Shuttlepod ( 22nd century ) A shuttlepod was a type of shuttlecraft operated by Starfleet in the 2150s and early 2160s . The shuttlepod s were used to transport personnel to and from planet s and / or spacecraft . History . In the mid - 22nd century , shuttlepods were normally used by Starfleet personnel and sometimes by MACO s . The vehicles also occasionally carried diplomatic delegations . ( ) The carried two shuttlepods , namely " " and " Shuttlepod 2 " , throughout its ten year mission from 2151 until 2161 . ( ) Starfleet Command also used shuttlepods , although they differed from the ones used by NX - class starships . They had blue and silver streamlines and a registry number . ( ) One of these vehicles , seen in 2154 , had the registry number NC - 05 . ( ) " In the mid - 2150s of the mirror universe , shuttlepods were also stored in launch bays aboard NX - class starships and were used by officers of the Terran Empire . " ( ) The Federation starship carried at least one shuttlepod until the time of its disappearance in the mid - 2160s . ( ) Shuttlepods were featured in a holoprogram used in 2370 that also included a simulation of " Enterprise " s interior and several locations on the planet Rigel X . ( ) Technical data . Shuttlepods were able to seat a pilot and six passengers , although conditions aboard the vehicles were cramped . Each shuttlepod had an entrance on the roof , one at either side and a large entrance at the back . Seating arrangements consisted of a swiveling chair for the pilot , two similar chairs behind the pilot , and at the rear of the craft , two upholstered benches which doubled as bunks when necessary . These had lift - up seats for access to storage compartments . ( ) Oxygen recycler s were standard equipment aboard the shuttlepods . ( ) The pods were not equipped with toilet facilities . Universal translator s were not usually stored aboard the shuttles . They were equipped with a store of rations and a tiny built - in stove to heat them . ( ) A com array aboard each shuttlepod allowed subspace communication s over large distances . ( ) The vessels had the capacity to distinguish between Vulcan and Human bio - sign s even in a snowstorm . However , atmospheric conditions could have a detrimental effect on a shuttlepod ' s communications and sensor capabilities . ( ) At times , adverse weather conditions could also prevent a shuttlepod from landing . ( ) The shuttlepod was also equipped with proximity alarm s . ( ) Docking maneuvers . Each shuttlepod was equipped with a transponder that allowed other spacefaring vehicles to lock onto the craft . If a shuttlepod ' s transponder was disabled , the other vehicle would lose this ability . Although an NX - class starship was capable of identifying the quantity and species of those aboard a shuttlepod , the smaller craft could be equipped to emanate false life sign s . ( ) While in storage aboard an NX - class starship , shuttlepods were typically carried in the vessel ' s launch bay , located on F Deck . ( ) To achieve space travel , each pod was lowered through a set of doors by a magnetic docking arm . The arm released the shuttlepod once it was safely positioned beneath the starship ' s hull . ( ) To return to an NX - class starship , shuttlepods docked with the vessel ' s magnetic docking arm and were then elevated through the launch bay ' s set of doors , up into the bay itself . ( ) In simulations , some officers were trained how to dock shuttlepods with starships . ( ) Propulsion systems . Shuttlepods were capable of traveling at impulse speeds . ( ) They were designed for a maximum speed of one - quarter impulse , though it was possible to go slightly faster . ( ) Even more thrust could be produced using fusion overburn . ( ) The impulse engine module at the back of the shuttle could be ejected and safely detonated , if necessary . ( ) Shuttlepods were also equipped with several thruster s for controlled landing and maneuvering . ( ) Each shuttlepod had a single plasma injector , which , if damaged , could cause plasma to leak from the craft . ( ) A shuttlepod could be piloted with a damaged EPS conduit , although an operational replacement would usually be installed . ( ) Tactical systems . Shuttlepods were armed with plasma weapon s . These included two forward mounted plasma cannon s . ( ) The cannons had a range of less than ten kilometers . ( ) The plasma cannons could fire both plasma bullet s and beam emissions . ( ) The cannons were more powerful than hand - held plasma rifles . ( ) They were equipped with targeting sensors . ( ) Shuttlepods could also be modified to carry at least six spatial charge s . These could be used to spread particles at a radius of five hundred kilometers . Spatial charges were launched as missile s from the shuttle . ( ) Hull integrity . Shuttlepods were protected by a ditanium hull with polarized hull plating . ( ) The hatches of the shuttlepod were reinforced with duratanium alloy , making them strong enough to withstand a quarter kiloton thermokinetic explosion at a range of twenty to twenty - five meters . ( ) Shuttlepods could also withstand an attack from conventional projectile weapon s , such as those used by P - 51 Mustang s , American World War II - era aircraft . However , heavier anti - aircraft artillery could provide sufficient firepower to seriously damage a shuttlepod . ( ) The bullets fired by such weaponry would typically be removed by a Starfleet engineer . At times , a shuttlepod could survive two phase cannon hits . However , explosives small enough to be easily carried by hand could destroy a shuttlepod . ( ) Photonic torpedo es were capable of knocking a com array off a shuttlepod without scratching the craft ' s hull . ( ) The hull of a shuttlepod could also be insulated with mineral s such as trellium - D that could protect the ship from spatial anomalies . Such a procedure would take at least twelve hours . ( ) Appendices . Background information . The shuttlepods in were designed after the appearance of the was decided upon . ( " " , paperback ed . , p . 