Battlestar Galactica (ship)
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Battlestar ''Galactica'' is a space battleship in the
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and
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science fiction television Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary ...
series ''
Battlestar Galactica ''Battlestar Galactica'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The franchise began with the Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series), original television series in 1978, and was followed by a short-run sequel se ...
''. In the series, the
Twelve Colonies ''Battlestar Galactica'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The franchise began with the Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series), original television series in 1978, and was followed by a short-run sequel se ...
built approximately 120 Battlestars during their thousand-year war with the
Cylons The Cylons are the main antagonists of the human race in the '' Battlestar Galactica'' science fiction franchise, making appearances in the original 1978 series, the 1980 series, the 2004 re-imagining, and the spin-off prequel series '' C ...
, whose own battleships are known as Basestars.


''Battlestar Galactica'' (1978, 1980)


Introduction

One of several Battlestars constructed by the
Twelve Colonies of Man ''Battlestar Galactica'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The franchise began with the original television series in 1978, and was followed by a short-run sequel series (''Galactica 1980''), a line of ...
, ''Galactica'' represents the colonial planet Caprica, and is crewed mostly by Capricans. ''Galactica'' was launched more than 500 yahren before the close of the Thousand Yahren War (and the start of the pilot film)."The Hand of God" ''(1978 TV series)'' It is believed to be the only Battlestar to survive the destruction of the Twelve Colonies, until Battlestar ''Pegasus'' is found. ''Galactica'' is commanded by
Commander Adama {{DISPLAYTITLE:Adama (''Battlestar Galactica'') Adama is the family name of several fictional characters in the '' Battlestar Galactica'' sci-fi universe. In the Original Continuity: * Commander Adama, initially a member of the Council and then Pr ...
. In the pre-Holocaust Colonial Service, battlestars like ''Galactica'' operated as part of numbered naval fleets (e.g., the Fourth Fleet), A typical fleet comprised 600 fighting ships"Take The 'Celestra'" ''(1978 TV series)'' and operated independently from other fleets. Since the Holocaust, ''Galactica'' is the military's sole
capital ship The capital ships of a navy are its most important warships; they are generally the larger ships when compared to other warships in their respective fleet. A capital ship is generally a leading or a primary ship in a naval fleet. Strategic im ...
of any kind, except briefly for the ''Pegasus''.


Speed and armament

''Galactica'' is capable of lightspeed travel,"Experiment in Terra" ''(1978 TV series)'' although while escorting the refugee fleet she must limit her speed to that of the slowest ship. ''Galactica'' also has a complement of shuttles. Unlike similar civilian models, these transport craft include military gear for detecting electronic emissions from other spacecraft and drop chutes for paratroop assaults. In addition, ''Galactica'' has armored, tracked ground vehicles known as "landrams" and "snowrams." These are armed with an open turret on the roof and are landed by shuttles. ''Galactica'' carries a large number of manually aimed"Saga of a Star World, Part 1" ''(1978 TV series)'' laser batteries, both for anti-aircraft defense against fighters and for engaging other capital ships. As to purely defensive measures, ''Galactica'' is protected by both "electronic shields" and a heavy metal double-pocket hatch shield that covers its panoramic bridge viewport; the latter is closed in "positive shield" state and open in "negative shield" state. However, while these might provide limited protection, they are insufficient to guard against suicide ramming runs by Cylon raiders or pulsar-cannon fire from Cylon base ships. ''Galactica'' also has the ability to project a broad cone of energy, wide enough to cover much of one hemisphere of an Earth-sized planet, that is powerful enough to destroy ballistic missiles and their nuclear warheads.


Energy

A Battlestar such as ''Galactica'' has two sources of energy. The engines are powered by Tylium, a highly volatile liquid fuel derived from minerals mined on a limited number of planets. The Tylium is stored in two tanks located as far inboard as possible, since the detonation of either tank is sufficient to destroy the Battlestar."Fire in Space" ''(1978 TV series)'' Other energy needs are met by energizers, which are self-contained generators roughly the size of a human adult. These are located all across ''Galactica.'' Networked to each other, they are able to supply sufficient power to meet ''Galactica's'' needs even if some of them should fail.


