For other uses, see Protostar.

The Protostar class was a 24th century Federation spacecraft type, an experimental starship class in Starfleet service in the 2380s decade. The USS Protostar (NX-76684) served as the prototype. This class carried a protostar drive, an advanced engine technology. (PRD episode: "Supernova, Part II")

Following the Attack on Mars, Starfleet halted production of the class. (PRD episode: "Ouroboros, Part II")

The class was active again in the 25th century. In the 2410s, the Khitomer Alliance classified it as a tier 6 temporal science spearhead. (STO website: Incursion: Command the Protostar Temporal Science Spearhead)

Technical specifications

24th century

Ships of the class were 139 meters long and six decks high. (SDCC Issue 016: "USS Protostar")

Armaments

By 2384, the USS Protostar possessed what Emergency Training Hologram Kathryn Janeway called a "sufficient tactical array". These weapons included phaser beam arrays on the ship's saucer section. Ships of the class were equipped with deflector shields whose shield bubble formed close the ship's hull. (PRD episode: "Lost and Found")

The tactical array allowed auto-targeting at the push of a button. (PRD episode: "Starstruck")

Projectile weapons included at least one torpedo launcher loaded with photon torpedos. (PRD episode: "Dream Catcher")

Systems

The vehicle replicator allowed for the swift construction of auxiliary vessels. (PRD episode: "Lost and Found")

A holodeck was included. (PRD episode: "Kobayashi")

The transporter allowed instantaneous matter transport. In 2383, the Unwanted discovered this system and used it to beam a piece of pecan pie across 200 meters inside the ship. (PRD episode: "First Con-tact")

Propulsion

A ship of this class was equipped with an impulse engine and two warp cores. (PRD episode: "Starstruck")

It would accelerate to a warp factor of 9.97. The protostar drive outpaced warp. At protostar warp, a ship could cross 4.000 lightyears in an incredibly short amount of time. This engine was powered by a literal, miniature protostar. During activation, the secondary hull opened up to unfold a third nacelle. The nacelle pylons moved the regular pair of warp nacelles down during protowarp flight. (PRD episode: "Terror Firma")

The protostar engine had to be engaged in order to perform a jump. (PRD episode: "A Moral Star")

The protostar drive consumed so much energy that it had to recharge after completing two jumps. (SDCC Issue 016: "USS Protostar")

25th century

Armaments

In the 25th century, the Protostar class carried fore forward weapon emplacements and three aft. Its phasers consisted of special Protostar phaser weapons. By default, a ship of the class was loaded with two Protostar phaser beam arrays in the fore and three such beam arrays aft. In addition, they carried two forward-facing quantum torpedo launchers. This contrasted typical Starfleet starship equipment of the time, which usually consisted of standard phaser beam arrays and photon torpedo launchers. (STO - Incursion mission: "Welcome to Earth Spacedock")

Ships of the class could be equipped with dual cannons. (STO website: Incursion: Command the Protostar Temporal Science Spearhead)

Systems and equipment

Standard equipment included unrated shield array, deflector array, deteriorating secondary deflector, impulse engines and matter anti-matter warp core. Secondary deflectors were standard issue for science vessel classes. (STO - Incursion mission: "Welcome to Earth Spacedock")

As a science vessel, the Protostar class was capable of weakening opponents and buffing allies with sensor analysis. It was also capable of subsystem targeting. As a temporal starship, this class could aim a molecular reconstruction beam at opponents. This was an innate ship mechanic. The special weapon of this class was operated from a universal console. The reformed living construct was a Vau N'Akat living construct, a type of weaponized lifeform that had been turned from an anti-Starfleet device into an ally by Gwyndala. A battle-hardened Protostar-class starship benefited from science vessel-based mastery in the shape of enhanced particle generators, advanced shield systems, enhanced restorative circuitry and reactive shield technology. The starship trait initially unique to this class was hexgrid shield focusing, a trait that eased restridibuting potential energy to the deflector shields. (STO website: Incursion: Command the Protostar Temporal Science Spearhead)

The hull was modular and could be modified at shipyards operated by New Romulus Shipyards, Klingon Defense Force Order of Builders and Starfleet Shipyards Operations at 25th century Khitomer Alliance facilities across the Milky Way Galaxy. (STO - Unveiled missions: "Welcome to Earth Spacedock", "The Hunt is On", "Explore the Flotilla", "Ceremony")

Propulsion

The impulse engines and warp core enabled a ship of this class to reach impulse and warp velocities. Access to the spore drive and the Khitomer Alliance-controlled transwarp network and Iconian Gateway Network enabled instantaneous movement for any Alliance vessel. (STO - Incursion mission: "Welcome to Earth Spacedock")

Unique to the Protostar class was its powerful and experimental proto-warp drive. The proto-warp replaced the quantum slipstream drive standard aboard all other Khitomer Alliance starships and enabled a Protostar ship to reach speeds equivalent or in excess of quantum slipstream velocities. (STO website: Incursion: Command the Protostar Temporal Science Spearhead)

