Bravo Fleet
Difference between pages "Starbase 415" and "User:Teylasramar/Sandbox/Constitution class"

Difference between pages "Starbase 415" and "User:Teylasramar/Sandbox/Constitution class"

From Bravo Fleet
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{{Starbase
{{icons|bfc}}
| name = Starbase 415
{{Specification
| image = [[File:Starbase415-2.jpg]]
| image = [[Image:Constitution.png]]
| registry = SB-415
| displayName = '''''Constitution'' Class'''
| class = [[Narendra Class]]
| name = Constitution
| affiliation = *[[United Federation of Planets]]
| affiliation = [[United Federation of Planets]]
*[[Starfleet]]
| operator = [[Starfleet]]
*[[Fourth Fleet]]
| status = Retired
| status = Active
| role = Heavy Cruiser
| commissioned = 2401
| type =
| decommissioned =  
| precedingClass =
| destroyed =  
| succeedingClass = Constitution II
| system = [[Nereus_System|Nereus]]
| dateEntered = 2244
| sector =  
| productionEnd = 2268
| region =  
| retired = *2271 (for refit)
| quadrant = Alpha Quadrant
*2288 (last original configuration retired)
| role = Diplomatic Outreach
| expectedDuration = 100 Years
| unit =  
| expectedRefit = 10 Years
| taskforce = Task Force 86
| timeResupply = 5 Years
| taskgroup = Task Group 64
| crewComplement = *450 (standard)
| squadron =  
*200 (5-year missions)
| co = [[bfms_char:31802|Captain Henry Maxwell]]
| emergencyCap = 2,000
| xo = [[bfms_char:50149|Commander Lexie Ward]]
| civilians =
| crew =  
| populationCap =
| dedication = [[File:SB415Badge.png|frameless]]
| flightCrew =
}}
| passengers =  
'''Starbase 415''' is a [[Narendra Class|''Narendra''-class]] starbase located on the border between the [[Federation]] and the [[Talarian Republic]]. Constructed recently, its primary mission is to serve as a diplomatic hub for managing relations with the Talarians and supporting local research, commerce, and travel. The region has historically been disruptive, with conflicts breaking out between the two powers over the past century, but has recently entered an era of reasonable stability that Starfleet is eager to continue.
| length =  
 
| width =  
A more significant facility might have been constructed, but SB-415 is also one of the nearest Starfleet outposts to the border with the [[Tholian Assembly]]. With the Tholian tendency towards territorial xenophobia, Starfleet has built very few permanent facilities near their space, and SB-415 lies a significant number of light-years within Federation territory. Nevertheless, to avoid potential antagonizing, a ''Narendra''-class station was chosen for its more discreet mission profile. This decision appears to have paid off for Starfleet, as the Tholians have indeed shown signs of engaging in one of their occasional bouts of diplomatic outreach. Near to their territory without being strategically threatening, SB-415 makes a suitable hub for any such interactions.
| diameter =  
 
| height =  
Beyond these diplomatic affairs, the station's operations are reasonably quiet. Any significant Starfleet operations are based out of [[Avalon Fleet Yards]], deeper into Federation territory. But this is still a rugged frontier, where supporting trade, scientific research, and colonization projects is never without its risks. SB-415 is equipped and ready to defend itself against challenges but is strung out on a lonely border - especially if the delicate peace between regional powers wavers.
| decks = 22
| propulsionSystem = M/AM Warp Drive
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 6
| maxSpeed = Warp 8
| emergencySpeed = Warp 9
| energyWeapons = 6x Type-VI Phaser Emitters
| torpLaunchers = *2 forward
*1 aft
| torpPayload = 150 Photon Torpedoes
| shields = Graviton Shielding System
| dockingfacilities =  
| shuttleBays = 1 aft landing bay
| shuttles = 4 Class F shuttles
| runabouts =
| fighters =  
| aux =  
| msd =
}}The '''''Constitution''-class''' heavy cruiser is a legendary starship design often considered to be the exemplar of both [[Starfleet|Starfleet’s]] mission and its design ethos. First built in the 2240s, they remained Starfleet’s premiere heavy cruiser until the 2270s, having been refit and overhauled numerous times over those three decades until the changes became so substantial that the class was succeeded by its Enterprise sub-class, known officially as the [[Constitution II|''Constitution II''-class]].


