STARFLEET SPECIAL PROJECTS
The Office of Special Projects was first established in 2137 as an internal branch of Starfleet Operations. At that time, Captain Maxwell Forrest was appointed as the Director of Special Projects, a title which was expanded in 2140 to the Chief of Special Projects when the office was reorganized to avoid duplicating its functions with Starfleet Engineering. In November 2140, the Office of Special Projects formally opened the "NX Project" in order to construct a viable warp five engine by the end of the 2140s.
The Office of Special Projects was headquartered at Starfleet Headquarters until the fall of 2140 when the expanded office became a tenant agency of the Starfleet Engineering Complex. This was mainly to facilitate the launch of test craft for the NX-Project from the complex into Earth orbit. In November 2142, Starfleet Mission Control assumed direct control of all NX project space launches.
Commodore Maxwell Forrest, who had originally been appointed to head the Office of Special Projects as a Captain
THE NX PROJECT
The NX-Project is a Starfleet program to construct a viable warp five engine for use in a space vessel by the year 2150. The project was first opened in November 2140 and successfully breached the Warp 2 barrier in September 2143. This was followed by development of a prototype Warp 3 engine in 2144.
NX Test Craft
NX Timeline
Constructed November 2140
Destroyed August 2143
Constructed March 2143
Breaks Warp 2 Barrier: Sept 2143
Nov 2140: The NX Project is formally opened by the Office of Special Projects.
Aug 2143: The test craft NX-Alpha is destroyed during an abortive attempt to break the Warp 2 barrier.
Sep 2143: The NX-Beta craft, in an unauthorized test flight, becomes the first craft to exceed Warp 2.
Oct 2144: A prototype Warp 3 engine, the Type 3 Pulse Phase Engine is designed.
Aug 2145: The test craft NX-Delta exceeds Warp Three.
May 2146: The Warp Five Complex in Montana delivers to the NX Project successful simulator data for the construction of an engine capable of speeds at Warp Five.
Jun 2148: The Warp Five Complex successfully prototypes a Warp Five engine. Starfleet begins procedures to construct a viable starship engine.
Feb 2150: The Warp Five Complex constructs a complete warp engine, the Type 5 Gravimetric Field Displacement Manifold, for use on the next generation of starship
.jpg)
Constructed April 2145
Exceed Warp 3: August 2145
NX Schedule
Phase One
Construct a test craft prototype for the design of a Warp 2 Engine
Successfully complete a warp flight beyond the Warp 2 barrier
Upgrade Warp 2 Engine for speeds above Warp 3
Phase Two
Complete theoretical simulations for engine performance at Warp 5
Complete an engine design for a spacecraft with a speed of Warp 5
Phase Three
Construct a Starship grade
Warp 5 engine
Construct a Warp 5 starship
Complete Warp 5 engine trials
Commission a Warp 5 starship
Phase Four
Construct a second generation
NX Type starship
THE NE PROJECT
The NE-Project is a parallel program to the Starfleet NX-Project whose purpose is to design a starship capable of speeds exceeding warp four. The NE-Project was established in September 2147 with the aim being to produce a viable starship design by the year 2150. The NE-Project prototype starship was designed based on the Neptune Class Frigate with enhanced warp engine capabilities as demonstrated by the NX Project.
In December 2148 the NE Project developed a viable Warp Four engine, with the keel laid for the USS FREEDOM, the lead ship of the Freedom Class, the following year. The FREEDOM was scheduled for commissioning in December 2149 but was destroyed in an accident when an Earth Cargo Service freighter collided with the Starfleet Shipyard on December 14, 2149.