Service history

The USS Protostar was launched from the San Francisco Fleet Yards above Earth in the year 2382. The first ship of the class was under the command of Captain Chakotay. (SDCC Issue 016: "USS Protostar")

The prototype of this class was dispatched by Starfleet on a mission to the Delta Quadrant. (PRD episode: "First Con-tact")

A temporal anomaly sent the Protostar almost 50 years into the future. The Protostar crashed on the planet Solum in 2436, after the end of the Vau N'Akat Civil War. The Vau N'Akat captured the ship and its crew. (PRD episode: "Into the Breach, Part I")

During the Order's attempt of destroying the Federation with a weaponized living construct in the past, Ilthuran the Diviner and the Protostar were stranded at Tars Lamora in the Delta Quadrant in the 2360s. The Protostar was buried on the asteroid and remained out of the Diviner's reach. (PRD episode: "A Moral Star")

The Unwanted^[2], prisoners of Tars Lamora, escaped with the Diviner's daughter Gwyndala aboard the Protostar in 2383. (PRD episode: "Lost and Found")

At the time, Starfleet had dispatched the USS Dauntless to search for the missing Protostar. In 2384, the Dauntless detected the protostar signature. (PRD episode: "A Moral Star")

In 2385, shortly after the Attack on Mars, the new Protostar-class ship, the USS Prodigy, was completed. However, Starfleet was going to decommission it due to the attack causing their focus to shift from exploration to defense. Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway instead had the Prodigy turned into a cadet ship in a pilot program under her authority and staffed it with the young former crew of the Protostar as well as Cadet Maj'el. Janeway also installed the Protostar's Emergency Training Hologram, Hologram Janeway, who was upgraded to be the Prodigy's Emergency Command Hologram. (PRD episode: "Ouroboros, Part II")

The class was shared by Starfleet with its Khitomer Alliance members in the 2410s. In the year 2411, a new USS Protostar represented its class. It was the only Alliance vessel capable of travelling at protowarp velocity and each vessel was equipped with a reformed living construct that was an ally. (STO website: Incursion: Command the Protostar Temporal Science Spearhead)

Known vessels

• USS Prodigy (NCC-81084)^[9]
• USS Protostar (NX-76884)^[5]
• USS Protostar II (NX-76884)^[1]
• USS Waltke (NCC-93669)^[10]