Other Battlestar

Seven other Battlestars are specifically named in the series. They are ''Acropolis,'' ''Atlantia,'' ''Columbia,'' ''Pacifica,'' ''Pegasus,'' ''Rycon,'' and ''Triton''. Of the other ships it is known that ''Atlantia,'' ''Acropolis,'' ''Pacifica,'' and ''Triton'' were destroyed at the Battle of Cimtar in "Saga of a Star World." (''Atlantia'', the colonial president's Battlestar, is actually seen exploding before ''Galactica'' leaves the fleet to speed to the Colonies' defense, only to arrive too late.) The ''Columbia'' is mentioned in the episode "Gun on Ice Planet Zero" when a captured colonial pilot being interrogated says that he is from the ''Columbia'', but a Cylon Centurion refutes him saying it was also destroyed at Cimtar. ''Rycon'' is mentioned in passing in the episode "Take The 'Celestra' " as the ship of Commander Kronus. ''Pegasus'' is encountered in "The Living Legend." Novelizations based on the original series, various comic books, and other sources (original artwork for costume designs with ships' names and logos) have named several other Battlestars, including ''Bellerophon,'' ''Solaria,'' ''Cerberus,'' ''Olympia,'' and ''Prometheus''.


''Battlestar Galactica'' (2003)

