Galaxy class The " Galaxy " - class was a Starfleet vessel first introduced in the late 2350s . It was one of the largest and most powerful Federation starship classes of its time , with many serving in the Dominion War . Starfleet had previously operated another type of starship in the 2250 s . ( ) History . Design and development . The " Galaxy " Class Starship Development Project began in the 2350s at Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards . ( ) Numerous technologies implemented on " Galaxy " - class starships were tested aboard earlier prototype vessels , including the in the 2350s . ( ) The warp core was designed at Outpost Seran - T - one on stardate 40052 by some of the most brilliant engineering minds in the Federation , including Leah Brahms of the Theoretical Propulsion Group . ( ) Major component construction of " Galaxy " - class ships was carried out both in orbit and at ground based facilities . Upon its launch , the " Galaxy " - class had become the most technologically sophisticated and complicated ship ever built by the Federation . ( ) Commander William T . Riker ' s console on the bridge had some information on the dimensions of the . This information might be true for her sister ship s . The " Enterprise " had an overall length of 641 meters , an overall width of 473 meters , and an overall height of 190 meters . The gross vehicle mass of this ship was 5 , 000 , 000 tons . The ship had a standard crew complement of 1 , 012 persons , with a maximum evacuation capacity of 15 , 000 persons . The environmental standard on the ship was M - class . The maximum sustainable speed was warp 8 . 2 , with the ship being able , temporarily , to travel at warp 9 . 8 for emergency situations . ( okudagram ) Early years . Service aboard a " Galaxy " - class starship was considered an extremely prestigious assignment and they attracted some of Starfleet ' s finest officers . ( ; ) They were noted for their impressive abilities among Federation citizens and other Alpha Quadrant races . ( ; ; ) Some " Galaxy " - class ships were able to house large civilian populations ; many assigned personnel even brought their families aboard to live with them . In 2365 , the safety of the " Galaxy " - class , in particular its warp propulsion system , came into question when the was lost in a mysterious accident near the Romulan Neutral Zone claiming the lives of all personnel and their families . The ship had experienced massive system - wide failures which eventually led to a loss of antimatter containment . Further investigation by the " Enterprise " - D revealed the malfunctions were the result of an Iconian software transmission and not a design flaw inherent to the ship . ( ) Undoubtedly the most prominent early " Galaxy " - class starship was the , which , apart from two brief periods under the commands of William T . Riker and Edward Jellico , was commanded for its entire seven years of service by Captain Jean - Luc Picard . The " Enterprise " - D made first contact with a multitude of new species , including the Q Continuum , and the Borg Collective . Its diplomatic efforts helped cool tensions between smaller , regional powers and prevent dramatic upheavals to the security of the Federation during the Klingon Civil War , and frequently checked Romulan and Cardassian operations in tense situations . It fought off some of the Federation ' s toughest foes , most notably preventing the assimilation of Earth during the Borg invasion of 2367 . ( ) Dominion War . A " Galaxy " - class ship was involved in the disastrous first contact with the Dominion . The had entered the Gamma Quadrant in order to rescue several Federation citizens who had been taken captive by the Jem ' Hadar . While the " Odyssey " was retreating , a Jem ' Hadar attack ship made a suicide run at its stardrive section , causing a massive hull breach and resulting in the complete destruction of the ship . ( ) This act led to three years of hostilities between the Federation and the Dominion , culminating in the outbreak of the Dominion War . " Galaxy " - class starships saw action in many of the major fleet actions of the war including Operation Return , where ships of the class played a tactical role as leaders for " Galaxy " - wing squadrons , ( ) the First Battle of Chin ' toka , ( ) and the Battle of Cardassia . ( ) Later status . Several more starships entered the fleet inventory during the 2370s . Several " Galaxy " - class ships were shown under construction at Utopia Planitia . ( ; ) By the latter half of the decade , " Galaxy " - class ships were seen all around Federation space , from stations near Earth where a number of " Galaxy " - class ships were part of the fleet assembled to intercept a Borg sphere in 2378 , to ships operating near the Romulan Neutral Zone . ( ; ) " In an alternate future , remained in service long after 2370 , although some attempts had been made to decommission them . " ( ) Technical data . Physical arrangement . The " Galaxy " - class shared similar design characteristics with the smaller . The design included two hull sections : a saucer - shaped primary hull , and a detachable secondary hull which housed the ship ' s primary engines . They could be reversibly separated , and were both equipped with independent flight and combat capabilities . Generally , civilians and non - essential personnel