CONCEPT "Deep Space Explorer Aquarius" is the flagship for the human component of the Deep Space Exploration Group, a space fleet more akin to the United States Coast Guard than the United States Navy.  The "Aquarius" is set in a fictional era a few centuries from the present.  That fictional era is somewhat like that portrayed in the original "Star Trek" TV series from the 1960's but differs in that is has much fewer star-faring sentient species and has more peaceful interstellar relations.  While equally capable of exploration, defense, and search and rescue missions, "Aquarius" class Deep Space Explorers spend most of their time serving on long-term exploration assignments.  As such, they have some living accommodations for families and visiting scientists in addition to regular Deep Space Exploration Group personnel. DESIGN NOTES The design for the "Deep Space Explorer Aquarius" is based on a "Star Trek"-inspired ship I did as a teenager around the time of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture."  It is meant to reflect the optimistic, non-militaristic view of the "Star Trek" universe as depicted in that movie. "Deep Space Explorer Aquarius" is a precursor of "Deep Space Explorer Inspiration" with both designs existing in the same fictional universe. While the "Aquarius" has much less internal volume than the "Inspiration," it is still larger than a modern United States Navy aircraft carrier with plenty of room for an extensive recreational complex. The conceptual inspiration for "Deep Space Explorer Aquarius" is the "USS Enterprise" from the original "Star Trek" TV series.  I see both vessels as romanticized versions of future human starships.  The style of the deck plans I have created for "Deep Space Explorer Aquarius" is based on that used by Franz Joseph for his "Star Trek Blueprints: General Plans Constitution Class U.S.S. Enterprise" from 1975.  The star-faring technology presented in my deck plans is roughly analogous to that of the original "USS Enterprise" and thus represents a late 20th century rather than an early 21st century conception of such technology.