Crossfield Class

Crossfield Class
Affiliation:	Federation Starfleet
Service Period:	23rd Century
Dimensions
Length:	750 meters
Width:	400 meters
Height:	67 meters
Mass:	975,000 metric tons
Specifications
Decks:	18
Crew:	135 personnel
Speed:	Spore Hub Drive (Discovery) Warp 8
Armament:	Phaser Banks Torpedo Launchers
Defenses:	Shields
Auxiliary craft:	Starfleet Shuttlecraft

Overview

Operation Next Step was a revolutionary project implemented by Starfleet Command. Designed to create a new, better equipped Starfleet, Operation Next Step led to many new starship designs being commissioned and many new technologies being developed that Starfleet believed would one day be commonplace throughout the galaxy. One such design authorized by Operation Next Step was the Crossfield Class, a design intended to be a deep space research vessel to support the operations of the Constitution Class. While Warp Drive had performed admirably, the Federation Council directed Starfleet to explore the creation of a new propulsion system that would keep the nascent United Federation of Planets ahead of its less peaceful neighbors. Concurrent to this Doctors Paul Stamets and Justin Straal were working on the development of a new propulsion system known as the Displacement Activated Spore Hub Drive, more commonly known as the Spore Drive. Seeing the potential of the Spore Drive, Starfleet Command invested heavy resources into the experiment.

Assigned to the Neptune Test Facilities in the Sol System, Starfleet's Corps of Engineers transferred two still under construction Crossfield Class Starships to the Spore Drive Project while the prototype U.S.S. Crossfield underwent her shakedown cruise. The vessels were towed from San Francisco Fleet Yards, Earth to the Neptune Test Facility for final fitting and installation of technologies to support the Spore Drive Project - albeit under heavy security. While initial testing at Neptune failed in 2255, the Spore Drive would be considered successful after the U.S.S. Discovery successfully activated the Drive to respond to Klingon bombardment of Corvan II.

Despite Discovery being incredibly successful during the Klingon War, the presumed destruction of Discovery and the loss of the Glenn, led Starfleet to cancel future production of Crossfield Class starships and all research on the Spore Drive was deemed a failure and classified.

Capabilities

Similar in design to the Constitution Class and featuring a similar internal volume, the Crossfield Class includes a small saucer shaped primary hull, a large, angular secondary hull, and two elongated nacelles larger than all other designs within the Federation. The saucer module of the Crossfield has been divided into three sections that are separated by large gaps in the vessel's superstructure with crossover bridges giving access to the multiple saucer rings. In situations involving energy buildup that impacts the safety of the ship and crew the outer and middle sections of the saucer begin to rotate to allow for excess energy cavitation through the usage of subspace coils built into the superstructure. With the inclusion of these technologies in the Saucer, many of the crew accommodations and laboratories had to be moved to the secondary hull, sacrificing storage space. To compensate, Starfleet installed a large Shuttlebay that doubled as a storage area.

The greatest technological breakthrough of the Crossfield Class is the inclusion of a Displacement Activated Spore Hub Drive (Spore Drive) in the vessel's construction. Combining concepts from both biology and physics, the Spore Drive operates by opening a corridor into the mycelium plane via mycelium spores harvested from Prototaxites Stellaviatori. Initial tests of the Drive were met with frequent challenges, including the loss of the U.S.S. Glenn; however, the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery were able to devise a stable interface thanks to investigation into Tardigrade DNA began by the crew of the Glenn. Afterward, Discovery was able to successfully utilize the Spore Drive for travel, transporting nearly 90 light years in less than two seconds.

Capable of completing as many as 300 discrete scientific operations, the Crossfield Class was outfitted with an advanced Duotronic Computer System designed by Doctor Richard Daystrom himself for use on science vessels. Modular Science Laboratories were available, allowing for quick customization based on mission protocols, and the Crossfield was outfitted with enhanced sensors that were among the most sophisticated within the entire Federation. Despite its scientific acumen, the Crossfield was surprisingly well armed for combat operations. Outfitted with multiple Phaser Banks and Photon Torpedo Launchers, the Crossfield was on par with the Constitution and Sombra Class for offensive capability. An enhanced deflector grid protected the Crossfield Class during combat. The abilities of the Crossfield were well displayed during the Klingon Conflict of 2256 as the Discovery was a front-line combatant in multiple battles and held its own even when outnumbered by heavily armed Klingon warships.

Refits and Variants

Due to the unique nature of its design and mission profile, the Crossfield Class was an advanced scientific research vessel with an impressive tactical suite. Following the Federation/Klingon Conflict the remaining Crossfield Class starships were retrofitted to function in their original design profiles as research vessels with conventional systems replacing many of the experimental ones. Despite this, the Crossfield never entered heavy production.

Mission Profiles

Pathfinder and Reconnaissance Operations, Scientific and Survey Operations, Strategic and Diplomatic Operations. Designed as a Science vessel, but given a tactical edge, vessels of the Crossfield Class are commonly called to investigate strange new worlds and unusual phenomenon never before encountered.

Naming Conventions

Crossfield Class starships were named after pioneers of space exploration and concepts related to exploration; however, due to the loss of Discovery and Glenn during routine assignments, Starfleet Command cancelled further production of the Crossfield Class and only a limited number of vessels were ever produced.