==History==
==History==
===Genesis===
By the 2220s, the [[United Federation of Planets]] Starfleet had established its mission and its philosophy as being distinct both from the [[ma:Earth Starfleet|United Earth Starfleet]] and the stellar services of the Tellarites, Vulcans, and Andorians, but its shipbuilding practices continued to be largely fragmented. Vulcans built science ships, Andorians built warships, Tellarites built trade vessels, and Humans built a little bit of everything. In some ways this was advantageous—national shipyards could excel in what they were good at—but the Federation had yet to truly synergize the strengths of its member worlds into a cohesive technological platform. Named for the idea of the governing documents of a union serving to strengthen its people, Project Constitution was ordered in 2230 as a way of unifying the technological abilities of the Federation’s members into a single vessel that would embody Starfleet’s core missions of exploration, diplomacy, defense, and mercy for missions far beyond explored space.


Starbase 415 construction was finished in early February 2401. There were plans to construct a station in the Nereus System back in 2355 when the system was founded. The reason for constructing a station in this system was because of its strategic location. It would have been within Federation Space, close to the Talarian Republic for continuous diplomatic relations, but also not too close to the Tholian Assembly to cause any cause for concern. Other reasons were that the station would provide an expansion to the subspace communication network, as well as provide a supply route for any and all starships in the area. Unfortunately, plans for constructing a starbase were put on hold up until recently, when it was suggested that the station could assist in potential terraforming applications onto the planet in which the starbase would be orbiting. With the Starbase online and ready to begin its long-term mission, it will take a while before Starfleet Command can see whether or not this was worth the time and resources.
Starfleet Engineering created the Advanced Starship Design Bureau to design the Constitution, with its headquarters and production facility located in the heart of the Federation at [[ma:San Francisco Fleet Yards|San Francisco Fleet Yards]]. The design process was slow and methodical, taking nearly fifteen years before the first two vessels left the yards. The brief was not just to create a starship that incorporated aspects of various member worlds’ achievements but to go beyond them to create a vessel that innovated in every area. This would be the largest, most elaborate, and most capable starship yet fielded by Starfleet, taking on a crew of 500 humanoids for voyages of five years with minimal outside support.
 
During the crisis of [[ma:Frontier_Day|Frontier Day]], the senior staff were able to regain control of the Operations Center from the affected young officers and initiate lockdown protocols that limited movement of the affected. It merely slowed them down but allowed the station's security forces to immobilize the affected. By the time the Queen and the Cube was eliminated and the control on the affected was removed, the station had suffered moderate internal damage. This included the station's primary communication systems, and when Starfleet Command could not contact the station, they sent the USS ''Gemini'' with Captain Henry Maxwell to investigate. After the investigation, Captain Maxwell sent a report to Starfleet Command of the situation, to which Command had chosen to assign Maxwell as the new Commanding Officer.
 
==Configuration==
 
While this station is configured to be beneficial and accommodating to all species in Starfleet per standards, it is also configured to accommodate any Tholians that were to visit the station, except for the temperature preference. While it is believed that the Tholians would visit in exo-suits that would protect them from the temperatures that would be harmful to them, many of the doorways have been adjusted in width and height to accommodate any Tholian visitor.
 
The station has different sections. Each one will be explained in detail, and some will be restricted to authorized personnel.
 
{| class="wikitable"
|+Starbase 415 Sections
!Accessible Sections
!Authorized Personnel Only Sections
|-
|'''Section B'''
*This section is the Galleria and Diplomatic Level of the station. The Galleria consists of various shops and establishments to entertain and provide sustenance for all station personnel and visitors. Of course, there is an area of replicators for those who wish to order something that is not found or made by the restaurants on the station. There is also a school located in the Galleria, where the station personnel who have children can have their children attend. The school teaches all ages in many applications, as well as works with different age groups with different levels of education.