would evacuate to the saucer module , while the senior staff confronted a threat in the battle section , which contained the majority of weapons systems . ( ) The saucer was able to withstand a crash landing on a planetary surface . ( ) However , in dire situations , the saucer section could still be used in combat . ( ) The interior space of the " Galaxy " - class was left somewhat customizable ; areas such as Deck 8 were designated as unfinished and multipurpose , in the event that extra space was needed for a specific mission . ( ) Command and control systems . The computer system on board the " Galaxy " - class was isolinear based . ( ) Computer systems were concentrated in a computer core , which was accessible through a maintenance room . ( ) Each " Galaxy " - class vessel carried a total of three independent computer cores ; two located in the saucer section and one in the engineering section . Propulsion systems . " Galaxy " - class ships achieved warp flight through two warp nacelles , which housed multiple pairs of warp coil s . ( ) The warp core was one of the most powerful in Starfleet , generating approximately 12 . 75 billion gigawatt s ( 12 . 7 exawatts ) of power . ( ) The efficiency of the warp drive could be tweaked to a point where it rivaled the new in 2370 . ( ) The warp core spanned twelve decks in the engineering hull . The deuterium tank s were above the core , while antimatter storage pod s surrounded the base of the core on Deck 42 . ( ) The acceleration delay between slow - reverse impulse and top warp speed , or about warp 9 , was 0 . 300 millisecond s . ( ) Warp speeds above 9 . 3 were beyond the red line . The maximum warp speed was warp 9 . 6 , which could be maintained for a few hours . ( ) It was also possible to achieve warp 9 . 65 . ( ) Warp 9 . 8 was also achievable in theory , but at extreme risk . ( ) As of the year 2366 , the USS " Enterprise " - D , a " Galaxy " - class vessel , was known to have been the fastest ship in Starfleet . ( ) This record however was quickly beaten with the introduction of the Intrepid class by 2371 . There were three impulse engine s , two on the saucer section and one in the stardrive section . In early ships , only the impulse engine in the stardrive section was usually active . ( ) Upgrades . Upgrades to the propulsion systems were tested in 2370 aboard the " Enterprise " - D ; the ship received a new warp core manufactured with interphase technology . ( ) A major overhaul of the nacelles was also conducted that year . ( ) By the mid 2370s , most " Galaxy " - class ships began operating with all three impulse engines activated . ( ; ) Scientific systems . " Galaxy " - class ships supported a wide variety of scientific equipment and laboratories studying many different disciplines . ( ) The departments often had to compete for limited resources such as sensor time , which were allocated by the operations officer or , on occasion , the executive officer . ( ) In addition to sensors , " Galaxy " - class ships were equipped with a variety of probe s and scientific devices that could be launched from the torpedo launchers . These included basic scanner probe s and reconnaissance probe s , class - A probe s and probes from class - 1 to class - 5 . ( ) The ships were also equipped with a number of space buoy s including the basic stationary beacon s , warning buoy s and emergency buoy s . ( ) Upgrades . Sensor systems could be customized and upgraded as necessary for a specific mission . Additional equipment could be added as required . ( ) The latest technologies were generally outfitted to " Galaxy " - class ships as they left the experimental stages . ( ) Tactical systems . The " Galaxy " - class was equipped with ten phaser bank s , distributed in phaser array s at various points along both hulls . One array was located on the dorsal of the battle section and could only be used following a separation . Multiple phaser beams could be fired simultaneously from a single array . ( ) There were also fore and aft torpedo launcher s on the engineering section . ( ) Each launch tube was capable of firing at least five photon torpedoes simultaneously , each torpedo capable of being independently targeted . ( ) In the 2360s , " Galaxy " - class ships typically carried about 250 photon torpedoes . The torpedo launchers were also capable of launching probes . The " Galaxy " - class also carried antimatter mine s and supported a high - capacity deflector shield grid . ( ) Additionally , the engineering crew of the " Enterprise " - D discovered a way to convert the main deflector dish of the " Galaxy " - class into a beam weapon of unprecedented power . This weapon was successfully tested against a Borg cube in 2367 , and possessed enough firepower that the Borg cube would likely have been destroyed in a single shot had it not been for the fact that , with the assimilation of Jean Luc Picard , the Borg had managed to preemptively adapt to the frequency of the energy . Initial usage of the weapon burned out the main deflector dish and required the crew of the " Enterprise " - D to spend several hours conducting repairs . However , the only other time the weapon was used , it appeared not to have caused any of the system damage that it had previously been observed to cause , though it was not fired for the same length of time . ( ) Certain " Galaxy " - class ships , such as the , were fitted with additional phaser arrays on the dorsal surfaces of their nacelles . ( ) Upgrades . The " Enterprise " - D received weapons systems upgrades in 2370 , including a loadout of higher - yield photon torpedoes and enhanced targeting sensors programmed by Lieutenant Worf . ( ) Crew support . While Starfleet policy permitted the immediate family of officers and crew to stay aboard starships prior to the advent of the " Galaxy " - class , it was the first class specifically tailored to accommodate civilian as well as Starfleet personnel . ( ) Civilians were allowed to hold varying positions in the science division aboard the " Galaxy " - class . ( ) Interior design . With the presence of families and non - Starfleet personnel aboard , the " Galaxy " - class interior was mostly designed for their comfort and the well being of the crew in general . While the major command sections maintained form and functionality above all , there remained a much more " relaxed " feel about the design of many of these areas . Main bridge . The main bridge of the " Galaxy " - class was located on Deck 1 of the saucer section . As with most starships , the main bridge was modular and could be completely replaced with another bridge if the need called for it . Different " Galaxy " - class starships had different bridge designs . The following describes the bridge design used in at least two " Galaxy " - class starships , including the USS " Enterprise " - D . The forward bulkhead was dominated by the main viewscreen . Directly aft of this were the operations officer and conn positions . At the very center of the room was the command area – the captain ' s chair at the center , flanked by chairs for the first officer to the right , and an additional officer ( typically the ship ' s counselor or chief medical officer ) to the left . Each of these command stations included consoles for shipboard systems access . Smaller backless seats were located on the edges of the command area , for other officers to sit , should the need arise . It should be noted that helm control could either be operated from the left or right forward stations , or in some cases from the tactical station . It also should be noted that the operations console was capable of communications , scanning , and course navigation . The tactical console , positioned directly behind the captain , was located in the wooden handrail that encircled the rear half of the central command area . The aft bulkhead carried several additional consoles . These could be customized as needed , ( ) and were reconfigured at least twice . In 2364 , the consoles , from starboard to port , were Science I , Science II , Propulsion , Emergency Manual Override , and Environment . By 2365 , they were Science I , Science II , Mission Ops , Environment , and Engineering . The stations featured pullout seats below the console , which were normally flush with the panel below the stations . The bridge was also equipped with two food replicator s . By necessity , the bridge had easy access to and from all other important areas of the ship . In all , there were six doors leading from the room . Moving clockwise from the main viewscreen , the first door , level with and to the right of the conn , led directly to the battle bridge emergency turbolift . At the rear right of the bridge , a shallow alcove contained two doors , one of which led to a head , the other to a corridor leading to the observation lounge . The door at the rear left of the room opened onto a standard turbolift . Continuing around , the fifth door led into the captain ' s ready room , the sixth to another turbolift . ( ) As the main bridge housed so many critical systems , numerous emergency environmental and power backups were included so that duty personnel could continue to work for up to 72 hours in the event of a major shutdown or incapacitation of the vessel . Other safeguards included seven redundant safety interlocks to prevent the life support from being turned off on the bridge . ( ) Upgrades . The bridges of " Galaxy " - class ships were subject to several minor cosmetic changes over their first decade of service . Aboard the USS " Enterprise " - D , these could be seen as early as 2365 , the starship ' s second year of service . The computer access panels on the port and starboard walls were replaced ; pin - striping was added to the tactical console bulkhead behind the captain ' s chair ; the reclined conn and ops seats were replaced with upright versions ; the cushioned end seats were removed from the command area ; the " flip - open " captain ' s chair consoles were replaced with permanently open units ; and the direction of the viewscreen beacon was reversed . ( ) Several changes were also made to the bridge ' s carpeting in subsequent years . The " Enterprise " - D bridge ' s first major refit came in 2371 . Six new stations were added , three on each side of the bridge replacing the equipment lockers . The aft stations were accordingly reprogrammed and moved to different locations . The three starboard stations were designated Science I , II , and III . Science IV became the first aft station , followed by Mission Ops , Environment , and Engineering I / II . The port side of the bridge had three communications station s , consoles which were not common to the bridges of 24th