[sigtau]

An engineer for a currently-unspecified Fortune 500 company has drawn up meticulously detailed plans for a full-scale USS Enterprise replica, able to move itself with constant acceleration sufficient enough to get us to key points throughout the solar system--and apparently, this feat can be accomplished cheaply.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47396187/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.T7FBuFKbjAM

I doubt it'll happen, but it's still cool to think about.

EDIT: Also, this.  http://www.buildtheenterprise.org/

EDIT 2: And their forums.  http://www.buildtheenterprise.org/forum

[General Battuta]

it's cool to think about how immediately and obviously terrible this design is

[sigtau]

killjoy 

Although I would have to agree that the Enterprise's shape is probably a terribad design or layout for our first space-faring feat of awesomeness in the early-to-mid 21st century, isn't it still a good thing that someone took the time to draw up plans for something that's even remotely and financially feasible?

[Dragon]

Nice dream, but there are better ways to design an interplanetary starship. Not to mention nobody would fund such thing these days. World is going bankrupt around us and this guy thinks about a Star Trek ship?
If that's really possible though, there must be an even better, cheaper and more efficient way to design such a ship.

[General Battuta]

The world is not going bankrupt 

[Blazar]

Sometimes I get a really big smile while reading my tech stuff on the web.
In my view we should strive to do things which seems out of reach, but with endurance, courage and
most of all brainpower we will get there some day...maybe sooner then you think.
Don't think small, think big or very big.
Anyway it's also nice to just daydream about it

[General Battuta]

On paper it looks like this ship is about 25% propellant. That seems really wastefully low, all other design issues aside.

[Dragon]

If I were to improve that design, I think I'd saw off the engineering section, instead mounting the reactor on the axis around which the saucer would rotate. The thrust would be perpendicular to the saucer's plane (this would ensure even G-force distribution when thrusting and simplify the design a bit). Hangar on the front (this would simplify launches). If anything, the whole thing would resemble Earth Force One from B5.

[StarSlayer]

I just imagine making first contact with aliens and them thinking how utterly dumb as rocks our species must be because we threw pragmatism to the wind in order to build a damn TV show ship.  We're already going to be hopelessly technologically inferior, we could at least try to look like we have enough pragmatism to fill a thimble.

[Qent]

I imagine making first contact with aliens to find that they've done exactly the same.

[swashmebuckle]

...and in the spirit of Star Trek, we will pay for the ship by cutting social security and public healthcare!  Come on guys, it's a win-win!

[Legate Damar]

This isn't supposed to happen for another 200 years... there must be a temporal agent influencing the past.

Don't worry humans, I'll enlist the resources of the Obsidian Order to undo this distortion of the timeline.

[Mongoose]

I just imagine making first contact with aliens and them thinking how utterly dumb as rocks our species must be because we threw pragmatism to the wind in order to build a damn TV show ship.  We're already going to be hopelessly technologically inferior, we could at least try to look like we have enough pragmatism to fill a thimble.

Hey, it worked in Galaxy Quest.

[StarSlayer]

I just imagine making first contact with aliens and them thinking how utterly dumb as rocks our species must be because we threw pragmatism to the wind in order to build a damn TV show ship.  We're already going to be hopelessly technologically inferior, we could at least try to look like we have enough pragmatism to fill a thimble.

Hey, it worked in Galaxy Quest.

See the difference is they actually built a fully functional NSEA Protector in Galaxy Quest.  We would be flying in the face of sense in order to make a junker shaped like the 1701.

[Ghostavo]

I just imagine making first contact with aliens and them thinking how utterly dumb as rocks our species must be because we threw pragmatism to the wind in order to build a damn TV show ship.  We're already going to be hopelessly technologically inferior, we could at least try to look like we have enough pragmatism to fill a thimble.

Hey, it worked in Galaxy Quest.

You just had to remind us of that awesome theme song didn't you? 


We still need the Omega 13 device...

[Klaustrophobia]

the USS Enterprise has been built for close to 60 years now....

[Cyborg17]

the USS Enterprise has been built for close to 60 years now....

It took me about 45 seconds but .... I see what you did there.

[jr2]

Cool stuff.  IDK if it will ever move beyond a dream, but cool nonetheless.

Also, Legate Damar, relax.  No warp drive on this Enterprise, so the timeline isn't that far askew.

[deathfun]

I'd like to see this Enterprise built
I don't give a damn about the design problems associated with it. You can build the next generation one like that
But the Enterprise would simply be damned cool

[BlueFlames]

This isn't supposed to happen for another 200 years... there must be a temporal agent influencing the past.

Don't worry humans, I'll enlist the resources of the Obsidian Order to undo this distortion of the timeline.

Might want to let them know about a cardassian in communication with the human race a couple hundred years before first contact. 

You could also point out the lack of a Eugenics War in the 1990's.  I mean, come on!  Without the Eugenics Wars, we don't get Kahn, and without Kahn, history will proceed into the 23rd century with a distinct lack of KAAAAHHHHN!!