to the port and starboard sides of the primary hull.

### *Buckner*

The *Buckner*-class combined elements from both the *Soyuz* and *Saratoga* designs. The sensor modules of the *Saratoga*-class were shifted 90 degrees onto the topside of the primary hull. A mission pod, akin to the tower on the *Soyuz*-class, extended up from the aft of the ship on a single pylon.

## Derivatives

### *Mitsui*

The *Mitsui*-class was to the *Miranda* as the *Conestoga*-class was to the *Malachowski* design.

### *Centaur*

The *Centaur*-class was derived from technologies being developed for the *Excelsior*-class and was intended as a replacement for the *Miranda*. The lead ship entered service in 2285, but failures with the *Excelsior*'s propulsion systems delayed additional construction. In the mid 2290s a few additional *Centaur*-class vessels were constructed, but the design never replaced the *Miranda*. Decades later, *Centaur*-class vessels were hurriedly retrofitted at the outbreak of the Dominion War to bolster Starfleet's ranks.

### *ShiKahr*

Developed at the 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards and named after Vulcan's capital, the *ShiKahr*-class incorporated lessons learned from the Century Cruiser Project onto the *Miranda* frame.

### *Reliant*

Starfleet sought to quickly rebuild its fleet after the devastation of the Iconian War. In an effort to meet this need, Starfleet Engineers developed a subclass of the *Miranda* that was state-of-the-art, a low drain on materiel and resources, and quick to construct. The first of the *Reliant*-class was launched just two months after the end of the war.

## Appendices

### Connections

**Project groups:** **Union Station** (*Geneva* • *Concorde* • *Presidio*) • **Century Cruiser** (*Springfield* • *New Orleans* • *Challenger* • *Niagara* • *Freedom II* • *Galaxy* • *Nebula* • *Cheyenne*) • **Multi-Mission explorers** (*Brigid* • *Esquiline* • *Palatine*) • **Deep Shadow** (*Eclipse* • *Phantom* • *Scryer*) • **Miracle Worker** (*Scott* • *Daystrom* • *Tucker* • *Gagarin*) • **Aeronaut** (*Mercury* • *Ajax* • *Icarus* • *Shran*)

**Other named classes:** *Aegian* • *Aerie* • *Akula* • *Atlas* • *California* • *Centaur* • *Challenger* • *Cheyenne* • *Constellation* • *Constitution III* • *Crossfield* • *Curry* • *Daedalus* • *Dauntless* • *Excelsior II* • *Freedom II* • *Gemini* • *Glenn* • *Guardian* • *Inquiry* • *Iwo Jima* • *Jupiter* • *Lexington* • *Niagara* • *Obena* • *Okinawa* • *Parliament* • *Perseus* • *Pioneer* • *Ranger* • *Sagan* • *Solanae* • *Springfield* • *Turing* • *Ulysses*

**Auxiliary craft:** *Aero* • Class C • Class F • *Danube* • *Flyer* • *Gondola* • *Kodai* • *Mollard* • *Peregrine* • *Selenic* • Type 4 • Type 5 • Type 6 (Type 6A • Type 6S) • Type 7 • Type 8 • Type 9 (Type 9A) • Type 10 • Type 11 • Type 14 • Type 17 • Type 19 • *Valkyrie* • *Venture* • *Waverider* • *Yellowstone*

**Leadership:** Commander-in-chief • Joint Chiefs • Chief of Starfleet External Affairs • Chief of Starfleet Operations • Chief of Starfleet Research and Exploration • Chief of Starfleet Tactical

**Agencies:** Operations (Engineering • Judicial • Materiel Supply • Mission Operations • Personnel Management • Records Service • Shipyards Operations • Starbase Operations) • Research & Exploration (Science • Medical) • External Affairs • Tactical (Intelligence • Security • MACO)

**Notable units:** Ktarn Fleet • Task Force 77

**Facilities:** Deep Space K-7 • Deep Space K-13 • Deep Space 9 • Masamichi Array • Starbase 45-Keepsake • Starbase 82-Maat • Starbase 234-Beskerm • Starbase 247-Vershina

**Agencies:** Starfleet • Diplomatic Corps • Department of Temporal Investigations • Federation Security Agency

**Facilities:** 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards • Antares Ship Yards • Beta Antares Ship Yards • Copernicus Ship Yards • Laikan Starfleet Shipyards • McKinley Station • Memory Project • New Aberdeen Shipyards • Proxima Maintenance Yards • Salazaar Shipyards • San Francisco Fleet Yards • TL-9139 Starfleet Maintenance Yards • Tranquility Base • Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards

### Sources consulted

* Miranda class article at *Memory Alpha*.
* Soyuz class article at *Memory Alpha*.
* Miranda class article at *Memory Beta*.
* Soyuz class article at *Memory Beta*.
* Miranda class article at the *Star Trek Online Wiki*.
* Kobayashi Maru Freighter article at the *Star Trek Online Wiki*.
* *Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection* issue 11 "U.S.S. *Reliant* NCC-1864"; issue 91 "USS *Saratoga* NCC-31911"; issue 120 "USS *Bozeman* NCC-1941"; issue 138 "USS *Lantree* NCC-1837"; issue 150 "USS *Antares* NCC-9844"; special issue "U.S.S. *Reliant* NCC-1864."
* *Star Trek Adventures - Core Rulebook* by Modiphius Entertainment.
* *Star Trek Adventures - Utopia Planitia Starfleet Sourcebook* by Modiphius Entertainment.
* *The Price of Freedom - The United Federation of Planets Sourcebook* by Last Unicorn Games.
* *Star Trek: Starship Spotter*.
* Soyuz Class Light Cruiser artwork by Thomas Morrone posted at ArtStation.

### Footnotes

1. ↑ Derived from the "Miranda Class External Blueprints and Internal Deck Plans" from Strategic Design.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *Star Trek: Starship Spotter*, 21.
3. ↑ *Star Trek Adventures - The Command Division*, 58.