Remmler Array

Universe :	Prime Timeline
Class Name :	Remmler Array
Type :	Baryon sweep facility
Unit Run :	Remmler array [1] - Active plus 8 others built in total. 3 have been lost in all.
Commissioned :	2341 - 2343, class remains in service
Dimensions :	Beam : 550 m Length : 1,200 m Height : 400 m [2] Decks : None
Mass :	4,350,000 metric tons
Crew :	15 crew in associated facilities
Armament :	None
Defence Systems :	Light Duranium Single hull. Low level Structural Integrity Field
Docking Facilities :	6 Standard docking ports
Remmler Array :	Not capable of independent movement; attitude control and/or orbital adjustment only.
Diplomatic Capability :	None. Associated facilities equivalent to Starfleet Grade 4, plus temporary accomodation for 1,500 personnel.
Expected Hull Life :	50
Refit Cycle :	Minor : 1 year Standard : 5 years Major : 25 years

Notes

Designed to conduct Baryon sweeps on Starships [1], the Remmler-class arrays are the largest of their types in service with the Federation. They are designed to service the largest starships, including the Ambassador, Nebula and Galaxy classes. [1] Since the first of the type came on line some thirty five years ago, the arrays have functioned successfully according to their design parameters, sweeping up to one starship per day.

The arrays are expected to remain in service for a further fifteen years or so; some thought has been given to replacement facilities, but this has not gone beyond the very early planning stage and so far no official requirement has been issued. It is likely, however, that any replacement type will be slightly larger in order to accomodate the new trend towards longer starships and will incorporate modern systems such as bio-neural gel packs and up to date baryon generator technology.

Colour key

References

#	Series	Season	Source	Comment
1	TNG	6	Starship Mine
2			Speculative	Scaled to the Enterprise-D in 'Starship Mine'. Fairly approximate figure.

Comments

Alas, we know little about the Remmler array beyond the fact that it conducts "baryon sweeps" to get rid of Baryon particles. For the non-physisists, a Baryon is basically a particle that is of equal or greater mass than a Proton. They include the Proton itself, Neutrons, and the heavier hyperons : the lambda, sigma, xi, and omega particles (yes, there is a real Omega particle and no, it doesn't destroy subspace!). Most of these are unstable and would decay on their own anyway. The stable ones - protons and neutrons - are things you really would not want to get rid of, unless you want to have the E-D converted into a cloud of free-floating electrons! I guess the future involves some sort or fundamental re-arrangement of particle physics...

Whatever the relevant science/technobabble is, the effects of the Baryon sweep are stated in the episode. My projection for the numbers of arrays comes out of the size of the Federation rather than the capacity of the arrays. The E-D's sweep took a couple of hours, tops; with time to clear the ship out and re-occupy it afterwards, I'd guess you could sweep at least one ship per day - actually many more if you have a queue of ships offloading and reloading outside the array itself, but let's take one per day as a conservative figure. Given that the E-D got its sweep in the sixth season, then I would assume that ships need a sweep on average every six years. One a day for six years lets an array handle some 2,190 ships - over half of Starfleet, according to the 4,000+ numbers I settled on! You'd never need more than two of the things.

However, given that it can take many years to cross the Federation at normal (rather than maximum) warp speeds, you would need several arrays if you were to avoid having to spend years travelling to and from your arrays. I would assume that there is at least a couple of dozen smaller arrays out there for the likes of the Saber and Oberth classes, and possibly hundreds for stuff like warp-capable shuttles and Runabouts.

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Last updated : 30 Nov -0001

Series :	TNG Season 6
Episode :	Starship Mine

Source :	Speculative
Comment :	Scaled to the Enterprise-D in 'Starship Mine'. Fairly approximate figure.