User:CrimsonTacit/Sandbox/Federation Space Stations

The Federation operates a large number of space stations, many of which are built and administered by Starfleet.

Spacedocks

While originally there was only one Spacedock, Earth Spacedock, others were built around the Federation and became the Spacedock-class. This is now a category of station entirely, which refers to the very largest space stations built by the Federation, all of which contain a massive hanger for servicing multiple starships at the same time internally. These massive stations serve as starship construction and repair facilities, orbital habitats, scientific research bases, major defensive installations, and command and control hubs for large areas of space. Typically, they have a crew of tens of thousands, with the capacity to house fifty to a hundred-thousand civilian residents.

Aurora-class Station

Guardian-class Station

Probert-class Station

Spacedock I-class Station

Spacedock II-class Station

Spacedocks In-Play

• These are the largest stations in service. Even the Aurora-class which is roughly a third the size of a Guardian-class station is capable of holding dozens of starships at a time and a massive crew. These bases are located in key areas around the Federation, serving as anchors for entire sectors, and sometimes multiple sectors. It would be extremely difficult to assault one of these bases, as they have some of the most powerful shielding of any space vehicle, fixed or otherwise.
• Spacedocks are not available for member-run fictions, but there are several such bases associated with the Fourth Fleet, however: Starbase 72, Starbase 86, Starbase 38, and Starbase Bravo, which you can use in your own stories.

Major Space Stations

Major space stations are large installations suitable as stand-alone starbases, the centerpieces of fleet yards, or as the orbital component of major planetary facilities. Stations in this category are generalists, serving as important defensive, production, scientific, and diplomatic hubs throughout the Federation. What distinguishes them from spacedocks is their much lower capacity for servicing starships—while several of these classes do have small bays capable of holding frigates, they do not feature the large internal hanger that is the hallmark of all spacedocks.

Canopus-class

Unity-class

Mid-Range Stations

Mid-range stations are smaller than major stations but are still multi-purpose facilities. They can be used in many different ways, ranging from being independent outposts or starbases in minor sectors to being components of larger facilities. They are the most numerous category of station currently in service, forming the backbone of Starfleet's fixed assets.

Anchorage-class

Copernicus-class

Presidium-class

Watchtower-class

Specialist Stations

Specialist station classes are the smallest stations in Starfleet's inventory, as they are usually configured to handle just one task at a time, as research labs, defensive outposts, or listening posts, among other things. These stations are generally too small to serve as starbases, but they are often used as the orbital component of shore-based facilities that don't need the capability to service starships regularly.

Jupiter-class

K-class

Regula-class

Vision-class