This design, however, partially blocked the main shuttlebay, making docking and launching of shuttles difficult. The replacement pod came in the form of a triangular module, connected to the stardrive section by a single pylon.

All Nebula-class ships were restricted to a speed of warp factor five, or warp seven under extreme emergencies, until the problem could be resolved. Years after the debut of the elliptical pod, reports were received claiming that micro-fractures had developed in the support pylons connecting the pod to the ship while at high-warp for durations longer than 48 hours. The original module design, however, would not last more than a decade. The design proved sound, and when equipped with specialized sensor pallets it greatly increased the range of the NebulaвЂ™s sensors. The original module was elliptically-shaped and connected to the stardrive section by the use of two support pylons.

The multi-mission modules used on the New Orleans-class vessels had proven useful, and a variant was designed for the Nebula. Starfleet did not feel the need to have two starships with вЂњrollpods,вЂќ and wished to try something different with the Nebula-class. Around that time the Akira-class Project was approved, and some of the design team members were transferred to that Project. In fact, as the prototype USS Nebula was being built, one of the chief designers referred to it as a вЂњ24th century Miranda,вЂќ a nickname that would later be transferred to the Akira-class Project.Д«y leaving seventy-percent of the interior unfinished, the USS Nebula (NCC-60202) was able to leave the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards вЂ“ minus the roll-pod вЂ“ under her own power in late 2353. The Nebula-class proposal used the same basic design as the Galaxy, with two major differences: the stardrive section was approximately 12 decks shorter than the GalaxyвЂ™s, and the warp nacelles were situated facing вЂњdownwardвЂќ as opposed to the вЂњupwardвЂќ placement on the Galaxy.ДЄnother design incorporated into the Nebula-class Project was the вЂњrollpodвЂќ used in previous classes, such as the Miranda. In 2345, the Nebula-class Project was officially approved after designers worked for nearly seven months side-by-side with the Galaxy-class Project team at the ASDB. Starfleet, however, was impressed with the design of the Galaxy-class, and wished to adapt it for use in a smaller, less expensive class of starships. Shortly after the Galaxy-class Project was approved in 2343, it was realized that the expense of building such a large capital ship, both in resources and time, would limit the number of ships being constructed. With the flexibility given to it by the replaceable pod-module, the Nebula-class has quickly become one of the most produced and utilized Starships of the 24th century. Designed to aid in long-range reconnaissance and search-and-rescue operations, the sensor pod quickly proved its usefulness, so much so that several Nebula-class vessels were allocated to border patrols. The first of which consisted of a sensor dome attached to the rear of the ship. Part of the design that was approved by Starfleet included a multi-mission module that could easily be exchanged within days at a certified facility. While Starfleet firmly believed in the feasibility of the Galaxy-class, they wanted a more cost-effective ship that would be able to perform much of the same missions as the larger, more expensive capital ships under construction. The Nebula-class was developed along-side the Galaxy-class in the 2340s and 50s.

Neptune class star trek