Mercury class battlestar

File:Pegasus beauty shot .jpg

The Mercury-class battlestar, Pegasus

Mercury-class ships are an advanced type of battlestar introduced into the Colonial Fleet sometime after the First Cylon War.

Mercury-class battlestars include the Pegasus and, presumably, the Mercury.

From here down is --Alex mcpherson 13:54, 28 September 2005 (EDT) version. please edit to correct as i am using the episode pegasus for reference and even then what i remember from watching it, ill rewatch it when i have time.

Overview

The Mercury-class ships are an Advanced type of battlestar introduced into the Colonial Fleet sometime after the First Cylon War

Following the end of the war, the original battlestars remained in service, and other battlestars were built. Their numbers steadily increased to a grand total of 120 ships in the Colonial Fleet. Unlike the original battlestars, later vessels did include networked systems (Mini-Series).

While the term "battlestar" was also used to describe these newer vessels, it is apparent that there are other battlestar classes with subtle or significant design or dimensional changes. While this article primarily discusses the Mercury-class battlestar design, ofwhich the Pegasus is, there is at least one other battlestar class: The as-yet unnamed battlestar, of which Galactica is a member.

The structural look of the Mercury-class is significantly different to the Original Battlestar. for instance, the neck section seems to be smaller, and the flight pods are more, "boxy" then those of the original.

Following the surprise attack by the Cylons on the Colonials, Pegasus while at the Scorpion shipyards, Performed a blind jump. since then the Pegasus had been raiding cylon ships/installations then following the refugee fleet led by Galactica.

Since the Pegasus had successfully raided Cylons, it is thought that the hull of Mercury-class ships is stronger then that of original battlestar class ships, although the fact Pegasus didnt engage cylons till they probably removed the Command Navigation Program (Dubbed "CNP") -if it had it at all- may be the only reason they survived, and indeed have identical armor ratings. (fan observation) Also the fact that most of her networked computer systems, particularly defensive controls, were offline pending a refit, may indicate they didnt have the CNP system installed. when the attack started.

While original battlestars are space-going leviathans, some 4,640ft in length (Zoic), the size of the Mercury class has to be judged by onscreen evidence.

The Viper Compliment of the Mercury class seems to be entirely of Mark VII's, while the number they carry would likely be the same as the original battlestar. The Class also likely has a Defensive armament comparable to the original battlestar although this is just conjecture.

The Mercury-class is most likely extrememly maneuverable like the original, and can dock with space stations. (Admiral Nelena Cain states that they were stationed at Scorpion Ship Yards undergoing refit.) The Design of the Mercury-class does not allow it to enter a planet's atmosphere but the class can most likely manage a tenuous upper atmospheric storm like that surrounding the gas giant Ragner.

The Mercury-class FTL systems are likely capable of incredibly-accurate Jumps, (see the battlestar entry for more information)

Battlestars are intended to operate for long periods without resupply, so the Mercury-class should be no different. Their water purification capabilities are likely identical in capability to the original battlestar, and similar capabilities as described in the battlestar Entry.

Technical Specifications of the Original Battlestar

Dimensions

please note that dimensions stated below are mere estimations and are not sourced from anything but onscreen evidence. Hull:

• Length: 3,000-5,000ft
• Beam: 1,000-2,500ft (flight pod to flight pod)
• Draft: 500-700ft

Flight Pods:

• Length (approx): 2,000ft
• Beam (approx): 250-350ft
• Draft (approx): 200-250ft

Propulsion

• 2 x FTL engines and drive coils (Based on the Battlestar Specifications)
• 8 x sublight engines (observed - Pegasus (Episode))
• 40 of manuevring engines (10 clusters of 4 apiece) (Estimation basedon the battlestar specifications)

Armaments - Defensive

• Railgun turrets - Unknown Number
• Point-defense turrets - Unknown Number

Armaments - Offensive

• 4 squadrons of Mark VII "Viper" atmosphere-capable space superiority fighters (fan estimate)
• 10 "Raptor" reconnaissance/assault vehicles (fan estimate).

Crew

• Ship's company: 2,000 (series)
  • Officers (TBA)
  • Enlisted (TBA)

Notes

According to David Eick's video blog, it would have been impossible to afford creating new sets for the entire interior of the Pegasus on the budget of an episodic television show. This expense was circumvented when a year beforehand Ron D. Moore and David Eick bought (for next to nothing) the abandoned sets of the failed pilot for the FOX network's "Lost In Space" remake, directed by John Woo. The production team then held onto the sets hoping to find some later use for them, until later using them for the Pegasus. The sets were then radically redesigned and painted to give them the aesthetic look of the Galactica, but sleeker and more advanced.

