Shepard class

## SPACECRAFT CLASS

The ***Shepard*-class**, named for Human astronaut Alan Shepard, was a type of spacecraft developed by Starfleet in the late 22nd century.

## Description

Developed concurrently with the *Walker*-class as part of Operation Next Step, the *Shepard*-class sacrificed speed and maneuverability for heavier armaments. It was soon supplanted by the *Constitution*-class, launched in 2243, because the newer cruiser was heavily armed while also allowing for a wider range of non-combat roles. The *Shepard* design was officially retired in the 2290s.

## History

### Design and construction

The last decades of the 22nd century saw the massive expansion of the United Federation of Planets in both membership and explored space. Such expansion naturally brought with it tension and the occasional conflict. Starfleet Command, under pressure to improve defenses for burgeoning colonies, ordered the development of a heavy cruiser that could act as sword and shield on the fringes of Federation space.

Created at the beginning of the Eaves/Beyer design era, what would become the *Shepard*-class took inspiration from the profile of the notable *NX*-class. Construction on the prototype began in 2192 and its various elements and systems were slowly developed over the next four years. The USS *Shepard* began its trials in late 2194 and proved effective in tactical situations, but proved mildly disappointing in its operational range. Since the original order called for a defensive vessel, the limitation was not seen as enough of a deterrent to halt development.

### Service

The prototype *Shepard* was launched May 2196, with its sibling vessel USS *Gagarin* leaving its slip less than an hour before.

The class performed well in early deployments in policing and anti-piracy actions. It would never rise to prominence, however, due to its range limitations and the launch of the versatile *Constitution*-class in 2243.

The last starship of the class, the USS *Sebrova*, was commissioned in 2249 and the *Shepard* design was retired at the end of that year, less than 15 years after it entered service. Vessels of the class stayed in service into the later years of the 23rd century following a refit program after the First Federation-Klingon War. Though serving only minor roles for most of its service, the *Shepard* served as inspiration for the *Ranger*-class, a heavy cruiser developed in the 2260s that proved vital in conflicts with the Klingon Empire in the back end of the century.

The USS *He-shii* was the last active *Shepard*-class heavy cruiser and was decommissioned in 2296.

## Derivatives

### *Gagarin*

A number of *Shepard*-class space frames were recovered in the 25th century from Yard 39. Starfleet, still recovering from the Iconian War, directed its engineers to repurpose the recovered hulls. The Corps shortly thereafter produced the *Gagarin*-class battlecruiser, which applied 25th century technology and aesthetics to the 150-year-old hulls.

## 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

* Shepard class article at *Memory Alpha*.
* Shepard class article at *Memory Beta*.
* Shepard-class article at the *Star Trek Online Wiki*.
* *Star Trek Adventures - Star Trek: Discovery (2256-2258) Campaign Guide* by Modiphiüs Entertainment.
* *Star Trek Adventures - Utopia Planitia Starfleet Sourcebook* by Modiphius Entertainment.

### Footnotes

1. ↑ *STA - Utopia Planitia Starfleet Sourcebook*, 108-109.
2. ↑ *Star Trek Online* -  *Age of Discovery* short story: "Utopia Planetia: The Mystery of Yard 39."