Explorer

 Observation/Medium Cruiser

Dimensions:
        Length: 367.8 meters
        Width: 171.4 meters
        Height: 194.6 meters
Acceleration: 1.8 KPH/S
Crew: 200
Cargo Capacity: 60,000 Tons
Troops:
        200 Light infantry
Dropships:
        4 D-1 Whale Medium Dropships
Fighters:
        12 Nightmare Heavy Intercept/attack/escort Fighters
Other Craft:
        10 All Terrain Landing Shuttles
        4 Harvesting Shuttles
Armament:
        4 Naval Autocannons
        9 Naval Lasers
Defensive Systems:
        Energy Pulse Field

 Overview:

The explorer’s large under-belly is used to hold previsions and fuel for extended missions. While its upper sections are filled with sealed laboratories, observation decks, and communications. The large bubble-like structures on the top are actually huge Bio-Domes. The other smaller domes on top are communications.

The explorer has a light armament of both weapons and fighters. These are used as only a last option after everything else has been attempted. The landing and taxing area for the aircraft is also used as light armor for the upper weaker section of the engines.

Capabilities:

Each of the four Bio-Domes are capable of containing its own eco-system. These jungles provide plants to circulate used or bad air through. The crew can also find an atmospheric condition that helps prevent Voyager’s Flu.

The communications domes are capable of reaching extremely long distances with their low frequency waves. One is the transmitter and one is the extremely sensitive receiver.

The engines are made to use as much room for propulsion as possible. This leaves very little room for fuel lines, maintenance crews, and other necessities. Because of this they are all on top of the engines leaving those places weak against an attack. Because the landing area was expanded to cover the whole upper portion of the engines and act as armor.

The weapons on the explorer are used to fend off small attacks or incoming obstacles or particles. They are not for using to fight with against anything above destroyer size. The Pulse Field works well to deflect or destroy many incoming particles or missiles, but it lacks the ability to even reduce the impact of lasers. The Nightmares are meant for defensive purposes only, though they may be deployed to destroy a lone outpost, grouped with a Whale.

Deployment:

The explorer was deployed to find more resources so not to over-mine Burham and make it unstable. To this date, only three long-range voyages have been attempted and each one was called home early due to a low food supply and various sicknesses (new one cataloged as "Voyager’s Flu").