Nebula class

The Nebula-class was a type of Federation starship in use by Starfleet in the 24th century. Officially designated as an explorer, the Nebula ships were also sometimes referred to as cruisers. This class was named for spectacular galactic gas clouds known as nebulae. (DS9 reference: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual; Last Unicorn RPG module: The Price of Freedom; Decipher RPG modules: Starfleet Operations Manual, Starships)

Technical data

USS Honshu at warp — A *Nebula* vessel at warp.

The Nebula-class is well-known for being a testbed of modular components, with the vessel's upper outboard structures varying from vessel to vessel. Several configurations—including a tactical pod, sensor pod, cargo pod and probe pod—had been fielded by the 2380s. During the Dominion War, of course, the most common variant was the tactical configuration. (ST reference: Starship Spotter)

Special configurations

During the Dominion War, Starfleet worked on a key number of tactical upgrades to all types of starship that would be used in combat against Dominion forces. The key aim was to increase their defensive and offensive capabilities so that they could remain in a fire-fight a lot longer. Through this design strategy, the Nebula-class was able to gain an impressive array of specialised weapons and defensive systems. Whilst these tactical upgrades were used sparingly during the Dominion War, the systems were heavily used during the Borg incursions of 2376 and 2377. (ST video games: Armada, Armada II)

The tactical configuration was sometimes referred to as battle cruisers by 2379. (ST video game: Starfleet Command III)

Shield disruptor: This weapon was based on technology adapted from the Breen Energy dampening weapon. It disables the shields of a group of enemy ships for a short time, allowing weapons to damage the hull and systems directly.

Gemini effect: The Gemini Effect was created as a result of Doctor Paul Manheim's temporal research in 2364. The effect creates a temporal disturbance in the space-time continuum, allowing two of the same ship to exist simultaneously in different locations.

Point defense phaser: The initial concept for this weapon goes back as far as the 20th century, with the Strategic Defense Initiative. Perfected in 2374, the PDP destroys incoming torpedoes before they can do any damage.

Engineering team: Allows this ship to repair a allied ship, restore shields to 50% capacity. (ST video games: Armada, Armada II)

Known vessels

Nebula-class starships
Federation Starfleet	Standard configuration	Aldebaran • Alnwick • Aristotle • Barclay • Bell • Bellerophon • Berkeley • Boadicea • Bonchune • Bonhomme Richard • Bostwick • Bougainville • Boyle • Caddebostan • Chang Teh • Chatelain • Chesapeake • Chin • Columbia-B • Conklin • Courageous • Cousteau • Crick • Curie • Darwin • Descartes • Discovery • Douglass • Edison • Einstein • Endeavour • Euclid • Faraday • Farragut • Fermi • Foucault • Galileo • Gallant • Garuda • Gates • Godel • Hawking • Hegel • Heisenberg • Hera • Himori • Honshu • Hsien Ning • Hubble • Jacobus • Jah'tor • Jasmine • Kelvin • Kerra'don • Khitomer • Knuth • Koerner • Lancaster • Leeds • Leopard • Lexington • Mei Yuan • Melbourne • Merrimack • Ming Chuen • Monitor • Nebula • Newell • New York • Newton • Nightingale • Nobel • O'Neil • Oakham • Ockham • Oppenheimer • Oxford • Pascal • Pasteur • Pavlov • Phoenix • Prometheus • Proxima • Pythagoras • Ranger • Saladin • Salk • Reston • Schrödinger • Schweitzer • Scott • Stafford • Sutherland • T'Kumbra • Temeraire • Tesla • Tintagel • Tomaselli • Tonawanda • Ulysses • Whitney • Zee-Magnees • Zimmerman • unnamed Nebula-class starships
Federation Starfleet	variant configurations	Magellan-subclass: Magellan Sutherland-subclass: Sutherland • Huygens • Almagest • Ibn al-Haytham
Terran Imperial Starfleet (mirror universe)		Berkeley • Nebula	Borg Collective	Douglass • O'Neil • Tonawanda • unnamed Nebula-class starships

Registry: USS Bellerophon (NCC-62048) USS Berkeley (NCC-64720) USS Bonchune (NCC-70915) USS Bougainville (NCC-61809) USS Chesapeake (NCC-62010) USS Columbia (NCC-62101-B) USS Discovery (NCC-62049) USS Albert Einstein (NCC-85183) USS Endeavour (NCC-71805) USS Farragut (NCC-60597) USS Hera (NCC-62006) USS Honshu (NCC-60205) USS Leeds (NCC-70352) USS Leopard (NCC-62344) USS Lexington (NCC-61832) USS Melbourne (NCC-62043) USS Merrimack (NCC-61827) USS Monitor (NCC-61826) USS Nebula (NCC-60000/60147/60602) USS Nightingale (NCC-60805) USS Phoenix (NCC-65420) USS Prometheus (NCC-71201) USS Proxima (NCC-61952) USS Reston (NCC-66874) USS Scott (NCC-72016) USS Sutherland (NCC-72015) USS T'Kumbra (NCC-62100) USS Temeraire (NCC-65387) USS Tonawanda (NCC-71201) USS Ulysses (NCC-66808)

