rhisquared:

“The story of Mass Effect 2 required that the Normandy be destroyed, which gave us the freedom to redesign the ship. The Normandy SR-2 got a larger body and multiple floors. The new cockpit is more recognizable. We also worked to give the ship’s design a sleeker look.”

“There were many different visions for the Normandy SR-2. We adjusted the tail fins, the engine placement, and the size of the wings relative to the body. We wanted the Normandy to have a muscle-car element to its paint job and to feel more aggressive than typical concepts for spaceships or fighter planes. Originally, we proposed that the player could have up to five levels of customization for the Normandy’s exterior, but this was cut since it would mean space scenes would not benefit from the spectacular quality made possible by pre-rendering.”

“The Normandy’s engine room was meant to evoke a super-collider that creates awesome amounts of power for the ship. The sphere holds the element zero for faster-than-light travel.”

“For ease of navigation, the interior had to be familiar to the players of the first Mass Effect. It felt like a higher-tech version of the SR-1, with more space and rooms for the “dirty dozen,” the key party members that join Shepard in Mass Effect 2.”

Requested scans of the Normandy SR-2 from Mass Effect 2.