Epsilon IX - Specs

Universe :	Prime Timeline
Class Name :	Epsilon IX
Type :	Communications station [1]
Unit Run :	11 built in total. 1 has been lost in all.
Commissioned :	2260 - 2280, class remains in service
Dimensions :	Length : 350 m Beam : 400 m Height : 60 m Decks : 5
Mass :	650,000 metric tons
Crew :	15
Armament :	None
Defence Systems :	Standard shield system, total capacity 202,500 TeraJoules Duranium / Tritanium Single hull. Low level Structural Integrity Field
Docking Facilities :	12 Docking ring ports
Epsilon IX :	Not capable of independent movement; attitude control and/or orbital adjustment only.
Strength Indices : (Galaxy class = 1,000)	Beam Firepower : - Torpedo Firepower : - Weapon Range and Accuracy : - Shield Strength : 75 Hull Armour : 12.5 Speed : - Combat Manoeuvrability : -
Overall Strength Index :	16
Diplomatic Capability :	None
Expected Hull Life :	75
Refit Cycle :	Minor : 1 year Standard : 1 years Major : 25 years

Notes

The Epsilon stations maintained a vital subspace communications network across much of the Federation throughout the late 23rd to mid 24th century. The stations are of an unusual design, with the majority of their volume made up of large numbers of transceiver elements laid out in an almost flat grid pattern. The small crew lives and works in habitat pods similar to those used on the orbital office stations of the time.

Most of the eleven Epsilon stations led unremarkable service lives, but Epsilon IX played a key role in the V'Ger incident. The station was located near to the Federation/Klingon border, where it monitored Klingon activities as well as relaying subspace transmissions. In 2371 is detected the disastrous Klingon attack on the V'Ger cloud, and subsequently tracked the cloud as it entered Federation space. When the cloud approached Epsilon IX V'Ger apparently interpreted the scans directed toward it as a hostile act and digitised the station. [1]

By the mid 2300s the Epsilon station's role had been rendered largely obsolete by networks of much smaller but far more numerous relay stations. The last of the big arrays was closed down in 2355.

Colour key

References

#	Series	Season	Source	Comment
1			Star Trek : The Motion Picture

Comments

Only ever seen in TMP, the Epsilon IX station apparently performed the same task as the much smaller relay station in TNG's "Aquiel". The station is a very strange shape, and I've never been able to work out a mental image of exactly what it actually looks like, but it seems to consist of a large but relatively flat framework, most of which is uninhabited.

That the station has shields is established in V'Ger's attack, when the commander orders his deflector screens raised. 'Deflector' seemed to be a general word for any type of defensive shield in TOS, rather than being limited to the navigational deflector system as in much of later Trek.

That there were eleven stations is a guess, as is their date of construction, operational life, etc.

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Last updated : 31 Dec 2004