Galaxy class

## SPACECRAFT CLASS

Class development project patch (Thomas Marrone).

The ***Galaxy*-class** was a type of spacecraft developed by Starfleet in the mid-24th century as the culmination of the Century Cruiser Project.

## History

### Design

Development of the class began in the 2310s as the Century Cruiser Project, an undertaking to create a starship design that would act as the mainstay of the fleet for the next 100 years.

### Borg threat

Though the *Galaxy* design performed well in all areas, after Starfleet's contact with the Borg Collective in 2365 the agency's starship design philosophy shifted away from expansive cruisers that could house large populations of civilian staff. Designs like the *Intrepid*, *Sovereign*, and *Steamrunner*-class, that could serve to both defend Federation space and explore the unknown, became the new norm.

Even with this shift, the few mothballed *Galaxy* space frames were ordered for completion and five vessels of the class were commissioned from 2368 to 2369.

### Dominion War

After a few disastrous months of severe losses, Starfleet Command determined that new strategies were needed in combating Dominion forces. The few *Galaxy*-class vessels in operation were placed at the center of cruiser groups, dubbed "Galaxy Wings." The hope was that these coordinated units could effectively operate against Dominion and Cardassian tactics. This proved true during Operation Return and throughout the rest of the war.

### Postwar renewal

The admiralty ordered an evaluation of the fleet after the war. The *Galaxy*-class had served well and Starfleet Command was determined to return to exploration, so an additional three hulls were ordered to replace those lost in the past decade.

## Technical specifications

The class was designed with the ability to reversibly separate the primary and secondary hulls in what was called saucer separation, often truncated sau-sep. In this maneuver, the saucer would disconnect near the top of the stardrive neck. The concept was that in dangerous or emergency situations, non-essential personnel could be evacuated to the saucer and the secondary hull could be commanded from the battle bridge, located on Deck 8. In order to serve on the bridge of a *Galaxy*-class vessel, officers had to pass the Saucer Separation Clearance exam.

#### Deck plan

Due to the modular nature of the design, there was great variation in *Galaxy*-class vessels outside of core facilities. The following was the layout of essential facilities aboard *Galaxy*-class vessels.

### Command systems

#### Main bridge

The VAR-2 bridge module maintained similar elements to the initial model, but in a slightly different arrangement.

#### Auxiliary bridge

Often referred to as the "battle bridge," the auxiliary bridge served as a secondary central command facility in the event that the main bridge was unusable or inaccessible. It also served as the primary command facility of the stardrive section during saucer separation scenarios.

The auxiliary bridge contained two forward consoles, the starboard for Conn and the port for Operations. Behind these, on an elevated platform, was the command chair with the Tactical station immediately aft. Variable configuration consoles flanked the Tactical station. Access to the main turbolift was through doors on the aft wall to port. This was mirrored on the starboard side by the emergency turbolift, which connected directly to the main bridge and main engineering. The entry to the port of the Operations station was to a small ready room, with the head opposite it to starboard.

### Propulsion systems

The *Galaxy*-class was equipped with three impulse engines, two on the primary hull and one along the center line of the stardrive section. Originally, due to limits of power distribution technology at the time, only the stardrive impulse engine was used and those on the primary hull were reserved for use during saucer separation. However, with system upgrades in the late-2360s, vessels of the class were able to make full use of all three engines.

A single warp core was connected to two nacelles containing multiple warp coils. A reaction control system connected to six magnetohydrodynamic gas-fusion thruster quads and allowed *Galaxy*-class vessels high maneuverability for their size.

### Tactical systems

Though not part of the initial design, Nexus Defense Screens were integrated into the shield systems of *Galaxy*-class vessels after the NDS project was completed in 2372.

The *Galaxy*-class mounted 12 type-X Annular Confinement Beam-jacketed phaser arrays and 3 variable-payload Mk 80 direct-fire launchers.

### Auxiliary systems

The *Galaxy*-class had 20 transporter rooms located throughout its hull. Each room contained a six-person transporter pad, a station for the transporter operator, and an equipment locker.

### Auxiliary craft systems

The *Galaxy*-class was equipped with a ventrally docked support craft: the *Mollard*-class captain's yacht. Use of the craft was left at the discretion of a vessel's commanding officer, with the intended purpose being for diplomatic and personal use of the captain.

The vessels also had a standard complement of 40 auxiliary craft, including 8 workpods.

