Starships Names

[Golan-Trevize]

Why there is no starship in the B5, or ST universe for that matter, with the name of one of the portuguese discoverers, portuguese discoverers were among the most important in history so why there isn't a USS Vasco da Gama or an EAS Magellan?

[Laiden]

I agree that the portuguese discoverers were important, but if you notice, B5 has kept a consistancy of using Greek and Roman names taken from literature or gods. as for ST, they seem to use a lot of names of places for their ships as well as the simple yet powerful names that Nasa shuttles use.

[Golan-Trevize]

The Explorer Class vessels have explorers names

[Laiden]

you mean in ST? or in B5? Because in B5, there are only two Explorer Vessels and one was named the Cortez after a Spanish Conqueror. As for Sheridan's ship, The Agamemnon which can be construde as a explorer ship, was named after a Greek leader durring the Trojan War. In Star Trek, the Enterprise isnt a name of an explorer and it was, for a time, an Explorer class ship. there isnt a specific "explorer" class in ST, there are different classes based on size, but any one of those classes are fit for exploration where others were fit for War, but those were few in number for a long time.

[Golan-Trevize]

Laiden the Agamemnon is a Omega Class vessel, those have greek/roman names, the Cortez is an Explorer Class vessel, and there are more than two, one is the Cortez, other is Gideon's vessel and there are others, it would be stupid to just have just two Explorer class vessels.

[Laiden]

there are others, but not many. they are manufactured in such a large scale that its a small fleet, and they continuously expand the rim of known space. As sheridan said in "a distant star", "take a good look people. you'll be luck to see more than one of these in your life."

My original point was that the explorer ship is not named after an explorer like you were stating. I'll look further to see if I can find Gideon's ship's name. and yes Sheridan's Ship was a Cruiser, but it was sent to explore and make first contact with other beings. Which is why I said it can be construed (interpreted) as an explorer ship . . . some people look at it that way.

As for ST. Some of the smaller ships were named after explorers, but not many, and runabouts were named after rivers.

[grumbler]

There are several Explorer-class ships named in the B5 chronology, which JMS has declared authoritative.

Amundsen is part of Jankowski's fleet, but may be an earlier class.
De Soto transports Icarus to the vicinity of Z'Ha'Dum

Apparently Gideon's Explorer ship is named Phoenix though I have yet to confirm this.

Having a da Gama makes perfect sense - if there are more than three ships in the Explorer class, his name should be on one. He certainly was more of an explorer than Amundsen!

[NotKosh]

you mean in ST? or in B5? Because in B5, there are only two Explorer Vessels and one was named the Cortez after a Spanish Conqueror. As for Sheridan's ship, The Agamemnon which can be construde as a explorer ship, was named after a Greek leader durring the Trojan War. In Star Trek, the Enterprise isnt a name of an explorer and it was, for a time, an Explorer class ship. there isnt a specific "explorer" class in ST, there are different classes based on size, but any one of those classes are fit for exploration where others were fit for War, but those were few in number for a long time.

Umm, right and wrong, they weren't Exporer class, so don't call them that.

ST: Enterprise, NX-01, don't know class.
ST: TOS, NCC-1701 Constitution class heavy cruiser.
NCC-1701B,NCC-1701C Class unknown
ST:TNG, NCC-1701D Galaxy class
ST:Movie, NCC-1701E Sovereign class

You can construe a ship to be of the Lemon Meringue Pie class, if it sits in port making those for 10 years, but that has nothing to do with its class.

Likewise the Frigates, Destroyers, Cruisers and Aircraft Carriers, not to mention their helicopters did not become Astronaut Class when they were on Mercury/Gemini/Apollo recovery missions.

[NotKosh]

Why there is no starship in the B5, or ST universe for that matter, with the name of one of the portuguese discoverers, portuguese discoverers were among the most important in history so why there isn't a USS Vasco da Gama or an EAS Magellan?

Incorrect, you need to see the STTNG episode "Starship Mine" where the Enterprise was undergoing maintenance and Picard had to defend it from some Eco-Terrorists. There was a docked ship at that base, the USS Magellan.

http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/library/ships/article/70435.html

[Laiden]

I remember that one . . . thanks not kosh!

and there are some people (obviously not here) out there who will say "well sheridans ship was an explorer" when we all know it was a warship. that was my only point.

I am trying to find an earthforce ship that had an explorers name, but knowing Earthforce military . . . that seems unlikely, even for their deep range ships on the rim.

[Aaron]

ST: Enterprise, NX-01, don't know class.

Enterprise Class?? Isn't it traditional for the first ship of a class to take the class's name?

NCC-1701B

Excelsior Class (ST: Generations)

NCC-1701C

I wish I could remember that one. It's my favorite Enterprise.

[Golan-Trevize]

NCC 1701C was a Ambaassador Class if not mistaken, never saw starship mine so never seen USS Magellan

[Aaron]

NCC 1701C was a Ambaassador Class if not mistaken

That rings a bell. I think you are right.

[SpooRancher]

Umm, right and wrong, they weren't Exporer class, so don't call them that.

ST: Enterprise, NX-01, don't know class.
ST: TOS, NCC-1701 Constitution class heavy cruiser.
NCC-1701B,NCC-1701C Class unknown
ST:TNG, NCC-1701D Galaxy class
ST:Movie, NCC-1701E Sovereign class

You can construe a ship to be of the Lemon Meringue Pie class, if it sits in port making those for 10 years, but that has nothing to do with its class.

Likewise the Frigates, Destroyers, Cruisers and Aircraft Carriers, not to mention their helicopters did not become Astronaut Class when they were on Mercury/Gemini/Apollo recovery missions.

Enterprise NX-01 was referred to constantly as "Warp 5 Starship". Never by any other name.

NCC-1701B was Excelsior class.
NCC-1701-C was Ambassador class

Very good web site: http://www.st-intelligence.com/begin.html

[Ranger 6 and 7/8]

While I take my hat off to the Portugese Explorers of the past, we must remember that this is 200 years in the future. How many ships today are named for them? WHile there are a few, by the time we reach 22--, they will still be valuable, but the choice of namnig a ship will most likely be left up to the politicians as it is today. So while Magellan and de Gama are very important to the exploration of Earth, in the future there will be other explorers who perhaps dedicated their lives to the exploration of space. I would say they would probably be given to some of the prototype ships that didn't make it.