USS Antares
The USS Antares (NCC-74601) is an Intrepid-class science vessel currently assigned to Arcturus Wayfinding Squadron. One of the original Intrepid-class vessels ordered in the late 2360s, Antares was not actually built until after the Dominion War. After four five-year missions across the 2380s and 2390s, Antares received a midlife overhaul at Avalon Fleet Yards that brought her systems up to par with modern standards.
Mission Parameters
Antares performs a wide variety of exploratory and scientific mission types in concert with the other vessels of Arcturus Squadron, which includes both reconnaissance tasks ahead of the squadron and follow-up scientific surveys of interesting phenomena identified by other vessels. With over twenty five generalist and specialist labs, including two astrometrics suites, cetacean operations, and an archiving center, Antares brings a comprehensive scientific skillset to situations where the squadron's explorers or research cruiser Saturn would be unnecessary or in too much danger. Alongside Buran and Hokule'a, Antares is one of the only starships in Arcturus Squadron that can land on planetary bodies. She uses this ability to explore hostile environments that prevent transporter or shuttle use, and to stay for extended surveys.
When not being used for scientific duties, Antares is used as the personal flagship of Vice Admiral Elizabeth Hayden, should the admiral have the need to leave Olympia Station, a duty Antares shares with the Challenger-class light cruiser Nellie Bly, depending on which vessel is available and what the nature of the travel is. While somewhat wasted as a flag courier, Antares is fast and well-defended.
Namesake
Antares is the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius, the name meaning "Rival to Ares," literally "the anti-Ares" in Greek ("Ἀντάρης"), because of its reddish appearance similar to that of Mars from Earth.[1] The position of the star in Scorpius lends the Antares its crest: a scorpion.
On Earth, Antares was the name of three auxiliary cargo vessels supporting the Navy of the United States of America.[2] Antares was also the name of the lunar lander of Apollo 14[3], a mission of that nation's nascent space arm, NASA, and the name for a system of expendable launch vehicles[4] in the early 21st century. Three other Federation starships and two starship classes have previously borne the name Antares:
- USS Antares – Antares-class surveyor
- 2240—2260 (Starfleet, transferred to Starfleet Auxiliary)
- 2260—2266 (Starfleet Auxiliary, Destroyed)
- USS Antares — Miranda-class light cruiser
- 2273—2309 (Decomissioned)
- USS Antares — Antares II-class scout
- 2309—2379 (Decomissioned)
Layout and Configuration
Antares was freshly updated in 2400 after twenty years of active service to modernize her core systems and internal layout. Her design now marries the sleek but comfortable principles of the Antares School of Starship Design (named for the shipyard, not for Antares herself, ironically) with the more stripped down, utilitarian aesthetic of the New San Francisco School that now guides much of Starfleet's shipbuilding practices. While senior officers' quarters remain multi-room apartments,
History
- 2370s - Antares is ordered at the beginning of the decade, but construction is delayed following challenges for the Intrepid class as a whole.
- 2370 - Antares is one of the twelve Intrepid-class starships ordered during the class's initial production run, slated to begin construction in 2372 following the launch and trials of the first six, including Voyager and Bellerophon.
- 2371 - The starship Voyager is lost in the Badlands. Project Intrepid is put on hold. This hold will continue through the Dominion War as combat-capable vessels are prioritized for construction.
- 2376 - Following the war, construction on Antares begins at Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards in the Sol system.
- 2378 - Voyager returns to Earth and some lessons learned during her journey are incorporated at the last minute into the design of Antares, increasing her construction time from thirty months to thirty six months.
- 2379 - Antares is launched mid-year and begins a six-month shakedown cruise lasting the remainder of the year.
- 2380s - Antares spends the first decade of her service life as a front-line explorer.
- 2380–2385 - Captain Elizabeth Hayden assumes command of Antares for a planned five-year mission of exploration in the far Beta Quadrant beyond Klingon space. With the chaos created by the Romulan Evacuation starting in 2381, Antares is recalled to Federation space and re-tasked with identifying potential colonial sites for evacuees.
- 2385—2390 - Hayden retains command of Antares for a second five-year mission, focusing on exploring within Federation space near to the Romulan border, with secondary objectives to monitor conditions within the Romulan Star Empire. By the time of the destruction of Romulus in 2387, Antares is essentially a patrol vessel.
- 2390s - Antares carries out two more five-year missions performing scientific studies within Federation space, as Starfleet continues to turn inward.
- 2400s - Following a mid-life refit, Antares is assigned to Arcturus Wayfinding Squadron for long-range exploratory missions under the auspices of the Fourth Fleet.
- 2400–2401 - Antares spends the year at Avalon Fleet Yards for a comprehensive mid-life refit. Changes include expanding the medical section and adding a large recreation facility at the aft end of decks five and six. Mainly, this refit restores all of her systems to launch-new condition and prepares her for a new chapter under the command of Captain Noah Armstrong.
- 2401 - Antares is assigned to Arcturus Squadron and began exploratory operations in and around the Talvath Cluster in early 2401. Antares joins the rest of Arcturus Squadron in the Olympia Sector later that same year.
Notable Crew
Commanding Officers
- Stardate 2380.1—2390.3: Captain Elizabeth Hayden
- Stardate 2401.1 — Present : Captain Noah Armstrong