### Crew support systems

The *Galaxy*-class had 80 biobeds located in three sickbay wards. The main sickbay, and the chief medical officer's office, was located on the starboard side of Deck 12 in the saucer section. It was mirrored by Sickbay 2 on the port side. Both were Class G. The third sickbay ward, rated Class E, was located on Deck 16 in the stardrive section.

## Derivatives

### Mark II configuration

The Starfleet Engineering Corps revisited the *Galaxy*-class design in the late 2360s as they looked at updating the fleet in reaction to the Borg threat. This led to the development of a new tactically focused variant, designated Mark II, and a dreadnought variant, classified as Mark III. Not yet ready to go down the path of converting the Federation’s chief exploration vessels into warships, Starfleet Command signed off on the Mark II upgrades, but put a hold on the Mark III until the galactic situation met Starfleet’s escalation clause. The Mark II upgrades, which involved the addition of phaser strips to the nacelles and expanded facilities for ground troops, were applied to select *Galaxy*-class starships already in service as they came due for standard systems upgrades. With the development of the Block II series, the Mark II was reclassified as Block I/T.

### Block II

After the Dominion War, three new subclass designs were introduced for the *Galaxy*-class to expand its capabilities and incorporate technological advances from the 2370s.

#### *Monarch* (Block II/T)

Developed as an outgrowth and upgrade of the Block I/T, the Block II/T *Monarch*-class was one of three subclass designs introduced after the Dominion War. The design adapted the ablative generator technology brought back by the USS *Voyager* directly into the starship's hull. Due to the experimental nature of the armor and a push from Starfleet Command for greater focus on exploration, only a handful of the vessels were constructed.

#### *Ross* (Block II/S)

    The Block II design that greatly expanded upon the scientific capabilities of the *Galaxy* was the Block II/S, known as the *Ross*-class. It combined many of the aesthetics and systems of the *Sovereign*-class to the *Galaxy* frame. Unique to the Ross was its promenade, located on Deck 8 of the saucer section, and expansive diplomatic facilities.

#### *Venture* (Block II/O)

The *Venture*-class, named for the *Galaxy*-class vessel that served with distinction in the Dominion War, was designated as Block II/O, the class was intended to assist in large, complex engineering problems. Since there were other designs that were less resource heavy to construct and could fulfill a similar mission profile, only a small number of *Venture*-class starships were constructed.

### Block III

After the collapse of the Khitomer Accords in 2399, Starfleet Command approved the Block III series, which were dreadnought variants of Block I and II classes.

#### *Federation* (Block III/1)

The Mark II *Galaxy* starships had seen great success during the Dominion War and Starfleet Command thought a more combat focused variant could prove useful in possible conflicts with the Klingon Defense Force. Originally labeled Mark III, the reworked dreadnought design was reclassified as Block III and named the *Federation*-class.

#### *Paragon* (Block III/2)

What the *Federation*-class was to the original *Galaxy*-class, the *Paragon*-class was to the *Monarch*-class. Two *Monarch*-class starships were due for refit at the end of the 24th century and were instead overhauled into the new *Paragon*-class dreadnought.

#### *Fortuity* (Block III/3)

The *Fortuity*-class was the dreadnought design of the *Venture*-class. It was introduced alongside the other Block III dreadnoughts at the turn of the 24th century.

### Block IV

Following the success of the *Pathfinder*-class in the early 25th century, designers at the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards began work on updates of other core starship designs in the Federation fleet. Those in the *Galaxy*-class lineage were classified as Block IV.

#### *Andromeda* (Block IV)

    The *Andromeda*-subclass was developed alongside the *Yamato* dreadnought variant as the first two designs that came from this effort. The *Andromeda* incorporated updated technology developed to give the vessel improved capabilities for the difficult challenges Starfleet faced in the early years of the 25th century.

#### *Yamato* (Block IV/D)

The *Yamato*-subclass was the developed alongside the *Andromeda*-class and served as the dreadnought version of that design, much as the *Devron* variant did to the original *Galaxy*-class. While Starfleet engineers tailored the *Andromeda* to be a versatile class of explorer, the *Yamato*-subclass was intended to be the most advanced version of the *Galaxy* dreadnought variant to date.

#### *Cygnus* (Block IV/T)

At the Battle of Empersa the *Andromeda*-class USS *Cygnus* was heavily damaged. After it returned to the Sol system, it was slated to serve as the base for a Mark II refit and entered McKinley Station. The new design, classified as Block IV/T in the *Galaxy*-class lineage, improved upon the defensive and tactical systems of the base *Andromeda*. The most significant structural difference was the addition of a secondary deflector at the forward edge of the primary hull.