century ships . In addition , the command chairs were raised two steps above the helm and ops stations , to provide the captain with an unobstructed view of the forward viewscreen . New carpeting and handrails were also added . ( ) Observation lounge . The observation lounge was located directly aft of the main bridge . The room was usually used as a conference room for the vessel ' s senior staff . It featured large , aft - facing windows that offered a spectacular view of the back of the starship and space beyond . A conference table with seating for ten people was the main feature of the room , ( ) with LCARS screens on the port and starboard walls for information displays and retrieval . ( ) Holographic emitters embedded within the table could also be used for presenting data . ( ) Some starships featured artwork along the wall opposite the windows ; when this was not present the bare wall showed several structural supports . ( ) Battle bridge . The battle bridge was located on Deck 8 and was connected to the main bridge and other vital areas of the ship by an emergency turbolift . It was designed to control the stardrive section following a saucer separation . Unlike the main bridge , there was much more focus on combat and tactical systems and no science stations . The battle bridge was modular , like the main bridge ; at least two variants have been seen aboard " Galaxy " - class ships . ( ) Main engineering . Engineering systems spanned twelve decks of the engineering section . Engineering itself was located on Deck 36 , ( ) and was an open - plan facility , directly accessible from the corridor . Consisting of two levels , it provided direct access to the vessel ' s warp core and primary engineering support systems . The corridor bulkhead housed the Master Situation Monitor . Inside the main section , the master systems display was the operational focus of the room . Beyond this , heading towards the warp core , the chief engineer ' s office and several support consoles were located on the left , and the assistant chief engineer ' s console on the right . These formed part of the bulkhead protecting the main part of engineering from the warp core . Access to the upper level , a circular area surrounding the warp core , was provided by a ladder to the left of the warp core or an elevator on the right . The upper level had access to other warp core maintenance systems . ( ) Engineering could also serve as a backup to the main bridge if it was damaged or disabled . ( ) In the event of a major failure , such as an imminent warp core breach , engineering was equipped with isolation door s and force field s to contain various sections of the facility , usually to seal off the warp core prior to detonation or ejection . ( ; ) Medical facilities . The " Galaxy " - class medical department was charged with providing health care to the ship ' s company and all attached personnel . Sickbay . There were at least three sickbay wards aboard the ship , ( ) with at least one in the saucer section ( ) and another in the stardrive section . ( ) There were four recovery biobed s on the periphery of the room with a main surgical biobed opposite them , covered by a large overhead sensor cluster and capable of hookup to a surgical support frame . Equipment storage and various control panels were located throughout sickbay . The chief medical officer ' s office was a small space just off the main sickbay , with desk and workspace for the CMO . A small foyer connected the office to the sickbay ; it contained a replicator terminal . Separate , private recovery rooms were also located near sickbay , ( ) as was a nursery ( ) and a diagnostic center . ( ) A " Galaxy " - class sickbay also had the facilities to isolate parasitic protoviruses . ( ) " In an alternate reality , in which the went into the future , there was a null - G ward of sickbay . " ( ) Medlabs . " Galaxy " - class ships had at least four medical laboratories of varying sizes . There was a small laboratory accessible through the foyer outside the chief medical officer ' s office where minor experiments run by on - duty personnel could be monitored . ( ) Other larger medlabs similar to standard science labs were elsewhere . ( ) Surgical suite . Surgeries too complicated for the sickbay ward could be conducted in a separate surgical area which had a large variety of bio - support systems . ( ) Emergency bio - support unit . There was a separate room located near the main sickbay facility on Deck 12 that contained the emergency bio - support unit . Patients with severe burn injuries could be treated here in a closed cell . ( ) Physical rehabilitation bay . Similar in size and design of the room housing the emergency bio support unit , this space was used for the physical rehabilitation of patient s in sickbay . Several weights were available in racks as well various scanners , including the prominently placed unit located in the center of the ceiling . ( ) Morgue . A morgue facility with storage slots for several bodies was located adjacent to sickbay . ( ) Counselor ' s office . The ship ' s counselor had their own office , located on Deck 9 . Crew members needing emotional support could meet in private with the counselor here . ( ) Scientific department . The " Galaxy " - class starship housed over one hundred separate scientific research labs . Very few of the