Appendices

Connections

Starship classes of the Dominion War
Federation Alliance
Federation, Starfleet (and civilian auxiliaries)	Akira • Centaur • Defiant • Galaxy • Excelsior • Miranda • *Nebula* • Norway • Raging Queen • Saber • Sovereign • Federation light cruiser (Constitution variant) • Federation light cruiser (Intrepid variant) • Federation medium cruiser (Excelsior variant) • Federation medium cruiser (Intrepid/Constitution variant)
Klingon Empire, Klingon Defense Force	B'rel • K't'inga • K'vort • Negh'Var • Vor'cha	Romulan Star Empire, Imperial Fleet	D'Deridex • 24th century Romulan shuttle
Dominion forces
Dominion and Jem'Hadar	Jem'Hadar battleship • Jem'Hadar battlecruiser • Jem'Hadar fighter • Jem'Hadar strike cruiser • Jem'Hadar super carrier • Jem'Hadar warship
Cardassian Union, Cardassian Guard (and Obsidian Order)	Galor • Groumall • Hideki • Keldon	Breen Confederacy	Breen battlecruiser • Breen destroyer • Breen fighter
Other combatants and neutral parties
Bajoran Provisional Government, Bajoran Militia	Bajoran starship • Janitza • Perikian • Bajoran raider • Bajoran transport