*The Diplomatic Offices are open establishments for station personnel and visitors who have questions or concerns with any particular individual that the diplomat can address. While the station welcomes other governments to establish a diplomatic officer on the station, there are a few offices reserved specifically for Starfleet and the Federation, as well as offices reserved for the Talarian Republic and Tholian Assembly.
''Constitution'' herself, NX-1700, and the yet-unnamed NCC-1701 were laid down at San Francisco Fleet Yards in 2234, the former under the supervision of Admiral Matt Jefferies and the latter under then-Captain [[ma:Robert April|Robert April]]. The construction project was a truly multi-species affair, with each systems team purposefully composed of officers from across Starfleet’s own yards and the shipyards of member races. This initially led to conflict, but the management styles of Jefferies and April allowed every member of each team to find their own way of contributing to the project as a whole—this also served as a blueprint for operational procedures and command techniques for managing large multi-species crews, as this was something that Starfleet still lacked significant experience in.
|'''Section A'''
*Section A is the Station's Operations Level, which consists of the Operation Command Center of the entire station. It also houses offices for the Station Commander, Senior Staff, and Flag Officers if any were to visit or were assigned to the station. Above Section A, is the Dorsal Array Network, which consists of Communications, the primary sensor systems, and several Shield Emitters.
|-
|'''Section C'''
*This section is the Environmental Control Level, in which only authorized personnel are allowed. While working with Station Operations and Docking Port Operations, the Environmental Control section can adjust the environment to specific quarters or designated areas of the station to accommodate any specific species to an extent.
|'''Section H'''
*Shuttle Hanger and Cargo Operations. This section as per name consists of hanger bays for all shuttle and support crafts, such as the ones listed further below. It also has Cargo Operations, which receives cargo information from Docking Port Operations, which is also sent to the Station's Command Operations. Cargo Operations secures and maintains all cargo coming and going from the station, whether it consists of medical supplies, food, or other materials that would be used by the station or transferred elsewhere in relief efforts or to resupply.
|-
|'''Section D'''
*The Science Department Level. This section consists of many different science departments, such as Stellar Cartography, Quantum Mechanics Laboratory, Planetary Studies, and more. While the station was built to continue the diplomatic efforts with the Talarian Republic and Tholian Assembly, the primary mission of the station is the scientific research of the planets in the Nereus System and local star systems, as well as any phenomena that may only appear after a certain period of time has passed.
|'''Section I'''
*This section houses the eight computer cores that are essentially the brain of the station. The primary commands of the station are capable of operating off of a single computer core, but would severely hamper operation and processing speed throughout the entire station. It is vital that these computer cores are observed and maintained regularly in order to continue providing speedy processing power and handle requests from all personnel and visitors on board the station.
|-
|'''Section E'''
*The Quarters Level. This section houses the quarters of all station personnel and accommodations for visitors and diplomats. It also houses recreational rooms and holo suites for various forms of entertainment. The most visited and appreciated area of this section, is the Arboretum.
|'''Section J'''
*The Defensive Shield Generator. As the name says, this provides defensive protection of the station and a large area around the station for vessels that wish to seek shelter within the boundaries of the station. The shield bubble that this generator creates can be extended to about 1.5km around the station without suffering from integrity loss but any further extensions would begin to degrade the strength of the shield.
|-
|'''Section F'''
* Docking Port Operations Level. This section consists of the Docking Port Operations that maintain the flow of traffic of coming and going Starfleet personnel and visitors. With the twelve docking ports that the station has, which all could be utilized or some blocked, depending on the size of the starship that was to use one, it does become a bit chaotic. With the Docking Port Operations, it helps combat the chaos of foot traffic and relays information to Station Operations, such as a personnel list from a personnel transport or a supply list from a cargo transport, etc.
|'''Section K'''
*The Auxiliary Control Level. If something were to happen to the Station's Command Operations, the Auxiliary Control Center is programmed to immediately activate and assume all command functions. This way, any personnel assigned to the Auxiliary Control Center are prepared to take over under any circumstances. They will be given a brief computer-displayed message of what reason why the transfer of command functions was made to give them some clarity of the situation and how to respond to said situation.
|-
|'''Section G'''
*This section is the Sickbay Level. This section consists of six sickbays, all available to everyone on board the station for any medical need. Unless something drastic were to happen, such as an attacked vessel arriving at the station with many injuries, or some evacuation, anything that would have all medical staff immediately on duty, utilizing all sickbays every day would not be practical. However, the station is prepared for such an event to occur.
|'''Section L'''
* The Training Facility Level. Depending on where a 'Narendra'-Class Station is constructed, this facility would be configured to help various personnel in preparations for any contingency. It can also be used as a quarantine isolation section for any viral situation happening outside of the station or within. The training facility does house a large holo-suite for training purposes.
|-
|
|'''Section M'''
*EPS Power Distribution Level. As the name applies, this section houses the EPS Power Distribution system for the entire station. It is also vital that there is personnel to observe and maintain the distribution system to avoid any power disruption. For it would not matter about computer processing speed issues if an area of the station were suddenly experiencing power outages.
|-
|
|'''Section N & O'''
*Section N consists of Engineering Supports 1 and 2, where Section O consists of Engineering Support 3 and 4, and two large Deuterium Tanks. As it would be self-explanatory, all four Engineering Support sections are there to help maintain the heart of the station, the Fusion Generators. They also take on maintenance orders for anything that was to not function properly on board the station, as well as take maintenance orders for any vessels that were to come in and request it.
|-
|
|'''Section P'''
*The final section of the station is the Fusion Generators. There are three large Fusion Generators that are the heart of the station, that provide the power the station needs to operate. The station can operate on one generator, but this would require shutting down the non-essentials. In the middle of the three generators is the ventral Shield Emitter and below this section would be the Ventral Array Network of Communications and secondary sensory systems.
|}


