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Galaxy class starship (Star Trek)
Encyclopedia
The Galaxy class is a fictional class of starship
in the science fiction
franchise Star Trek
. At the time of their inauguration in the fictional timeline, they are the largest and most powerful Starfleet
vessels of the Federation
.
The most notable Galaxy-class starship is the USS Enterprise-D
, the primary setting of the TV series Star Trek:The Next Generation and the feature film Star Trek: Generations
. Galaxy vessels are also present in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
, including the pilot (featuring Enterprise-D) and during the Dominion War
. There are also several appearances of this class in Star Trek: Voyager
, including the finale.
for Star Trek: The Next Generation. Interiors were designed by Probert and Herman Zimmerman during the first season. Richard D. James designed and rebuilt the sets for the remaining six years, while Zimmerman returned for Star Trek Generations.
The ship's design features the classic Star Trek configuration: a saucer section connected via a vertical "neck" to the stardrive section, with warp nacelles
attached to the rear of the stardrive section via pylons. The Galaxy-class contrasts with previous starships, however, in that the saucer section is considerably wider than it is long; the nacelles pylons are roughly half the height of the ship's neck; and the entire ship is designed with an emphasis on forward-leaning arcs. The smaller Nebula-class starship features a similar saucer and nacelles to the Galaxy.
Primarily designed for exploration, the Galaxy class has an actual crew compliment of 1,012, and can carry 1000 passengers. However, in the episode "Yesterday's Enterprise," Lt. Yar states that the Galaxy class can carry "up to 4,000 troops." Due to the large number of passengers, the ship is occasionally equated to a "city in space". There are holographic entertainment and training facilities onboard. The ship is heavily armed, possessing 12 phasers, arranged on the hull as "strips", in contrast to the more literal phaser cannons on older Starfleet vessels. The Galaxy class is easily retrofitted for combat due to size, total reactor power, and volume of hollow space, and the Primary Deflector can be rigged as a makeshift weapon.
", designers of the USS Enterprise-D included Orfil Quinteros and Leah Brahms.
Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry
stated that only six Galaxy-class starships had been constructed; in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
episodes "Sacrifice of Angels" and "Favor the Bold" no fewer than nine are seen as part of a single "Fleet" and by this point in the series the Galaxy-class USS Enterprise-D, USS Yamato, and USS Odyssey had all been destroyed. The Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual
provides a possible canonical workaround by claiming that, while only six ships were ordered initially, Starfleet reserved the right to procure six more at a later date. Indeed it was likely a necessity given the increase in hostilities with the Dominion, the Klingons and the Borg as seen in Deep Space 9 and Star Trek: First Contact
.
The main bridge of the Galaxy class Enterprise is located on deck 1, and she also has a secondary battle bridge on deck eight of the secondary hull for use when the ship has undergone a saucer separation. It is first seen in the TNG episode "Encounter at Farpoint" and again in "The Arsenal of Freedom", with an updated version appearing in "The Best of Both Worlds".
' s "A Time to Stand
", "Sacrifice of Angels
", "Tears of the Prophets
" and "What You Leave Behind
" and in Voyager' s "Endgame
".
USS Challenger (NCC-71099) : In the Voyager episode "Timeless
", in an alternate future, Harry Kim
encounters and is pursued by the USS Challenger captained by Next Generation character Geordi La Forge
. The Challenger also appears in the novel, Star Trek: The Return
by William Shatner.
USS Dauntless (NCC-71879) : In the game Star Trek Bridge Commander, the Dauntless is a Galaxy-class starship controlled by the player for the first part of the game. It is destroyed later in the game.
USS Excalibur (NCC-26517-A) : A Galaxy-class Starfleet vessel under the command of Captain Mackenzie Calhoun beginning in the year 2376.
USS Galaxy (NX-70637) : A number of Galaxy-class starships appear in the Deep Space Nine episode "Tears of the Prophets". Although it isn't clear on-screen, the series' visual effects supervisor David Stipes confirmed that one of the Galaxy-class starships seen in the episode was intended to be the USS Galaxy. The ship also appears in a list of starships en route to intercept the Enterprise
in the film Nemesis
.
USS Odyssey (NCC-71832) : In the Deep Space Nine episode "The Jem'Hadar", the USS Odyssey commanded by Captain Keogh, is destroyed while on a mission to rescue Commander Sisko
, Jake Sisko
, Nog and Quark
. The Odyssey is also featured in Star Trek: Armada.
