A History of Federation Spaceflight

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

Earth's Pre-Warp Spaceflight

History:

The history of early human spaceflight is too epic a story to be summarized fully here, but in brief, the first era of manned spaceflight resulted from the political rivalry of the Union of Soviet Socialist Repulics and the United States of America. A series of test pilots in the US Air Force, led by Chuck Yaegar, the first human to break the sound barrier (a man much admired by later test pilots Zefram Cochrane and Jonathan Archer), informed organisations such as NASA how to build pressurized vehicles that could reach the edge of space. The Vostok, Vokshod, Soyuz, Mercury, Gemini and Apollo series of manned probes, discovered how to dock two ships in orbit, maintain life there for days, perform extravehicular activity and return safely during reentry.

After a period of experimentation with reusable spacecraft, the nations of Earth moved onto efforts to explore and colonize the Moon, Mars and other celestial bodies. These efforts were interrupted by the horrors of World War 3.

Interesting facts:

• Vostok 1 was the first manned spacecraft; cosmonaut Yuri Gagrin becoming the first human to leave his planet's atmosphere. He was followed shortly by Alan Shepard as part of the rival Mercury program.
• The Ares IV manned capsule became the first Earth spacecraft to meet a spacial anomaly, in orbit around Mars.
• The Earth-Saturn probe was a watershed in manned exploration, reaching the outer solar system's gas giants.
• The privately built DY series of spacecraft, including the DY-100 Class, DY-245 Class, DY-430 Class, DY-500 Class, DY-732 Class, DY-950 Class and DY-1200 Class were the first manned starships to reach interstellar space beyond the Oort cloud, albeit at impulse velocities.

The Discovery of Warp Drive

History:

Following the test flight of the Phoenix and first contact with the Vulcans, Earth began designing it's first warp capable starships as environmental cleanup continued in the wake of World War 3. Cramped deep space probes such as the SS Valiant were launched on missions of exploration only two years after Cochrane's flight, followed by the first colony ships to planets such as Vega IX and Terra Nova. The last of these early pre-Starfleet probes to be commissioned, shortly after Zefram Cochrane's first flight, was the experimental Enterprise XCV-330 - a testbed for alternative warp geometries inspired by observations of Vulcan technology, it was a proof of concept, built by public and private industrial concerns that had survived World War 3, using the remaining infrastructure and expertise of the ISA, NASA, RKA and the ESA. Eventually, with the new political unity of United Earth, an organization was formed to manage these missions - the United Earth Space Probe Agency, a successor to the ISA, NASA, ESA and other earlier spaceflight organizations. The peaceful Earth political leadership were divided on whether to defer to Vulcan expertise, or embark on a manned spaceflight program beyond the Warp 5 barrier, to further Earth's already growing political influence as a notably stable, scientifically advanced and well-governed planet.

Interesting facts:

• Despite the social devastation of World War 3, it did not take long for Earth to organise politically, and become another sea of stability in the relatively peaceful star systems around Vulcan, Andor, Tellar, Draylax, Delta, Coridan and Trillius Prime.
• Some of the earliest deep space probes constructed in the aftermath of Cochrane's discovery included the unmanned Friendship One probe, a large robotic probe fitted with a warp engine, and the manned SS Valiant, who's crew included former San Francisco Giants player and astronaut Eric Johnson.

Earth's New Star-Fleet

History:

Early Earth starships resembled the tubular-hull-and-twin-nacelle configuration of Cochrane's early designs; they were primitive - some early examples didn't even possess artificial gravity.

But breakthroughs came thick and fast once the warp barrier had been broken, and as Starfleet was chartered to unify Earth's scientific efforts, the United Earth Space Probe Agency ground had begun to develop non-civilian designs such as the Ganges Class and Daedalus Class, which were true explorers. The UESPA was determined to engage in an exploration program that would allow Earth to conduct itself as a major scientific power independent of Vulcan, and to seek relationships with other advanced planetary governments such as Denobula. From their offices overlooking San Francisco's metropolis, now filled with all manner of the latest ground vehicles, shuttles and aircraft produced in the new sustainable industries of Earth, Starfleet's admiralty felt they had the capacity to design a new class of starship that would be every bit as adaptable as Vulcan's D'Kyr Class science vessels.

The Vulcan government refused to share warp technology (or any other potential weapon) with other races, in a policy of cultural non-interference, so Earth had to independently invent a warp engine capable of reaching Warp 5. The NX Class and derivative Intrepid Class were the result.