== Relay Network==
Thanks to the success of the construction process, the order was increased to six vessels in 2238, and ''Constellation'', ''Republic'', and ''Intrepid'' were laid down that same year.
[[File:47-ep2.jpg|alt=One of six satellites in the relay network.|thumb|One of six satellites in the relay network.]]
One of Starbase 415's assets is the relay network of satellites just outside the asteroid field of the Nereus system. They act as perimeter buoys that relay starship information to Starbase 415's Operations as soon as any starship enters the system. This provides an early warning system in case a hostile vessel were to enter the system, which provides Starbase 415 adequate time to alert all non-essential personnel to head to their designated shelter areas while the station prepares its defenses and support craft. Or in a worst-case scenario, gives them time to conduct an emergency evacuation, where non-essential personnel will be transported to all support craft where they will be transported out of the system.


This relay network also assists the station's long-range sensor and communication capabilities to track vessels outside the star system. While in orbit of the third planet in the Nereus system, there will be periods when a celestial object could disrupt the station's sensors and communications outside the system. That is where this network distribution comes in, allowing Starbase 415 to maintain a careful watch with overlapping fields of view. Being linked together, the station only needs to access one relay and will be linked to all six relays.
As the design evolved, many areas of the ''Constitution''-class spaceframe were built to be modular and easily reconfigurable to allow the design to be upgradeable, something that proved to be prescient as the class would have many minor upgrades and two major redesigns over its service life. The saucer section in particular was designed to be able to handle anywhere from two-hundred to five-hundred crew, with space for labs, recreational facilities, and sickbays alterable to suit different mission parameters and crew sizes. This was made possible by locating the majority of the ship’s larger equipment—the deflector dish, warp core, cargo holds, hanger, etc.—in the secondary hull, so that the primary hull was reserved for crew support and mission-specific equipment. The initial two vessels were configured to support a crew of 450, with a generalist lab arrangement and volume reserved for diagnostic computers to evaluate them during their shakedowns.


==Support Craft==
The prototype, ''Constitution'', was launched in 2244 and undertook an extensive six-month shakedown cruise in the core of the Federation while NCC-1701 continued under construction. A year later, the second prototype was unveiled as the first Federation starship to bear the name ''Enterprise'', named after the Earth Starfleet vessel widely considered to be the primary instrument leading to the founding of the Federation. Her launch was followed quickly by Constellation, which was completed more quickly thanks to lessons learned along the way of building the first two.


