![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
Well I guess another chalk up in the using space for useless thing compartment for Trek.
Moderator: Vympel
I agree with everything here, except that Sternbach's quote clearly places the animals on board the E-D. Otherwise, there would be no way for anyone to be called to their operations center while on the ship.Publius wrote:Strictly speaking, the idea that aquatic mammals might be in active service with Starfleet's bureau of ships (or whatever division handles theoretical navigation) is not so much of a stretch. Recall that Captain Spock was able to telepathically communicate with the whales in The Voyage Home, and it was implied that, at least in the Star Trek canon, whales are fully sentient and intelligent.
Still, even if one allows that whales and dolphins may be commissioned officers in Starfleet, the very idea of actually carrying twelve dolphins and two whales about with one in space seems a grossly ineffecient use of space and resources aboard a starship.
One should note, however, that the text does not actually state that the seaborne research specialists are detailed to an actual Galaxy-class vessel in service -- rather, they are simply associated with research and development. Most probably, they reside on Earth.
Publius
And this doesn't fit with Star Trek, B&B era at least, how?Darth Wong wrote:Keeping dolphins onboard a primarily human-crewed spaceship would be idiotic.
"Flights of fancy" are OK. "Flights of stupid" are not.Uraniun235 wrote:Hmm.
I suppose 'flights of fancy' are strictly not permitted in fiction.
*cue cut Generations footage*Ghost Rider wrote:I wonder how many opf them died in the Generations crash![]()
Well I guess another chalk up in the using space for useless thing compartment for Trek.
Perhaps not, but their tank would almost need to be a permanent portion of the ship.Warspite wrote:If they are specialists, then their presence aboard might not be required 100% of the time. It would be a waste of assets, to have these "specialists" darting around space, on mundane ambassador ferrying missions, on known and frequently traveled routes, or going to 200+ year old Neutral Zone, prone to conflicts.
Maybe the presence is required when the ship goes into unknown space (e.g. uncharted territories), the navigation system receives a software upgrade () or needs some sort of calibration.
Naturally, unless they used a holodeck for the job...Master of Ossus wrote:Perhaps not, but their tank would almost need to be a permanent portion of the ship.Warspite wrote:If they are specialists, then their presence aboard might not be required 100% of the time. It would be a waste of assets, to have these "specialists" darting around space, on mundane ambassador ferrying missions, on known and frequently traveled routes, or going to 200+ year old Neutral Zone, prone to conflicts.
Maybe the presence is required when the ship goes into unknown space (e.g. uncharted territories), the navigation system receives a software upgrade () or needs some sort of calibration.
I'll second that! It's got to be the stupidest thing I've heard for a while!Darth Wong wrote:Keeping dolphins onboard a primarily human-crewed spaceship would be idiotic. Even if they do approach human intelligence, so what? The resources required to maintain segregated aquatic crewers upon a primarily humanoid-crewed vessel would be a massive waste.
Apparently, no one really knows. It's pretty typical to have 1.5 million gallon tanks for six dolphins, and the Orcas would need much more water per unit. I would estimate it would take no less than 4 million gallons to keep that many animals in relative health and good standing, and it could conceivably take as many as 6 million gallons. That is, quite obviously, a SUBSTANTIAL volume of the ship.Warspite wrote:Naturally, unless they used a holodeck for the job...![]()
Does anyone knows the necessary size of a tank to hold the dolphins and orcas?
Master of Ossus wrote:Apparently, no one really knows. It's pretty typical to have 1.5 million gallon tanks for six dolphins, and the Orcas would need much more water per unit. I would estimate it would take no less than 4 million gallons to keep that many animals in relative health and good standing, and it could conceivably take as many as 6 million gallons. That is, quite obviously, a SUBSTANTIAL volume of the ship.Warspite wrote:Naturally, unless they used a holodeck for the job...![]()
Does anyone knows the necessary size of a tank to hold the dolphins and orcas?
Unless I've flubbed the math, 6 million gallons = 22712m^3 = a cube 28.31m on each side. Granted a 28x28x28m cube isn't trivial but it's not as if half the saucer section would need to be devoted to tankage.Master of Ossus wrote:I would estimate it would take no less than 4 million gallons to keep that many animals in relative health and good standing, and it could conceivably take as many as 6 million gallons. That is, quite obviously, a SUBSTANTIAL volume of the ship.
The tank would not be a 28m cube, though. It would have to be relatively flat, about two decks deep (with another deck on top just to service the animals by feeding them and such), so that's about nine meters high, but then you would need to spread the tank over a larger portion of those three affected decks.Enlightenment wrote:Unless I've flubbed the math, 6 million gallons = 22712m^3 = a cube 28.31m on each side. Granted a 28x28x28m cube isn't trivial but it's not as if half the saucer section would need to be devoted to tankage.Master of Ossus wrote:I would estimate it would take no less than 4 million gallons to keep that many animals in relative health and good standing, and it could conceivably take as many as 6 million gallons. That is, quite obviously, a SUBSTANTIAL volume of the ship.