Oberth class The " Oberth " class was a small Federation starship used primarily by Starfleet and civilian scientist s alike , as a scout class and science vessel , from the late - 23rd to the late - 24th century . History . In service as early as the 2280s , the " Oberth " - class was designed and used almost exclusively for the study of astronomical phenomena , including data gathering missions on star s and planet s , well into the 2360s . ( , ; ) By the latter half of the 2360s , these vessels would serve in a number of limited capacities , such as transport s and supply ship s . ( ) In 2358 , the " Oberth " - class served as a prototype for testing advanced starship technologies . The " Pegasus " was outfitted with an experimental engine and new weapon systems , some of which were used in the designs for starships . In addition to this , the " Pegasus " was the test bed for an illegal Federation cloaking device . ( ) The Federation continued to construct " Oberth " - class starships as late as 2363 , at such locations as the USSR ' s Baikonur Cosmodrome . ( " dedication plaque " ) The " Oberth " was present in several major Federation engagements including the Borg invasion of 2366 - 2367 , where it participated at the Battle of Wolf 359 , as well as the Battle of Sector 001 in 2373 . ( ; ) Technical data . The " Oberth " - class had an standard crew complement of eighty , but was capable of operating with a minimum crew complement of five . ( ; ) Physical arrangement . The " Oberth " - class design was atypical among Federation starships of the time . The outboard plan of the " Oberth " s design incorporated a unique split hull design , with an upper primary hull that was composed mainly of the saucer section , which was mounted onto a rear extension that mounts the impulse drive , and warp drive nacelle s to either side to the saucer . The secondary hull was connected to the primary hull at the nacelles by reinforced pylons . The secondary hull itself was oblong in shape . ( , etc . ) In all , the " Oberth " contained thirteen decks . ( ) Design features of the secondary hull included a docking port located on the port side of the hull . ( ) Defensive systems . More suited for science missions than combat missions , the " Oberth " - class had minimal defensive system s . They were tactically inferior to such enemy vessels as the Klingon Bird - of - Prey and the Borg cube . ( ; ; ) The weapon systems of the " Oberth " - class included a forward phaser bank . ( ) As a science vessel , the " Oberth " - class was designed with specialized shields , which allow them to push through gravitational wavefront s . In conjunction with this feature , the interior bulkhead s were composed of victurium alloy to better facilitate shielding . ( ) Auxiliary craft . " Oberth " - class starships were equipped with escape pod s , stowing a minimum complement of two on board a vessel with a crew of five . These escape pods were capable of transporting at least nine personnel at once . ( ) Interior design . Main bridge . Located on Deck 1 of the saucer section , the bridge housed the ship ' s command center . In general , the " Oberth " - class had a fairly standard Federation starship floor plan . Located in the front was the viewscreen , with side - by - side navigator and helm consoles , which are in contrast positioned opposite to the arrangement found aboard starships . The captain ' s chair is directly aft of the aforementioned stations . At the rear of the bridge , was a single turbolift - entryway . The primary stations , which were located at either side of the captain ' s chair included a primary science station to port ( " pictured , below left " ) with secondary stations trailing along the wall towards the back of the bridge . Along the starboard side of the bridge was the communications station ( " pictured , below center " ) . ( ) The bridge layout during the 24th century included an emergency hatch set in the bulkhead , which could be used to escape from the bridge , into space , during an emergency situation . ( ) Corridors . Because of its small size , many of the corridors doubled as auxiliary access points to various parts of the ship . The anteroom , just outside the bridge , was located at the end of a corridor . This section contained a viewscreen - monitor and the ship ' s dedication plaque . ( ) Main engineering . Engineering was located in the center of the ship , it was where the ship ' s power systems were controlled and home of the ship ' s antimatter warp drive chamber and impulse engine controls . ( ) Science and service sections . The " Oberth " - class was equipped with numerous science lab s dedicated to scientific study . One section , located on deck 4 in the saucer section , was a corridor - like chamber that contained a couple of science console s and adjacent monitor s against the wall . Access to the computer core could be interfaced via ODN junction located below the science consoles . The computer core itself was located on deck 13 , inside the secondary hull . ( ) Another section , known as science ops , contained multiple computer consoles and a personnel transporter pad . ( ) Accommodations . Crew quarters found aboard the " Oberth " - class were not unlike those found aboard other Federation starships . They included a main living area , with an attached bedroom and adjacent bathroom . ( ) Appendices . Background information . Production sources dating back to " Star Trek III " established an overall length for the " Oberth " - class at 395 feet ( 120 meters ) , a length also adopted by Andrew Probert during the early production phase of TNG Season 1 . According to the , the " Oberth " - class was " " named for 20th century German rocket pioneer . " " Apocrypha . Non - canonically , the was considered by some of the production staff as the replacement for the " Oberth " - class as research and science platform . ( , p . 36 )