Human starship
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Human starships were slipspace-capable vessels built by Humans.[1] Humans have maintained and created numerous starships throughout their existence and numerous factions have controlled them; often with their purposes, designs, and styles of organization.
They are the most complicated and expensive mechanisms built by humanity,[2] and the existence of human interstellar civilization rests on the ubiquity of slipspace-capable vessels.[1]
Overview
Organization
Several factions operate Human starships, including the Unified Earth Government and its branches the UNSC and the CAA. The Insurrectionist factions United Rebel Front and the New Colonial Alliance as well operated their own ships. Independent human governments such as the Gao Republic own their own ships also.
Beyond governments and political organizations, human corporations also had ships that they owned or otherwise used, like the Harris-Romner Bank and the Liang-Dortmund Corporation.
In a rare instance of this, the Covenant remnant faction the Keepers of the One Freedom also made use of some human starships.
These ships are differentiated from one another in multiple ways, though the main method is through their names and their prefix. Known prefixes include:
- UNSC - United Nations Space Command, Example: UNSC Pillar of Autumn, UNSC Forward Unto Dawn
- ONI - Office of Naval Intelligence, Example: ONI Acrisius
- CAA - Colonial Administration Authority, Example: CAA Butterworth, CAA Casbah
- CMA - Colonial Military Authority, Example: CMA Argo, CMA Laden
- URF - United Rebel Front, Example: URF Origami
- HRB - Harris-Romner Bank, Example: HRB Flintlock
Other identification methods include the Hull classification symbol, the Crew emblem, the UNSC REG system, the UNc system, and the UNSC Department of Commercial Shipping's Freighter identification codes.
Design and specifications
Numerous companies and organizations using numerous shipyards across human space produced or repaired ships. The companies and organizations include the Oros Trading Company, TanSec AB, Halifax Spacewerx, Aerofabrique SA, Reyes-McLees Shipyards, SinoViet Heavy Machinery, and Rhea Station. While the planets and moons housing the shipyards include Reach, Tribute, Mars,[4] Earth,[5] Luna,[3] Biko, and Skopje.[6] Rion Forge considers the best shipyards in the Outer Colonies by 2557 to be at Komoya, Sverdlovsk system.[7]
In some instances, the design or internal characteristics of a human ship have been modified with the technology of an alien species like with the Ace of Spades and a Design seed or the UNSC Gettysburg and Ascendant Justice.
A similar type of crystal based computer memory used in MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor is usually seen in ships.[8]
Armament
Humans have had armed ships since the ancient days with the Fibril cutter. After humanity returned to space, human ships were armed with a variety of weaponry including Archer Missiles, M910 Rampart point defense networks, nuclear weapons, and the Magnetic Accelerator Cannon.
Propulsion and movement
Intrasystem travel is done with Fusion drives. Though efficient and powerful, the travel times to the edge of solar systems are still measured in weeks.[2]
Human ships use a Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine in order to enter slipspace.[2] While in slipspace, ships build up a vast amount of static electricity which is discharged through the Polymerized lithium niobocene.[9]
History
Ancient history
- Main article: Prehistoric human civilization
Humanity was once a highly advanced spacefaring civilization, spanning a number of star systems. They operated a number of ships, including the Prime cruiser. Many human starships fought at the Battle of Charum Hakkor during the Human-Forerunner wars against Forerunner starships. Following which, humanity was fragmented and de-evolved into a variety of subspecies and lost all space travel knowledge in the process.
Rise of humanity
- Main article: Domus Diaspora
Due to the Great Purification, humanity had to rebuild it's space-based efforts. In 1961, Yuri Gagarin was the first person to be in space, again.[10] Early human starships included rockets and shuttles.[11]
Unfortunately, It wouldn't be until 2291 before humanity relearned the secrets of Slipstream Space, thanks to the efforts of Tobias Shaw and Wallace Fujikawa[12] The viability of the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine was tested in situ in a starship.[13] In 2362, the first extra-solar colony ship was created, named the Odyssey. This sparked a wave of colonization.[14] Along with the Odyssey, the first known ship of the prolific Phoenix-class colony ship was built.[15] These colonization ships were built or otherwise serviced above Luna.[3]
Insurrection
- Main article: Insurrection
By 2490, humans had established 800 colonies, divided by the prospering Inner colonies and the underdeveloped Outer Colonies.[14] Political tension existed because of this division. One of the starting factors of the resulting insurrection was the Callisto Incident which saw the capture of the UNSC Callisto.[16] Space warfare between the UNSC and insurrectionist factions took place.
Around this time, the CAA Chalybeate touched down on Komoya for repairs in the Sverdlovsk system, but wouldn't take flight again. Instead, over decades more ships would land, forming a ship-based city on the moon.[17]
The UNSC developed a number of ship classes during this period including the Valiant-class super-heavy cruiser,[18] the Orion-class assault carrier,[19] and the Halcyon-class light cruiser.[20]
In 2524, the civilian ship National Holiday was destroyed by a bombing from Insurrectionists over Reach.[21]
Human-Covenant war
- Main article: Human-Covenant war
The first contact between Covenant species and humans took place when a Covenant starship, Minor Transgression attacked the human freighter This End Up.