Interesting facts:

• The first six NX Class starships took their names from the old Earth United States NASA Shuttle Program - Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Endevour and Atlantis. Her direct equivalent in the Klingon fleet was the aging D4 Class Battlecruiser, a renowned workhorse once produced in huge numbers.
• The venerable family vessels including the C Class, J Class, and Y Class freighters, which served as mainstay trade vessels for almost 150 years, were designed in the years immediately preceding the Warp 5 experiments.

 

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

Generation One

History:

Most of the vessels in operation under the United Federation of Planet's newly chartered Starfleet consisted of classes commissioned by the United Earth Space Probe Agency, such as the NX Class, Intrepid Class, and Daedalus Class. These classes of starship were refitted with the latest technology available in the Federation, particularly Andorian and Vulcan, both worlds being significant industrial and scientific powers in the new union. The UESPA continued to function as Earth's independent space program, and many missions operated under it's management. The most extensively refit was the NX Class, which was given a secondary engineering hull, becoming Starfleet's ship of the line. The refit was judged so extensive, that the class was rechristened the Columbia Class. But this class was resource intensive and required significant infrastructure, leaving the majority of UESPA's deep space survey to the older, less expensive and redoubtable Daedalus Class. Vulcan and Andor's significant fleets, much reduced by the catastrophic Romulan War, did loan or give starships to the Federation's new starfleet, but most were retained by planetary governments for planetary defence and exploration. Starfleet's mission at this time consisted of keeping a wary eye on the Romulan Neutral Zone, checking the colonialism of the Klingon Empire, and engaging in humanitarian and exploratory activities across the new Federation's member worlds.

Interesting facts:

• The foremost military power in the galaxy prior to the Federation and aside from the newly defeated Romulan Star Empire, had been the vast and expansionist Klingon Empire, which possessed warships with greater firepower and durability than Earth, Andor or Vulcan. These, the leading planetary powers of the era had long desired parity of capabilities with the Klingon Navy, and the Colombia class was the first to surpass it's direct equivalent, the Klingon's D5 Battlecruiser, in capabilities. This started an arms race lasting close to a century, with continual refits of both state's space fleets, in between the launch of new starship classes.

Generation Two

History:

The Klingon Revolution of the late 22nd century would shape Starfleet's focus and purpose for the next hundred years. As the Federation's huge colonial neighbor underwent transformation into a regimented and fascistic empire, the Federation's worlds and policy makers turned their attention to the union's tense Beta Quadrant border. The Einstein class was conceived with parity of capability in mind, with the newly commissioned D6 Class Battlecruiser of the Klingon Navy. Several other classes of ship using the technologies developed for the Einstein class entered service in rolls as diverse as destroyers, cruisers and patrol ships.

Interesting facts:

• The Einstein class deep-space survey starships were all named after famous Earth scientists and engineers such as the USS Kepler (astronomer Johannes Kepler) USS Kelvin (physicist William Thompson, 1st Baron Kelvin) and USS Korolev (Sergei Korolev, Soviet rocket designer). It's equivalent in the Klingon Navy was the newly-created D6 Class battlecruiser.

Generation Three

History:

The Constitution project was Starfleet's next great technological challenge. Designed specifically to surpass the limitations of the Einstein class, which lacked the self-sufficiency for long deep space autonomy, the Constitution program was the most ambitious development project in the Alpha Quadrant's history. New warp engines rated to speeds of Warp 8 were developed in an arms race with the Klingon Empire; a new generation of test pilots and physicists had their portraits hung on the walls of the 602 Club in San Francisco. The main project would consist of a long-endurance cruiser - derivatives of the technology would then be used to create other new classes such as a patrol ship / destroyer, and the latest generation of small scouts.

The first half of the generation was marked by an extensive refit program, in which most starships commissioned in the second generation of Starfleet warp drives were given Constitution-derived warp engines, and weapons systems. Unfortunately many of the earlier Einstein Class vessels were too old in design to support the upgrades. Eventually these classes were retired from Starfleet service in favor of newer designs such as the Saladin Class destroyer.

Interesting facts:

• The Constitution Class starships took their names from US Navy World War 2 aircraft carriers in Earth's history, a a message clearly intended for the Klingon Empire's leadership. Their equivalents in the Klingon Navy were the D7 Class, which would become the most enduring design in Klingon history.
• The Saladin Class border patrol starships took their names from ancient Earth kings from the Middle East such as kings Xerxes and Sargon, of Persia and Mesopotamia.

 

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

Generation Four

History:

The leading developmental project in the wake of the Constitution Class program's great success was the Miranda Class program. Starfleet desired a modular cruiser that could fill a variety of roles, by carrying different exchangeable sensor packages or weapons pods, as needed. The resulting class proved so reliable and enduring that it's maintenance infrastructure was kept in operation for generations; allowing Starfleet to take advantage of the economy of scale. The Constitution Class underwent a major refit program to introduce the new warp technologies developed by the Miranda program.

