Daedalus (Stargate)

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In the Stargate universe, the Daedalus is Earth's second deep-space battle cruiser and one of three Daedalus class cruisers. Other Daedalus class vessels include the Odyssey and the Korolev. Based on the model of the X-303 Prometheus, the Daedalus was outfitted with the best available technology, including Ancient, Earth, and Asgard technologies. Her first mission was to help defend Atlantis against the Wraith hive ships that were making their way to attack the city in the Stargate Atlantis episode "The Siege, Part 3."

Spoiler Warning: Plot details and/or information about the ending follow. If you wish to enjoy the work first, stop reading here and return at another time.

1 History
2 Technology
3 Layout
4 Related Articles
5 Key Episodes

History

The Daedalus was sent to Atlantis shortly after the discovery of a full Zero Point Module in Egypt, due to the efforts of SG-1 and an Ancient time-travel Puddle Jumper. The ZPM's power was tied into the Daedalus's hyperdrive engines. With the extra power, the ship made the trip in only four days, covering 1,215 light-years per minute.

The Daedalus, under the command of Steven Caldwell, arrived just in time to rescue Lt. John Sheppard from his suicide mission to destroy a hive ship in a cloaked Puddle Jumper. When Hermiod unlocked the transporters, Daedalus was able to beam nuclear warheads aboard the hive ships, destroying them. This method was soon rendered useless, as the Wraith learned to jam the transporter signal.

While returning Atlantis personnel to Pegasus Galaxy from Earth, in the episode "The Intruder," the crew discovered a Wraith computer virus on board the ship. The virus was intuitive, learning and expanding over time with the intention of shutting down key systems in order to kill the crew and deliver the Daedalus to the Wraith. Sheppard and McKay were able to isolate the virus in an F-302 and destroy it.

In the Season 3 opener, "No Man's Land," the Daedalus goes after two Wraith vessels on their way to Earth with McKay and Ronon Dex as prisoners on board. With the aid of the Orion, the Daedalus managed to rescue Sheppard, Ronon, McKay, and Michael, and destroy one hive ship while disabling the other. She was severely damaged in the battle and lost life support. Unable to fix the ship quickly enough for the crew's survival, the crew beamed a retrovirus on board the Wraith vessel, transforming the Wraith crew into humans. They took control of the hive ship and used it to tow the Daedalus back to Atlantis.

Technology

The Daedalus is armed with rail guns and Mark VIII tactical nuclear warheads, and is capable of carrying sixteen F-302 fighters in her fighter bay. There are no Asgard weapons on board the Daedalus, and the Asgard-designed transporters are locked to prevent the beaming of weapons. However, during the first battle with the Wraith, the transporters were unlocked by Hermiod to allow Daedalus to beam nuclear weapons aboard Wraith hive ships.

The Daedalus also has advanced shields and hyperdrive engines. The Daedalus' hyperdrive enables the ship to make the trip from Earth to Atlantis in just under three weeks. Until the series' third season, it was the only means of traveling from Earth to Atlantis.

In addition to Asgard transporters and sensors, the Daedalus also has a set of ring transporters. In Atlantis' fourth season, the Daedalus was upgraded with Asgard plasma beam weapons that are able to slice through Wraith vessels.

Layout

Bridge—The bridge of the Daedalus is an improvement over that of the Prometheus. The layout is much more open. The weapons officer sits to the right of the captain, and the helmsman to the left. Control panels are distributed around the room's edge, to the left, right, and back. The communication screen lies directly in front of the captain's chair.

Engineering—The engineering center has numerous control panels, with several specifically designed for the Asgard. Hermiod is typically the Asgard at these controls. Engineering provides a view of the Asgard hyperdrive engines.

Flight Deck—The deck consists of two hangar bays. The starboard hangar houses the F-302 fighters, while the port deck is used for re-entry. The entry doors are shielded to prevent decompression.