USS Trident (NCC-31347) : Galaxy-class starship commissioned in 2376, under the command of Captain Elizabeth Shelby. Shelby served as the Trident's captain throughout the Gateways Crisis, the incident with the Beings and throughout the events involving the Selelvians and the Tholian Assembly in in 2376 and 2377. When Shelby was promoted to Admiral and given command of Space Station Bravo, command of the Trident fell to Shelby's first officer, Katerina Mueller. Mueller captained the Trident through several incidents with Selelvian renegades and Orion pirates. The Trident was in the center of events when the extra-dimensional beings known as the Teuthis attempted to incite a civil war in the New Thallonian Protectorate in 2379. (ST - Gateways novel: Cold Wars; NF novels: Stone and Anvil, After the Fall, Missing in Action).
USS Trinculo (NCC-71867) : Federation Galaxy-class explorer starship in service to Starfleet in the late 24th century. The ship was named after Trinculo, one of the moons in orbit around Uranus. In 2374, the Trinculo was one of several Galaxy-class vessels involved in Operation Return to regain Deep Space 9 from Dominion control. (DS9 episode: "Sacrifice of Angels"; ST module: Starships)
USS Yamato (NCC-71807) : The Yamato appears as an illusion in the Next Generation second season episode "Where Silence Has Lease
". In the second season episode "Contagion
", the crew of the Enterprise-D rendezvous with the Yamato just in time to witness its explosive destruction. Due to errors by the production staff, the registry number of the Yamato was read by Commander Riker
as NCC-1305-E in the episode "Where Silence Has Lease", while in the episode "Contagion" the registry number on the shooting model, and various diagrams is NCC-71807.
Starship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
in the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
franchise Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
. At the time of their inauguration in the fictional timeline, they are the largest and most powerful Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
vessels of the Federation
United Federation of Planets
The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
.
The most notable Galaxy-class starship is the USS Enterprise-D
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
The USS Enterprise is a 24th century starship in the Star Trek fictional universe and the principal setting of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series...
, the primary setting of the TV series Star Trek:The Next Generation and the feature film Star Trek: Generations
Star Trek: Generations
Star Trek Generations is a 1994 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. Generations is the seventh feature film based on the Star Trek television series and the first film in the series to star the cast of the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.Parts of the film...
. Galaxy vessels are also present in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
, including the pilot (featuring Enterprise-D) and during the Dominion War
Dominion War
The Dominion War is an extended plot concept developed in a number of story arcs of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, an American science-fiction television series produced by Paramount Pictures...
. There are also several appearances of this class in Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
, including the finale.
Design
The Galaxy-class model was designed by Andrew ProbertAndrew Probert
Andrew Probert is an artist who is best known for designing the USS Enterprise for Star Trek: The Motion Picture and the Enterprise-D for Star Trek: The Next Generation....
for Star Trek: The Next Generation. Interiors were designed by Probert and Herman Zimmerman during the first season. Richard D. James designed and rebuilt the sets for the remaining six years, while Zimmerman returned for Star Trek Generations.
The ship's design features the classic Star Trek configuration: a saucer section connected via a vertical "neck" to the stardrive section, with warp nacelles
Warp drive (Star Trek)
Warp drive is a faster-than-light propulsion system in the setting of many science fiction works, most notably Star Trek. A spacecraft equipped with a warp drive may travel at velocities greater than that of light by many orders of magnitude, while circumventing the relativistic problem of time...
attached to the rear of the stardrive section via pylons. The Galaxy-class contrasts with previous starships, however, in that the saucer section is considerably wider than it is long; the nacelles pylons are roughly half the height of the ship's neck; and the entire ship is designed with an emphasis on forward-leaning arcs. The smaller Nebula-class starship features a similar saucer and nacelles to the Galaxy.
Primarily designed for exploration, the Galaxy class has an actual crew compliment of 1,012, and can carry 1000 passengers. However, in the episode "Yesterday's Enterprise," Lt. Yar states that the Galaxy class can carry "up to 4,000 troops." Due to the large number of passengers, the ship is occasionally equated to a "city in space". There are holographic entertainment and training facilities onboard. The ship is heavily armed, possessing 12 phasers, arranged on the hull as "strips", in contrast to the more literal phaser cannons on older Starfleet vessels. The Galaxy class is easily retrofitted for combat due to size, total reactor power, and volume of hollow space, and the Primary Deflector can be rigged as a makeshift weapon.
