The Atlantis takes it name from a mythological island on Earth that spawned an incredibly advanced culture in primitive times. The mythology states that the island was lost to the sea in a great cataclysm, and people for millennia after attempted to prove this island and culture even existed. Mostly, Atlantis represented what things could be like, and caused other cultures to strive for greatness too.

The Intrepid-class starship marks a change in course for Starfleet away from building very large, elaborate starships and toward building smaller, more efficient vessels. One of a series of newer and more compact ships, the Intrepid-class was designed to be a fast, multi-mission starship primarily intended for exploration, survey, and courier missions. A fast vessel with advanced sensing and research capability, the Intrepid-class makes for an effective exploratory platform, while at the same time carrying sufficient armament to act as an interdiction and combat vessel.

Several important advances in Starfleet technology mark the development of the Intrepid-class. One of the most important features of the starship is the variable geometry warp nacelles, which allow an adjustment of the warp field to maximize its efficiency, as well as to minimize any negative effects on the fabric of space. Utilizing this cutting edge technology results in a vessel that can be flown at extremely high speeds with a significantly smaller power source than other ships of comparable size. Another design breakthrough in the Intrepid-class is the inclusion within a protected backup chamber of a series of components that would allow for the assembly of a spare warp core. Should the main core be lost for some unforeseen reason, a replacement could be constructed by the engineering crew without having to replicate all the components.

The Intrepid-class pioneered the systems that would allow a starship to make routine planetfall. Previously unheard of in starships, the ability to land and take off again with minimum system impact is being incorporated into a series of vessels, thanks in large part to the advance made and lessons learned in the flight of the Intrepid-class. The most advanced computer systems available are at the heart of the Intrepid-class ship. The computer uses bio neural gel-packs that incorporate synthetic neuron analogs in a nutrient gel medium. This arrangement mimics organic neurons, allowing the packs a processing protocol akin to what happens in a humanoid brain, speeding data functions and improving overall computer operations.

Armed with 11 Type X Collimated Phaser Arrays, she is also fitted with 4 Mk 95 Direct-Fire Quantum Torpedo tubes, with two forward and two aft launchers. She carries 40 Type II and 10 Type VI torpedoes.

The Atlantis is a ship that fires the imagination and encourages exploration and the search for knowledge.