270 ) The ENT producers definitely preferred the shuttlepods to look nothing similar to box - like shuttles which had been used on . " " They wanted the shuttlepod to be a flying machine with wings , " " remembered John Eaves , who designed the shuttlepods . ( ) According to interviews with Production Designer Herman Zimmerman , the shuttlepods were designed by John Eaves to be reminiscent of today ' s NASA space shuttle orbiter . In fact , Zimmerman referred to the shuttlepods as " almost a direct steal from the shuttles " that were then being test - built , such as the ultimately canceled , which Zimmerman described as " probably the closest model to the actual shuttlecraft that we are using on " Enterprise " . " ( " " , paperback ed . , p . 270 ) Another influence was apparently the . " " That ' s roughly where the design came from , " " said Eaves . ( ) One reason the fictitious shuttlepods took their cue from the real shuttles was that the ENT creative staff believed the then - modern reentry vehicles were , without super - fast travel being invented in reality , probably " as close to state - of - the - art as they ’ re going to be in the next hundred years . " Another motive for basing the shuttlepods on their real - world equivalents was that the creative team hoped the resultant familiarity of these " Star Trek " shuttlecraft would delight science - minded viewers . ( " " , paperback ed . , p . 270 ) Pinpointing yet another influential factor , John Eaves noted , " " Herman really liked that lifting body look . " " ( ) Most of the controls in a shuttlepod ' s cockpit were labeled with the same terminology as the space shuttles . Almost all the control panels aboard a shuttlepod had to be custom - designed to fit a specific place in the cockpit . ( text commentary , ENT Season 2 DVD ) Each shuttlepod was originally to have had a total of four wings . However , series co - creator and Executive Producer Rick Berman didn ' t like that many wings on the shuttlepods , so half as many were ultimately included . In concept art , John Eaves suggested the two remaining wings could fold up , such as when the craft were in the launch bay of an NX - class starship . This idea was deemed too impractical because , when the shuttlepods were inside the ship , the wings would poke up into the launch bay ' s overhead walkways . The wings , when raised for docking , were also too wide to allow the shuttlepods to drop - launch through the bay doors . The solution was to slightly redesign the wings , so that they slid out of the body of each shuttlepod . ( ) Both of the NX - 01 ' s shuttlepods were constructed as full - size mock - ups , said to be close in size to minivans . While only one of the pods contained a practical cockpit set , both were capable of being disassembled and reassembled for location shooting , breaking down into eight - by - eight foot sections . ( text commentary , ENT Season 1 DVD ) A CG model of a shuttlepod was additionally used to represent both pods , and was built at Foundation Imaging by CGI artist Koji Kuramura . " " Building the Shuttle Pod was quite tough to [ do ] . Because it had to match the practical set ship precisely , " " he remembered . " " The only thing is that they would not let us put characters in the cockpit , it always had to be blacked out . Which I thought made it look a little unreal . One more factoid . The shuttle pod also had guns , but you only saw them used in one episode . " " Actor Scott Bakula appreciated the inclusion of the shuttlepods in " Enterprise " . During the show ' s first season , he remarked , " " I ' m so thrilled that we haven ' t ditched the shuttlepods , and just gone straight to transporting . We know what the ' transporting ' thing is , but the shuttlepod has given a different element to the show , which has been a lot of fun . " " ( ) In a deleted scene from season one installment , Travis Mayweather mentioned shuttlepods , likening them to the size of sea ray s on Risa . Ultimately omitted dialogue from would have established the 22nd - century style of shuttlepod as having exhaust port s and intake ports , the latter of which was used to fire the spatial charges out of . However , the vessels are not referred to as having those components in canon . To simulate damage in third season offering , the " Enterprise " art department applied a " skin " to one of the shuttlepods , giving it a burnt and crumpled appearance without the pain of actually damaging or repainting the pod . ( text commentary , ENT Season 3 DVD ) The final draft script of later season three installment likened " Enterprise " s pair of shuttlepods , while they prepare to tow the starship , to " a pair of tugboats about to haul an ocean liner from port . " Several prop items and shuttlepod set dressings were sold off on the " It ' s A Wrap ! " sale and auction on eBay . According to the reference book " USS Enterprise Owners ' Workshop Manual " ( p . 29 ) , the shuttlepods were classified as OTV Type K42 / Personnel .