Class and Type: Challenger-class Deep Space Surveyor
Commissioning Date: 2360
Lead Engineer: Bruce Ford

Hull Characteristics
Size: 5 (281 meters long, 14 decks)
Resistance: 3
Structural Points: 100
Operational Characteristics
Crew/Passengers: 210/40/625
   [5 pwr/round]
Computers: 4
   [4 pwr/round]
Transporters: 3 personnel/2 cargo/1 emergency
   [3 pwr/round]
Tractor Beams: 1 av, 1 fd
   [2/rating used]
Propulsion & Power Characteristics
Warp System: 6.0/9.2/9.6 (12 hours)
   [2/warp factor]
Impulse System: .6 c/.75 c
   [6/7 pwr/round]
Power: 135
Sensor Systems
Long-range Sensors: +2/17 light-years
   [6 pwr/round]
Lateral Sensors: +2/1 light-year
   [4 pwr/round]
Navigational Sensors: +2
   [5 pwr/round]
Sensors Skill: 5
Weapons Systems
Type VII Phaser:
   Range: 10/30,000/100,000/300,000
   Arc: All (720 degrees)
   Accuracy: 5/6/8/11
   Damage: 14
   Power: [14]
Type II Photon Torpedoes:
   Number: 50
   Launchers:  1 fd, 1 ad
   Spread:  2
   Arc: Forward or aft, but are self-guided
   Range: 15/300,000/1,000,000/3,500,000
   Accuracy: 4/5/7/10
   Damage: 20
   Power: [5]
Weapons Skill: 4
Defensive Systems
Cardassian Deflector Shield:
   Protection: 48/60
   Power: [48]

Description and Notes
Fleet data: In 2358, Starfleet Command realized that they had a gap in their ability to continue long term deep space surveying.  The aging Oberth-class, while an excellent surveyor, did not have the capability to operate independently in potentially hostile deep space, and the recently-commissioned Galaxy-class and Nebula-class vessels were not intended to stay on station for the lengths that most surveying projects entailed, so a new design was called for.

This design had to be capable of carrying out extensive surveys of regions of deep space while having adequate defensive capabilities to not leave them virtually helpless if confronted by another space-faring race or entity.  The Challenger-class Deep Space Surveyor was the result.  The vessel is quite capable of defending itself and carrying out in-depth surveys far from any support.

Noteworthy vessels / service records / encounters: U.S.S. Challenger, prototype, destroyed 2371; U.S.S. Armstrong, ambushed by Klingon battle group in 2373; U.S.S. Buran, lost at Wolf 359; U.S.S. Kearsarge.

Author's Notes
This vessel requires a minimum rank of Captain for a CO and requires only a two point expenditure to become a department head.

Editor's Notes
Looks about the same to an Intrepid to me (with the same function). Guess they need to put on bigger guns since three have already been lost...  ;-)

Star Trek® and all related marks ™, ®, & © Paramount Pictures. Star Trek The RPG™ and all related products are © Last Unicorn Games, Inc. Individual works are the property of respective authors and may not be reproduced without permission. HTML code, layout, and custom images are property of TrekRPGNet and may not be reproduced without permission. See the legal page for more information.