Danube class
 
Overview
 
Affiliation United Federation of Planets
Used by Starfleet
   
Classification Multimission long range warp shuttle
Designing phase 2363-65
Prototyping phase 2365-68
Operational phase 2368-
Construction yards Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards, Mars
Ships constructed Hundreds
Description Small, versatile ship class of the middle and late 24th century that is a successor of the shuttle with increased cargo capacity and more efficient propulsion systems, being mainly used for personal or cargo transports. Furthermore, it is used for research, scout and inspection missions because of its small size. The large variety of possible tasks is due to the design of the middle hull as an exchange module, so that the ships, also called "runabout", can be equipped with personal, cargo or sensor modules, depending on the mission type. As autonomous long range ships, the Danube class vessels are mainly assigned to deep space stations and big starbases near or beyond the border of the Federation, replacing the missing provision of starship services for these sectors.
 
Ships constructed
   
Name                             Registry number Used from to Location
USS Danube (prototype) NX-72003 2368   
USS Rio Grande NCC-72452 2369 2373 Deep Space Nine
USS Yangtsekiang NCC-72453 2369 2369 Deep Space Nine
USS Ganges NCC-72454 2369 2370 Deep Space Nine
USS Mekong NCC-72617 2370 2371 Deep Space Nine
USS Orinoco NCC-72905 2370 2372 Deep Space Nine
USS Rubicon NCC-72936 2371 Deep Space Nine
USS Yukon NCC-72602 2372 2373 Deep Space Nine
USS Shenandoah NCC-73024 2372 2374 Deep Space Nine
USS Volga NCC-73196 2372 Deep Space Nine
USS Gander 2375

2375

 Deep Space Nine
 
History
 
2363  The runabout project emerges from a Starfleet study for a versatile, compact science, personal and supplies ship, supplementing the restricted shuttles. The goals of the new Danube class project were pretty high: scientific exploration, personal transport, quick place-to-place transport of cargo modules as well as emergency and tactical missions.
2365 After finishing the designing phase, the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards are commissioned to construct the prototype of the class, the USS Danube.
2368 First test flights with the protoype in the atmosphere of Mars after 3 years of construction.
While the USS Danube starts warp test flight in the solar system, the first production line  of runabouts is already in the completion phase.
2369 The first 5 Danube class ships are comissioned: the USS Rio Grande, the USS Mekong, the USS Orinoco, the USS Yangtzee Kiang and the USS Rubicon. They are merely the first ships of a great number of runabouts being constructed in the following period.
  
Technical specifications
   
Dimensions Length 23.1 m, width 13.7 m, height 5.4 m
Mass Unknown
Structure Main hull consisting of seven components, with cockpit section which can be seperated in emergency situations, exchange module, propulsion section  and 2 warp nacelles attachted to the ship by pylons.
Crew complement 4 members of flight crew, 40 passengers
    
Computer systems 1 isolinear twin core in the base of the cockpit (2.3 x 2.1 x 1.3m);
186 isolinear banks, 53 command preprocessors
Propulsion systems
   Warp drive Very compact, linear-radial warp core for M/AM power generation
2 warp nacelles
Maximum speed warp 4.7
   Impulse drive 2 impulse engines with 8 impulse reactors and spacetime coils
   Maneuvering drive RCS thrusters
Weapon systems 6 phaser strips type VIII
Front micro torpedo launcher (optional)
Defensive systems Deflector shields
Other systems Tractor beam emitters
Equipment Medical kits, independent communications module, emergency rations, phaser type II, 4 emergency pressure suits