There is a complement of two [[Runabouts#New Atlantic Class|''New Atlantic''-class runabouts]] and two [[Runabouts#Arrow-class_runabout| ''Arrow''-class runabouts]] assigned to the station. All four of these crafts are named after the lakes of Titan, a moon orbit of Saturn in the Sol system. While the ''New Atlantic''-class runabouts are configured for scientific research, they can be reconfigured to assist the ''Arrow''-class runabouts in defense of the station or be reconfigured for VIP use; such as ambassadors and other dignitaries from various factions. The two ''Arrow''-class runabouts are specifically modified for patrols around the star system, and may on occasion be used to investigate any situation outside of the system. Lastly, an [[Intrepid Class|Intrepid-Class vessel]] as been assigned to the Starbase as its Primary Support Craft, USS ''Gemini'', which allows the senior staff to leave the station and visit various locations outside of the range of the station's runabouts, and at faster speeds. It also allows the diplomatic team to conduct diplomatic missions at locations outside the station when ever the ''Albano Lacus'' is unavailable.
===Early Service===
''Constitution'', ''Constellation'', and ''Enterprise'' were sent on their first five-year missions in 2245, with Captain [[ma:Garth|Garth of Izar]] commanding ''Constitution'', Captain Robert April commanding ''Enterprise'', and Captain [[ma:Matt Decker|Matt Decker]] commanding ''Constellation'', under the careful watch of Admiral Jefferies. The initial three ships were very successful in their first two years of service, and even as ''Republic'' and ''Intrepid'' were still nearing completion, Starfleet increased the order to twelve total ''Constitution''-class starships. A number of other classes using the same technological base, such as the ''Bellerophon'', ''Radiant'', and ''Archer'' classes were also ordered around this time.


===''Intrepid''-class===
The concept of a Five-Year Mission was prototyped aboard the original ''Constitution''-class vessels as a new way of managing the command and staffing of starships. It was not uncommon for short-range vessels to have a captain for a few months at a time or even for a single mission and regular contact with starbases allowed for frequent crew rotations. As the ''Constitution'' was intended to be much more independent, a structure was developed that commissioned each captain to a five-year stint aboard their vessel, with a command crew that was intended to be more or less stable. This required new regulations for managing crew advancement in the field, as well as new strategies for making a starship a comfortable and fulfilling place to spend five years of one’s life.
*USS ''Gemini'' — NCC-74603 — Support Vessel


===''New Atlantic''-class Runabouts===
===Mid Career===
In 2250, ''Constitution'', ''Constellation'', and ''Enterprise'' all completed their first five-year missions to widespread acclaim. While Garth of Izar and Decker remained at their posts, Robert April was promoted to flag rank and, as the newly-minted Director of Deep Space Operations, became the supervisor of the entire Constitution fleet.


*USS ''Abaya Lacus'' — Research
A decade into their service, the ''Constitution'' class received their first major overhaul in 2255, with widespread systems upgrades and a shrinking of the crew by two hundred to optimize them for longer deep space missions. This allowed for larger and more spacious quarters, as well as less strain on the life support systems. The members of this class were absent from the [[ma:Federation-Klingon_War_(2256-57)|Federation-Klingon War of 2256-57]], as Starfleet wanted to keep them in reserve. As the class was a large investment of both resources and crew, Starfleet rush-ordered a leaner variant that would replicate the engine and tactical systems of the ''Constitution'' but with a much smaller crew: and a much shorter construction period the ''Sombra''. Few of these vessels were built, given the short duration of the war, and they were all refit as Constitution-class ships with full exploratory systems by 2260.
*USS ''Albano Lacus'' — Research / VIP Craft


===''Arrow''-class Runabouts===
Following the war, Starfleet prioritized the construction of classes that were derived from the ''Constitution'', including the new ''Miranda'', ''Hermes'', and ''Saladin''-class vessels that were directly built from Constitution-type components. This building program included a handful of ''Constitution'' orders which made up losses in the years following, bringing the total ''Constitution''-class fleet up to 12 by 2265.


