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{{DISPLAYTITLE:USCSS ''Nostromo''}}
  
{{DISPLAYTITLE:USCSS ''Nostromo''}}
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{{Quote|This is commercial towing vehicle Nostromo out of the Solomons, registration number one-eight-oh-niner-two-four-six-oh-niner.|'''[[Ellen Ripley|Ripley]]'''}}
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{{Quote|This is commercial towing vehicle Nostromo out of the Solomons, registration number one-eight-oh-niner-two-four-six-oh-niner.|'''[[Ellen Ripley|Ripley]]''' (from {{A1}})}}
 
{{Vehicle Infobox
  
{{Vehicle Infobox
 
|image=[[File:USCSS Nostromo.jpg|250px]]
  
|image=[[File:USCSS Nostromo.jpg|250px]]
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|manufacturer=Lockmart<ref name="CMTM135">{{cite book|title={{ACMTM}}|author=[[Lee Brimmicombe-Wood]]|publisher=[[HarperPrism]]|year=[[1996]]|page=135}}</ref>
  
|manufacturer=Lockmart<ref name="CMTM135">{{cite book|title={{ACMTM}}|author=[[Lee Brimmicombe-Wood]]|publisher=[[HarperPrism]]|year=[[1996]]|page=135}}</ref>
 
|line=
  
|line=
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|model=CM-88B Bison<ref name="CMTM135"/>
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|model=[[Lockmart CM-88B Bison|CM-88B Bison]]<ref name="CMTM135"/>
 
|class=M-class
  
|class=M-class
 
|cost=$42,000,000
  
|cost=$42,000,000
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|height=72.5 meters (246.4 ft.)
  
|height=72.5 meters (246.4 ft.)
 
|mass=63,000 metric tonnes
  
|mass=63,000 metric tonnes
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|max accel=0.42 LYSD (unladen) / 0.12 LYSD (Towing heavy cargo)
  
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|engine=Saturn J-3000 (formerly)<br>Twin Rolls-Royce N66 Cyclone thrust tunnels
  
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|poweroutput=[[Yutani Corporation|Yutani]] T7A NLS tachyon shunt
  
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|power=Laratel WF-15 fusion reactor
  
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|shield gen=
  
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|armor=
  
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|sensor=Interstellar hyperstate antennas, short-range UHF/VHF/HF radio/video links
  
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|target=
  
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|countermeasures=
  
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|armament=
  
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|crew=7
  
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|skeleton=
  
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|passengers=
  
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|capacity=
  
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|consumables=
  
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|othersystems=
  
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|firstuse=
  
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|role=Cargo transport
  
 
|counterpart=''[[Narcissus]]''
  
|counterpart=''[[Narcissus]]''
 
|era= Early 22nd century
  
|era= Early 22nd century
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|affiliation=[[Weyland-Yutani]]
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|affiliation=[[Weyland-Yutani]]}}
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|navigation = [[MU-TH-UR 6000]] 2.1 terabyte AI mainframe}}The '''USCSS ''Nostromo''''', registration number '''180924609''', was a Lockmart CM-88B Bison M-Class starfreighter registered to the [[Weyland-Yutani|Weyland-Yutani Corporation]] out of Panama.<ref name="CMTM135"/> The ''Nostromo'' operated as a tug, connecting to and pulling loads like a tractor truck rather than carrying those loads on board like a traditional freighter.
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The '''USCSS ''Nostromo''''', registration number '''180924609''', was a modified [[Lockmart CM-88B Bison]] M-Class starfreighter registered to the [[Weyland-Yutani|Weyland-Yutani Corporation]] out of Panama.<ref name="CMTM135"/> The ''Nostromo'' operated as a tug, connecting to and pulling loads like a tractor truck rather than carrying those loads on board like a traditional freighter.
   
 
The ship was destroyed in [[2122]] when its engines were set to [[Self destruct system|self destruct]] by Warrant Officer [[Ellen Ripley]] in an attempt to kill [[The Alien (Xenomorph)|the lone Xenomorph]] that had gotten loose aboard the vessel. The ship and its cargo were completely destroyed in the resulting explosion.
  
The ship was destroyed in [[2122]] when its engines were set to [[Self destruct system|self destruct]] by Warrant Officer [[Ellen Ripley]] in an attempt to kill [[The Alien (Xenomorph)|the lone Xenomorph]] that had gotten loose aboard the vessel. The ship and its cargo were completely destroyed in the resulting explosion.
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==Overview==
  
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[[File:Nostromo_hall.png|thumb|left|A corridor on one of the ''<nowiki>Nostromo'</nowiki>''s lower decks.]]
  
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The ''Nostromo'' had three pressurized decks and four internal cargo holds, totalling around 1.1 million cubic meters of pressurized volume.<ref name="CMTM136">{{cite book|title=''[[Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual]]''|author=Lee Brimmicombe-Wood|publisher=HarperPrism|year=1996|page=136}}</ref> Most of the spare space on board was filled with fuel for the ship's fusion reactor and reaction mass for the thrust engines.<ref name="CMTM135"/> The upper deck contained the main living areas, including the bridge, crew quarters, mess hall, science station and medical bay, while the lower decks comprised of extensive engineering and storage areas.<ref name="A1">{{cite video|people=[[Dan O'Bannon]], [[Ronald Shusett]] (writers) and [[Ridley Scott]] (director)|title='{{A1}}'|medium=DVD|publisher=[[20th Century Fox]]|date=1986}}</ref> The ship was sturdy enough to withstand atmospheric re-entries and had three main landing legs to allow surface landings. Particulate shielding helped to protect the vessel from airborne debris in even the roughest planetary atmospheres.
  
