Celestra

In the Original series, Celestra is a civilian electronics ship within the Fleet, primarily responsible for work in the field of electronics, including Viper equipment development and testing.

Celestra has an extensive docking bay, capable of docking numerous Vipers and shuttlecraft. The ship has very little in the way of creature comforts, such as recreational facilities; the bridge is accessible only from its aft quarter.

Like all ships in the Fleet, Celestra has a homing beacon to stay with the Fleet.

Celestra was most recently led by Commander Kronus, who captained the vessel from the time of the holocaust until his death (at the helm of Celestra, during an attempted mutiny). (Take the Celestra). The ship's former executive officer was Charka, the orchestrator of the failed mutiny, now presumably imprisoned. The Celestra's current commander structure is unknown.

Crew

A majority of Celestra crewmembers are electronics specialists, while a few are security guards, shuttle pilots and ship operators. To oppose executive officer Charka's abusive practices, such as double-shifting entire families, many crewmembers undertook a mutiny, attempting to steal a shuttle and escape the fleet to a remote planet. Their mutiny failed amidst a laser battle in the docking bay. They were captured and being transported to a hearing when they suddenly found themselves stranded in deep space in the Celestra's shuttle. The crewmembers used their electronics expertise to modify the shuttle's scanners to track ions, which pinpointed the Celestra's location, thereby rescuing themselves.

Damon, electronics specialist, leader of first mutiny
Aurora, shuttle pilot, former love of Starbuck
Hermes, helm officer on bridge, participant in second mutiny

It is possible that Celestra was originally designed to be a work ship, with only its captain and a few others to remain permanently aboard; most of its crew would ferry on and off the ship in ten-centar (hour) shifts, for example. However, with the fleet constantly on the run post-holocaust, Celestra may have been forced to accommodate many more full-time crewmembers than its original design intended, hence the uprising.

Notes

The Sci-Fi Channel website has the Celestra as a ship listed in the Fleet of the re-imagined series. This has, however, not yet made canon as the ship has not been mentioned, and never seen closely enough to discern the large letters "Celestra" which are clearly visible on the side of the CGI model.