History
Within the series it is stated that design and construction of the Galaxy-class began in the 2340s, with the first ships being commissioned in the 2360s. According to dialog in the Next Generation episodes "11001001" and "Booby TrapBooby Trap (TNG episode)
"Booby Trap" is the 54th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Overview:In this episode, the Federation Starship USS Enterprise discovers a derelict centuries-old alien battlecruiser and becomes trapped with it.-Plot:The Enterprise, investigating the...
", designers of the USS Enterprise-D included Orfil Quinteros and Leah Brahms.
Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry
Gene Roddenberry
Eugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry was an American television screenwriter, producer and futurist, best known for creating the American science fiction series Star Trek. Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up in Los Angeles, California where his father worked as a police officer...
stated that only six Galaxy-class starships had been constructed; in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
episodes "Sacrifice of Angels" and "Favor the Bold" no fewer than nine are seen as part of a single "Fleet" and by this point in the series the Galaxy-class USS Enterprise-D, USS Yamato, and USS Odyssey had all been destroyed. The Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual
Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Technical Manual is a paperback reference guide detailing the inner and other workings of the fictional Federation starship Enterprise-D and other aspects of technology that appeared in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.Authored by Rick Sternbach...
provides a possible canonical workaround by claiming that, while only six ships were ordered initially, Starfleet reserved the right to procure six more at a later date. Indeed it was likely a necessity given the increase in hostilities with the Dominion, the Klingons and the Borg as seen in Deep Space 9 and Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: First Contact is the eighth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise, released in November 1996, by Paramount Pictures. First Contact is the first film in the franchise to feature no cast members from the original Star Trek television series of the 1960s...
.
Bridge
Three distinct Galaxy class bridge variants have been seen: the Enterprise bridge in The Next Generation (which undergoes a redesign in the first two seasons), the Enterprise bridge in Star Trek Generations, and the USS Odyssey bridge in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "The Jem'Hadar".The main bridge of the Galaxy class Enterprise is located on deck 1, and she also has a secondary battle bridge on deck eight of the secondary hull for use when the ship has undergone a saucer separation. It is first seen in the TNG episode "Encounter at Farpoint" and again in "The Arsenal of Freedom", with an updated version appearing in "The Best of Both Worlds".
Other Galaxy-class starships
In addition to these vessels, several unnamed or unidentifiable Galaxy-class ships appear in DS9A Time to Stand (DS9 episode)
- Synopsis :Three months after the events of Call to Arms, the Federation-Klingon alliance is badly losing the Dominion War. After hearing news that the Seventh Fleet was almost obliterated, Captain Benjamin Sisko and his command crew are assigned to pilot a captured Jem'Hadar attack ship into...
", "Sacrifice of Angels
Sacrifice of Angels (DS9 episode)
"Sacrifice of Angels" was the sixth episode from the sixth season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The episode's plot details the efforts of the United Federation of Planets to retake space station Terok Nor from the forces of the Dominion.-Plot:...
", "Tears of the Prophets
Tears of the Prophets (DS9 episode)
"Tears of the Prophets" is the last episode of the sixth-season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine first broadcast on June 17, 1998.In this episode, Starfleet Command plans to go on the offensive and it is decided that Captain Sisko will be responsible for planning the first steps in the assault on the...
" and "What You Leave Behind
What You Leave Behind (DS9 Episode)
"What You Leave Behind" is the series finale of the television show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and is the twenty-fifth episode of the seventh season. Much of the episode is set on Cardassia Prime, the home world of the Cardassians and the headquarters of the Dominion in the Alpha Quadrant...
" and in Voyager
Endgame (Voyager episode)
"Endgame" is the title of the series finale of the Star Trek spinoff series, Star Trek: Voyager. Originally shown as a double-length episode and presented as such in DVD collections, it is shown in repeat broadcasts as two linked episodes.-Plot:...
".
USS Challenger (NCC-71099) : In the Voyager episode "Timeless
Timeless (Voyager episode)
"Timeless", the sixth episode of the fifth season of Star Trek: Voyager, was also the series' 100th episode. It has an average fan rating of 4.7/5 on the official Star Trek website as of September, 2009....
", in an alternate future, Harry Kim
Harry Kim (Star Trek)
Ensign Harry S. L. Kim, played by Garrett Wang, is a character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager. He serves as the USS Voyagers operations officer.-Depiction:...
encounters and is pursued by the USS Challenger captained by Next Generation character Geordi La Forge
Geordi La Forge
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge is a regular character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and its feature films, played by LeVar Burton...