Layout

The battlestar design common to all Battlestar classes (Observed) can be broken down into two main sections:

• Main Hull
• Flight Pods

Main Hull, Mercury-class Battlestar

This comprises the bulk of a battlestar, and can itself be divided into three sections:

• "Alligator head", containing the primary living space for the crew, recreational facilities, mess halls, shipboard operations centres (such as the CIC and Situation Room); water storage tanks
• Midships area: containing the pod retraction mechanisms, crossways linking the hanger pods for the transfer of equipment, Vipers, personnel, etc. All the necessary hoists for such transfers; main munitions stores and distribution mechnanisms to "local" munitions stores for main and secondary batteries; fabrication facilities; etc.
• Stern section: sublight engines, FTL drive coils, etc. Note that all 8 of the sublight engines are mounted in distinctive nacelles of their own, compared to the original which had only 4 , external and 2 between the nacelles.

The main hull houses all of a battlestar's offensive railguns, and also has a number of point-defence batteries mounted around it.

Flight Pods, Mercury-class Battlestar

These are mounted on either side of the hull and contain a battlestar's offensive Viper force. During normal operations, they are extended away from the main hull. During FTL jumps, the pods maybe retract against the hull, to provide a smaller cross-section for the battlestar during the jump itself. Wether it does this is unknown but looks like to doesnt.

• Each flight pod, if identical in length to the original battlestar is approximately 2,000ft in length and has a maximum beam of some 400ft (fan estimates)
• Each pod comprises two main decks for flight operations: the upper landing bay, which extends the full length of the pod; and the lower launch bays, which liekly provide 40 launch tubes per pod (fan estimate.)
• The landing bay serves as a recovery area for incoming Vipers and Raptors, approaches are made from the stern. The preferred approach is a slow run into the hanger, prior to making a vertical landing on a defined landing area. However, in emergencies, "rolling" combat landings can be made, in which a Viper or Raptor approaches at speed and makes a running landing on its undercarriage
• The forward end of the landing bay also serves as a launch area for Raptors and shuttles
• Each hanger bay is likely large enough to accept a variety of other Colonial vessels, up to and including vessels classified as "heavy" (such as Colonial Heavy 798)
• The Mercury-class's Pods may additionally contain a number of a battlestar's point-defence railguns - actual locations are unknown.
• The hanger bays in the pods are used as general dispersal areas for Vipers. The hangar bay runs the length of the flight pod, but can be divided and sealed off into sections for damage control purposes. Each hangar bay section has launch tubes, two launch control stations, and an elevator that leads to the landing bay above. The hanger bays are used for maintenance & repair of Vipers / Raptors, re-fuelling, re-arming and launch operations
• Viper flight operations are overseen by a Landing Signal Officer LSO, with each launch supervisor being directly responsible for all launch operations for a group of four launch tubes each

Other facilities within the pods include fuel storage areas for the Vipers and Raptors (and potentially for refuelling large vessels docked within the landing bays); munitions stores for Viper weeaponry; munitions stores for the point-defence railguns; parts stores for maintaining Vipers and Raptors, etc.

List of Known Mercury-class Battlestars in the Re-Imagined Series

Of these ships, viewers have seen only the Pegasus thus far. The class or design of other mentioned battlestars has not yet aired in an episode. In the Mini-Series, as Helo and Sharon Valerii descend to Caprica for an emergency landing, they pass by a massive debris field orbiting the planet. In this debris is the wreck of a battlestar, its hull burning and back broken. The full design or name of this ship is not known.

• Battlestar Mercury (It is presumed that there is a vessel named Mercury given the name of the Mercury-class)
• Battlestar Pegasus (Resistance, Pegasus, Resurrection Ship)

Original Series definition: a Cylon outpost (TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")

Re-imagined Series definition: operating system on military and civilian ships exploited by the Cylons (TRS: "Miniseries, Night 1")

Re-imagined Series definition: technology enabling travel across distances faster than the speed of light would permit, see: FTL

Re-imagined Series definition: the process of using the FTL engines to make an near-instantaneous apparent faster-than-light transport of a ship from one point in space to another

Re-imagined Series definition: officer responsible for flight operations of either a battlestar or battlestar group