More on the new Deep Space 9

Simon and Schuster have now released a higher quality version of the cover for Revelation and Dust, giving us a clearer view of the shiny new Deep Space 9. Click the image to enjoy at full resolution:

Pre-order: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it, Amazon.co.jp.

Meanwhile StarTrek.com posted interviews with Doug Drexler, who designed the cover, Andy Probert, who designed the new station, and Douglas E. Graves, who built the new model. Drexler described the first steps towards the design:

The basic configuration of the station had been predetermined by David R. George, the writer. There wasn't much wiggle room there. Andy, Deg (Douglas E Graves) and I are creative guys with our own ideas. I'm sure if left to our own devices there would have been three different and unique ideas. But we are also commercial artists. Our job is often to take a non-visual person's idea, sweeten, focus, massage... and then, hopefully, (provide) the proverbial happy ending.

I love Federation and Starfleet design, so I liked the idea of a Starfleet-ized DS9. I also love Andy Probert and think that his visual sense for Starfleet is second to none. I had been given the option of styling David R. George's station design myself, but frankly, given the choice I'd much rather see what Andy would do. That's the fan in me.

Graves went on to describe how he built upon Probert's design:

Andrew did the lion's share of lifting in regard to the styling of the design, no doubt about it. He drew up his sketches and even created a basic blocked-out Sketch-Up model of his design. With these in hand, I then created the high-resolution finished station configuration. The next phase entailed fleshing out the station detailing, which was based on Andrew's design sketches, combined with my own detailing choices drawn from my own Federation-based design sensibilities, which have become instilled in me over the many decades of watching Star Trek. I shared work-in-progress renders along the way with Doug to garner his always-valued input, and then his final approval of my build and paint-job.

Graves noted his highlights from the new design:

I love the whole station, top-to-bottom. At the core, I just love the Federation neo-flow take on such well-known classic lines. Just to see Andrew's sketches was a fan-rush. To see it fully constructed; wow! I love the magnetic rings, the new promenade, the huge environmental recreational dome, all the bays, portholes, landing pads, detailing, all of it. I loved rendering her out and then just looking at her as a fanboy. The design conveys one sleek and busy Federation space station, as it should be.

Some of which Probert also identified as interesting new features:

The magnetically-suspended defense rings (top and bottom), the overall size, and the very open-to-space glassed-in promenade.

The articles also included what appears to be arrangements for other cover designs:

See StarTrek.com, for the full interview with Doug Drexler, and Andy Probert and Douglas E. Graves.