. The Challenger also appears in the novel, Star Trek: The Return
The Return (Star Trek)
The Return is a novel by William Shatner that was co-written with Garfield Reeves-Stevens and Judith Reeves-Stevens. It is set in the Star Trek universe but, as part of the "Shatnerverse," does not follow the timeline established by other Star Trek novels...
by William Shatner.
USS Dauntless (NCC-71879) : In the game Star Trek Bridge Commander, the Dauntless is a Galaxy-class starship controlled by the player for the first part of the game. It is destroyed later in the game.
USS Excalibur (NCC-26517-A) : A Galaxy-class Starfleet vessel under the command of Captain Mackenzie Calhoun beginning in the year 2376.
USS Galaxy (NX-70637) : A number of Galaxy-class starships appear in the Deep Space Nine episode "Tears of the Prophets". Although it isn't clear on-screen, the series' visual effects supervisor David Stipes confirmed that one of the Galaxy-class starships seen in the episode was intended to be the USS Galaxy. The ship also appears in a list of starships en route to intercept the Enterprise
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)
The USS Enterprise is a Sovereign-class starship in the Star Trek franchise. It serves as the primary setting of the films Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
in the film Nemesis
Star Trek: Nemesis
Star Trek Nemesis is a 2002 science fiction film directed by Stuart Baird, written by John Logan , and with music composed by Jerry Goldsmith. It is the tenth feature film in the Star Trek franchise, and the fourth and final film to star the cast from the television series Star Trek: The Next...
.
USS Odyssey (NCC-71832) : In the Deep Space Nine episode "The Jem'Hadar", the USS Odyssey commanded by Captain Keogh, is destroyed while on a mission to rescue Commander Sisko
Benjamin Sisko
Benjamin Lafayette Sisko, played by Avery Brooks, is the main character of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.-Early life and career:...
, Jake Sisko
Jake Sisko
Jacob "Jake" Sisko, played by Cirroc Lofton, is a character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He is the son of Deep Space Nine's commanding officer, Benjamin Sisko.-Overview:...
, Nog and Quark
Quark (Star Trek)
Quark is a fictional character in the American television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The character, which was played by Armin Shimerman, was depicted as a member of an extraterrestrial race known as the Ferengi, who are stereotypically ultra-capitalist and only motivated by...
. The Odyssey is also featured in Star Trek: Armada.
USS Trident (NCC-31347) : Galaxy-class starship commissioned in 2376, under the command of Captain Elizabeth Shelby. Shelby served as the Trident's captain throughout the Gateways Crisis, the incident with the Beings and throughout the events involving the Selelvians and the Tholian Assembly in in 2376 and 2377. When Shelby was promoted to Admiral and given command of Space Station Bravo, command of the Trident fell to Shelby's first officer, Katerina Mueller. Mueller captained the Trident through several incidents with Selelvian renegades and Orion pirates. The Trident was in the center of events when the extra-dimensional beings known as the Teuthis attempted to incite a civil war in the New Thallonian Protectorate in 2379. (ST - Gateways novel: Cold Wars; NF novels: Stone and Anvil, After the Fall, Missing in Action).
USS Trinculo (NCC-71867) : Federation Galaxy-class explorer starship in service to Starfleet in the late 24th century. The ship was named after Trinculo, one of the moons in orbit around Uranus. In 2374, the Trinculo was one of several Galaxy-class vessels involved in Operation Return to regain Deep Space 9 from Dominion control. (DS9 episode: "Sacrifice of Angels"; ST module: Starships)
USS Yamato (NCC-71807) : The Yamato appears as an illusion in the Next Generation second season episode "Where Silence Has Lease
Where Silence Has Lease (TNG episode)
"Where Silence Has Lease" is the 28th episode of the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Overview:The Enterprise becomes enveloped by a void in space where the crew are tested by a powerful alien presence.-Plot:...
". In the second season episode "Contagion
Contagion (TNG episode)
-Overview:Picard and company try to protect the Enterprise against a catastrophic malfunction and simultaneously unlock the secrets of the once-powerful Iconian empire while keeping those secrets from the watchful Romulans.-Plot:...
", the crew of the Enterprise-D rendezvous with the Yamato just in time to witness its explosive destruction. Due to errors by the production staff, the registry number of the Yamato was read by Commander Riker
William Riker
William Thomas Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes, is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe primarily appearing as a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
as NCC-1305-E in the episode "Where Silence Has Lease", while in the episode "Contagion" the registry number on the shooting model, and various diagrams is NCC-71807.