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In-flight systems were governed by the ship's central artificial intelligence computer, [[MU-TH-UR 6000]] (known by the crew as "Mother"). A backup 2.0 terabyte mainframe would come online should Mother fail, while a third tier of automation could sustain vital systems in the rare event of a failure in the backup CPU as well.<ref name="CMTM135"/> Despite the extensive computer automation aboard the ''Nostromo'', a human crew was still required for more complicated docking manoeuvres at each end of a transit.
  
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[[File:Narcissus_docked.png|thumb|The ''Narcissus'' docked with the ''Nostromo''.]]
  
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The ship was equipped with a light shuttle, the ''[[Narcissus]]'', located in an external docking bay on the underside of the hull. This shuttle also doubled as a lifeboat in the event of an emergency, although it could only support two long-term passengers.<ref name="A1"/>
  
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===Energy and propulsion===
  
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The ''Nostromo'''s power core was a Laretel WF-15 2.8 terawatt fusion reactor.<ref name="CMTM136"/> The power plant operated around a deuterium/tritium reaction that fused the fuel elements in a containment chamber using conversion lasers. The He<sub>4</sub> byproduct of the reaction was stored separately and vented at regular intervals. Power was drawn off of the reactor by a closed-cycle liquid potassium cooling system, running off into an induction torus which used the intense magnetic field created by the superheated potassium to generate electric power for the vessel.<ref name="CMTM136"/>
  
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[[File:Nostromo_self_destruct_system_instructions.png|thumb|left|The instructions for the ''Nostromo'''s self destruct system.]]
  
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Notably, the ship's reactor possessed a [[Self destruct system|self destruct]] capability, whereby the reactor's coolant systems could be shut down leading to a runaway reaction in the containment sphere and eventual catastrophic detonation. Once the process was begun, there was a five-minute failsafe period during which time the coolant system could be successfully reactivated.<ref name="A1"/> However, after this period had expired, the supercritical reaction became unstoppable and after a further five minutes the reactor would explode. Activation of the self destruct could only be carried out by an authorized crew member, and the procedure sequence was sufficiently complex to prevent accidental activation.
  
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[[File:Nostromo_engines.jpg|thumb|The ''Nostromo'''s engines.]]
  
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Faster-than-light travel was accomplished through a [[Yutani Corporation|Yutani]] T7A NLS tachyon shunt drive, capable of propelling the ''Nostromo'' to a cruising speed of 0.42 light-years per sidereal day when the ship was unladen.<ref name="CMTM136"/> When towing large mass cargoes such as automated refineries, the maximum sustainable cruise speed drops significantly, to around 0.1-0.12 light-years per sidereal day.<ref name="CMTM136"/> For manoeuvring at sublight speeds while towing a large mass, the ''Nostromo'' was fitted with two immensely powerful Rolls-Royce N66 Cyclone thrust engines with bipolar vectoring for midline lift function. Each of these N66 cyclone powerplants developed 65,830 metric tons of thrust, using water for reaction mass. When running at full power, the engines produced a high impulse thrust total of 131,660 kN.<ref name="CMTM136"/>
  
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===Communications===
  
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The ''Nostromo'' had a standard communications set up, comprising 10 and 4 meter hyperstate antennas for any interstellar communications and UHF/VHF/HF radio/video links for short-range links. Navigational sensors were mounted on pylons clustered around the forward hull of the ship and included two 2 m aperture telescopes capable of optical, spectrographic and infrared resolution, a gas chromatograph, centimetric navigation and landing radar, a synthetic aperture ground mapping radar and a mass counter for supralight navigation.<ref name="CMTM136"/>
  
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===Weaponry===
  
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As a towing vessel, the ''Nostromo'' was not equipped for primary combat. Individual weaponry was part of the basic equipment stored for the crew's use for individual protection, especially during extravehicular activity in unknown sectors.<ref name="AACBAUM">''[[Aliens: A Comic Book Adventure]] User's Manual''</ref> For individual protection, the ''Nostromo'' was equipped with [[Laser pistol (Nostromo)|laser pistols]].
  
   
 
==History==
  
==History==
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[[File:Nostromo_cryo_chambers.png|thumb|left|The ''Nostromo''s hypersleep chambers.]]
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[[File:Nostromo_cryo_chambers.png|thumb|left|The ''Nostromo'''s hypersleep chambers.]]
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The ''Nostromo'' started life as an interstellar cruiser, but was refitted in 2116 as a commercial towing vehicle and was subsequently operated as a commercial hauler, transporting automated ore and oil refineries between outer colonies and [[Earth]].<ref name="CMTM135"/> As part of this retrofit, the ship's original Saturn J-3000 engines were removed and replaced with the more powerful N66 Cyclone powerplants.<ref name="CMTM136"/> The seven [[Stasis|hypersleep]] chambers that would accommodate the crew during long-duration flight were also installed at this time.
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The ''Nostromo'' started life as an interstellar cruiser, but was refitted in 2116 as a commercial towing vehicle and was subsequently operated as a commercial hauler, transporting automated ore and oil refineries between outer colonies and [[Earth]].<ref name="CMTM135"/> As part of this retrofit, the ship's original Saturn J-3000 engines were removed and replaced with the two immensely powerful Rolls-Royce N66 Cyclone thrust engines, with bipolar vectoring for midline lift function. Each of these N66 cyclone powerplants developed 65,830 metric tons of thrust, using water for reaction mass. When running at full power, the engines produced a high impulse thrust total of 131,660 kN.<ref name="CMTM136">{{cite book|title={{ACMTM}}|author=[[Lee Brimmicombe-Wood]]|publisher=[[HarperPrism]]|year=[[1996]]|page=136}}</ref> The seven [[Stasis|hypersleep]] chambers that would accommodate the crew during long-duration flight were also installed at this time.
   
