Technical Files Homepage

Einstein-class Space Science Vessel (SRV)

Names and Disposition:

(NNS = Newport News Shipyard)

Ships' Complement:

• Ships' crew (1800 men)
• Space Naval air group (120 men)
• Space Marine unit (3000 men)
• Civilians (30,000 men)
• Life support limits are for a full combat complement and about 192,000 supernumeraries (200,000 men total).

Note: The given numbers are approximations; the exact number of personnel varied somewhat due to operational realities and different ships.

Dimensions:

• Length: 3750 meters without Nile-class Carrier
              5250 meters without Nile-class Carrier
• Height: 4500 meters overall
• Width: 4500 meters overall
• Fuel Mass: 1,650,000,000 metric tons
• Operational mass (typical): 16,500,000,000 metric tons without Nile-class Carrier
                                           16,512,500,000 metric tons with Nile-class Carrier

Propulsion Systems:

• Main power system: RRD Mk 9 anti-matter-fueled Reflex furnace. The powerplant can deliver up to 20 Exawatts of power, and can operate for ten hours minutes at maximum power before overheat initiates autoshutdown.
• Maneuvering thrusters (24): Overtechnology MRT-06 Fusion-plasma reaction thruster clusters with steerable nozzles mounted across the main hull of the ship.
• Reaction-mass thrusters (6): Rolls Royce MRE-12 Fusion-Plasma Reaction Thrusters with anti-matter energizer. These engines are mounted in the engine blocks of the ship three per block.
• Secondary thrusters (20): Pratt&Whitney ARE-7 Fusion-Plasma Reaction Thrusters with anti-matter energizer mounted on top and below the main engines, ten per block.
• Anti-gravity system: 400 Europa Drive Minotuar anti-gravity pods.
• Sublight drive (18): Shizuma Drive GDD-9 local, monopolar-induced gravitic space-time distortion drive.
• Space fold (1): RRD Mk19r spacefold. This system is conformal to the vessels surface. The problem with the vast majority of the previous generation of fold systems was that the fold bubble weakened the state of the structure to the extent that they needed a refit after only five years of service. As such the RDF mandated the use of conformal systems similar to the old Zentraedi systems which also allows for much higher speeds.  The Mk19r was created by placing eighteen Mk19 drives together to increase the fold mass.
• Planetary capabilities: The Einstein-class has atmospheric capabilities through its reaction thrusters and anti-gravity system. However, the ship cannot land on solid ground due to the design of the hull without serious damage. A water landing is possible however.

Endurance and Mobility Limits:

• The dry stores endurance is limited to only two months with a full crew complement. The extensive recycling installations ensured that only incidental biomass losses needed to be replenished. Water stores were recycled almost completely. The ship however needs to be constantly supplied foodstuffs and usually is by one of the many colony ships that accompany a colony fleet such as the Sunflower-class.
• The mecha consumables supplies (mainly missiles) are limited, and can sustain continuous combat operations for one week against an enemy. However, battles against the powers with capital ships will exhaust the anti-ship missile supplies at a faster rate, and these operations cannot be sustain for more than two days. The ship launched missile magazines should suffice for one large battles or about three or more smaller skirmishes.
• At full power, the main propulsion systems can produce up to 120 Teranewtons of thrust at a minimal reaction mass efficiency profile, or as little as 2.4 Teranewtons of thrust at a maximum efficiency setting. At lower power levels, these thrusts are commensurately smaller.
• At full power, the Einstein-class can achieve a maximum delta-v of 361 kps at the cruising acceleration of 0.1G, a maximum delta-v of 72.2 kps at the battle acceleration of 1.0G, and a delta-v of at most 19.5 kps at the flank acceleration of 2.0G. At lower power levels, these ranges are commensurately smaller.
• Sublight Drive acceleration is 500 g, but the vessel's maneuverability is reduced to such a degree that only minor course corrections are possible. Typical cruising speed is .15 c.
• The fold systems are not navigationally guaranteed for any single jump beyond 5 kiloparsecs. If longer voyages are required, the ships must conduct multiple fold jumps.
• The maximum sustained atmospheric speed is limited to sub-sonic speeds. A higher speed could be attained while accelerating to orbit, or in emergencies, but this stressed the engines to above their sustainable heat tolerances. The maximum hover time on the anti-gravity systems was limited only by maintenance requirements.

