star trek voyager runabout

Variations of the Runabout Interior

by Jörg Hillebrand and Bernd Schneider

Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Season 4 Season 5 Season 6 Insurrection Season 7 Summary

The Danube-class runabout first appeared in DS9: "Emissary". Over the years, its cockpit was remodeled several times, most notably between the 4th and the 5th season of DS9. The runabout, including its flight deck set, also appeared in TNG: "Timescape" and in VOY: "Non Sequitur". In addition, the interior was slightly redressed three times to act as Chakotay's ship, as vessels of the Mirror Universe and as the "Insurrection" shuttlecraft.

Our article analyzes the appearances of the runabout cockpit episode by episode. We pinpoint the times when redresses of the set must have taken place or were reverted. While the focus is on the cockpit, we also have a look at the aft section. It was shown prominently only in TNG: "Timescape", but there are also less obvious sightings in DS9.

All variations have in common that they are largely symmetrical, with at most small consoles differing between the port and the starboard side.

The cockpit retains its original look throughout the first season, with only some minor changes until TNG: "Timescape".

Emissary (as Saratoga escape pod)

We can hardly see how far the set extends because of the heavy shaking and because of the many people inside the escape pod. But we can recognize the lateral door and the two pilot seats (pulled closer together) of the familiar runabout set that were used here.

The real runabout interior debuts some time later in "Emissary". We see the lateral doors of the runabout that are opened on the port side at two points in the episode. As we can see, the outer door consists of two sliding wings. While the outer door follows the shape of the hull and is accordingly sloped, the inner door is narrow and possesses an X-shaped structural reinforcement. Looking into the runabout, we can see Dax in front of a yellow illuminated panel, which is embedded in the side wall of the small transporter platform. Everything is symmetrical, so the opposite side wall has the same yellow panel on its outer side. This part of the set will be changed later, hence we call attention to this detail. The inner surfaces of the platform have white illumination, with some sort of grating in front of the lamps. It can be seen only briefly in "Emissary", but it will become clearer in later episodes.

We also get a good impression of the leading end of the cockpit. We can see the windows, the pilot's controls and the rear sides of the chairs, with three tubes between the head rests and the back rests. This will be modified in the course of the series, as well as the consoles in the forward portion of the cockpit. On the very left and very right side beside the chairs we can make out two oblong horizontal black areas. These will change as well. We can still notice in this episode that the two oval side windows are transparent, while they will increasingly often be covered in later appearances of the runabout.

We can see only a bit of the inner side of the inner door, which will be better visible in later episodes. However, the aforementioned X-shaped struts are not yet illuminated here. The red area behind the raised struts seems to have a stripe pattern, which is subject to change just as well.

Finally, we get an impression of the door that leads to the aft section of the runabout. This one is similar to the lateral door and has X-shaped struts as well. It can be found in the middle behind the transporter platform. Behind Dax in her chair, at the port side, we can make out a rectangular black frame on the side wall of the transporter console. This space is still empty. Later in the series a deepening to store phasers and ultimately a small replicator can be found in this place.

Past Prologue

When the runabout appears for the second time, some small changes have already taken place. In this episode there are two different runabouts : O'Brien and Sisko are on the Ganges, Kira and Tahna Los on the Yangtzee Kiang. The only small difference between the interiors of the two vessels can be found in the lighting of the side doors. On the Yangtzee Kiang, the X-shaped reinforcements are not lighted, as its was the case already in "Emissary". On the Ganges the struts are illuminated for the first time. Furthermore, between the two big cockpit windows there is a hidden console that can be moved up. A red button serves to launch the bomb. The console, however, was visible already in "Emissary".

A noticeable difference can be found behind the transporter console. While there used to be a door in "Emissary", both ships in "Past Prologue" have a pentagonal cavity in this place, holding a number of small consoles and printed circuit-like power conduits. Tahna Los uses this access point to install his bomb. Actually, on the two shuttles there are no doors at all that would allow to enter the aft section, not even on either side of the new console! On both runabouts we can also see two new deepenings on either front side of the transporter side wall, holding phasers. In "Emissary" there was just a frame around this area. We can have a good look at the transporter platform itself, including its white illumination on the inside.

