I always liked the designs of the ships in Babylon 5 as each culture had a distinctive aesthetic that told you a bit about them - human craft were chunky and practical, Minbari ships were elegant, Vorlon vessels were organic, etc.

From Halo, my favorite ship is probably the Heart of Midlothian, followed by the Spirit of Fire. There’s something I like about the slabbed, angular bow.

From Mass Effect, the Tempest, bar none the most attractive ship I think I’ve ever laid eyes on. I think she looks better when you can walk around her, it’s hard to get a good angle on.

And an odd one out, the Taiidan Destroyers from Homeworld are particularly badass, even if their gun layout is objectively hot garbage. Could say the same about most Taiidan ships, they look less functional and more like the product of an unchallenged imperial navy. Kushan vessels feel comfortably realistic but aren’t visually distinct.

(HD artwork by Jayden Morris on Artstation)

Gotta be spike’s ship from cowboy bebop. Instantly recognizable silhouette. Gorgeous design.

Moya from Farscape. Creepy, organic, but strangely lived in. Also very temperamental.

I really like the ship designs of Legend of the Galactic Heroes

Especially the flagship Brünhild

The Normandy from Mass Effect

Maybe it’s because I’m old, but BSG’s vipers.

Oh, and the Lexx!

I’ve always liked just about any sentient/thinking ship. Oddly enough, I can’t think of any examples where a thinking ship has been paired with a wicked design. Although I might just be overlooking something.

But some examples from sci-fi fiction:

• Gay Deceiver (Robert A. Heinlein - he was using the term “gay” in its original sense)
• Helva, from Anne McCaffrey’s The Ship Who Sang (she’s technically a human “Brain” installed in a ship…but the series is written as if she’s the ship in many ways)
• Zora (Star Trek: Discovery . I really wish she’d gotten more time, a Star Trek ship that is sapient is something we should’ve been able to explore in lots of detail)
• ART - Asshole Research Transport, aka Perihelion, from Martha Well’s Murderbot Diaries

Edit: Sorry about the spam, all us social media lemmings are making things slow and buggy, poor lemmy.world can’t keep up with us.

I’d have to go with the Galactica from Battlestar Galactica.

Basically an aircraft carrier in space, and it didn’t hurt that I grew up on watching the original series. Watching the vipers launch out of the Galactica was pretty cool when you’re young.

“Terran Trade Authority Handbook: Spacecraft 2000 – 2100 AD” - it is full with cool spaceships like this… I love this book.