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Galactica (TRS)

From Battlestar Wiki, the free, open content Battlestar Galactica encyclopedia and episode guide
Revision as of 04:37, 14 October 2006 by Number1 (talk | contribs)
For the Original Series Galactica, see Galactica (TOS). For the Video Game Galactica, see Galactica (Video Game).
Galactica (BS 75)
Galactica (BS 75)
Race: Colonial
Type: Military
FTL: Yes
Propulsion:
Crew: Approximately 2,650
Capacity:
CO: William Adama
XO: Karl Agathon (presumed)
Role: Carrier / battleship hybrid
Weapons: Primary and point-defence Kinetic Energy Weapons, conventional missiles, nuclear warheads, Vipers, Raptors
Armaments: {{{arm}}}
Defenses: {{{def}}}
Aircraft: {{{aircraft}}}
Aviation facilities: {{{facilities}}}
Fate: Active
Emblem: [[Image:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]]
Other Images: Gallery
Dimensions
Length: {{{length}}}
Width: {{{width}}}
Height: {{{height}}}
Weight: {{{weight}}}
Wingspan: {{{wingspan}}}
Other: {{{otherdi}}}
Game Information
Cost: {{{construction}}}
Construction Time: {{{construction}}}
Hull Size: {{{hull size}}}
Hull: {{{hull}}}
Mobility
FTL Cooldown: {{{ftl cooldown}}} turns
Speed: {{{speed}}} m/s
Turn Rate: {{{turn rate}}}°/turn
Armor Sum
Armor Total: {{{armor total}}}
Armor Left: {{{armor left}}}
Armor Right: {{{armor right}}}
Armor Front: {{{armor front}}}
Armor Rear: {{{armor rear}}}
Armor Top: {{{armor top}}}
Armor Bottom: {{{armor bottom}}}
Armament
DRADIS Range: {{{dradis range}}} m
Processing Power: {{{processing power}}}
Munition Slots: {{{munitions}}}
Munition Cooldown Period: {{{munition cooldown}}} turns
Squadron Slots: {{{squadrons}}}
Squadron Size: {{{squadron size}}}
Special Abilities: {{{special abilities}}}
Additional Information

The veteran battlestar Galactica (BS 75) is the most famous warship in the Colonial Fleet. Built in time to participate in the Cylon War, she remained the only military vessel without integrated computer networks. Without networked computers, Galactica never upgraded to the new integrated defence system software developed by Dr. Gaius Baltar and his team. Because of this and other fortune, she became one of only two battlestars to survive the renewed Cylon attack on the Twelve Colonies, some 40 years after the end of the first war. At the time of the attack, she was part of the 75th Battlestar Group (BSG-75).

History

Galactica was one of the twelve first battlestars to be laid down by the Colonials. Initially they built a battlestar to represent each colony, where Galactica represented Caprica. As such, she is some 50 years old. Following the outbreak of Cylon hostilities several more battlestars were built. Galactica's first commander was named Nash (Miniseries).

A dorsal view of Galactica. The starboard flight pod is covered by a window to form the museum area.

The original battlestars were all designed with non-integrated computer systems to avoid the Cylons' demonstrated ability to override or subvert networked command and control systems early in the war (Miniseries). Rather than technological sophistication, the battlestar depended on its sheer bulk and defensive / offensive capabilities to ward off any threats to itself or the Colonies.

Following the armistice with the Cylons, and their withdrawal from Colonial space, Galactica and her sister ships served the Twelve Colonies in a variety of roles. While her surviving sister ships were scrapped or upgraded to match the systems capabilities of newer Colonial vessels, Galactica continued in service without her systems being fully networked or integrated, making her unique among Colonial military vessels (Miniseries).

With her active career drawing to a close, a decision was taken to retire Galactica and decommission her from service. Colonial Fleet chose not to scrap her, but to turn her into a combination of living museum to the original Cylon War and an educational center, with her conversion being overseen by her final commander, William Adama (Miniseries).

At the time of her formal decommissioning ceremony, Galactica is stripped of all but one of her operational Viper Mark VII squadrons, her munitions are destroyed, and her starboard landing pod is a pressurized museum which houses (among other things) a full squadron of Mk. II Vipers as well as a Viper model that appears older than the Mark II (Miniseries, also in Deleted Scenes).

With the renewed and unexpected Cylon hostilities, Galactica quickly proves her worthiness as a warship is far from over as she sorties several Mark IIs retrieved from her museum to challenge her first Cylon attack in over 40 years (her last Mark VII squadron was sent to Caprica for reassignment). The old battlestar withstands a direct hit from a tactical nuclear missile while unsuccessfully performing evasive maneuvers, but later Jumps successfully to Ragnar Anchorage to retrieve much-needed ammunition stores at this hidden depot.