*USS ''Feia Lacus'' — Patrol
Most ships of the ''Constitution'' class retained their 250-person crew into the 2260s, when the next major overhaul returned the core twelve vessels to a 450-person crew. The hull was also encased in a thin layer of metalo-ceramic armor, which gave them their now-classic, stark exterior. While serving still primarily as explorers, this refit also incorporated fewer but heavier phaser banks as a response to simmering tensions on the Klingon border.
*USS ''Hammar Lacus'' — Patrol


Aside from the support vessel and runabouts, the station also contains several [[Personnel_Shuttles#Type-11_Shuttle|Type 11]] and [[Personnel_Shuttles#Type-14_Shuttle|Type 14]] shuttle crafts for various uses, as well as [[Maintenance_Craft#Cargo_Management_Unit|cargo management units]] and workbees. The more notable crafts are the [[Cargo_Shuttles#Type-20 Cargo Shuttle|Type 20]] Cargo Shuttles. Starbase 415 has a complement of three of these and is named after the seas of Titan. Their purpose is to assist the cargo management units in transporting cargo to and from various vessels when transporters are unavailable or not recommended, depending on the cargo, and as well as used for maintenance of the relay network. With the gravity plating in the cargo hold, the Type 20 is capable of carrying a work bee, if not two, in order to conduct routine maintenance on the relay network.
===Later Life===
Though these vessels proved to be highly successful in service, ''Defiant'', ''Constellation'', ''Intrepid'', and ''Excalibur'' were all either destroyed outright or lost with all hands during the period between 2265 and 2270. While each of these circumstances was extraordinary and no underlying flaw was found in the class itself, Starfleet ordered an extensive overhaul, starting with the refit of the ''Enterprise'', a project which eventually became the ''Constitution II''-class heavy cruiser.


*USS ''Kraken Mare''
Throughout the 2270s, the majority of the ''Constitution''-class vessels were upgraded into ''Constitution II''-class vessels, with the exception of the USS ''New Jersey'', which was not launched until 2268 and thus was considered too new to upgrade. ''New Jersey'' was decommissioned after 20 years of service in 2288, having stubbornly resisted a refit, and was placed in the Starfleet Museum, where she remains as of 2401: the last remaining example of an original configuration ''Constitution''-class starship.
*USS ''Punga Mare''
*USS ''Ligeia Mare''


==Notable Crew==
==Vessels Commissioned==
===Commanding Officers===
*USS ''Constitution'' (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
*[https://bravofleet.com/command/74246 2401 - 2401] : [[bfms_char:74441|Captain Gerald Hunt]]
*USS ''Enterprise'' (Refit as Constitution II, Destroyed)
*[https://bravofleet.com/command/74246 2401 - Present] : [[bfms_char:31802|Captain Henry Maxwell]]
*USS ''Constellation'' (Destroyed)
*USS ''Cayuga'' (Destroyed)
*USS ''Defiant'' (Lost)
*USS ''Intrepid'' (Destroyed)
*USS ''Excalibur'' (Destroyed)
*USS ''Exeter'' (Refit as Constitution II, Active as training ship)
*USS ''Lexington'' (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
*USS ''Potemkin'' (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
*USS ''Republic'' (Refit as Constitution II, Active as training ship)
*USS ''Hood'' (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
*USS ''Valiant'' (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
*USS ''Yorktown'' (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
*USS ''Sombra'' (S) (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
*USS ''Peregrine'' (S) (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)

Revision as of 00:27, 9 February 2024

This article is official Bravo Fleet canon.









File:Constitution.png
Constitution Class
Information
Affiliation

United Federation of Planets

Status

Retired

Role

Heavy Cruiser

Lineage
Succeeding Class Constitution II-class
Service
Operator

Starfleet

Entered Service

2244

Production Ended

2268

Retired
  • 2271 (for refit)
  • 2288 (last original configuration retired)
Endurance
Expected Design Life

100 Years

Expected Refit Cycle

10 Years

Expected Resupply Cycle

5 Years

Crew Capacity
Standard Complement
  • 450 (standard)
  • 200 (5-year missions)
Emergency Capacity

