Outbound Explorer was a fully automated excelsior launched 1 year after the wale probe incident. It was intended to serve as a hyper long range probe beyond the galactic barrier and effectively purposed to explore over distances that would never be traversed in the span of a single lifetime.
While external modifications are minor the most obvious difference is the complete lack of windows on the ship. Crew living spaces and cargo bays are substituted for massive internal tanks which can allow the ship travel at continuous warp for years at a time without needing to stop to gather fuel. While weaponry is unneeded the ship is fitted with a enormous compliment of probes that can be fired automatically using the existing torpedo bay. In the event the vessel is borded or becomes irreparably disabled it is equipped to overload its warp core rather than risk violation of the prime directive by its capture.


Gift image uploaded with permission of http://www.furaffinity.net/user/marcusstarkiller/
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