research labs remained under the same discipline of science for more than six months . Most shared the same design ; only a few had extremely specialized equipment . Stellar cartography . The vessel also housed a stellar cartography department , located on Deck 9 . There were at least two laboratories based there ; one , a smaller facility similar to the other labs aboard the ship ; another , a much larger cylindrical room spanning three decks . The walls of the room were designed to be a three - dimensional display . ( ) Cybernetics lab . Aboard the " Enterprise " - D , the cybernetics lab was a circular room , with a raised platform in its center containing a shell which could hold a cybernetic body . The entire assembly could retract into the ceiling and was directly controlled by a console to the side . There were additional wall - mounted consoles throughout the room . ( ) The laboratory was redesigned in 2368 and altered to become much more rectangular , although it still featured the shell assembly . ( ) Arboretum . The arboretum was capable of studying and supporting a wide variety of plant life , and also doubled as a social area . ( ) Cetacean labs . The " Galaxy " - class starship carried a complement of cetacean s . Among the crew , these facilities were also known as " the dolphin tanks " ( ) or the " aquatic lab . " ( ) " In an alternate timeline , these facilities were also known as Cetacean Ops . " ( ) Transport and cargo . Transporter rooms . " Galaxy " - class starships had twenty transporter room s located throughout the vessel . ( ) Four transporter rooms were located on Deck 6 in the saucer section , ( ) while two more were on Deck 14 in the stardrive section . ( ) Shuttlebays . There were three shuttlebay s aboard each " Galaxy " - class starship , supporting many varieties of shuttlecraft . The main shuttlebay was located on Deck 4 in the saucer section . It was so massive that an explosive decompression of the air within the bay would contain enough force to propel the ship forward . ( ) Two smaller bays , shuttlebays 2 and 3 , were on Deck 13 in the engineering hull . ( ) " Galaxy " - class starships were equipped with five hangars , hangars 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 , for the overhaul ing , refit ting , testing , and storage of auxiliary craft . ( , " display graphic " ) Cargo bays . There were numerous multi - level cargo bays located all throughout the ship . Most of these bays contained sufficient room for storage , cargo transporters , and anti - grav units for the transportation of cargo . ( ) Cargo bay four was the only cargo bay with direct access to the exterior hull . ( ) Crew quarters . Most crew quarters on the " Galaxy " - class were located in the ship ' s saucer section , in order to provide safety for civilian and non - essential personnel during a saucer separation . However , the engineering hull also contained crew quarters , generally containing engineering personnel and their families . ( ; ) Pets , including cat s and dog s , were also allowed aboard ship . ( ) There were several types of crew quarters aboard : Recreational facilities . Ten Forward . Located at the forward - most section of the saucer module on Deck 10 ( deck 10 , forward section one ) , Ten Forward served as the social center of the ship . It had a battery of recreational games including three - dimensional chess as well as a fully stocked bar which carried synthehol ic beverages . The replicator s were also able to produce other food and drinks for the crew to enjoy in a relaxed social setting . Its large , panoramic windows permitted a staggering view of the ship ' s passage through space . ( ) Holodeck . The " Galaxy " - class carried sixteen holodeck s , which are located on Decks 9 , 10 , and 11 . ( ) Phaser range . The phaser range was located on Deck 12 . A person stood on a platform in the center of the room , illuminated only by the light which came from above the platform . Colored circular lights , approximately the size of a Human hand , whirled across the walls , and the person aimed and fired at selected targets . After completing a round , the number of hits and misses , along with the percentage of accuracy , were tallied by the ship ' s computer . There were at least fifteen levels of difficulty , and the range could be customized for two - player competition . The phaser range was also used by security officers to train personnel in marksmanship . ( ) Gymnasium . The gymnasium , which was also on Deck 12 , contained a variety of recreational equipment for a variety of sports . In addition to aerobic studios ( ) and martial arts areas , ( ) there was a parrises squares area , ( ) a squash court , ( ) and an anbo - jytsu court . ( ) The gymnasium also featured a fencing room . Aboard the " Enterprise " - D , Captain Picard typically fenced with fellow crewmembers . ( ) Theater and concert hall . There was a large theater aboard , which was equipped to seat large groups of people . The theater could also be used as a concert hall for musical performances by crew members . ( ) Salon . The salon was an area where crewmembers could get personal care ranging from a simple haircut to an elaborate spa treatment . ( ) Relaxing area . Relaxing areas were open rooms which were used by crewmembers to meet and talk . They were equipped with a couch , plant s , and a viewscreen . ( ) Replicating center . At the replicating center , crewmembers could replicate items which were too large or complicated for a standard food replicator terminal . They could " shop " for certain items by reviewing the fabrication database . ( ) Educational facilities . There were several small schools of varying sizes located throughout the ship , ranging from actual classrooms ( ) to specialized workshops . ( ) Appendices . Background information . The " Galaxy " - class starship was first ( and mostly ) seen as the USS " Enterprise " - D . It was designed by Andrew Probert . Interiors were supervised by Herman Zimmerman in both the first season of TNG and , and by Richard James for the intervening six seasons . Technical specifications for the " Galaxy " - class were visible on a display in the conference lounge of the " Enterprise " - D beginning with the episode . A " Galaxy " - class starship appears in the series finale of all four " Star Trek " spin - offs ; the " Enterprise " - D appears in " All Good Things " and " These Are the Voyages " , while unnamed " Galaxy " - class ships appear in " What You Leave Behind " and " Endgame " . Designing the bridge . Andrew Probert made a series of drawings refining the new look for the " Enterprise " s bridge . An early writers ' bible for the new series described the new bridge as combining " " the features of ship control , briefing room , information retrieval area , and officers ' wardroom . In other words , much the same kinds of things happen here as in the old bridge , but with less emphasis on the mechanics of steering the starship . " " That new , less mechanistic approach can be seen in the preliminary designs featuring viewing couches and a conference table on the bridge . Technical specifications for the " Galaxy " - class were visible on a display in the conference lounge of the " Enterprise " - D beginning with the episode . " Technical Manual " . The " " and the " " show that the " Galaxy " - class was equipped with a third aft torpedo launcher in the saucer section that was exposed upon the separation . This launcher however did not appear on the filming model . The " Technical Manual " ( pp 177 - 178 ) features several preliminary designs of a ship class that would one day replace the " Galaxy " - class as the primary explorer ship of the fleet . One of the designs for the was a down - sized ship with much less internal volume that allowed each ship to be refitted for specific mission types . A smaller ship of this class first appeared on screen in , though it was identified only as a class designed for short - term planetary research missions in the episode . In alternative futures seen in and we get to see the " Nova " - class in long - term deep space assignment and battle ship roles as well . The " " lists the class ' statistics as follows : Apocrypha . The depicted the " Galaxy " - class USS " Ronald D . Moore " ( NCC - 70564 ) docked at Deep Space 9 . According to Gary Hutzel , this ship was named after both Vice Admiral and " " a certain writer on a 20th century show . " " In the novel " The Buried Age " , set between the destruction of the and Picard assuming command of the " Enterprise " - D , while on his first mission with Picard , Data discovers an attempt to implant a quantum virus in Starfleet computers that would introduce multiple subtle faults in the plans for the " Galaxy " - class as a means of discouraging future space exploration ; while this will delay development of the " Galaxy " - class for a year or so compared to the original plans , Data ' s actions earn him an award for commendation and assurances that he will have a place on one such ship when they go into service . In the " " series of computer games , the " Galaxy " - class is referred to as a battleship in gameplay . On screen , the USS " Enterprise " - D has been casually referred to as a battleship in and . However , these instances take place in alternate timeline s and it is not known if " battleship " is an actual starship type within Starfleet . In the episode , the " Galaxy " - class " Enterprise " - D was described as a battleship , based on her specifications . In Peter David ' s " New Frontier " line of novels , Captain Calhoun and crew are given a " Galaxy " - class replacement for the lost . It is notable for also possessing a designation as the " Excalibur " - A , something only previously seen with Kirk ' s . In the " " novel " Rough Beasts of Empire " , Benjamin Sisko assumes command of the " Galaxy " - class USS " Robinson " . The " Robinson " also appears in " Plagues of Night " . Several " Galaxy " - class starships have been mentioned in novels and games : The " Galaxy " - class ( along with two sub - classes ) is also seen in the game " Star Trek Online " , obtainable when the player reaches a rank of Captain under the classification of " Exploration Cruiser " . There ' s also a special version , the " Exploration Cruiser Refit " , at that same rank that gives players the ability to use Antimatter Spread , confusing opponents visually . A third version appears at Vice Admiral - level which gives players the ability to use Saucer Separation . The modified version from is also available for Vice Admiral - level players , and is referred to as a " Federation " Dreadnought " Cruiser " under the designation " " Galaxy - X " "