Battlestar Galactica Schematics

From LoveToKnow Sci-Fi

Battlestar Galactica schematics for the fictitious colonial military ship include the layout and specifications that make the futuristic setting real for BSG fans.

Overview of Battlestar Galactica Schematics

For a true overview of Battlestar Galactica schematics, it's important to look at Cylon War history to understand why Galactica was one of a kind. Originally, there were twelve battlestars, one representing each of the colonies. These ships were huge space faring monsters of about 4,640 ft. They accommodated at least four squadrons of 20 Vipers.

When the war ended, the original 12 battlestars remained in service while a new supply of updated battlestars were added to the fleet. The newer Mercury Class and Valkyrie Class battlestars were the best the fleet had to offer at the time of the collapse of the Twelve Colonies, and had almost completely replaced the original unnamed class. While these battlestar ships look similar externally, Galactica was not as technologically advanced as the newer battlestars.

Galactica Layout

Galactica's layout can be divided into two main sections.

Main Hull

When you hear the term hull you may think of the outer shell, but Galactica's hull can be broken into three major sections:

Alligator head – This is where water tanks are stored and the Combat Information Center is located.
Midship – This area holds the pod retraction systems and cross-ways linking to the hangar decks for the purpose of moving equipment and personnel.
Stern – The stern houses the sublight engines and Faster Than Light Drives

Twin Flight Pods

The twin flight pods are found on each side of the Galactica's hull. These pods hold the battlestar's Raptors and Vipers. While traveling at normal speed, these pods extend away from the main hull, and are retracted during faster than light jumps. When the pods are retracted, launches and landings are not possible.

Flight Pod Schematics

Taking a closer look at the schematics for Galactica's flight pods, you can begin to gain insight into the immense size of the ship. Each pod is made up of two main decks:

The upper landing bay - stretches the length of the pod
The lower launch bays – each pod is equipped with 40 or so launch tubes.
Hanger deck – this is where you'll often find the Chief. It's not only used for maintenance and repairs, but also for refueling, rearming and launch operations. This deck runs the entire length of the pod.

Combat Information Center

Combat Information Center – This is a circular room found in the belly of Galactica's alligator head at the point where the main hull joins the midship section. The Combat Information Center is a hub of activity as this is where the crew monitors and directs tactical and navigational operations. It's a two-level complex with three doors in and out, though these exits are closed during action. The stations located within the Combat Information Center include:

Command and Control
Communications
Damage Control
Engineering and Environment
Helm
FTL
Navigation
Tactical
Weapons Control

The Core

The Combat Information Center has a second deck known as the Core. From this deck, you can see everything going on below on the command deck. It's a narrow passageway, sparsely equipped with computers and consoles. This passageway follows a semi-circle that starts above the port hatch and continues to the back of the Combat Information Center, past Damage Control, over the Communications Center and Helm Control, and concludes over the starboard hatch. A pair of stairs leads to the Core. One is located next to the starboard hatch. The second set of stairs is found behind the Communications Center.

Weapons Control Room

One very important room you'll find on Galactica schematics is the Weapons Control Room. This room is tucked away beside the Tactical Station. While this is where Galactica's gun batteries are managed, this room is not clearly noticeable when watching the show, and is only manned during Action Stations.

While Galactica may look like a mechanical sea monster to some, her re-imaged design and inner workings make for a believable setting where the theory behind the show makes this a popular Sci-fi series.