USM Auriga: The Biggest Ship In The Alien Universe

The USM Auriga from Alien: Resurrection stood out as the largest and most secretive vessel in the Alien universe. Designed as a medical research ship, it became infamous for its role in the Xenomorph cloning experiments conducted by the United Systems Military. The ship crashed into Earth, causing widespread destruction.

The Auriga Of The United Systems Military

The Auriga carried the registry number USMRV118 and operated as a top-secret scientific research vessel under the United Systems Military. In this late timeline (year 2381), the Weyland-Yutani Corporation had become defunct decades before, being bought out by Walmart. The ship served as the flagship facility for the USM effort to resurrect and replicate the alien species known as Xenomorphs. Contrary to the Alien ship naming convention, the Auriga was not taken from a Joseph Conrad novelization, instead meaning "charioteer" in Latin.

USM Auriga Specifications

The Auriga measured roughly 2,658 meters in length, with a width of about 718 meters and a height of about 628 meters. It was stealth-capable and outfitted for deep space operations. Onboard systems included a mainframe called FATHER, which managed autopilot, life support, and personnel organization. The vessel contained sleeping quarters, a galley, recreation halls, a chapel, numerous laboratories, containment cells designed to hold alien specimens, and extensive maintenance areas, including a large waste tank. Escape pods were installed for evacuation in emergencies, and these lifeboats had remote control capability that allowed external manipulation of the Auriga when required.

USM Auriga Crew

Under the command of General Martin Perez, the ship maintained a constant crew of 42 enlisted soldiers. In addition, a science team of seven personnel led by Dr. Mason Wren oversaw the research operations, with Dr. Jonathan Gediman being his right-hand man. For certain missions the Auriga also carried a handful of passengers, such as members of the crew of the vessel Betty. The relatively small crew for such a giant vessel indicates that almost all systems were automated. The presence of both military and scientific staff illustrated the dual nature of the Auriga mission which combined secure containment with highly dangerous biological research.

Cloning Experiments

In 2381, the Auriga became the site of the USM most controversial project: the cloning of the deceased Ellen Ripley. Scientists extracted DNA from recovered blood samples from Fiorina 161 and created a clone referred to as Ripley 8. They cloned her 8 times, with 7 clones failing to meet the expected results. Because the original Ripley had carried a Xenomorph Queen embryo at her death, the clone harbored a genetic mixture of human and alien. The scientists removed the embryo and nurtured a full-grown Queen in containment. From that Queen, they harvested eggs and used kidnapped humans delivered via the Betty as hosts for gestation. This dangerous process resulted in a new generation of Xenomorphs bred aboard the Auriga.

Docking Of The Betty

Near the final stages of the cloning project, the Betty docked with the Auriga near Pluto orbit. The Betty crew brought aboard twelve abducted humans kept in stasis to serve as host bodies for the cloned aliens. The docking proceeded under strict control, with the humans confined in capsules and alien eggs positioned to infect them upon awakening. The crew of 6 mercenary personnel also came onboard the USM Auriga, bringing on board illegal weaponry. Among the crew was Annalee Call, an advanced "Auton" android who sought to stop the Xenomorphs and kill Ripley 8.

Xenomorph Outbreak

After the eggs hatched and the chestbursters emerged, containment failed soon after. The Xenomorph Warriors escaped by sacrificing one of their own, bleeding acid on the surprisingly non-acid resistant flooring. The ship descended into chaos as the twelve adult aliens roamed the corridors, freeing their Queen. Many of the Auriga military and scientific personnel were killed or captured, including General Perez and most of Dr. Wren's research team. The outbreak unfolded quickly, and the facility's internal defenses proved insufficient to contain the threat. After gaining dominance over the ship, the Cloned Queen mutated and gave birth to the Newborn, an Alien/human hybrid.

Escape Pod Mishaps

When the outbreak spread, General Perez wisely ordered an immediate evacuation. At least one escape pod successfully made it to space, but another was destroyed by a grenade when an Alien intervened. Among the survivors were only a few from the Auriga crew, along with some of the research staff, including Dr. Carlyn Williamson. According to the Alien: Resurrection video game, some of the escape pods almost went critical, but the destruction was stopped by the crew of the Betty. As the chain of command collapsed, the vessel AI known as Father initiated emergency protocols and set the Auriga on a programmed return course toward Earth.

Crashing To Earth

Realizing that a direct return to Earth would unleash the Xenomorphs on humanity, the surviving members of the Betty crew rerouted the Auriga autopilot. Annalee Call, a synthetic infiltrator, initiated a new course that sent the ship into a deliberate collision trajectory. The Auriga entered Earth atmosphere and crashed in a remote part of Africa, completely destroying itself along with the remaining alien life forms. The impact caused catastrophic environmental and economic damage estimated at 300 trillion dollars. In the end of the Alien: Resurrection video game, the Auriga breaks up in the atmosphere of Earth instead, causing no such destruction.

Aftermath

The surviving crew of the Betty and Ripley 8 successfully landed near the ruins of Paris, France. Following the crash, the existence of the Xenomorph experiments aboard the Auriga was hidden from the public. The USM blamed the disaster on acts of terrorism to prevent scrutiny of its cloning program. The destruction of the Auriga and the staggering loss of life weakened the USM to the point of collapse. In the resulting power vacuum, corporate entities such as the reconstituted Weyland-Yutani Corporation regained influence and reshaped the political landscape of human space.

Behind The Scenes

The original concept for the Auriga envisioned a vertical midsection shaped like a crucifix to symbolize themes of resurrection. Concept artist Nigel Phelps created the design, but it proved impractical for widescreen filming. Redesigned by Jim Martin and Sylvain Despretz, the final structure adopted a long horizontal profile with ribbed sides that resembled the fingers of a Facehugger. Interior sets featured narrow corridors with hexagonal cross sections reminiscent of the USCSS Nostromo. The production team used practical models, foam core constructions, and matte paintings to bring the vessel to life. The docking bay set used for the Auriga was adapted from submarine-style architecture and was shared with the Betty scenes.

Conclusion

The USM Auriga was the biggest ship in the Alien universe. Built to advance scientific research and military dominance, it instead became the stage for disaster. Its destruction and the collapse of the USM marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one, shaped by corporate power.

Tag Categories: Alien Universe Ships