 
===Final voyage===
  
===Final voyage===
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When [[Weyland-Yutani]] detected and partially decoded an unidentified warning signal emanating from [[Acheron (LV-426)|LV-426]],<ref name="Alienbook201">{{cite book|title=[[Alien (novel)|Alien novelization]]|author=[[Alan Dean Foster]]|publisher=Warner Books, Inc.|year=1979|page=201}}</ref> the ''Nostromo'' was selected (unbeknownst to its crew) to investigate and hopefully recover a potential [[Xenomorph (Alien)|Xenomorph]] specimen from the moon. To help ensure the recovery of the creature, the ''Nostromo'''s science officer was replaced two days before the ship left [[Thedus]] with [[Ash]], a [[Synthetic sleeper agent]] under secret company orders to assist in the recovery of a Xenomorph through any means necessary, even at the expense of the rest of the crew.
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When [[Weyland-Yutani]] detected and partially decoded an unidentified warning signal emanating from [[Acheron (LV-426)|LV-426]],<ref name="Alienbook261">{{cite book|title=[[Alien (novel)|Alien novelization]]|author=[[Alan Dean Foster]]|publisher=Warner Books, Inc.|year=1979|page=261}}</ref> the ''Nostromo'' was selected (unbeknownst to its crew) to investigate and hopefully recover a potential {{Xeno}} specimen from the moon. To help ensure the recovery of the creature, the ''Nostromo'''s science officer was replaced two days before the ship left [[Thedus]] with [[Ash]], a [[Synthetic sleeper agent]] who, under [[Special Order 937]], was to assist in the recovery of a Xenomorph through any means necessary, even at the expense of the rest of the crew. Upon leaving Thedus, Captain [[Dallas Arthur|Dallas]] transmitted the ship's report packet back to [[Solar System|Sol]], relaying it through [[Sevastopol Station]].<ref name="ArchiveN010">{{AI}} - Nostromo Log 010 - Nostromo Report Packet</ref>
   
 
[[File:Nostromo above LV-426.png|thumb|The ''Nostromo'' above LV-426.]]
  
[[File:Nostromo above LV-426.png|thumb|The ''Nostromo'' above LV-426.]]
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The ''Nostromo'' set down on LV-426 on June 3, [[2122]].<ref name="CMTM135"/> The ship was damaged during landing when dust entered one of the engine intakes, causing it to overheat and eventually triggering an electrical fire in the engineering section.<ref name="Alienbook30">{{cite book|title=[[Alien (novel)|Alien novelization]]|author=[[Alan Dean Foster]]|publisher=Warner Books, Inc.|year=1979|page=30}}</ref> When Executive Officer [[Gilbert Kane|Kane]] was later brought back aboard the ship with a [[Facehugger]] attached to him, Captain [[Dallas Arthur|Dallas]] elected to take off, despite the fact several non-critical systems had yet to be repaired.
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The ''Nostromo'' set down on LV-426 on June 3, [[2122]].<ref name="CMTM135"/> The ship was damaged during landing when dust entered one of the engine intakes, causing it to overheat and eventually triggering an electrical fire in the engineering section.<ref name="Alienbook45">{{cite book|title=[[Alien (novel)|Alien novelization]]|author=[[Alan Dean Foster]]|publisher=Warner Books, Inc.|year=1979|page=45}}</ref> When Executive Officer [[Gilbert Kane|Kane]] was later brought back aboard the ship with a [[Facehugger]] attached to him, Dallas elected to take off, despite the fact several non-critical systems had yet to be repaired.
   
 
[[File:Nostromo_explosion.jpg|thumb|left|The ''Nostromo'' exploding.]]
  
[[File:Nostromo_explosion.jpg|thumb|left|The ''Nostromo'' exploding.]]
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Once under way, the [[The Alien (Xenomorph)|Alien]] that birthed from Kane began stalking and slaughtering the crew, whose efforts at fighting the creature were hampered both by Ash and, more generally, by the fact it remained on the lower engineering decks, where the security camera systems were still inoperable following the electrical damage caused on LV-426.<ref name="A1"/> Eventually the few survivors decided to set the ship for self destruct in an attempt to kill the Alien while they themselves escaped in the shuttle ''Narcissus''. Only [[Ellen Ripley]] survived to make the escape, along with the ship's cat [[Jones (cat)|Jones]], while the ship and cargo were completed destroyed by the detonation of the ''Nostromo'''s reactor.
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Once under way, the [[The Alien (Xenomorph)|Alien]] that birthed from Kane began stalking and slaughtering the crew, whose efforts at fighting the creature were hampered both by Ash and, more generally, by the fact it remained on the lower engineering decks, where the security camera systems were still inoperable following the electrical damage caused on LV-426.<ref name="A1">{{cite video|people=[[Dan O'Bannon]], [[Ronald Shusett]] (writers) and [[Ridley Scott]] (director)|title='{{A1}}'|medium=DVD|publisher=[[20th Century Fox]]|date=1986}}</ref> Eventually the few survivors decided to set the ship for self destruct in an attempt to kill the Alien while they themselves escaped in the ship's light shuttle, ''[[Narcissus]]''. Only [[Ellen Ripley]] survived to make the escape, along with the ship's cat [[Jones (cat)|Jones]], while the ship and cargo were completely destroyed by the detonation of the ''Nostromo'''s reactor.
   