## Appendices

### Connections

**Project groups:** **Union Station** (*Geneva* • *Concorde* • *Presidio*) • **Century Cruiser** (*Springfield* • *New Orleans* • *Challenger* • *Niagara* • *Freedom II* • ***Galaxy*** • *Nebula* • *Cheyenne*) • **Multi-Mission explorers** (*Brigid* • *Esquiline* • *Palatine*) • **Deep Shadow** (*Eclipse* • *Phantom* • *Scryer*) • **Miracle Worker** (*Scott* • *Daystrom* • *Tucker* • *Gagarin*) • **Aeronaut** (*Mercury* • *Ajax* • *Icarus* • *Shran*)

**Other named classes:** *Aegian* • *Aerie* • *Akula* • *Atlas* • *California* • *Centaur* • *Challenger* • *Cheyenne* • *Constellation* • *Constitution III* • *Crossfield* • *Curry* • *Daedalus* • *Dauntless* • *Excelsior II* • *Freedom II* • *Gemini* • *Glenn* • *Guardian* • *Inquiry* • *Iwo Jima* • *Jupiter* • *Lexington* • *Niagara* • *Obena* • *Okinawa* • *Parliament* • *Perseus* • *Pioneer* • *Ranger* • *Sagan* • *Solanae* • *Springfield* • *Turing* • *Ulysses*

**Auxiliary craft:** *Aero* • Class C • Class F • *Danube* • *Flyer* • *Gondola* • *Kodai* • *Mollard* • *Peregrine* • *Selenic* • Type 4 • Type 5 • Type 6 (Type 6A • Type 6S) • Type 7 • Type 8 • Type 9 (Type 9A) • Type 10 • Type 11 • Type 14 • Type 17 • Type 19 • *Valkyrie* • *Venture* • *Waverider* • *Yellowstone*

**Leadership:** Commander-in-chief • Joint Chiefs • Chief of Starfleet External Affairs • Chief of Starfleet Operations • Chief of Starfleet Research and Exploration • Chief of Starfleet Tactical

**Agencies:** Operations (Engineering • Judicial • Materiel Supply • Mission Operations • Personnel Management • Records Service • Shipyards Operations • Starbase Operations) • Research & Exploration (Science • Medical) • External Affairs • Tactical (Intelligence • Security • MACO)

**Notable units:** Ktarn Fleet • Task Force 77

**Facilities:** Deep Space K-7 • Deep Space K-13 • Deep Space 9 • Masamichi Array • Starbase 45-Keepsake • Starbase 82-Maat • Starbase 234-Beskerm • Starbase 247-Vershina

**Agencies:** Starfleet • Diplomatic Corps • Department of Temporal Investigations • Federation Security Agency

**Facilities:** 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards • Antares Ship Yards • Beta Antares Ship Yards • Copernicus Ship Yards • Laikan Starfleet Shipyards • McKinley Station • Memory Project • New Aberdeen Shipyards • Proxima Maintenance Yards • Salazaar Shipyards • San Francisco Fleet Yards • TL-9139 Starfleet Maintenance Yards • Tranquility Base • Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards

### Sources consulted

* Galaxy class article at *Memory Alpha*.
* Galaxy class article at *Memory Beta*.
* Galaxy class article at the *Star Trek Online Wiki*.
* *Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual*.
* *Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection* issue 01: "U.S.S. *Enterprise* NCC-1701-D."
* *Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection* special issue "U.S.S. *Enterprise* NCC-1701-D."
* *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual*.
* *Star Trek Adventures - Utopia Planitia Starfleet Sourcebook* by Modiphius Entertainment.
* *Star Trek: The Next Generation - Core Game Book* by Last Unicorn Games.
* *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Core Game Book* by Last Unicorn Games.
* *Star Trek Roleplaying Game: Starships* by Decipher, Inc..
* *Star Trek Adventures - Core Rulebook* by Modiphius Entertainment.
* Galaxy class article at Bravo Fleet - Star Trek RPG and Community.
* Galaxy-class Explorer article at Star Trek: A Call to Duty.
* Galaxy-class article at *Memory Zeta*, the Sixth Fleet RPG wiki.
* Galaxy class article at the Alpha Command Wiki.

### Footnotes

1. ↑ Adapted from Galaxy class decks article at *Memory Alpha*, the *Star Trek: The Next Generations - Writer's Technical Manual, Fourth Season Edition,* the *Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual,* the *Star Trek: The Next Generation U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D Blueprints*, and the saucer and stardrive deck layouts at USS Enterprise-D Real-Time Star Trek Series.