The Constitution class was a series of Starfleet vessel in the Star Trek fictional universe, first put into service in the mid-23rd century. Ships of this class were multi-role, but generally used for exploration and diplomacy; however, they were quite capable in combat against ships of most enemy powers of their time, with an armament consisting of six photon torpedo launchers (four fore, two aft) and three dual-turret phaser banks. In the late 2260s, the surviving Constitution class vessels underwent a large-scale refit with major upgrades in or replacement of every major system, extending the class' lifespan by at least twenty years. The most notable of these changes was the replacement of the warp nacelles, as well as the replacement of the original bridge module.

It is unknown if the refitted Constitution class is still in service in the 2370s; however, it is likely, considering the continued active service of the Excelsior and Miranda classes, both from the same era. There is a variant of the class known to be in use, that of a saucer with a normally attached neck from the bottom of which two nacelles are supported by pylons. This variation was designed and produced at the McKinley Orbital Spacedock in response to the Dominion threat; no names or registry numbers of the ships are known.

Specifications

Original

• Type: Heavy cruiser
• Dimensions:
  • Height: 73 m
  • Length: 289 m
  • Beam: 132 m
• Accommodation: 430 standard
• Propulsion:
  • One matter/antimatter reactor powering two Shuvinaaljis Warp Technologies FWF-1 warp engines.
  • Three impulse engines (one within the primary hull, two at the aft ends of the nacelles)
• Performance: Warp 8 maximum (Cochrane scale; approximately warp 6.5, new scale)
• Weaponry:
  • 3 phaser banks
  • 2 photon torpedo launchers
• Defenses: Deflector shields
• Auxiliary vessels: Personnel shuttlecraft

Refitted

• Production facility:
  • Originally, San Francisco Fleet Yards, Earth
  • As of the 2370s, McKinley Orbital Spacedock, Earth
• Type: Heavy cruiser
• Dimensions:
  • Height: 71 m
  • Length: 305 m
  • Beam: 141 m
• Accommodation: 500 standard
• Propulsion:
  • One matter/antimatter dual intermix chamber reactor powering two Leeding Engines FWG-1 warp engines
  • One intermix-power-deflection/nuclear fusion impulse engine
• Performance: Warp 12 maximum (Cochrane scale; approximately warp 9.3, new scale)
• Weaponry:
  • 7 dual phaser emitters, 4 single phaser emitters
  • 2 photon torpedo launchers
• Defenses: Deflector shields
• Auxiliary spacecraft:
  • 4 personnel shuttlecraft
  • Lifeboats
  • Possibly travel pod(s)
  • Possibly work bee(s)

Known Constitution class ships

• USS Constellation (NCC-1017)
  • Named for the USS Constellation, the starship Constellation was commanded by Commodore Matt Decker and was destroyed in 2267 by a massive planet-eating machine.
• USS Constitution (NCC-1700, ex-NX-1700)
  • Named for the USS Constitution, the starship Constitution was the pathfinder of its class.
• USS Defiant (NCC-1764)
  • Lost in 2268, having disappeared into a rift in space. The ship's ultimate fate was never discovered - at least not in the normal Star Trek universe. An upcoming Star Trek: Enterprise episode will reveal that it ended up in the Mirror Universe - where it was quickly discovered by the Terran Empire and plundered for its advanced technology.
• USS Eagle (NCC-956)
  • May have aided in rescuing Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy from Rura Penthe in 2293.
• USS Endeavor (NCC-1695)
  • Named for the Space Shuttle Endeavour and explorer James Cook's HM Bark Endeavour, the starship Endeavour would have aided in rescuing Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy from Rura Penthe in 2293.
• USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
  • The ship featured in Star Trek under the command of James T. Kirk.
• USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)
  • Rather than a new ship, the Enterprise-A may have been a rechristening of the Yorktown according to some sources. Other sources have said that the Enterprise-A was originally intended to be the replacement for the Yorktown (NCC-1704-A). In Mister Scott's Guide to the Enterprise, the ship was said to have been originally been named the USS Ti-Ho, and had the registry number NCC-1798.
• USS Excalibur (NCC-1664)
  • Named for the mythical sword Excalibur, the starship Excalibur was severely damaged by the Enterprise in 2268 while Richard Daystrom's M5 computer was in control of the Enterprise. Presumed recovered.
• USS Exeter (NCC-1672)
  • Named for the HMS Exeter, the starship Exeter was commanded by Captain Ronald Tracey in 2268 when she was found in orbit over Omega IV with its crew dead. The Exeter had become biologically contaminated, which had killed the crew and reduced them to their most basic elements. The ultimate fate of the ship was not known. Some resources have mentioned that the ship was scuttled by Starfleet due to the contamination, other sources say the ship was abandoned in orbit around Omega IV.
• USS Farragut (NCC-1647)
  • Named for Admiral David Farragut, the starship Farragut was commanded by Captain Garrovick. The Farragut was one of James T. Kirk's first starship posts. In 2257, a gaseous lifeform attacked the ship, killing approximately two hundred crewmembers, including Captain Garrovick; Kirk and the ship's XO were the only surviving senior officers.
• USS Hood (NCC-1703)
  • Named for the battlecruiser HMS Hood, the starship Hood was one of the ships faced by and nearly destroyed by the Enterprise in the M5 Computer test.
• USS Intrepid (NCC-1831)
  • Named for the USS Intrepid, the starship Intrepid was destroyed by a spacefaring organism in 2268.
• USS Kongo (NCC-1710)
  • Named for the Japanese battleship Kongo, the starship Kongo would have aided in rescuing Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy from Rura Penthe in 2293.
• USS Lexington (NCC-1709)
  • Named for the USS Lexington, the starship Lexington was one of the ships faced by and nearly destroyed by the Enterprise in the M5 Computer test.
• USS Potemkin (NCC-1657)
  • The Potemkin was one of the ships faced by and nearly destroyed by the Enterprise in the M5 Computer test.
• USS Republic (NCC-1371)
  • As an Ensign, Captain James T. Kirk served on board this vessel, as did then Lt. Benjamin Finney.
• USS Yorktown (NCC-1704)
  • Named for the USS Yorktown, the starship Yorktown was disabled temporarily by a probe in search of humpback whales. According to fanon, it may have later been rechistened as the Enterprise-A, however no film or TV episode has ever confirmed this, so for now this is not canon.

External links

• "Constitution class" at Memory Alpha
• "Constitution class" at STARTREK.COM