Weapon Systems:

Circa 2063

• Bofors PL-7 point defense turrets (40): Mounted behind movable panels in the upper and lower main hull (20 each). These standard RDF weapons can fire 53 MJ of particle energy four times per second at a range of up to 20 km.
• Lockheed SLBM launchers (8): The missiles are specialized Lockheed SLBM-11 Archer (Space Launched Ballistic Missiles) with nuclear warheads in the 5 MT range. The delta-v capacity of the missiles is 351.6 kps, and the magazine can store 12 missiles per launcher. These launchers are mounted on the sides of the main body, four per side.
• Raytheon Mk 267 surface to air missile launchers (20): A missile launcher mounted in a twelve tube pop-up turret, firing anti-mecha/missile missiles, though the projectiles can guide on point-blank enemy ships. When the missiles are released they are already on their intercept vectors, or very close to them.  The launcher is designed to fire the SA-12 Arrow medium range surface-to-air missile. Each turret has a reload time of 6 seconds and a magazine with a 1200 round capacity.  These turrets are mounted on the upper and lower main hull (10 each) behind armor plating and pop up when firing and are mounted on the main hull.

Electronics Systems:

• Hughes DSP-6 pinpoint barrier defense system(4): Uses four movable disks of force field, conformal to the ship's surface, to repel light torpedo attacks, or particle beam fire.

Air group and mecha complement:

(circa 2055)

(Space Naval Air Group)

• 30 VF-11 Thunderbolt Veritech fighter
• 1 SC-45 Hawk Personnel and Cargo Shuttle
• 5 VC-25 Samson Heavy VSTOL cargo transport
• 10 VC-27 Hercules Light VSTOL cargo transport

(Space Marine Unit)

• 600 VR-071 Protector Veritech cyclone
• 600 VR-077 Firefly Veritech cyclone
• 600 VR-074 Gorilla Veritech cyclone

(circa 2063)

(Space Naval Air Group)

• 30 VF-19 Excalibur Veritech fighter
• 1 SC-52 Vulture personnel and cargo shuttles
• 5 VC-37 Perseus Heavy VSTOL cargo transport
• 10 VC-39 Ajax Light VSTOL cargo transport

(Space Marine Unit)

• 600 VR-071 Protector Veritech cyclone
• 600 VR-077 Firefly Veritech cyclone
• 600 VR-074 Gorilla Veritech cyclone

Note: The given numbers are approximations; the exact number and type of mecha varied somewhat due to operational realities and different ships.

Design Notes:

In the event that a colony fleet encountered a habitable world, the Einstein vessel would work closely with the Riviera and Sunflower Class vessels of the fleet to determine if the prospective colony world is capable of supporting life. Many area's of the Einstein vessels have extremely dangerous chemicals and equipment, which is why these vessels are highly compartmentalized, and in the event of a hull breach or other damage the immediate sections of the ship surrounding the hazard can be completely sealed off to prevent the spread of damage or loss of environmental control. The crew of the Einstein vessels are well trained in crowd control and can quickly evacuate guests to shelters or escape pods in the event of a serious emergency. Einstein vessels are linked to Nile-class light space carrier. The Einstein vessels are controlled from the bridge of the attached carrier, and the carrier's squadrons provide protection for the colony vessel in case of attack. The carrier can disconnect from the Einstein if so required, and the Einstein vessel can control itself via an emergency bridge.

History:

The Einstein vessels, like the other ships of the colony fleet were developed at the same time as the Japan-class colony vessels. Since 2050 at least one Einstein has been assigned to every colony fleet.

Layout adapted from Robotech Reference Guide

Content by Jeffrey R. Spillner
Copyright © 1998-2002 Jeffrey R. Spillner

Page Last Updated on January 21, 2002 @ 14:00 GMT