8.13 Aurora Class Space Cruiser
The Aurora class, copied from a Vulcan pleasure craft, was the first warp-powered civilian starship offered for sale after the Romulan War, with hundreds built for wealthy buyers and a Meridio subclass adopted by Star Fleet as diplomatic couriers.
Service Entry Date (Old Calendar): 2169
The Aurora originated as a Vulcan “pleasure craft” that caught the eye of many a Terran visitor to Vulcan and its space colony worlds in the post-war era. Permission was eventually granted to copy the design so long as they left Terran factories unarmed. The Aurora class thus earned the unique distinction of being the first ever warp-powered civilian starship offered for sale after the end of the Romulan War. 269 of these six-person civilian starships would be built by 2180, with 3 major (Aurora, Montcalm, Merido) and 34 minor known different design variations. Among the various buyers were Federation politicians, business magnates, entrepreneurs, and wealthy families. The Aurora class was not limited to civilian use alone, though. In 2174, space cruisers of Duotechnica’s Meridio subclass would find their way into Star Fleet service as diplomatic couriers and low-priority transports. The Vulcan design heritage of the Aurora class ensured long service lives, with many still in service even today.
Specifications
- Length: 21.1 m
- Beam: 19.7 m
- Draft: 10.6 m
- Mass: 18.75 DWT
- Crew: 6
- Cruising speed: warp 1.0
- Maximum speed: warp 1.6