2,000

Dimensions
Decks

22

Propulsion
Propulsion Systems

M/AM Warp Drive

Cruise Speed

Warp 6

Maximum Speed

Warp 8

Emergency Speed

Warp 9

Armaments
Energy Weapons

6x Type-VI Phaser Emitters

Torpedo Launchers
  • 2 forward
  • 1 aft
Torpedo Payload

150 Photon Torpedoes

Shields

Graviton Shielding System

Small Craft
Shuttlebays

1 aft landing bay

Shuttles

4 Class F shuttles

Template:Specification

The Constitution-class heavy cruiser is a legendary starship design often considered to be the exemplar of both Starfleet’s mission and its design ethos. First built in the 2240s, they remained Starfleet’s premiere heavy cruiser until the 2270s, having been refit and overhauled numerous times over those three decades until the changes became so substantial that the class was succeeded by its Enterprise sub-class, known officially as the Constitution II-class.

History

Genesis

By the 2220s, the United Federation of Planets Starfleet had established its mission and its philosophy as being distinct both from the United Earth Starfleet and the stellar services of the Tellarites, Vulcans, and Andorians, but its shipbuilding practices continued to be largely fragmented. Vulcans built science ships, Andorians built warships, Tellarites built trade vessels, and Humans built a little bit of everything. In some ways this was advantageous—national shipyards could excel in what they were good at—but the Federation had yet to truly synergize the strengths of its member worlds into a cohesive technological platform. Named for the idea of the governing documents of a union serving to strengthen its people, Project Constitution was ordered in 2230 as a way of unifying the technological abilities of the Federation’s members into a single vessel that would embody Starfleet’s core missions of exploration, diplomacy, defense, and mercy for missions far beyond explored space.

Starfleet Engineering created the Advanced Starship Design Bureau to design the Constitution, with its headquarters and production facility located in the heart of the Federation at San Francisco Fleet Yards. The design process was slow and methodical, taking nearly fifteen years before the first two vessels left the yards. The brief was not just to create a starship that incorporated aspects of various member worlds’ achievements but to go beyond them to create a vessel that innovated in every area. This would be the largest, most elaborate, and most capable starship yet fielded by Starfleet, taking on a crew of 500 humanoids for voyages of five years with minimal outside support.

Constitution herself, NX-1700, and the yet-unnamed NCC-1701 were laid down at San Francisco Fleet Yards in 2234, the former under the supervision of Admiral Matt Jefferies and the latter under then-Captain Robert April. The construction project was a truly multi-species affair, with each systems team purposefully composed of officers from across Starfleet’s own yards and the shipyards of member races. This initially led to conflict, but the management styles of Jefferies and April allowed every member of each team to find their own way of contributing to the project as a whole—this also served as a blueprint for operational procedures and command techniques for managing large multi-species crews, as this was something that Starfleet still lacked significant experience in.

Thanks to the success of the construction process, the order was increased to six vessels in 2238, and Constellation, Republic, and Intrepid were laid down that same year.

As the design evolved, many areas of the Constitution-class spaceframe were built to be modular and easily reconfigurable to allow the design to be upgradeable, something that proved to be prescient as the class would have many minor upgrades and two major redesigns over its service life. The saucer section in particular was designed to be able to handle anywhere from two-hundred to five-hundred crew, with space for labs, recreational facilities, and sickbays alterable to suit different mission parameters and crew sizes. This was made possible by locating the majority of the ship’s larger equipment—the deflector dish, warp core, cargo holds, hanger, etc.—in the secondary hull, so that the primary hull was reserved for crew support and mission-specific equipment. The initial two vessels were configured to support a crew of 450, with a generalist lab arrangement and volume reserved for diagnostic computers to evaluate them during their shakedowns.

The prototype, Constitution, was launched in 2244 and undertook an extensive six-month shakedown cruise in the core of the Federation while NCC-1701 continued under construction. A year later, the second prototype was unveiled as the first Federation starship to bear the name Enterprise, named after the Earth Starfleet vessel widely considered to be the primary instrument leading to the founding of the Federation. Her launch was followed quickly by Constellation, which was completed more quickly thanks to lessons learned along the way of building the first two.

