Constellation-class

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Constellation-class
Affiliation: Federation Star Fleet
Type: Star cruiser
Active: 2280s-2360s
Armament: Phasers: {{{Phasers}}}
Torpedoes: {{{Torpedoes}}}
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Defenses: Deflector shields


The Constellation-class starship was a type of Federation cruiser employed by Star Fleet from the late 23rd century through the mid-24th century.

History

 
USS Stargazer

The Constellation-class began service as early as 2285, when at least one such ship, the USS Hathaway, was constructed by at the Copernicus Ship Yards on Luna.

Nearly a decade after the launch of the Hathaway, the prototype for the class, the USS Constellation, NCC-1974, was still undergoing certification trials.

  • During the early 24th century, the Constellation-class was noted for performing both deep-space exploration and defensive patrol duties.


By the mid-2360s, this class of "old-style" star cruiser was on the fringe of being phased out of the fleet.
Those that had been decommissioned, including the eighty-year-old Hathaway, were stripped of their offensive systems and rendered "warp inactive," which included the removal of all antimatter.


Those that remained in service were typically relegated to transport duties. Constellation-class starships were also used in second-line service, including the hastily-organized Federation blockade
during the Klingon Civil War.


In 2369, commander of the Galaxy-class USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-D , Captain Jean-Luc Picard, regarded his former command, the Constellation-class USS Stargazer as being
"an overworked, underpowered vessel that was always on the verge of flying apart at the seams," adding, "in every measurable way, my Enterprise is a superior ship."

 
USS Hathaway

Technical Data

Propulsion Systems

A notable feature of the Constellation-class was that it was one of the few classes in use mounted with four warp nacelles.
This unique arrangement in a starship design was later found in one of the Nebula-class, as well as the Cheyenne-class and Prometheus-classes.


The Constellation-class had a maximum speed of warp 9.


During their original construction, Constellation-class starships employed Avidyne engines. By the latter 24th century, these had been replaced with more effective engines.



Interior Design

Main Bridge

Although the layout of the main bridge of the Constellation-class of starships could be described as "standard" in terms of how Federation starship bridges are designed, the Constellation-class appeared to have two prominently different bridge types.
These variations can be recognized between the USS Hathaway, launched in 2285, and the USS Stargazer, last active in 2355.

  • The Hathaway-type bridge had an arrangement in which the front of the bridge was relatively wide and open, with the primary stations cramped in the rear of the bridge.
  • Described as a "cramped little bridge" by Picard, the Stargazer-type Bridge was less cluttered than the Hathaway-type, with a design more reminiscent of the refit Constitution-class or Ambassador-class bridge.


Main Engineering

Main engineering was where the ship's power systems were controlled and was the home of the ship's antimatter warp drive chamber and impulse engine controls.


Crew Cabins

Cabins aboard Constellation-class starships were of typical design associated with Federation starship of the era, providing spartan accommodations for the crew.