The presence of the Miranda Class's existing infrastructure allowed the development of another dedicated heavy deep space explorer using many of the same systems and components for ease of service; the Constellation Class, which with it's four-nacelle geometry, could maintain high warp speeds for long periods of time by alternating and resting individual pairs while the others maintained the ship's warp speeds. It was thus ideal for sending on multi-year voyages to extremely remote sectors well beyond Starfleet's deep space tracking capabilities.

Interesting facts:

- The Miranda Class, it's derivatives, and other classes of starship that used it's existing infrastructure would remain in service well after the introduction of the Excelsior Class and Ambassador Class. The venerable (although not widely produced) Constellation Class vessels, for example, remained in service until the advent of Galaxy Class program, when they were finally deemed unworth the effort of maintaining in face of newer technology. The Miranda Class itself served through to the Dominion War, with multiple refits, making it one of the most successful designs in the Federation's history.

Generation Five

History:

The Great Experiment, the Excelsior Class trans-warp testbed, was Starfleet's attempt to surpass warp engines entirely. Although it ultimately proved a failure in that regard, the over-engineered and very sturdy Excelsior Class heavy cruiser that resulted, was to become Starfleet's workhorse. It took that role from the aging and increasingly anachronistic Constitution Class heavy cruiser, which had performed as Starfleet's frontline cruiser for decades, having gone through one major refit already.

But the unexpected end of the Federation-Klingon Cold War brought Starfleet's needs for new combat starships to a sudden halt; the Excelsior Class engines may have been used in smaller civilian and military vessels, but Starfleet instead opted to maintain older ships such as the Constellation Class in frontline service rather than commission new large starships. One early example of this was the Oberth Class.

Generation Six

History:

The Ambassador-class was designed to be a replacement for the aging fleet of frontline explorers; Excelsior-class and Constellation-class vessels which had been in service for over three decades, and to create a true front-line heavy cruiser. Starfleet had cut back the design of new heavy starships following the end of the Klingon-Federation Cold War, relying on it's tested Excelsior class to act as a ship of the line, the Constellation class for deep space exploration, and the hugely successful and modular Miranda class for many other rolls. But it was judged time for Starfleet to embark on a second great era of exploration to rival the success of the Constitution Class. Thus the Ambassador Class was conceived; a floating research city in space, with a collection of laboratories and sensory equipment much more diverse than the rather singular design of the aging Excelsior class. Until the advent of the truly pan-scientific Galaxy Class, the Ambassador class was the most technologically advanced starship ever conceived by a galactic power, especially as the now-friendly Klingon Empire continued to rely on refits of the near-ancient D7 Class Battlecruier as it's frontline heavy cruiser. It's only serious rival perhaps lay beyond the silence of the Neutral Zone, or in the Cardassian Galor Class.

Interesting facts:

• The Ambassador Class exploration program's starships took their names from famous diplomats, social campaigners and generals in Earth's history such as Gandhi and Zhukov.
• The Ambassador Class was originally intended to be even larger and more ambitious than it's final form; the later Galaxty Class would realize the full vision of it's designers.

 

[CeJay]

Great article.

Just noticed how similar the Ambassador looks to the Constitution with her cylindrical secondary hull and the swan-like neck. Clearly her "designers" were going back to basics instead of trying to evolve the Excelsior design.

 

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

Great article.

Just noticed how similar the Ambassador looks to the Constitution with her cylindrical secondary hull and the swan-like neck. Clearly her "designers" were going back to basics instead of trying to evolve the Excelsior design.

Yeah, I love that basic layout - when I first saw the Sovereign class, I thought it was cool, but now I think that basic layout is far more iconic, utilitarian-looking and satisfying.

Will post more if I get the chance.

 

[Mistral]

Fascinating.

 

[Mytran]

An excellent summary, you covered a lot of ground there!

 

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

Generation Seven

History:

The Galaxy Class starship development program was perhaps the most ambitious scientific project in the history of the galaxy. Conceived as a universal-laboratory with warp engines, the Galaxy Class was intended to be almost a city in space, or a moving starbase - full of research equipment, x-ray telescopes, biohazard labs, recreational facilities and even crew's families. It was built at the height of the Federation's power, when it lacked any remaining political rivals, having recently defeated the Cardassians, having been at peace with the Klingon Empire for decades, and there having been no activity in the Romulan Neutral Zone in living memory.

Starfleet had for years relied on older starships like the Excelsior and Constellation Classes, and had only comissioned one truely state of the art starship since the end of the Federation-Klingon Cold War. Now it brought years of prosperity and scientific advancement to bear on creating an exploration program that would open up the mysteries of the cosmos, and make peaceful contact with hundreds of new cultures. The program would be resource intensive, but it was not anticipated to be needed in any rush. It's sister Nebula Class project would attempt to spin off it's technological breakthroughs into a more utilitarian and modular design, like the aging Miranda Class.

