A Federation science vessel or Federation research vessel was a type of spacecraft, a classification given to science vessel ships operated by citizens of the United Federation of Planets for the preformance of scientific research.
History and specifications[]
Late in the 2240s decade, the parents of young Charlie Evans, a three-year-old Human boy, operated a Federation research vessel. In the year 2248, Charlie was the only survivor when this research vessel crashed on the planet Thasus. (TOS novelization: Charlie's Law)
When Doctor Gillian Taylor ended up having time traveled to 2286, the 20th century whale biologist signed on to a Federation science vessel. She described her purpose aboard was to "catch-up on the past 300 years". (TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptation: The Voyage Home)
Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise-D proposed calling a Federation science vessel to the Morgana Quadrant in 2365. Picard's crew had discovered an unexplainable hole in space discovered there, which defied explanation. Before the call for a science vessel could be made, the Enterprise-D was trapped inside Nagilum's phenomenon. (TNG episode: "Where Silence Has Lease")
In 2369, Starfleet responded to news of a newly-discovered Dyson sphere by sending two science vessels to further study the discovery. (TNG episode: "Relics")
The Enterprise-D picked up a 2370 distress call from a Federation science ship in the Topin star system. In actuality, the call was a trick to lure the Enterprise so that Ro Laren's Maquis raider could steal medkits from the larger vessel. (TNG episode: "Preemptive Strike")
In 2370, the Nebula-class starship USS Prometheus was outfitted as a Federation science vessel. (DS9 episode: "Second Sight" script)
Other types of Federation science vessels[]
Appendices[]
References[]
- TOS - Star Trek 1 novelization: Charlie's Law
- TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptation: The Voyage Home
- TNG episode: "Where Silence Has Lease"
- TNG episode: "Relics"
- TNG episode: "Preemptive Strike"
- DS9 episode: "Second Sight" script
External links[]
- Federation science vessel article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.