In the re-imagined series, there were about 120 Battlestars in service prior to the second Cylon attack. ''Galactica'' (BS-75) entered service in the early years of the first Cylon War, under the command of Commander Silas Nash. During her service, ''Galactica'' formed a part of Battlestar Group 75 (BSG 75), a colonial force described by series creator Ronald D. Moore as a mixed force of vessels somewhat similar to a
US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
carrier strike group A carrier strike group (CSG) is a type of carrier battle group of the United States Navy. It is an operational formation composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, usually an aircraft carrier, at least one cruiser, a destroyer squadron of at least t ...
. After graduating from the Colonial Military Academy,
William Adama William "Bill" Adama ( callsign "Husker") is a fictional character in the re-imagined '' Battlestar Galactica'' television series produced and aired by the SyFy cable network. He is one of the main characters in the series, and is portrayed by ...
's first posting was to ''Galactica'' as a
Raptor Raptor or RAPTOR may refer to: Animals The word "raptor" refers to several groups of bird-like dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons. * Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunts and feeds on ...
pilot. Like many of her sister ships that survived the first Cylon War, ''Galactica'' underwent refits and upgrades (for example, at the end of her career, she was equipped with the latest Mark VII Viper space superiority fighter). However, the computer systems were never networked nor integrated during these refits. Due to this lack of network integration at the time of the Cylon attack, ''Galactica'' was unaffected by the infiltration program used by the Cylons to disable colonial vessels and defense systems, using the Command Navigation Program (CNP), developed by Dr.
Gaius Baltar Dr. Gaius Baltar is a fictional character in the TV series '' Battlestar Galactica'' played by James Callis, a reimagining of Count Baltar from the 1978 '' Battlestar Galactica'' series. He is one of the show's primary characters. Personality G ...
and subverted by Cylon operative Number Six as a back door into such systems. At the time of the Cylon Attack, ''Galactica'' was fifty years old and was undergoing formal decommissioning from the Colonial Fleet following her retirement as an operational vessel. The ship had been due to become a museum commemorating the first Cylon War and an educational center, with much of its outer armor and a number of weapons having been stripped. Due to its age and operating conditions, the ship is unofficially known as "The Bucket" by the crews of both ''Pegasus'' and ''Galactica''. Another nickname used by the crew is "The Big G" (a possible reference to the
U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
sailors' nickname for , "The Big E"). Galactica's starboard launch pod was outfitted as a Cylon war museum; this exhibit remained intact until the final mission against the Cylon colony. Since the Cylon attack, in keeping with the concept of the original 1978 series, ''Galactica'' became both protector and provider to a small fleet of civilian vessels searching for the legendary planet Earth. ''Galactica'' took heavy damage during its raid against the Cylons on planet New Caprica, and her hull was now clearly darker with burn marks and missile hits, most notably the three large holes on her back where the armor was weakest. The starboard hangar pod had been converted into a museum prior to ''Galactica''s intended decommissioning. The starboard hangar deck was used to house civilian refugees from New Caprica after the evacuation, and earned the nickname "Camp Oilslick". In "
A Measure of Salvation "A Measure of Salvation" is the seventh episode of the third season from the science fiction television series ''Battlestar Galactica''. Plot Major Apollo leads a boarding team inside the ship finding most of the Cylons are dead, however, a small ...
", which followed " Torn", Major
Lee Adama Leland Joseph "Lee" Adama (callsign "Apollo") is a fictional character in the television series ''Battlestar Galactica''. He is portrayed by actor Jamie Bamber, and is one of the main characters in the series. His first appearance was in ''Batt ...
informs ''Galactica'' that their
Raptor Raptor or RAPTOR may refer to: Animals The word "raptor" refers to several groups of bird-like dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons. * Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunts and feeds on ...
was on approach to the starboard landing deck, which indicated that the starboard flight pod had started flight operations again. However, this is likely a dialogue error because in the finale it was still shown to be a museum and Oilslick was never moved. In the episode "
The Woman King ''The Woman King'' is a 2022 American historical action drama film about the Agojie, the all-female warrior unit that protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey during the 17th to 19th centuries. Set in the 1820s, the film stars Viola Davis ...
", 300 additional passengers were shown being moved to the starboard hangar deck, and the area was given the name "Dogsville" by the ''Galactica'' crew. Upon arriving, each passenger was checked for medical issues by civilian doctors and medical staff. Also now housed in the starboard hangar deck was a makeshift bar called "Joe's", located behind a storage area. Joe's was equipped with a bumper pool table, Pyramid arcade area, and a heavily damaged Mark II Viper hanging over the bar. The bar was first seen in the episode " Taking a Break from All Your Worries". The bar appeared to have an alcohol still, similar to the one Chief Tyrol built in the port hangar deck, in the center of it. The piano that Kara Thrace plays in the episode " Someone to Watch Over Me" is located in Joe's Bar. In the episode "
The Passage Passage, The Passage or Le Passage may refer to: Arts and entertainment Films * ''Passage'' (2008 film), a documentary about Arctic explorers * ''Passage'' (2009 film), a short movie about three sisters * ''The Passage'' (1979 film), starring ...
" ''Galactica'' was used to house fleet passengers during the trip through a star cluster, leaving the fleet vessels to be flown by skeleton crews with radiation medication. ''Galactica'' was seen taking multiple hits from Cylon nuclear weapons and though the ship suffered damage, she was still operational. It is unclear exactly how well rated the Cylon nuclear weapons were versus ''Galactica''s armor. Also, as the nukes detonated outside of the vessel, most of the energy would have been directed and attenuated out into the area of least resistance: space. However, the punishment has apparently begun to accumulate. In " Blood on the Scales", after disabling the FTL drive, Chief Tyrol noticed a large crack in an interior wall; in the subsequent episode, "