 
===Legacy===
  
===Legacy===
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{{Quote|I remember reading about your ship, actually, when I was a kid. It's gone down in the 'lost without trace' files.|'''[[Chris "Hoop" Hooper|Hoop]]''' to '''[[Ellen Ripley|Ripley]]''', regarding the ''Nostromo''<ref name="OOTS55">{{cite book|title=''[[Alien: Out of the Shadows]]''|author=[[Tim Lebbon]]|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=[[2014]]|page=55}}</ref>}}
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{{Quote|I remember reading about your ship, actually, when I was a kid. It's gone down in the 'lost without trace' files.|'''[[Chris "Hoop" Hooper|Hoop]]''' to '''[[Ellen Ripley|Ripley]]''', regarding the ''Nostromo'' (from ''[[Alien: Out of the Shadows]]'')}}
   
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Following its destruction, the ''Nostromo'' incident was subject to a cover up. The Weyland-Yutani personnel who had given the ship its secret mission to LV-426 destroyed all records of ever having done so, along with any information regarding the emergency beacon being transmitted by the [[Derelict Ship]].<ref name="CMTM143">{{cite book|title=''[[Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual]]''|author=Lee Brimmicombe-Wood|publisher=HarperPrism|year=1996|page=143}}</ref> The Derelict itself was later damaged by volcanic activity and its beacon went offline as a result.<ref name="W-Y archives">{{cite web|title=Weyland-Yutani Archives - James Cameron's Responses To Aliens Critics|url=http://weyland-yutaniarchives.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/james-camerons-responses-to-aliens.html|accessdate=2013-07-01}}</ref> In time, the loss of the ''Nostromo'' was relegated to the pages of history where it "went down in the 'lost without trace' files",<ref name="OOTS55"/> until Ripley was rescued from deep space some 57 years later.
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Following its destruction, the ''Nostromo'' incident was subject to a cover up. The Weyland-Yutani personnel who had given the ship its secret mission to LV-426 destroyed all records of ever having done so, along with any information regarding the emergency beacon being transmitted by the [[Derelict (LV-426)|derelict ship]] on LV-426.<ref name="CMTM143">{{cite book|title=''[[Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual]]''|author=Lee Brimmicombe-Wood|publisher=HarperPrism|year=1996|page=143}}</ref> The beacon itself was later deactivated by the crew of the ''[[Anesidora]]''.<ref name="AI">{{cite video|title='{{AI}}'|medium=Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One|publisher=[[The Creative Assembly]]|date=2014}}</ref> Weyland-Yutani lost a substantial amount of money as a result of the ''Nostromo<nowiki>'</nowiki>''s disappearance, a fact that no doubt helped facilitate the cover up — the incident became a black mark in the company's records, and consequently it was something of a taboo subject amongst employees.<ref name="Archive002">{{AI}} - Archive Log 002 - Re: Nostromo Incident</ref> The loss of the ''Nostromo'' was relegated to the pages of history where it went down as lost without a trace.<ref name="OOTS55">{{cite book|title=''[[Alien: Out of the Shadows]]''|author=[[Tim Lebbon]]|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=[[2014]]|page=55}}</ref>
   
 
==Crew==
  
==Crew==
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==Behind the Scenes==
  
==Behind the Scenes==
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The ''Nostromo'''s name was taken from the eponymous hero of the 1904 novel ''Nostromo'' by [[Joseph Conrad]]. The ship was originally called the ''Snark'', then later the ''Leviathan'', before the production team finally settled for ''Nostromo''.<ref name="Beast">{{cite video|people=[[Ridley Scott]], [[David Giler]], [[Walter Hill]], [[H. R. Giger]], [[Dan O'Bannon]], [[Ronald Shusett]]|title=The Beast Within: The Making of 'Alien'|medium=DVD|publisher=[[20th Century Fox]]|date=2003}}</ref> People and places from Conrad's works would go on to feature repeatedly as the names of space-going vessels in the [[Alien (franchise)|''Alien'' franchise]], inspiring the names of the ''[[Narcissus]]'' (also from {{A1}}), the {{USS|Sulaco}} (from {{A2}}), the ''[[Patna]]'' (from {{A3}}), the {{USS|Verloc}} (from ''[[Aliens versus Predator 2]]''), the {{USS|Marlow}} (from {{AVP2010}}) and the {{USS|Sephora}} (from {{ACM}}).
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The ''Nostromo'''s name was taken from the eponymous hero of the 1904 novel ''Nostromo'' by [[Joseph Conrad]]. The ship was originally called the ''Snark'', then later the ''Leviathan'', before the production team finally settled for ''Nostromo''.<ref name="Beast">{{cite video|people=[[Ridley Scott]], [[David Giler]], [[Walter Hill]], [[H. R. Giger]], [[Dan O'Bannon]], [[Ronald Shusett]]|title=[[The Beast Within: The Making of 'Alien']]|medium=DVD|publisher=[[20th Century Fox]]|date=2003}}</ref> People and places from Conrad's works would go on to feature repeatedly as the names of space-going vessels in the [[Alien (franchise)|''Alien'' franchise]], inspiring the names of the ''[[Narcissus]]'' (also from {{A1}}), the {{USS|Sulaco}} (from {{A2}}), the ''[[Patna]]'' (from {{A3}}), the {{USS|Verloc}} (from ''[[Aliens versus Predator 2]]''), the {{USS|Marlow}} (from {{AVP2010}}) and the {{USS|Sephora}} (from {{ACM}}).
   
