Miranda Class

Statistics

• Type: Medium cruiser (original configuration), Supply ship (USS Lantree), science vessel (USS Brattain)
• Length: 233 meters
• Crew: 26 (Lantree configuration)
• Armament: 6 dual phaser banks (all configurations); 2 pulse phaser cannons (USS Reliant and Majestic configurations); 4 photon torpedo launchers (USS Reliant configuration) 2/4 photon torpedo launchers (USS Majestic configuration), "Class 3 defensive": phasers only, no torpedoes (USS Lantree configuration), 1 ventral dome mounted phaser (type unknown) (USS Saratoga configuration)
• Defenses: Deflector shields

The Miranda-class starship was a type of medium cruiser introduced by Starfleet in the late 23rd century and had a production run through the mid 24th century.

History

Miranda-class starship portside view

Introduced in the latter half of the 23rd century, these ships typically performed patrol and survey assignments. Despite the small size, the class performed satisfactorily. Several series and variants of these ships were produced throughout the 23rd and 24th centuries, with many still serving in the fleet through the mid-2370s. The design filled a number of different mission profiles, including Supply ship (the USS Lantree), science vessel (the USS Brattain). These vessels served in a large number of engagements during the Cardassian Conflict. Used primarily as escorts, many were subsequently lost.

Many ships of the class saw action during the First and Second Battles of Chin'toka and the Battle of Cardassia. Many ships of the class were stationed near Deep Space 9.

Technical Data

Physical Arrangement

The configuration of the Miranda-class shares a similar design lineage and features with the Constitution- class, implemented in 2270.

All Miranda-class starships have a saucer section making up the majority of the vessel. The saucer is similar to that of a Constitution-class, but with a bulkier aft end with shuttlebays and a Warp core. Below the saucer, at the aft edges, are the nacelle pylons connected to the warp nacelles.

There are four configurations of the Miranda-class:

Reliant Configuration

• The most common was the USS Reliant configuration, which had a "roll bar" immediately above the nacelle pylons. The "roll bar" had two phaser emitters on each side that could fire both foward, aft, and to the ships flanks, along with 2 forward and 2 rear firing photon torpedo launchers.

Lantree configuration

• Another configuration was the USS Lantree configuration, which lacked the "roll bar" and featured only Class 3 defensive armaments. This type of Miranda class was apparently suitable for transport duty. This configuration was not widely used due to it's limited role capabilities. it is suspected that it was used primarily to transport materials or personnel over long distances.

Saratoga Configuration

• The USS Saratoga (NCC-31911)configuration, which lacked the "roll bar", and had two large sensor pods installed on the port and starboard sides of the ship. It also had a modern solid-beam phaser array mounted on the lower part of the sensor dome. This configuration was most commonly found after 2367. The vessels of this configuration played a large roll in the Battle of Cardassia as well as acting as convoy escorts during the Civil War.

Majestic Configuration

• The Majestic configuration, which had the "roll bar", but the warp nacelles were different from the other Miranda configurations, along with some other details which could indicate a further design variant or refits to the original USS Reliant configuration .

Some of the ships of this configuration were seen with a red glow where the rear torpedo launchers should be. It has been theorized that the red glow on the Majestic rollbar were an extra set of impulse engines, but this has not been confirmed -- that part of the ship could glow red for other reasons, after all.

Interior Design

Main Bridge

23rd century Miranda-class bridge

The Miranda-class bridge of the 23rd century shared a similar layout to that of the upgraded Constitution class vessels.

Located on Deck 1 of the saucer section, the Main Bridge houses the command center of the Miranda-class. The design lineage of the main bridge is a fairly standard floorplan for a Federation starship.

Located in the front was the ship's viewscreen, with side-by-side navigator and helm consoles. The captain's chair is directly aft of the aforementioned stations.

At the center, rear of the bridge, was the turbolift-entryway. The primary stations, which were located along the rear of the bridge included the tactical station on the port side of the bridge. Along the rear, starboard side of the bridge was the primary science station and communications station.

24th century Miranda-class bridge

Later 24th century Miranda bridges used flat touch interfaces and consoles like those used on other 24th century vessels.

The bridge of the USS Reliant, appearing in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was a redress of the Enterprise bridge, with different colours and a rearrangement of the panels. Because of this, some of the displays mistakenly had diagrams of the Constitution-class ships on them. The bridge of the Miranda-class USS Saratoga NCC-1867) in Star Trek IV was similar to the Reliant bridge.

Later 24th century Miranda bridges used flat touch interfaces and consoles like those used on other 24th century vessels.

Ships Commissioned

• USS Athana
• USS Brattain (NCC-21166)
• USS Lantree (NCC-1837)
• USS Majestic (NCC-31060)
• USS Nautilus (NCC-31910)
• USS Reliant (NCC-1864)
• USS Saratoga (NCC-1867)
• USS Saratoga (NCC-31911)
• USS ShirKahr (NCC-31905)
• USS Sitak
• USS Tian An Men (NCC-21832)
• USS Trial (NCC-1948)

Background

Name

The name Miranda-class was not mentioned in dialog on screen, but was devised by the art department of TNG to refer to this design. The name was used on several pieces of on screen signage referring to these vessels, and is also used by official references such as the Star Trek Encyclopedia.

The name "Miranda" may refer to a character from the play "The Tempest" by Earth playwright William Shakespeare. Shakespeare invented the name, which is a play on "admired" for the play. In the play, Miranda is the daughter of the wizard Prospero. She exclaims the famous line once referenced by Captain Jean-Luc Picard "Brave New World...", one of the most appropriate of all Shakespeare quotations for the Federation's message of peaceful exploration of the unknown.

However, it is also possible that the class was named for Miranda, the smallest and innermost moon of Uranus (which was in turn named after Shakespeare's Miranda).

Technical Manual

The following information of specifications and defenses comes exclusively from the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual:

• Type: Medium Cruiser
• Production Base: ASDB Integration Facility, Starbase 134 Integration Facility, Rigel VI
• Accommodation: 220 officers and crew; 500 personal evacuation limit
• Power Plant: One 1500 plus Cochrane warp core feeding two nacelles; one impulse system
• Dimensions:
  • Length: 277.76 meters
  • Beam: 173.98 meters
  • Height: 65.23 meters
• Mass: 655,000 metric tons
• Performance: Warp 9.2 for 12 hours
• Armament: Six type-7 phaser emitters; two pulse phaser cannons; two photon torpedo launchers