Is the Covenant intended to land on the surface?

Isn't the story (again) that the mission was to a different planet but it was diverted while en route to that planet to investigate something on another? If so, then there'd be no reason to start sending down terraforming/colonizing materials to the planet they land on. 

Fair point. This seems like a one way mission though. I wonder if the Covenant is intended to land.

Looks a little 'flimsy' for atmospheric entry. I'd reckon it'd be pulled apart in orbit and the parts ferried down.

SM

That makes me wonder how they intend to establish a colony on ground and what happens to the larger ship.

Detach all the modules and ferry them down the surface usng landing vehicles.  Then take the remaining frame apart and take that down too.

Yeah, the 'flying cargo deck' ship at the end of the trailer looks like it was made for that purpose. I'm guessing the trucks/vehicles we see in the Covenant are ferried down on that thing, so as SM says, they could dismantle the Covenant in orbit and ferry it down in parts too. There must be large terraforming equipment either on board or that are constructed out of parts of the ship.

That makes sense. Somehow I cannot see the movie getting into those details, but it would be interesting in its own right.

isn't part of the actual ship supposed to part of the terraforming machine? I had read that somewhere but it could have been just a thought.

I would assume not....

I would also assume the Drop Ship at the end of the Trailer, is a ship that loads up parts of the Covenant Modules (Marked in Green)  to then Transport to the Surface and they are Assembled like a Giant Lego Set.

@Shasta

I agree that sounds like Ridley Scott, making the ship itself part of the terraforming machinery once it gets planetside. I feel there are probably a few drop ships or cargo ships that can detach....but Ridley always has everything make sense in his films or be of use and be logical when it comes to the ships or machinery...i just feel you are correct in that he would have created the ship with that logic or someting similar when designing everything....just Ridley being Ridley

Good topic dk.

The latest trailers show what appears to be the Covenant ship dropping down through the clouds towards the surface.

You guys are brilliant!! I NEVER saw the connection between how the ship is built and the design of the dropship!! I agree, such design aspects would be VERY logical and be very sensible in the planning of an initial colony site/set-up!

From a monetary standpoint, it would be a better investment to ensure maximum use of all equipment for the intended mission. WY may have gobs of cash but even the richest of the rich want maximum returns on minimal expense- if they are smart. It's just math.

The points made here about the modules are interesting especially in relation to the scene in the new trailer with the record player. Someone pointed out it looks like something from the ISS so it really could be the/a dropship. As I recall Ridley said that the Awakening title was especially profound given where the ship was heading next after Paradise so I'd assume where ever they go it's gonna need some effort to terraform it.

dk

Bingo! Exactly! It's also time-management efficient as the sooner a colony is up and running the sooner it starts producing, say, mined ores and such.

Blackwinter-witch

Especially the "such".

DK - You have posed an exceedingly compelling question! Like many of the others whom have speculated, I believe the Covenant is an orbital starship designed to drop smaller landers - a spaceborne hub. Thank you ever so much for taking the time to begin this extremely engaging topic! :)

dk

Well, to be fair, 'such' could mean assorted useful and beneficial things derived from alien plants and animals on various colony worlds.. But in the main, the sooner a colony starts producing, the better, is what I meant. :)

Blackwinter-witch Understood. I meant the "such" as something more sinister or at least a hidden agenda.

@Ingeniero 

In Your second image one can see the Covenant in orbit with all these pods underneath. It seems as those are not present on the second image. My guess is that those pods are some kind of separate livingquarters for the colonists, once they get settled on the new planet. Beeing absent in the second image could mean that they've been detached in orbit, beeing to valuable to risk in an landingattempt.

What do You think?