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===Scale models===
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The ''Nostromo'' was originally painted yellow. However, after the model unit had spent several weeks filming the model, [[Ridley Scott]] decided to repaint the ship grey and reshoot all of the model work himself. The main ''Nostromo'' model, which was chiefly used for the landing sequences, was some 16 feet in length and weighed a quarter of a ton; it was so heavy that it had to be manoeuvred on a forklift truck, which would plug into two slots on the back of the model.<ref name="Beast"/> An additional 4 foot model was also used for several scenes. At one point, the refinery being towed by the ''Nostromo'' featured towering spires considerably higher than those that appear in the final film, but just before filming Ridley Scott personally removed the upper sections (allegedly with a hammer and chisel).<ref name="Beast"/> The release mechanism that secures the ''Nostromo'' to the refinery actually featured the legs of R2-D2 as decorations on its upper surface.<ref name="Beast"/>
  
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Three scale models of the ''Nostromo'' were made for filming: a 12-inch (30 cm) version for medium and long shots, a 4-foot (1.2 m) version for rear shots and a 12-foot (3.7 m), 7-short-ton (6.4 t) rig for the undocking and planetoid surface sequences. The latter of these was so large it could only be moved using a forklift truck, which would plug into two slots on the back of the model.<ref name="Beast"/> The basic outlines of the smaller models were made of wood and plastic, while the larger had a welded metal frame. Most of the fine surface details were added from model kits of battleships, tanks and World War II bombers, while the miniature of the attached refinery contained parts from several ''Star Wars'' model kits in its construction — the release mechanism that secures the ''Nostromo'' to the refinery featured the legs of R2-D2 as decorations on its upper surface,<ref name="Beast"/> while the refinery's underside incorporated panels from Darth Vader's TIE fighter.<ref name="Saga">{{cite video|people=[[Ridley Scott]], [[James Cameron]], [[H. R. Giger]], [[Dan O'Bannon]], [[Ronald Shusett]]|title=[[The Alien Saga]]|medium=DVD|publisher=Prometheus Entertainment|date=2002}}</ref>
   
  +
The ''Nostromo'' was originally painted yellow. However, after the model unit had spent several weeks filming the model, [[Ridley Scott]] decided to repaint the ship grey and reshoot all of the model work himself. At one point, the refinery being towed by the ''Nostromo'' featured towering spires considerably higher than those that appear in the final film, but just before filming Ridley Scott personally removed the upper sections (allegedly with a hammer and chisel).<ref name="Beast"/> A separate model, approximately 40 feet (12 m) long, was created for the ''Nostromo<nowiki>'</nowiki>''s underside, from which the ''Narcissus'' would detach and along which Kane's body was launched during the funeral scene.<ref name="Beast"/> For the scene in which the ''Nostromo'' detaches from the refinery, a 30-foot (9.1 m) docking arm miniature was created to the same scale as the largest ''Nostromo'' model. To film the sequence, the ''Nostromo'' was pushed away from the refinery by the forklift — which was concealed under black velvet — causing the arm to extend out from the refinery, creating the illusion that the arm was pushing the ship forward.<ref name="Beast"/> Shots from outside the ''Nostromo'' in which the characters are seen moving around inside through windows were filmed using larger model sections that contained projection screens showing pre-recorded footage.
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The interior set of the ''Nostromo'' constructed for filming was all interconnected and largely sealed, meaning cast and crew had to walk through the various corridors and chambers to reach other areas of the ship. Several crew members commented that the confines of intricate set meant filming was more akin to shooting on location than in a studio, and that the interior's enclosed nature helped to create a feeling of claustrophobia appropriate to the film.<ref name="Beast"/> Much of the interior was dressed with various aircraft parts, acquired by the production team from RAF stock that was being decommissioned at the time.<ref name="Beast"/> Just before filming, Ridley Scott had the production crew drop the ceiling of the originally spacious bridge set by some 4 feet, creating that far more enclosed space seen in the film.<ref name="Legacy">{{cite video|people=[[Ridley Scott]], [[H. R. Giger]], [[Dan O'Bannon]], [[Ronald Shusett]]|title=Alien Legacy|medium=DVD|publisher=[[20th Century Fox]]|date=1999}}</ref>
  
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===Interiors===
  ⚫
The interior of the ''Nostromo'' was designed by conceptual artist [[Ron Cobb]]. The set constructed for filming was all interconnected and largely sealed, meaning cast and crew had to walk through the various corridors and chambers to reach other areas of the ship. Several crew members commented that the confines of intricate set meant filming was more akin to shooting on location than in a studio, and that the interior's enclosed nature helped to create a feeling of claustrophobia appropriate to the film.<ref name="Beast"/> The look of the ''Nostromo<nowiki>'</nowiki>''s corridors was designed to evoke the feeling of a World War II submarine.<ref name="Saga"/> Much of the interior was dressed with various aircraft parts, acquired by the production team from RAF stock that was being decommissioned at the time.<ref name="Beast"/> Just before filming, Ridley Scott had the production crew drop the ceiling of the originally spacious bridge set by some 4 feet, creating the far more enclosed space seen in the film.<ref name="Legacy">{{cite video|people=[[Ridley Scott]], [[H. R. Giger]], [[Dan O'Bannon]], [[Ronald Shusett]]|title=Alien Legacy|medium=DVD|publisher=[[20th Century Fox]]|date=1999}}</ref>
   
 
==Trivia==
  
==Trivia==
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*Some moviegoers mistake the refinery for the ''Nostromo'', and have confused the ''Nostromo'' itself when it detaches from the refinery for the shuttle ''Narcissus''. The refinery is never actually inhabited in the film, as even the Alien remained on the ''Nostromo'' itself.
  