Galactica finally bares her teeth in this new Cylon war as she single-handedly engages two basestars with her gun batteries, providing covering fire for an assortment of 75 civilian ships containing the last survivors of the Twelve Colonies. All ships, with Galactica last to leave the engagement zone, escape to a destination past the Red Line, never to return to Colonial space.

Since the exodus of the Colonials from their overrun homeworlds, Galactica becomes both protector and provider for the Fleet. She provides covering fire for the Fleet during Cylon attacks no fewer than 240 times (33, Act of Contrition). The battlestar provides much of the Fleet with recycled water (Water) and she is the primary source of medical care, where groups of civilians are periodically brought aboard for check-ups and treatment (Litmus). Galactica also undertakes internal policing duties within the Fleet (Water, Bastille Day).

Galactica successfully goes on the offensive against the Cylons, capturing a tylium fuel mining and processing plant in the process (The Hand of God).

The advanced battlestar Pegasus, commanded by Admiral Helena Cain, joins Galactica approximately 6 months into their exile (See the series timeline for special information about this milestone).

Pegasus and Galactica destroy two basestars as well as a critical Cylon support ship known as the Resurrection Ship. After Admiral Cain's death, President Laura Roslin promotes William Adama to Admiral, restoring him to overall Fleet command, but now with two battlestars at his disposal (Resurrection Ship, Part II).

New Caprica

Following the founding of New Caprica, Galactica was assigned to the Orbital Defense Force that protected the planet. During this time the majority of it's crew were sent to the surface in an effort to populate the planet and restore the human race - including most of it's senior officers. This would cause the ship to fall into disrepair as time went on, and even routine training exercises had become difficult to launch. One year following the founding of New Caprica, a fleet of Cylon ships entered into orbit of the planet. Severely limited in it's abilities, Admiral Adama knew success would be difficult and ordered the fleet to jump away - vowing that they'd return to liberate the planet. (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II).

Four months later Galactica's staff was still in the process of developing a rescue strategy with 16 training exercises having been completed and a 17th underway when an accident caused it's early ending (Occupation). This resulted in a plan being devised relatively quickly, and a change in strategy. While Galactica fought to liberate the planet, Pegasus would protect the remaining civilian fleet (Precipice, Exodus, Part I).

Equipment

One of Galactica's large cannon turrets

Galactica shares the same overall technical specifications as other original Colonial battlestars of her class, with the following key differences and qualifications:

Available Flight Pods

Only Galactica's port flight pod is in service. The starboard flight pod was enclosed and pressurized as the main museum display facility for her pending decommission. It is violently depressurized after a Heavy Raider crashes into it (Scattered). No episode since "Valley of Darkness" addresses the status of the flight pod since its depressurization.

Nuclear Warheads

Galactica had five nuclear warheads as of "Bastille Day." Commander William Adama uses one warhead to destroy a Cylon basestar (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II). Dr. Gaius Baltar cannibalizes one to use in his Cylon Detector, which he later gives to Gina, who detonates it aboard Cloud Nine. This leaves Galactica with three warheads (It is unknown how many nuclear warheads Pegasus still had when it encountered Galactica, and they may have pooled their nuclear ordnance stockpiles since then).

Vipers

Prior to the arrival of Pegasus, Galactica has at maximum thirty-four Vipers, of which at least six are Mark VIIs (c.f. Viper tally).

Galactica receives additional supplies from Pegasus since her arrival that helps in repair and refurbishment of her original fighter complement; more recently, she receives new Mark VII Vipers built aboard Pegasus using raw materials mined from an asteroid and the advanced battlestar's Viper construction facilities (Pegasus, Scar).

Raptors

The number of Raptors available to Galactica is portrayed inconsistently. The current assumption is that the battlestar has at least five Raptors, having left Ragnar Anchorage with at least eight (c.f. Raptor tally).

Other Craft

Crew

Before the attack, Galactica has approximately 2,800 crewmen, while awaiting its decommissioning. By the time of the arrival of Pegasus, attrition has reduced this number to about 2,660. (c.f. Crew tally)

File:Mini gal side viper.jpg
A stricken and slowly spinning Galactica after a nuclear missile strike. Starbuck's Viper closes in to survey.

Senior Staff before the founding of New Caprica

Former On-screen Members of the Senior Staff

  • Captain Lee Adama - CAG (Promoted to Commander and assigned as Pegasus CO)

Related Imagery