Following the start of hostilities, the UNSC stripped the Colonial Military Authority of most of its naval resources and gave them to NAVCOM.[22]
The war saw combat losses far outstripped shipyards' abilities to build replacements for both military and commercial ships. Trade restrictions were also put in place to limit the risk that slipspace travel represented to remaining colonies.[2] Construction on the UNSC Infinity, the largest starship humanity at this point had began in 2544.[23]
Post-war
Following the end of the war, trade restrictions were lifted and new ship classes were planned. However, the focus on rebuilding UNSC naval vessels and limited building capacity meant that merchant ship production was lessened.[2]
After the war, an unprecedented addition of human ships was created, the energy shield. The Autumn-class heavy cruiser, the Strident-class heavy frigate and the Infinity-class supercarrier were all added to the UNSC's fleet; all three had built-in shielding.[24][25]
The various ship battles throughout the war created debris fields over human colonies. One instance of this was over Tribute.[26] Civilians could also scavenge some of these ruined ships and even claim them using loopholes in the maritime salvage law.[27]
Types
Warship
- Main article: Warship
The UNSC has operated most of humanity's post-Great Purification fleets, including their most powerful warships. These include the powerful cruisers, carriers and a battleship class. Smaller vessels include corvettes, frigates, and destroyers.
Insurrectionists as well managed to capture or otherwise procure warships. The Iliad, a United Rebel Front frigate, was known to harass and attack UNSC ships around Eridanus II in 2517.[28] The URF also operated a destroyer, the URF Origami.[29]
Ships of the type
| Faction | Class | Ship Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | Charon-class light frigate | Bellicose | Captained by Lyrenne Castilla. |
| Faction | Class | Ship Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gao Republic | Basilisk | Independence | |
| Patrol corvette | Esmeralda |
Colony ships
- Main article: Colony ship
Humanity maintained numerous colony ships, the Phoenix-class colony ship, the Star Charter-class colony support ship, and an unidentified colony ship.
Ships of the type
| Faction | Class | Ship Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liang-Dortmund Corporation | Star Charter-class colony support ship | Meridian 5-Alpha | Grounded to Meridian |
| Unknown | NZ-111 27 | Colonized Darkstar Station, Meridian |
Cargo and transport ships
Several cargo ships and Freighters were created by humans. This includes the Parabola-class freighter, the Laden-class freighter, the Bactrian-class freighter, the Banta-class colony ship, and the Mariner-class transport ship.
Ships of the type
- Main article: Civilian vehicles
| Class | Ship Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Parabola-class freighter | Laden | Unknown |
| Mariner-class transport ship | Ace of Spades | Unknown |
| Unknown | Distancia | Unknown |
| Finnegan's Wake | Unknown | |
| Floral Express | Unknown | |
| Kestrel | Destroyed | |
| Petya | Abandoned | |
| Pilgrims' Pride | Destroyed |
| Class | Ship Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HRB Flintlock | Securities transit ship |
| Faction | Class | Ship Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keepers of the One Freedom | Laden-class freighter | True Light |
Luxury vessels
Among the various human luxury vessels are Yachts; personal craft in use by civilians primarily.
Ships of the type
| Class | Ship Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | Two Drink Minimum | |
| National Holiday | Destroyed in Insurrectionist bombing |
Tug
- Main article: Tug
Ships of the type
| Class | Ship Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | Galileo's Worst Enemy | Unknown |
Gallery
Various ancient human warships including a one class of cruiser
The ship which helped test the viability of the Shaw-Fujikawa Engine.
Sources
- ^ a b Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 114-115
- ^ a b c d e Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 38-39
- ^ a b c Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo, Domus Diaspora, p. 52-53
- ^ Halo Waypoint: Canon Fodder - Buzz Generating
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Community Update - Chasing Shadows (Retrieved on Jun 1, 2020) [archive]
- ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, Dirt
- ^ Halo: Renegades, chapter 1
- ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2011 edition) - Project: MJOLNIR, page 91
- ^ Halo: Reach, Dr. Halsey's personal journal, July 30, 2511
- ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition), Human Colonization of Space, p. 42
- ^ Origins
- ^ Halo 3, multiplayer map Orbital
- ^ Forever We Fight
- ^ a b Xbox.com: Halo Storyline (Defunct, Copy on HBO Forums, Wayback Machine, and Halopedia)
- ^ Halo: Outpost Discovery, Hall of History
- ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, p. 436
- ^ Halo: Renegades, chapter 1
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Bulkhead Banter
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Armory Amore
- ^ Halo: Combat Evolved: Sybex Official Strategies & Secrets, page 60
- ^ Halo: Contact Harvest
- ^ Halo Wars: Halo Wars Timeline Events
- ^ Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo, page 133
- ^ Spartan Ops - Episode 1: Departure
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - En Voyage
- ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 179
- ^ Halo: First Strike (2010) - Adjunct
- ^ Halo: Fall of Reach, Boot Camp
- ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 36-37
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