Constellation Class

Constellation
Affiliation	United Federation of Planets / Starfleet
Year Beginning Service	2276
Design Specifications
Ship Type	Cruiser
Length	315 meters
Beam	175 meters
Height	86 meters
Crew	535
Tactical Specifications
Armament	6 banks of 2 each - RIM-15A independent twin mount, 6 banks - RSM-208 single mount, 3 Photon Torpedo Launchers (Two Forward, One Aft)
Defenses	Deflector Shields
Engineering Spefications
Top Speeds	Warp 6.0 (Standard Cruising), Warp 7.0 (Maximum Cruising), Warp 8.0 (Maximum Attainable)
Impulse Engines	Two Impulse systems

History

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

Nearly a decade after the launch of the Hathaway, the prototype for the class, the USS Constellation, was still undergoing certification trials. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Operation Retrieve chart)

During the early 24th century, the Constellation-class was noted for performing both deep-space exploration and defensive patrol duties. (TNG: "The Battle", "The Wounded")

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. (TNG: "Peak Performance")

Those that remained in service were typically relegated to transport duties. (TNG: "Elementary, Dear Data"; DS9: "The Abandoned") Constellation-class starships were also used in second-line service, including the hastily-organized Federation blockade during the Klingon Civil War. (TNG: "Redemption II")

In 2369, commander of the Galaxy-class USS Enterprise-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." (TNG: "Relics")

Technical Data

Propulsion systems

One 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 variants, as well as the Cheyenne-class and Prometheus-classes. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II"; VOY: "Message in a Bottle") The Constellation-class had a maximum speed of warp 9. (TNG: "The Battle")

During their original construction, Constellation-class starships employed Avidyne engines. By the latter 24th century these had been replaced with more effective engines. (TNG: "Peak Performance")

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 unusual arrangement, with front of the bridge relatively wide open and the primary stations cramped in the rear of the bridge.

The helm and navigation stations were located on the extreme port and starboard sides of the ship with the captain's chair near the center of the bridge. This gave the captain an unobstructed view of the viewscreen located at the front of the bridge. Next to the captain's chair, set less than a meter back and off to the right, was the first officer's chair with console.

Directly behind the command chairs was the tactical station, with the engineering station to the far rear (on the port side) and science station to the far rear (starboard side). In front of the engineering station was an entryway to the bridge entryway. (TNG: "Peak Performance")

Described as a "cramped little bridge" by Picard, the Stargazer-type was actually less cluttered than the Hathaway-type, with a design more reminiscent of the refit Constitution-class or Ambassador-class bridge. (TNG: "Relics")

In the front was the viewscreen, with side-by-side helm and navigator consoles, a feature that noticeably contrasts that of the Hathaway-type. The captain's chair was directly aft the aforementioned stations; no accommodations were present for the first officer in this type.

At the rear of the bridge, a tactical station was found on the far left with monitors along the back wall behind the captain's chair, with a second primary station located on the opposite side of the bridge. The primary stations were attached to the rear wall of the bridge; support railing partially enclosed that section from the front of the bridge. On either side of the rear wall monitors and between either primary station were two turbolifts. Along the port wall, directly to the left of the captain's chair and between the tactical station and the viewscreen, was the entryway to the captain's ready room. (TNG: "The Battle")

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. (TNG: "Peak Performance")

Crew cabins

Cabins aboard Constellation-class starships were of typical design associated with Federation starship of the era, providing spartan accommodations for the crew. (TNG: "The Battle")

Ships Using This Class in Star Trek: Second Fleet Online

There are currently no ships in ST:SFO using this class.

References

Specifications for the ship: Memory Alpha and Ships of the Starfleet, Volume I

Pictures: From Paramount and CBS through Memory Alpha