Interesting facts:

• The Galaxy Class starships, and their sister Nebula Class, were named after prominent astronomical features in nature (USS Galaxy, USS Andromeda), or famous mythical journies (USS Odyssey, USS Prometheus), although, as in previous generations, some were named in honour of past Federation ships of great renown such as USS Enterprise and USS Farragut.
• The Nebula Class, like the Miranda Class, featured a modular design, with interchangable pods depending on mission profile. These inlcuded a tactical pod, sensor pod, cargo pod and scientific instrument pod, all of which were also present on the Miranda Class.
• The Freedom Class was conceived as a small, fast patrol ship or destroyer similar to the Saladin Class of previous generations. It was however never constructed in large numbers.
• The Klingons attempted their first new frontline warship in two generations, to replace the aging D7- this was known as the Vor'cha Class - it incorporated elements of technology exchanged with Starfleet during the long peace.
• The Federation was also unaware that the Romulans had, without either side knowing, researched and developed a huge vessel of very similar aims and capabilities to the Galaxy Class - the D'deridex Class warbird.

Generation Eight

History:

The advent of the Borg changed the fundamentals of design in Starfleet. It also propelled Starfleet into a frantic shipbuilding program a few years earlier than would have otherwise been necessary. Controversially, the current generation of Starfleet ships increasingly focus on specialist warship rolls, such as broad-spectrum jamming, with exploration being a secondary focus. Some classes do not even possess significant scientific labs or dedicated research scientists. Critics of this approach to design feel that the Federation has abandoned it's highest ideals in the interest of safety, and note that on both occasions when the Federation has defeated a Borg incursion, the task was accomplished by science; the Borg's military potential may be infinite, and not worth contesting.

An example of this philosophy is the Steamrunner Class. The Steamrunner Class, like the Saladin class of a hundred years before, was designed to patrol the Federation's frontiers, monitoring unexplored spaced like a mobile listening post, for signs of Borg activity in the distant sectors that her telescopes and other long range sensors are continually pointed at.

Many of these new classes of starship were conceptual designs that had been previously rejected or deemed unnecessary, and starfleet has created a broad range of different technologies, each with distinct warp geometries. The militarisation of Starfleet may reverse in future, but the combined threat that the Borg have posed, and the devastation of the Dominion War, second only to the Romulan War in significance, have given hawkish elements a bigger voice. Starfleet's huge scientific community however can be satisfied that the Sovereign Class makes concessions to being a multi-role vessel, and the Intrepid Class is a pure explorer - and one of the most capable ever created. Newer designs such as the Merian Class and Vesta Class are so advanced as to genuinely shock engineering officers newly posted aboard.

Starfleet has never commissioned many ships in a given class - from the NX Class, which was originally only planned to comprise six vessels - to the Constitution Class, which was only intended to comprise a dozen. But in the present era of huge change and uncertainty, many of the smaller classes of starship were produced in larger numbers, originally to meet the threat of the Dominion.

 

[publiusr]

Don't forget the Kelvinprise
http://s455.photobucket.com/user/novahobbies/media/Models/22nd%20Century%20Starships/20150923_204239-1_zpsamc0smfg.jpg.html
http://federationmodels.com/

 

[Mytran]

I've not seen that one before!
Is the model hanging in Admiral Marcus' office?

 

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

I've not seen that one before!
Is the model hanging in Admiral Marcus' office?

I think it's just a fan made design, not on-screen canon or secondary Pocket Books-type canon.

Something similar might have been seen in one of those Abrahmsverse IDW comics, not sure, but those comics are wildly inaccurate - like in one issue, one of those D4 Class Birds of Prey from Into Darkness turns up, but is the size of a Constitution Class starship, not 12 meters or whatever they actually are (lol).

There is a temptation amongst people to assume that every era must have a Constitution-shaped vessel, just because we have seen that general shape turn up in different eras, but in reality, its quite possible/plausible that this did not happen.

I've mainly stuck to on-screen canon here, with a few things from Pocket Books (USS Aventine, USS Titan), because I cant stand some of the liberties Z-canon works have taken with starship design - literally hundreds of ridiculous classes apparently produced in infinite numbers - the worst obviously being Star Trek: Online with it's aweful fanfic-type ridiculousness (such as 22nd century starships being built in the 25th century).

Star Trek tended toward real Navy-style starship building projects; they didn't crank ships out like MiGs; and certainly didn't design ships for aesthetic purposes; only for utility.