Galor class model When the Cardassian s were introduced in the fourth season episode of , they were represented as a major Alpha Quadrant species with a major starship to match . Simply introduced in he as a " CARDASSIAN WARSHIP " , the design of which left to the imagination of the series ' main production designer , Rick Sternbach , who had to come up with a starship design for a major Alpha Quadrant power . This Sternbach did , and his design , the Cardassian ' s major starship , eventually became the basis for an even more advanced Cardassian vessel , the . Designed surreptitiously by the Obsidian Order for a planned joint attack on the Founders with the Tal Shiar ( ) , it was far more powerful than the " Galor " - class it was based on . Design . The studio model of the " Galor " - class was eventually designed by Sternbach , with assistance from Peter Lauritson . The inspiration for this model was the starting shape of the Egyptian ; in fact , according to Sternbach , the physical model has " " a little temple and some fire pots and little tiny pyramids for the phaser s . " " Sternbach commented further on his design : " The orthos furnished to VFX for Ed to go by were fairly simple pencil affairs showing the basic dimensions / masses . Ed also had the top and bottom 3 / 4 views to use for detailing . I did some more detailed ortho vellums before and after the miniature was done ( . . . ) . One of the really early " Galor " designs had the ship looking more like a scorpion , with a few dorsal tail pods and some forward cannons looking like pincers , but it felt a bit too blah . The pods disappeared along with the cannons , but a flat disruptor forked tail thing remained . Once the basic shape felt right , the detailing began , in the Egyptian ankh mode . The tail ( . . . ) was a big aft - facing disruptor weapon similar to the forward - facing one on the Klingon Attack Cruiser . The Cardassians seem to like borrowing other races ' technology . The big square under the bridge section was really meant to be a nav deflector , but the VFX folks shot beams out of it . The green pyramids on the " wings " were smaller disruptors like Starfleet ' s phaser strips . " Sternbach eventually sold his design concept sketches as in the 2003 Profiles in History " The Ultimate Sci - Fi Auction " for US $ 750 . 00 . Physical model . The actual , physical studio model was originally built by Ed Miarecki and Tom Hudson of Science Fiction Modelmaking Associates ( SFMA ) , receiving the order on 14 November 1990 and delivering the finished model on 5 December 1990 . They were awarded the commission , as the franchise ' s regular model vendor at that time , Gregory Jein , Inc . , already had their hands full in constructing the full - fledged " Nebula " - class model , slated for a likewise début in the same episode . According to Miarecki , " " This miniature is about 37 inches long , and was built in 2½ weeks , by Tom Hudson and myself , ( our initials , " TH " and " EM " are built into the detailing ) . Originally contracted for the ST - TNG episode " The Wounded " it has been seen in many episodes of ST - TNG , ST - DS9 , and in the pilot of ST - VOY . It has the distinction of being the only ST - TNG spaceship miniature built on the east coast of the U . S . and was one of the last few TV filming miniatures built for " " Star Trek " " , before the conversion to all - CGI spaceships . " " Hudson , on his website , has made the following observations on constructing the model : " In , my modelling partner in SFMA , Ed Miarecki , put in a bid to build a starship model for " Star Trek : The Next Generation " . For several years , we had been making various props for the show , including tricorder s and medical scanner s , and we had been building various science fiction models for years , so we thought we ' d see if we could build a filming model for " Trek " . We heard they were going to need a model built for their new race of bad guys , the Cardassians , so we put in the bid . One day not long after , the phone rang , and it was Ed . " We got the job ! " he yelled . It was like , " All right ! We got the job , we got the job ! ! " We had three weeks – And the realization was hitting us that the clock was ticking . " Oh my god – we got the job . . . " " " Star Trek " art department gurus Rick Sternbach and Mike Okuda sent out the plans for the ship , along with color chips showing what colors they ' d like the ship to have . We then started looking at how were were going to build the thing . The next week was a whirlwind of activity as we started getting ready for the project . I started cutting the aluminum framework that would be the interior structure of the ship in Kansas City , and Ed got busy in Massachusetts with other aspects of the build – Getting materials and lining up special services we ' d need , like a big vacu - former and custom neon fabrication . After about a week of prep , I flew up to Massachusetts and Ed and I dived into two solid weeks of 16 - hour days , building a starship . It was probably the most fun two weeks of my life . The project went largely without a hitch , even though it was the most complex thing either of us had ever built . " The deflector has been frequently and erroneously colored blue on promotional images , despite appearing only yellow or red on screen . The model debuted in " The Wounded " and was last shown as stock footage in and . Becoming the " Keldon " - class . The studio model was later modified by Tony Meininger at Brazil - Fabrication & Design to include the addition of fins located on the aft end of the hull , and a large hull module attached to the upper - middle section of the hull , creating the " Keldon " - class , typically portraying a starship class belonging to the Obsidian Order . It made appearances in and . The additions were not permanently affixed , so that the model could be easily reverted back to its original configuration . Unlike its progenitor the " Keldon " - class was never converted into a CGI model . The " Galor " - class model ( measuring 36 " × 18 " ) , in its original form , was listed in the " " auction as with an estimated sale price of $ 3 , 000 - $ 5 , 000 ; it sold for $ 20 , 000 ( $ 24 , 000 with premium ) on 7 October 2006 . Several " Galor " - class camera test models were also sold off on various IAW auctions in 2008 . CGI model . For the last two seasons of , the model made the transition into the digital realm . The physical model was sent to Foundation Imaging as a reference for Brandon MacDougall , who built and mapped the CGI model , making inspired use of a flat - bed scanner . MacDougall recalled : " I set the the motion control model of the " Cardassian Galor Cruiser " on my desktop and started to input measurements into our 3D software . First the hull of the spacecraft and then the primary disk and finally the outside panels or what my boss lovingly calls " Nurnies " . Next it was time to paint the 3D textures for the 3D model of the " Cardassian Galor Cruiser " . One of my fellow 3D modelers , Koji Kuramura , stopped by my office and pointed out that if I put the motion control model of the " Cardassian Galor Cruiser " on our flat bed scanner I could get a good color scan and panel detail . One thing I have learned over the years working with concept designers like Syd Mead and Jim Martin , and now with Ron Thornton , Paul Bryant and Rick Sternbach is to keep a very open mind ! The scanner approach worked very well for the base 3D texture and with little painting in " Photoshop " I was finished . " ( " Sci - Fi & Fantasy Models " , issue 32 , p . 54 ) The CGI - model made its début in the " Deep Space Nine " sixth season epidode . It has never been featured as the " Keldon " - class . Yet , for all MacDougall ' s acumen and his model ' s appearances in the " " calendars and their book derivatives , Publication Editor Ben Robinson found the model wanting in detail and had Fabio Passaro re - render the model for publication in its 2014 outing of the " " .