Starship classes of the Federation Starfleet
subclass groups	*Akira* (Alita • Armitage • Thunderchild) • *Ambassador* (Alaska • Narendra • Yamaguchi) • *Apollo* (Akula frigate / light cruiser) • *Cardenas* (Buran) • *Chesapeake* (Mongrel) • *Cheyenne* (Dakota • Stargazer) • *Concorde* (Geneva battlecruiser • Presidio) • *Constellation* (Challenger deep space explorer) • Chimera heavy destroyer (Manticore) • *Constitution* (Achernar • Bonhomme Richard • Tikopai • Enterprise • Exeter • Excalibur • Vesper • Kirk • *Crossfield* (Glenn • 32nd century refit) • *Danube* (Yellowstone) • *Decatur* (Dreadnought) • *Defiant* (Gallant • Incursion • Nachthexen • Sao Paulo • Valiant • Vigilant escort) • *Dervish* (Gryphon • Hermes escort • Maelstrom • Tempest) • *Destiny* (Nimbus • Oracle • Trident) • *Engle* (Earhart) • *Excelsior* (Bismarck • Curry • Kirov • New Jersey • Resolute) • *Galaxy* (Andromeda (25th century) • Celestial • Envoy • Galaxy X • Monarch cruiser • Ross • Venture cruiser • Yamato dreadnought) • Hermes scout (Cygnus • Monoceros) • *Inquiry* (Avenger battlecruiser • Arbiter) • *Hoover* (Edison) • *Intrepid* (Bellerophon • Cochrane science vessel • Discovery (25th century) • Janeway • Pathfinder • Trailblazer • Yeager) • *Kumari* (Charal • Khyzon) • *Luna* (Comet • Polaris • Sol • Titan) • *Magee* (Shran (escort)) • *Malachowski* (Helios (tug)) • *Miranda* (Anton • Reliant • Soyuz) • *Merian* (Merian (dreadnought)) • *Nebula* (Magellan) • *New Orleans* (Lafayette) • *Nimitz* (Europa) • *Norway* (Oslo) • *Nova* (Aurora • Quasar • Rhode Island) • NX (Columbia • Poseidon) • *Oberth* (Clarke • Gagarin (23rd century) • Grissom • Sagan) • *Odyssey* (Verity • Yorktown (cruiser)) • *Olympic* (Hope • Horizon science vessel) • *Prometheus* (Cerberus • Hephaestus • Hestia • Phoenix) • *Ptolemy* (Dollond • Doppler • Keppler) • *Remora* (Charger) • *Saladin* (Cochise • Siva) • *Santa Fe* (Newport) • *Saber* (Gladius • Rapier • Ushaan) • *Sentinel* (Emissary • Nomad cruiser • Vanguard) • *Shepard* (Gagarin (25th century)) • *Solanae* (Helios • Montgomery • Omega) • *Sovereign* (Archon • Imperial • Majestic • Noble cruiser • Regent) • *Steamrunner* (Appalachia • Zephyr) • *Vesta* (Aventine • Rademaker) • *Walker* (Georgiou • Shenzhou ) • *Wells* (Eternal • Ouroboros • Verne)
other named classes	AA class • Aakenn • Achilles • Advance • Aegian • Aeolus • Aerie • Akula destroyer / escort • Ambassador Hardin • Andes • Andor • Andromeda (24th century) • Angelou • Antares • Apache • Aquarius • Archer • Archimedes • Ark Royal • Ariel • Ascendant • Atrox • Avenger (scout) • Babcock • Bader • Baker • Baton Rouge • Berena • Bode • Bolarus • Bonaventure • Bradbury • Brenton • California • Canada • Canopus • Capella • Castor • Centaur • Centaurus • Ceres • Cestus • Challenger • Chandley • Chariot • Chimer • Chimera fast frigate • Christopher • Clarke (25th century) • Cle Dan • Cochrane transport • Columbia • Condor (raider) • Continent • Contortrix • Copernicus • Courage • Daedalus • Dauntless • Decker • Defender • Delta • D'Kyr • Deneva • Derf • Drexler • Durrett • Eagle • Eclipse • Edward • Einstein • Eisenberg • El Dorado • future Enterprise • Epoch • Epsilon • Erewon • Eternal • Federation • Fenlon • Fermi • Fiji • Freedom • Friendship • Frontier • Gagarin (24th century) • Galen • Gallant • Ganges • Geneva • Genser • Graceful • Grayson • Griffon • Guardian • Gemini • Hale • Hermes fast cruiser • Heston • Hogan • Hokule'a • Horizon cruiser • Icarus • Ilthirin • Indomitable • Intrepid (22nd century) • Iowa • Istanbul • Iwo Jima • Class J • Jupiter • Karekh • Keith • Kethkin • Kiev • K'Kmarak • Kolm-An • Korolev • Larson • Lauro • Laweya • Legacy • Lenthal • Lexington • Liberty • Loki • Loknar • London • Madison • Makin • Mann • Marklin • Mars • Marshall • M'Benga • Mediterranean • Merced • Mercury (courier) • Mercury (escort) • Mercury (scout) • Merian • Merian (dreadnought) • Messier • Meteor • Midway • Mission • Missouri • Mobulai • MoKal • Moscow • Mulciber• Narcine • Nautilus • Nelson • Niagara • Noble laboratory vessel • Nomad escort • Northampton • Oberon • Odin • Odysseus • Okinawa • Oppenheimer • Orion • Osaka • Overfield • Paladin battlecruiser • Paladin destroyer • Parliament • Paladin (24th century) • Perseus • Pioneer • Phalanx • Phantom • Philadelphia • Pinnacle • Piper • Pollux • Portsmith • Pralim • Premonition • Protostar • Proxima • Pyotr Velikiy • Pyrenees • Rakota • Ranger battlecruiser • Ranger explorer • Ranger scout • Renaissance • Rickenbacker • Rigel • Rochester • Royal Sovereign • Sagittarius • Samson • Saturn • Sawyer • Scorpio • Scryer • Scylla • Sequoia • Sevaijen • ShiKahr • Sierra • Solar • Springfield • Sulek • Surak • Sydney • Tangent • Theophrastus • Thomas Paine • Thucydides • Thufir • Tiberius • Ticonderoga • Universe •Theseus • Tripper • Tritium • Typhon • Typhoon • Ukora • Ulysses • Ural • Utah • Venture scout • Vigilant scout • Voyager • Wallenberg • Wambundu • Wei-Fa • Wellington • Wilkerson • Wizard • Yamato • Yorkshire • Yorktown • Zodiac • unnamed
general type	Defiant pathfinder • Raging Queen • Sun Tzu • Valley Forge • Federation assault ship • Federation battleship • Federation cargo ship • Federation colony ship • Federation construction ship • Federation cruiser • deep galaxy ship • Federation dreadnought • Federation freighter • Federation frigate • Federation galaxy ship • Federation holoship • Federation heavy cruiser (2380s heavy cruiser) • Federation light cruiser (Constitution-variant light cruiser • Intrepid-variant light cruiser) • Federation medium cruiser (Excelsior-variant medium cruiser) • Federation mining freighter • Federation repair ship • Starfleet tanker

Background

This class first appeared in canon in TNG episode: "The Wounded".

Apocrypha

The ebook The Dominion War Sourcebook: The Fires of Armageddon, released by Last Unicorn Games after they had lost their Star Trek license listed several other Nebula class starships: USS Osiris (NCC-69903), USS Denali (NCC-70258) and USS Shanghai (NCC-55203).

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ST reference: Starship Spotter.
↑ Star Trek Online reference: [Nebula Class Advanced_Research_Vessel].
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 ^3.6 DS9 reference: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual.

External link

Nebula class article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.

[STSPOT-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ST reference: Starship Spotter.

[2] Star Trek Online reference: [Nebula Class Advanced_Research_Vessel].

[DS9TM-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 ^3.6 DS9 reference: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual.

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