Notable Starships

U.S.S. Crossfield, Class Prototype U.S.S. Andromeda U.S.S. Discovery U.S.S. Glenn

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Crossfield II Class

Crossfield II Class
Affiliation:	Federation Starfleet
Service Period:	32nd Century
Dimensions
Length:	750 meters
Width:	410 meters
Height:	67 meters
Mass:	975,000 metric tons
Specifications
Decks:	18
Crew:	135 personnel
Speed:	Spore Hub Drive Warp 9.9
Armament:	Phaser Arrays Torpedo Launchers
Defenses:	Cloaking Device Regenerative Shielding
Auxiliary craft:	Starfleet Shuttlecraft

Overview

In 2258 the U.S.S. Discovery, under the temporary command of Captain Christopher Pike, was assigned to investigate the emergence of seven red bursts throughout the Milky Way. During the course of its investigation, the Discovery unraveled the mystery of the "Red Angel," Discovery Science Officer Michael Burnham's temporally displaced mother Gabrielle Burnham, and encountered a vast alien knowledge repository known as the Sphere. Through the recovery of the "Sphere Data," Discovery became a direct target of Section 31's Artificial Intelligence known as Control, which wanted the Sphere Data to enhance its own sentience and destroy natural life. Unable to destroy the Sphere Data, Discovery and her crew agreed to a last ditch mission to travel to the far future to evade Control. After a fierce battle where Discovery and Enterprise faced off against Control's fleet of Section 31 vessels, Discovery was reported as lost following the detonation of its Warp Drive.

In reality, Discovery had been successful in its mission and had been transported through time to 3189. After learning of the devastation of the galaxy following a disaster known as the Burn, the Discovery and its crew resolved themselves to reconnect with Starfleet. After visiting several former Federation worlds, Discovery was able to discern the classified location of Federation Headquarters and made contact. Unable to be returned to its own time, and the vessel's very presence in the time period considered a violation of the Temporal Accords, the Federation Council authorized a refit to the Discovery to modern standards. Officially, Discovery is considered to be a new Crossfield II Class starship and has been commissioned as the U.S.S. Discovery-A.

Capabilities

Following the return of the U.S.S. Discovery in the late 3180s, the vessel underwent an extensive, three week retrofit to Crossfield II Class standards. Maintaining the same overall layout consisting of a small saucer module and a wide secondary hull, the Discovery's hull was enhanced through the inclusion of Neutronium Alloy plating, which gave the ship a darker coloration. The crossover bridges were removed as part of the refit and the engineering hull received multiple significant changes that impacted its overall structure. The Deflector Dish was expanded and reformatted from a circular to hexagonal design.

Virtually every system aboard the Discovery was upgraded during the refit process, including the Displacement Activated Spore Hub Drive. While the speed of the Spore Drive could not be rivaled, the spore drive reaction cube was upgraded and the physical injector shunts were replaced with nanogel control interfaces that acted as a quantum transducer. Polaric Warp Conduit was used to replace the obsolete Warp Plasma Conduits, enhancing Warp Field efficiency. The Warp Nacelles were now physically detached and used superconductors to establish magnetic seals to keep the nacelles connected, but offered improved sublight maneuverability. When traveling at Warp the nacelles would reconnect directly to the hull of the Crossfield II. Newer Impulse Engines were installed into the engineering section and the vessel. The connecting pylon between the sections was narrowed, its shape changed, and the overall structure became sleeker.

Already capable of up to 300 discrete scientific operations, the Crossfield II's sensors were augmented and enhanced during the refit. In addition, the Duotronic Computer Core was replaced with Isolinear circuitry to enhance computer efficiency and capability. Interstitial Multivector TransComputronics (IMT-C and often pronounced ihm-tech) software, developed by the Federation’s Department of Temporal Investigations to aid in monitoring the timelines, was installed to assist with the mission profiles of the vessel. When active, the technology generates brief closed time-like curves that could give probable outcomes in nanoseconds. With many databases lost during the Burn, Discovery was able to provide the Federation with multiple resources that were once considered irreparably lost. Programmable matter was installed aboard the ship to enhance the abilities of both the ship and the crew. A holodeck was installed for crew support and training.

Despite being designed for scientific missions, the Discovery was well armed and its Phasers and Photon Torpedoes were upgraded to current specifications. Multispectral Shields were installed to replace the classic deflector matrix. These new shields utilize multiple energy spectrums to enhance durability and recharge, allowing the vessel to survive in a firefight for a longer period than previously. While once controversial for use by Starfleet and illegal due to the Treaty of Algeron, the Crossfield II has been equipped with a standard issue Starfleet Cloaking Device during refit. Requiring large amounts of power, the Cloaking Device causes the ship to be invisible to both the eye and most sensors at the expense of the use of many shipboard systems due to power needs or the risk of exposing the vessel's position.

Refits and Variants

As only one Crossfield II Class starship is presently employed by Starfleet no variants or refits currently exist for the class. Should future vessels be created the prototype U.S.S. Discovery will remain unique due to the presence of Zora aboard the vessel. Zora is a fully sentient Artificial Intelligence that was created through the merger of the Discovery's computer system with the Sphere data obtained by Discovery in 2257. While AIs are prevented from serving aboard Federation vessels, Zora has received special dispensation from Commodore Kovich of Starfleet to remain integrated in Discovery's systems.

Mission Profiles

Crisis and Emergency Response, Pathfinder and Reconnaissance Operations, Strategic and Diplomatic Operations. Due to the availability of Starfleet's only operational Displacement Operated Spore Hub Drive, Crossfield II Class ships are commonly sent into the thick of catastrophes to wave the Federation flag.

Naming Conventions

Crossfield Class starships were planned to be named after pioneers of space exploration and concepts related to exploration; however, Starfleet Command has announced no plans to produce additional Crossfield II Class vessels.

Notable Starships

U.S.S. Discovery-A, Class Prototype