No Exit ''No Exit'' (french: Huis clos, links=no, ) is a 1944 existentialist French play by Jean-Paul Sartre. The play was first performed at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in May 1944. The play begins with three characters who find themselves waiting ...
", a more detailed inspection reveals hairline fractures and more obvious structural damage throughout the ship. The damage is aggravated by the fact that the original builders of the ship 'cut corners' during her construction. Tyrol suggests applying a Cylon organic resin that will bond itself into the hull, both repairing and strengthening the metal as it matures. Admiral Adama initially refuses the idea, but after finding cracks in the bulkheads of his quarters, he gives Tyrol permission to do whatever it takes to repair ''Galactica''. The repairs were not proceeding well, with numerous electrical faults occurring throughout the ship. When Boomer made her escape, she jumped her Raptor close to the port forward section of the bow, causing a spatial distortion which caused massive damage both externally and internally, exacerbating the already heavy structural damage. At the onset of the series, ''Galactica''s last operational squadron of Mark VII Vipers participated in the decommissioning ceremony before departing the ship for reassignment. The squadron was redirected to intercept a group of Cylon fighters and was subsequently disabled by the Cylon
computer virus A computer virus is a type of computer program that, when executed, replicates itself by modifying other computer programs and inserting its own code. If this replication succeeds, the affected areas are then said to be "infected" with a compu ...
and destroyed. The Mark II Vipers meant for ''Galactica''s museum display were pressed into service to defend the ship; these and a small number of Mark VIIs comprised the ship's fighter complement until the arrival of the Battlestar ''Pegasus'' midway through the second season. ''Pegasus'' possessed construction facilities and flight simulators that allowed it to build and train new Mark VII Vipers and pilots to strengthen the squadrons of both ships. When ''Pegasus'' was destroyed during the liberation of New Caprica, her nearly intact squadrons were transferred to ''Galactica'', giving the latter a full complement of Vipers. By the time of the episode He That Believeth in Me, there were more Vipers available than qualified pilots, and trainees were pressed into service to defend the fleet. A significant number of pilots participated in the mutiny led by
Tom Zarek These are lists of characters from the various '' Battlestar Galactica'' incarnations. Original 1978 movie and series People from the ''Galactica'': * Commander Adama - played by Lorne Greene * Commander Cain - played by Lloyd Bridges * Capta ...
and
Felix Gaeta Lieutenant Junior Grade Felix Gaeta is a fictional character on '' Battlestar Galactica'' played by Alessandro Juliani. Arc Character overview in his early career Felix Gaeta is known for his friendly, encouraging, trusting, and idealistic na ...
. The pilots who refused to assist
William Adama William "Bill" Adama ( callsign "Husker") is a fictional character in the re-imagined '' Battlestar Galactica'' television series produced and aired by the SyFy cable network. He is one of the main characters in the series, and is portrayed by ...
in retaking the ship were court-martialed and incarcerated aboard the fleet prison vessel. The further reduction in manpower forces Adama to allow Cylon heavy raiders from the renegade basestar to assist in CAP duties alongside ''Galactica''s regular pilots. Due to the ship's age, battle damage, and subpar materials used in her construction, ''Galactica'' eventually begins to show signs of severe metal fatigue. Attempts to seal the ship's multiple stress fractures with the Cylon resin fail, and Adama orders the ship to be abandoned and stripped of weapons, parts and supplies. The discovery of the Cylon colony gives ''Galactica'' a brief reprieve, and a skeleton crew embarks on a mission to rescue the Cylon/human child Hera.Daybreak, parts 1 and 2, reimagined series. The crew of volunteers is supplemented by Cylon centurions from the rebel base ship as well as a small number of civilians including
Laura Roslin Laura Roslin is a fictional character in the re-imagined ''Battlestar Galactica'' series, portrayed by Mary McDonnell. She is the President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol and is one of the primary characters in the show. Character biography Ba ...
,
Gaius Baltar Dr. Gaius Baltar is a fictional character in the TV series '' Battlestar Galactica'' played by James Callis, a reimagining of Count Baltar from the 1978 '' Battlestar Galactica'' series. He is one of the show's primary characters. Personality G ...
, and Tory Foster.
Samuel Anders These are lists of characters from the various ''Battlestar Galactica'' incarnations. Original 1978 movie and series People from the ''Galactica'': * Commander Adama - played by Lorne Greene * Commander Cain - played by Lloyd Bridges * Captain ...
, a Cylon left in a vegetative state due to brain damage, is connected to the ship's systems, effectively becoming the Battlestar's version of a Cylon hybrid. ''Galactica'' jumps to within point blank firing range of the colony, making it impossible for missiles to be utilized, and sustains more damage in the exchange of gunfire. Anders successfully disrupts the colony's systems and shuts down their weapons. A squadron of Raptors jumps from ''Galacticas starboard landing bay, destroying it in the process, and the Battlestar is rammed into the colony. Marine and centurion assault teams from the Raptors and from ''Galactica'' are successful in rescuing Hera, but a counterassault by the remaining Cylon forces in the colony results in a standoff. A truce is negotiated, but hostilities resume when the Final Five fail to transmit the plans for Cylon resurrection to the colony. The colony is hit by several nukes accidentally fired from a disabled Raptor and begins being pulled into a nearby black hole. Kara Thrace jumps ''Galactica'' without retracting the landing pods, resulting in severe structural fractures along its length, effectively breaking the ship's back and rendering ''Galactica'' incapable of jumping again. Thrace uses co-ordinates derived from the musical notes of a song that has haunted both her and the Final Five Cylons, resulting in the ship arriving at the planet that will eventually become modern-day Earth. A Raptor is sent to rendezvous with the fleet, and the survivors of the Twelve Colonies settle on the planet along with the remaining Cylon rebels. ''Galactica'' and the other ships in the fleet are abandoned. Admiral Adama flies the last Viper off the ship, and the Battlestar and its fleet are scuttled by Samuel Anders, who pilots them on their last flight directly into the
Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...
.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battlestar Galactica (Ship) Battlestar Galactica Fictional spacecraft