Season will premiere January 2008

The interstellar conflict between the humans and the Cylons will continue for another year.

The Sci Fi Channel announced Tuesday (Feb. 13) that it has renewed its critically acclaimed series "Battlestar Galactica" for a fourth season, which is tentatively set to premiere in January 2008. Production will begin this summer on the 13 episodes.

"We're thrilled to bring 'Battlestar' back for another season. This series has delivered on every level -– from the writing to the acting to the production values," says Mark Stern, the channel's Executive Vice President of Programming. "Sci Fi is proud to be the home of the best show on television."

"While we never had any doubt that Sci Fi would get behind a fourth season of 'Battlestar,' it's thrilling to finally make it official, and for Ron and I to continue using this great genre to investigate the darker corners of society, politics and humanity," adds the show's executive producer, David Eick.

The Peabody-winning series revolves around the battle between humans and their robot creations, the Cylons, who launched a nuclear attack and obliterated all but 50,000 human survivors. The show stars Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber, James Callis, Tricia Helfer and Grace Park.

"Battlestar" recently returned to television with the second half of its third season by moving from Friday to Sunday nights. Since its move, the show's audience has grown in the total viewers, female viewers and adult demos. It currently airs at 10 p.m. following Sci Fi's newest original series, "The Dresden Files."