*Some moviegoers mistake the refinery for the ''Nostromo'', and have confused the ''Nostromo'' itself when it detaches from the refinery for the shuttle ''Narcissus''. The refinery is never actually inhabited in the film, as even the Alien remained on the ''Nostromo'' itself.
 
*Originally, there was supposed to be an eighth member of the crew, a security officer called [[E.R. Fazio|Fazio]]. He was scripted to be killed by the fully grown Alien not long after Kane's death while searching through the ship. However, the character was cut from the movie early in production.
  
*Originally, there was supposed to be an eighth member of the crew, a security officer called [[E.R. Fazio|Fazio]]. He was scripted to be killed by the fully grown Alien not long after Kane's death while searching through the ship. However, the character was cut from the movie early in production.
  +
*The conceptual warning symbols designed by [[Ron Cobb]] for the interior of the ''Nostromo'' were later reused for the [[Alien: Isolation trophies/achievements|trophy/achievement]] icons in the video game {{AI}}.
   
 
==Appearances==
  
==Appearances==
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*{{ACM}} (video game, mentioned and multiplayer only)
  
*{{ACM}} (video game, mentioned and multiplayer only)
 
*''[[Alien: Out of the Shadows]]'' (mentioned only)
  
*''[[Alien: Out of the Shadows]]'' (mentioned only)
  ⚫
*''[[Alien: Isolation]]''
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−
===Upcoming===
  
⚫
*''[[Alien: Isolation]]'' (mentioned only)
  
   
 
==Gallery==
  
==Gallery==
 
<gallery>
  
<gallery>
−
USCSS Nostromo.jpg|The ''Nostromo'' landing on LV-426.
  
 
Nostromo1.jpg
  
Nostromo1.jpg
 
Nostromo.jpg|The ore refinery
  
Nostromo.jpg|The ore refinery
 
Mk35andsymbol.png|An [[IRC Mk.35 Pressure suit|MK 35 Pressure Suit]] aboard the ''Nostromo''.
  
Mk35andsymbol.png|An [[IRC Mk.35 Pressure suit|MK 35 Pressure Suit]] aboard the ''Nostromo''.
 
Img4.jpg|The ''Nostromo'' orbiting above a planet.<ref>http://www.propstore.com/cms/nostromo-a-legend-born-and-born-again/</ref>
  
Img4.jpg|The ''Nostromo'' orbiting above a planet.<ref>http://www.propstore.com/cms/nostromo-a-legend-born-and-born-again/</ref>
−
Aliens movie map pack 11.jpg|The ''Nostromo'' as it appears in the ''Aliens: Colonial Marines'' DLC map ''Nostromo''. Note the [[tracking device]]s on the table.
 +
Aliens movie map pack 11.jpg|The ''Nostromo'' as it appears in the ''Aliens: Colonial Marines'' DLC map ''Nostromo''. Note the [[Tracking device (Nostromo)|tracking devices]] on the table.
 
$T2eC16F,!ykFIemGZwV5BSVbHMP48Q~~60_57.JPG|The description of the ''Nostromo'' on the [[Halcyon]] model's box.
  
$T2eC16F,!ykFIemGZwV5BSVbHMP48Q~~60_57.JPG|The description of the ''Nostromo'' on the [[Halcyon]] model's box.
 
$T2eC16d,!ycFIcuBwh!!BSVbHQKrRg~~60_57.JPG|Ditto.
  
$T2eC16d,!ycFIcuBwh!!BSVbHQKrRg~~60_57.JPG|Ditto.
 
$(KGrHqN,!rkFJURnmyKpBSVbHWkbZQ~~60_57.JPG|The contents of the model's box.
  
$(KGrHqN,!rkFJURnmyKpBSVbHWkbZQ~~60_57.JPG|The contents of the model's box.
  +
Commercial Towing Vehicle 180924609 otherwise known as the Nostromo.jpg|The ''Nostromo'' above LV-426.
 
</gallery>
  
</gallery>
   
Line 132: Line 93:
 
1001033 10153072420335114 1544892418 n.jpg|The set of one of the ''Nostromo'''s landing gear.
  
1001033 10153072420335114 1544892418 n.jpg|The set of one of the ''Nostromo'''s landing gear.
 
Nosunderconstruct.png|The ''Nostromo'' set under construction.
  
