8.19 Mobile Space Refinery
The gigantic, propulsion-less mobile space refineries were built to produce and process antimatter wherever needed, proved their worth during the Four Years War, and as a one-of-a-kind type have never been retired.
Service Entry Date (Old Calendar): 2183
The need for large amounts of raw antimatter to power Federation starships saw the construction of these gigantic space refineries in 2183. They could either create raw antimatter from available matter or process natural antimatter wherever it might be discovered. They had no propulsion save for maneuvering thrusters and were usually towed into position by warp-powered tugs. They proved their value during the Four Years War with the Klingons (2246-2250), helping to keep Star Fleet vessels in the field while the limited Klingon fuel stores and stretched supply lines more than once caused their ships to withdraw from battle.
This “starship class” (although technically a mobile base) has never been retired due to its unique, one-of-a-kind nature. Star Fleet provides generous assistance to the civilian sector in their maintenance, modernization, and occasional upgrading because of their impact on fleet operations. The construction of a new mobile space refinery nowadays is rare, usually happening only when an older one wears out or is destroyed.
Specifications
- Length: 335 m
- Beam: 315 m
- Draft: 163 m
- Mass: 375,000 DWT
- Crew: 85
- Armament: none