Early Service

Constitution, Constellation, and Enterprise were sent on their first five-year missions in 2245, with Captain Garth of Izar commanding Constitution, Captain Robert April commanding Enterprise, and Captain Matt Decker commanding Constellation, under the careful watch of Admiral Jefferies. The initial three ships were very successful in their first two years of service, and even as Republic and Intrepid were still nearing completion, Starfleet increased the order to twelve total Constitution-class starships. A number of other classes using the same technological base, such as the Bellerophon, Radiant, and Archer classes were also ordered around this time.

The concept of a Five-Year Mission was prototyped aboard the original Constitution-class vessels as a new way of managing the command and staffing of starships. It was not uncommon for short-range vessels to have a captain for a few months at a time or even for a single mission and regular contact with starbases allowed for frequent crew rotations. As the Constitution was intended to be much more independent, a structure was developed that commissioned each captain to a five-year stint aboard their vessel, with a command crew that was intended to be more or less stable. This required new regulations for managing crew advancement in the field, as well as new strategies for making a starship a comfortable and fulfilling place to spend five years of one’s life.

Mid Career

In 2250, Constitution, Constellation, and Enterprise all completed their first five-year missions to widespread acclaim. While Garth of Izar and Decker remained at their posts, Robert April was promoted to flag rank and, as the newly-minted Director of Deep Space Operations, became the supervisor of the entire Constitution fleet.

A decade into their service, the Constitution class received their first major overhaul in 2255, with widespread systems upgrades and a shrinking of the crew by two hundred to optimize them for longer deep space missions. This allowed for larger and more spacious quarters, as well as less strain on the life support systems. The members of this class were absent from the Federation-Klingon War of 2256-57, as Starfleet wanted to keep them in reserve. As the class was a large investment of both resources and crew, Starfleet rush-ordered a leaner variant that would replicate the engine and tactical systems of the Constitution but with a much smaller crew: and a much shorter construction period the Sombra. Few of these vessels were built, given the short duration of the war, and they were all refit as Constitution-class ships with full exploratory systems by 2260.

Following the war, Starfleet prioritized the construction of classes that were derived from the Constitution, including the new Miranda, Hermes, and Saladin-class vessels that were directly built from Constitution-type components. This building program included a handful of Constitution orders which made up losses in the years following, bringing the total Constitution-class fleet up to 12 by 2265.

Most ships of the Constitution class retained their 250-person crew into the 2260s, when the next major overhaul returned the core twelve vessels to a 450-person crew. The hull was also encased in a thin layer of metalo-ceramic armor, which gave them their now-classic, stark exterior. While serving still primarily as explorers, this refit also incorporated fewer but heavier phaser banks as a response to simmering tensions on the Klingon border.

Later Life

Though these vessels proved to be highly successful in service, Defiant, Constellation, Intrepid, and Excalibur were all either destroyed outright or lost with all hands during the period between 2265 and 2270. While each of these circumstances was extraordinary and no underlying flaw was found in the class itself, Starfleet ordered an extensive overhaul, starting with the refit of the Enterprise, a project which eventually became the Constitution II-class heavy cruiser.

Throughout the 2270s, the majority of the Constitution-class vessels were upgraded into Constitution II-class vessels, with the exception of the USS New Jersey, which was not launched until 2268 and thus was considered too new to upgrade. New Jersey was decommissioned after 20 years of service in 2288, having stubbornly resisted a refit, and was placed in the Starfleet Museum, where she remains as of 2401: the last remaining example of an original configuration Constitution-class starship.

Vessels Commissioned

  • USS Constitution (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
  • USS Enterprise (Refit as Constitution II, Destroyed)
  • USS Constellation (Destroyed)
  • USS Cayuga (Destroyed)
  • USS Defiant (Lost)
  • USS Intrepid (Destroyed)
  • USS Excalibur (Destroyed)
  • USS Exeter (Refit as Constitution II, Active as training ship)
  • USS Lexington (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
  • USS Potemkin (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
  • USS Republic (Refit as Constitution II, Active as training ship)
  • USS Hood (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
  • USS Valiant (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
  • USS Yorktown (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
  • USS Sombra (S) (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
  • USS Peregrine (S) (Refit as Constitution II, Retired)
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