Nosunderconstruct.png|The ''Nostromo'' set under construction.
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Nossymbols.png|Symbols used aboard the ''Nostromo''.
 +
Nossymbols.png|[[Ron Cobb]]'s "Semiotic Standard" symbols, as seen aboard the ''Nostromo''.
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Nos2symbols.png|Some of the symbols used in the ''Nostromo''.
 +
Nos2symbols.png|Additional symbols.
  +
NossymbolsMASTER.png|Digital recreation of Cobb's Semiotic Standard symbols.
 
aanospolbase.jpg|Polaroid images measuring approximately 3.5" x 3.5" taken for reference by a member of the model effects crew during the production at Bray Studios. Both are currently available since March [[2014]] at The Prop Gallery for £195.<ref>http://www.thepropgallery.com/nostromo-polaroids</ref>
  
aanospolbase.jpg|Polaroid images measuring approximately 3.5" x 3.5" taken for reference by a member of the model effects crew during the production at Bray Studios. Both are currently available since March [[2014]] at The Prop Gallery for £195.<ref>http://www.thepropgallery.com/nostromo-polaroids</ref>
 
aanospol2.jpg
  
aanospol2.jpg

Revision as of 11:08, 23 November 2014

"This is commercial towing vehicle Nostromo out of the Solomons, registration number one-eight-oh-niner-two-four-six-oh-niner."
―Ripley (from Alien)

The USCSS Nostromo, registration number 180924609, was a modified Lockmart CM-88B Bison M-Class starfreighter registered to the Weyland-Yutani Corporation out of Panama.[1] The Nostromo operated as a tug, connecting to and pulling loads like a tractor truck rather than carrying those loads on board like a traditional freighter.

The ship was destroyed in 2122 when its engines were set to self destruct by Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley in an attempt to kill the lone Xenomorph that had gotten loose aboard the vessel. The ship and its cargo were completely destroyed in the resulting explosion.

History

Nostromo cryo chambers

The Nostromo's hypersleep chambers.

The Nostromo started life as an interstellar cruiser, but was refitted in 2116 as a commercial towing vehicle and was subsequently operated as a commercial hauler, transporting automated ore and oil refineries between outer colonies and Earth.[1] As part of this retrofit, the ship's original Saturn J-3000 engines were removed and replaced with the two immensely powerful Rolls-Royce N66 Cyclone thrust engines, with bipolar vectoring for midline lift function. Each of these N66 cyclone powerplants developed 65,830 metric tons of thrust, using water for reaction mass. When running at full power, the engines produced a high impulse thrust total of 131,660 kN.[2] The seven hypersleep chambers that would accommodate the crew during long-duration flight were also installed at this time.

Final voyage

When Weyland-Yutani detected and partially decoded an unidentified warning signal emanating from LV-426,[3] the Nostromo was selected (unbeknownst to its crew) to investigate and hopefully recover a potential Xenomorph specimen from the moon. To help ensure the recovery of the creature, the Nostromo's science officer was replaced two days before the ship left Thedus with Ash, a Synthetic sleeper agent who, under Special Order 937, was to assist in the recovery of a Xenomorph through any means necessary, even at the expense of the rest of the crew. Upon leaving Thedus, Captain Dallas transmitted the ship's report packet back to Sol, relaying it through Sevastopol Station.[4]

Nostromo above LV-426

The Nostromo above LV-426.

The Nostromo set down on LV-426 on June 3, 2122.[1] The ship was damaged during landing when dust entered one of the engine intakes, causing it to overheat and eventually triggering an electrical fire in the engineering section.[5] When Executive Officer Kane was later brought back aboard the ship with a Facehugger attached to him, Dallas elected to take off, despite the fact several non-critical systems had yet to be repaired.

Nostromo explosion

The Nostromo exploding.

Once under way, the Alien that birthed from Kane began stalking and slaughtering the crew, whose efforts at fighting the creature were hampered both by Ash and, more generally, by the fact it remained on the lower engineering decks, where the security camera systems were still inoperable following the electrical damage caused on LV-426.[6] Eventually the few survivors decided to set the ship for self destruct in an attempt to kill the Alien while they themselves escaped in the ship's light shuttle, Narcissus. Only Ellen Ripley survived to make the escape, along with the ship's cat Jones, while the ship and cargo were completely destroyed by the detonation of the Nostromo's reactor.

Legacy

"I remember reading about your ship, actually, when I was a kid. It's gone down in the 'lost without trace' files."
―Hoop to Ripley, regarding the Nostromo (from Alien: Out of the Shadows)

Following its destruction, the Nostromo incident was subject to a cover up. The Weyland-Yutani personnel who had given the ship its secret mission to LV-426 destroyed all records of ever having done so, along with any information regarding the emergency beacon being transmitted by the derelict ship on LV-426.[7] The beacon itself was later deactivated by the crew of the Anesidora.[8] Weyland-Yutani lost a substantial amount of money as a result of the Nostromo's disappearance, a fact that no doubt helped facilitate the cover up — the incident became a black mark in the company's records, and consequently it was something of a taboo subject amongst employees.[9] The loss of the Nostromo was relegated to the pages of history where it went down as lost without a trace.[10]

Crew

Behind the Scenes

The Nostromo's name was taken from the eponymous hero of the 1904 novel Nostromo by Joseph Conrad. The ship was originally called the Snark, then later the Leviathan, before the production team finally settled for Nostromo.[12] People and places from Conrad's works would go on to feature repeatedly as the names of space-going vessels in the Alien franchise, inspiring the names of the Narcissus (also from Alien), the USS Sulaco (from Aliens), the Patna (from Alien3), the USS Verloc (from Aliens versus Predator 2), the USS Marlow (from Aliens vs. Predator) and the USS Sephora (from Aliens: Colonial Marines).