Appendices

Connections

Starship classes of the Federation Starfleet
subclass groups	Akira (Alita • Armitage • Thunderchild) • Ambassador (Alaska • Narendra • Yamaguchi) • Apollo (Akula frigate / light cruiser) • Cardenas (Buran) • Chesapeake (Mongrel) • Cheyenne (Dakota • Stargazer) • Chimera heavy destroyer (Manticore) • Concorde (Geneva battlecruiser • Presidio) • Constellation (Challenger deep space explorer) • Constitution (Achernar • Bonhomme Richard • Tikopai • Enterprise • Exeter • Excalibur • Vesper • Kirk • Crossfield (Glenn • 32nd century refit) • Danube (Yellowstone) • Decatur (Dreadnought) • Defiant (Gallant • Incursion • Nachthexen • Sao Paulo • Valiant • Vigilant escort) • Dervish (Gryphon • Hermes escort • Maelstrom • Tempest) • Destiny (Nimbus • Oracle • Trident) • Engle (Earhart) • Excelsior (Bismarck • Curry • Kirov • New Jersey • Resolute) • Galaxy (Andromeda (25th century) • Celestial • Envoy • Galaxy X • Monarch cruiser • Ross • Venture cruiser • Yamato dreadnought) • Hermes scout (Cygnus • Monoceros) • Inquiry (Avenger battlecruiser • Arbiter) • Hoover (Edison) • Intrepid (Bellerophon • Cochrane science vessel • Discovery (25th century) • Janeway • Pathfinder • Trailblazer • Yeager) • Kumari (Charal • Khyzon) • Luna (Comet • Polaris • Sol • Titan) • Magee (Shran (escort)) • Malachowski (Helios (tug)) • Miranda (Anton • Reliant • Soyuz) • Merian (Merian (dreadnought)) • Nebula (Magellan) • New Orleans (Lafayette) • Nimitz (Europa) • Norway (Oslo) • Nova (Aurora • Quasar • Rhode Island) • NX (Columbia • Poseidon) • Oberth (Clarke • Gagarin (23rd century) • Grissom • Sagan) • Odyssey (Verity • Yorktown (cruiser)) • Olympic (Hope • Horizon science vessel) • Prometheus (Cerberus • Hephaestus • Hestia • Phoenix) • Ptolemy (Dollond • Doppler • Keppler) • Remora (Charger) • Saladin (Cochise • Siva) • Santa Fe (Newport) • Saber (Gladius • Rapier • Ushaan) • Sentinel (Emissary • Nomad cruiser • Vanguard) • Shepard (Gagarin (25th century)) • Solanae (Helios • Montgomery • Omega) • Sovereign (Archon • Imperial • Majestic • Noble cruiser • Regent) • Steamrunner (Appalachia • Zephyr) • Vesta (Aventine • Rademaker) • Walker (Georgiou • Shenzhou ) • Wells (Eternal • Ouroboros • Verne)
other named classes	AA class • Aakenn • Achilles • Advance • Aegian • Aeolus • Aerie • Akula destroyer / escort • Ambassador Hardin • Andes • Andor • Andromeda (24th century) • Angelou • Antares • Apache • Aquarius • Archer • Archimedes • Ariel • Ark Royal • Ascendant • Atrox • Avenger (scout) • Babcock • Bader • Baker • Baton Rouge • Berena • Bode • Bolarus • Bonaventure • Bradbury • Brenton • California • Canada • Canopus • Capella • Castor • Centaur • Centaurus • Ceres • Cestus • Challenger • Chandley • Chariot • Chimer • Chimera fast frigate • Christopher • Clarke (25th century) • Cle Dan • Cochrane transport • Columbia • Condor (raider) • Continent • Contortrix • Copernicus • Courage • Daedalus • Dauntless • Decker • Defender • Delta • Deneva • Derf • D'Kyr • Drexler • Durrett • Eagle • Eclipse • Edward • Einstein • Eisenberg • El Dorado • future Enterprise • Epoch • Epsilon • Erewon • Eternal • Federation • Fenlon • Fermi • Fiji • Freedom • Friendship • Frontier • Gagarin (24th century) • Galen • Gallant • Ganges • Gemini • Geneva • Genser • Graceful • Gral • Grayson • Griffon • Guardian • Hale • Hermes fast cruiser • Heston • Hogan • Hokule'a • Horizon cruiser • Icarus • Ilthirin • Indomitable • Intrepid (22nd century) • Iowa • Istanbul • Iwo Jima • Class J • Jupiter • Karekh • Keith • Kethkin • Kiev • K'Kmarak • Kolm-An • Korolev • Larson • Lauro • Laweya • Legacy • Lenthal • Lexington • Liberty • Loki • Loknar • London • Madison • Makin • Mann • Marklin • Mars • Marshall • M'Benga • Mediterranean • Merced • Mercury (courier) • Mercury (escort) • Mercury (scout) • Merian • Merian (dreadnought) • Messier • Meteor • Midway • Mission • Missouri • Mobulai • MoKal • Moscow • Mulciber • Narcine • Nautilus • Nelson • Niagara • Noble laboratory vessel • Nomad escort • Northampton • Obena • Oberon • Odin • Odysseus • Okinawa • Oppenheimer • Orion • Osaka • Overfield • Paladin battlecruiser • Paladin destroyer • Paladin (24th century) • Parliament • Perseus • Phalanx • Phantom • Philadelphia • Pinnacle • Pioneer • Piper • Pollux • Portsmith • Pralim • Premonition • Protostar • Proxima • Pyotr Velikiy • Pyrenees • Rakota • Ranger battlecruiser • Ranger explorer • Ranger scout • Renaissance • Rickenbacker • Rigel • Rochester • Royal Sovereign • Rubin • Sagittarius • Samson • Saturn • Sawyer • Scorpio • Scryer • Scylla • Sequoia • Sevaijen • ShiKahr • Sierra • Solar • Springfield • Sulek • Surak • Sydney • Tangent • Theophrastus • Theseus II • Thomas Paine • Thucydides • Thufir • Tiberius • Ticonderoga • Tripper • Tritium • Typhon • Typhoon • Ukora • Ulysses • Universe • Ural • Utah • Venture scout • Vigilant scout • Voyager • Wallenberg • Wambundu • Wei-Fa • Wellington • Wilkerson • Wizard • Yamato • Yorkshire • Yorktown • Zodiac • unnamed
general type	Defiant pathfinder • Raging Queen • Sun Tzu • Valley Forge • Federation assault ship • Federation battleship • Federation cargo ship • Federation colony ship • Federation construction ship • Federation cruiser • deep galaxy ship • Federation dreadnought • Federation freighter • Federation frigate • Federation galaxy ship • Federation holoship • Federation heavy cruiser (2380s heavy cruiser) • Federation light cruiser (Constitution-variant light cruiser • Intrepid-variant light cruiser) • Federation medium cruiser (Excelsior-variant medium cruiser) • Federation mining freighter • Federation repair ship • Starfleet tanker

References

External links

• Protostar class article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
• Protostar Temporal Science Spearhead article at Star Trek Online Wiki.
• "Command the Protostar Temporal Science Spearhead" Incursion dev blog on the STO website.