Starship Inquiry
Encountering
Ventasian Starship

Starship Inquiry
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Starship Inquiry
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2002 Version
Inquiry
Color Scheme A

Starship Inquiry is the largest exploration vessel of the Space Exploration Consortium space fleet from a fictional era perhaps a few centuries from the present. It has a star-faring technology that takes weeks to travel the handful of light years separating one star system from another. The Inquiry has capabilities similar to the starships seen on the Sci-Fi channel's TV show Battlestar Galactica but is set in a much more peaceful universe. Of my starships, it is the design most directly influenced by one of my science fiction artist hero, Chris Foss with a few features inspired by the work of my other science fiction artist hero, Robert McCall. All the small craft for the Inquiry were provided by fellow science fiction artist, Richard Jeferies. The images of earlier versions of this vessel were for designs that were larger and more technologically advanced than the current version.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Starship Inquiry was launched from Drydock Unity 9 in Earth orbit on 9 February 2163 AD.  This vessel was the largest exploration ship yet built by the Space Exploration Consortium, itself established in 2144 AD.  The era in the late 22nd century during which Starship Inquiry was in service was much different from that during which those who first dreamed of an organization like the Space Exploration Consortium lived.

The tumultuous century and a half separating these two eras witnessed tremendous changes: the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy resources, the migration of vast numbers of people due to destruction caused by global climate change, and the replacement of nation states by continental governments as the key actors on the world stage.

The era during Starship Inquiry’s travels was one of gratitude that the tough issues of global ecology, economics, and governance has been solved.  It was also an era of excitement as a now, calmer, and more united humanity began taking its first steps towards exploring interstellar space.

DIGITAL RESOURCES

Modeling - Rhino 4 and TrueSpace 6.6
Rendering - Flamingo 1.1
Textures - Marlin's Amazing Sci-Fi textures, P. Bourke, Sean Kennedy, Manfred Thaller, Jerry Westfall
Backgrounds - Custom Photoshop 7 brushes and Photoshop plug-in Lunarcell
Running Lights - Universe Image Creator
Miscellaneous - CorelDRAW, Corel Photo-Paint and Adobe Photoshop

PRIMARY DESIGN INFLUENCES

1. A conceptual design for Leviathan/Nostromo by Chris Foss for the science-fiction/horror film Alien

2. Various spaceship designs by Robert McCall