Scale models

Three scale models of the Nostromo were made for filming: a 12-inch (30 cm) version for medium and long shots, a 4-foot (1.2 m) version for rear shots and a 12-foot (3.7 m), 7-short-ton (6.4 t) rig for the undocking and planetoid surface sequences. The latter of these was so large it could only be moved using a forklift truck, which would plug into two slots on the back of the model.[12] The basic outlines of the smaller models were made of wood and plastic, while the larger had a welded metal frame. Most of the fine surface details were added from model kits of battleships, tanks and World War II bombers, while the miniature of the attached refinery contained parts from several Star Wars model kits in its construction — the release mechanism that secures the Nostromo to the refinery featured the legs of R2-D2 as decorations on its upper surface,[12] while the refinery's underside incorporated panels from Darth Vader's TIE fighter.[13]

The Nostromo was originally painted yellow. However, after the model unit had spent several weeks filming the model, Ridley Scott decided to repaint the ship grey and reshoot all of the model work himself. At one point, the refinery being towed by the Nostromo featured towering spires considerably higher than those that appear in the final film, but just before filming Ridley Scott personally removed the upper sections (allegedly with a hammer and chisel).[12] A separate model, approximately 40 feet (12 m) long, was created for the Nostromo's underside, from which the Narcissus would detach and along which Kane's body was launched during the funeral scene.[12] For the scene in which the Nostromo detaches from the refinery, a 30-foot (9.1 m) docking arm miniature was created to the same scale as the largest Nostromo model. To film the sequence, the Nostromo was pushed away from the refinery by the forklift — which was concealed under black velvet — causing the arm to extend out from the refinery, creating the illusion that the arm was pushing the ship forward.[12] Shots from outside the Nostromo in which the characters are seen moving around inside through windows were filmed using larger model sections that contained projection screens showing pre-recorded footage.

Interiors

The interior of the Nostromo was designed by conceptual artist Ron Cobb. The set constructed for filming was all interconnected and largely sealed, meaning cast and crew had to walk through the various corridors and chambers to reach other areas of the ship. Several crew members commented that the confines of intricate set meant filming was more akin to shooting on location than in a studio, and that the interior's enclosed nature helped to create a feeling of claustrophobia appropriate to the film.[12] The look of the Nostromo's corridors was designed to evoke the feeling of a World War II submarine.[13] Much of the interior was dressed with various aircraft parts, acquired by the production team from RAF stock that was being decommissioned at the time.[12] Just before filming, Ridley Scott had the production crew drop the ceiling of the originally spacious bridge set by some 4 feet, creating the far more enclosed space seen in the film.[14]

Trivia

  • One of the opening scenes of Alien shows the computer waking-up, after which a console reads "CAPACITY. 200 000 000 TONNES". This means that, even with the weight of the refining equipment factored on top of the load of ore, the Nostromo was likely not hauling its full potential capacity.
  • Some of the computer displays from the Nostromo were reused in Ridley Scott's later film Blade Runner.
  • Some moviegoers mistake the refinery for the Nostromo, and have confused the Nostromo itself when it detaches from the refinery for the shuttle Narcissus. The refinery is never actually inhabited in the film, as even the Alien remained on the Nostromo itself.
  • Originally, there was supposed to be an eighth member of the crew, a security officer called Fazio. He was scripted to be killed by the fully grown Alien not long after Kane's death while searching through the ship. However, the character was cut from the movie early in production.
  • The conceptual warning symbols designed by Ron Cobb for the interior of the Nostromo were later reused for the trophy/achievement icons in the video game Alien: Isolation.

Appearances

Gallery

Behind the scenes

External Links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Lee Brimmicombe-Wood. 'Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual', p. 135 (1996), HarperPrism.
  2. ↑ Lee Brimmicombe-Wood. 'Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual', p. 136 (1996), HarperPrism.
  3. ↑ Alan Dean Foster. Alien novelization, p. 261 (1979), Warner Books, Inc..
  4. ↑ Alien: Isolation - Nostromo Log 010 - Nostromo Report Packet
  5. ↑ Alan Dean Foster. Alien novelization, p. 45 (1979), Warner Books, Inc..
  6. ↑ Dan O'Bannon, Ronald Shusett (writers) and Ridley Scott (director). Alien (1986), 20th Century Fox [DVD].
  7. ↑ Lee Brimmicombe-Wood. 'Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual', p. 143 (1996), HarperPrism.
  8. ↑  Alien: Isolation (2014), The Creative Assembly [Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One].
  9. ↑ Alien: Isolation - Archive Log 002 - Re: Nostromo Incident
  10. ↑ Tim Lebbon. 'Alien: Out of the Shadows', p. 55 (2014), Titan Books.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 Ian Nathan. 'Alien Vault: The Definitive Story of the Making of the Film' (2011), Voyager Press. - USCSS Nostromo schematic
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 Ridley Scott, David Giler, Walter Hill, H. R. Giger, Dan O'Bannon, Ronald Shusett. The Beast Within: The Making of 'Alien' (2003), 20th Century Fox [DVD].
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Ridley Scott, James Cameron, H. R. Giger, Dan O'Bannon, Ronald Shusett. The Alien Saga (2002), Prometheus Entertainment [DVD].
  14. ↑ Ridley Scott, H. R. Giger, Dan O'Bannon, Ronald Shusett. Alien Legacy (1999), 20th Century Fox [DVD].
  15. ↑ http://www.propstore.com/cms/nostromo-a-legend-born-and-born-again/
  16. ↑ http://www.thepropgallery.com/nostromo-polaroids
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