The next appearance of the runabout set is in "Babel". Once again we can see the pentagonal cavity in the rear wall and the small phaser shelves, and no door leading aft. On the side wall it can be noticed that the window is still open and that the oblong black bar is dark. But that is already all we can see of the flight deck.

This is an episode in which we can never see the outside of the runabout but only its full-scale interior set. First of all we get a good impression of the interface that is located next to the entrance on the rear wall of the cockpit. It is the same on port and on starboard. It is a standard LCARS interface.

For the first time we can see how someone opens the floor hatch that that is located in front of the transporter platform. The hatch is pentagonal. It appears to be quite heavy and is affixed to the floor with a hinge joint. It flips open rearward. Furthermore, we can see the illuminated X-struts in the side doors as well as the white light inside the transporter platform in this episode. In this episode it does not become evident what is located behind the transporter platform. The phaser cavities are still there, but without the phasers.

When Sisko exits from the runabout we can see across the otherwise dark cockpit that the "X" on the door on the opposite side is accordingly illuminated too. Earlier in the episode, we can watch people that walk directly from the station's hatch into the shuttle. Hence, the complete flight deck set (and not just a door) must have been docked to the docking hatch set.

The Passenger

In "The Passenger" the cockpit shows up just briefly. But we recognize that the sliding door at the rear end is there again. It is the same door that was already present in "Emissary". The phaser storage is empty, the side door has illuminated struts and the dark area on the side of the front consoles is still without light. Also, the window is still uncovered.

Here we can see that the pentagonal cavity at the rear end is back again. The phaser storage is empty, the windows are unbarred and the X-struts are lighted. The yellow illumination of the transporter side walls is still the same too.

However, we are shown for the first time the function of the lateral black bars. They serve to indicate red alert, in a rather obtrusive fashion.

Battle Lines

Nothing was changed about the rear end of the cockpit since the last appearance. We can see the pentagonal cavity again.

More interestingly, we get to see the outer hull of the crashed shuttle (which normally appears in the form of a miniature only). Below the side window there is an emergency exit hatch that Bashir blows off. Furthermore, the warp nacelle that was ripped off is totally wrong and was taken from a Type-6 shuttlecraft.

Doug Drexler: "Yeah, I remember it clearly. We all knew it was wrong. We pointed it out, but the feeling was that it was general texture, and the camera would never see it. Ha,ha!"

The Storyteller

We are shown only a small portion of the cockpit in "The Storyteller". The side door is once again illuminated and the windows are open. We suspect that there is a pentagonal console behind the transporter. Most notably we can recognize that the oblong "red alert" console is not black anymore. It now holds a couple of small LCARS panels, probably to make it look less boring when there is no red alert.

We can see the new lateral LCARS consoles on the port side somewhat better in this episode, as well as the transporter platform and the cavity behind it. Otherwise there is nothing interesting to note.

Dramatis Personae

There is nothing new in this episode, other than that we can see the new LCARS console on the opposite starboard side too. "Dramatis Personae" is the last appearance of the runabout interior in DS9's first season.

TNG: Timescape

Chronologically, the next time we see it is in TNG: "Timescape".

The features that have remained the same since the last appearance include the formerly black bar with the new LCARS interface on both sides, the lighting of the transporter platform, the open windows and the illumination of the X-struts. The phaser storage is empty, but the simple deepening is given more contrast using the famous black tape stripes. It is the first time since "Emissary" that we can have a good look at the forward portion of the cockpit from behind. It seems unchanged, including the red button console from "Past Prologue".

The flight deck now has a central door in its rear portion through which the crew enter the aft section of the runabout. It is overall identical to the one see in "Emissary" and "The Passenger", but does not have the lateral illumination of the preceding episodes. We can see this part of the set with an opened and with a closed door. It is possible to walk to the left and to the right after passing the door; the straight direction is obstructed by a wall. Quite obviously there is no long corridor, as this would have required to attach the new aft section directly to the cockpit set. The new wall appears to be the same that used to be in place of the door in some episodes, but now moved about half a meter rearward.

The door in the aft section of the runabout is identical, only flanked by two fluorescent tubes. Behind the opened door we can see the probably same pentagonal cavity that can be passed by on the left or on the right side, which of course is meant to be on the other side now, facing aft.

As already mentioned, in "Timescape" we see the aft section of the runabout for the first time. As we exit through the rear door of the cockpit, there are sleep compartments on either side. These were later re-used for the interior of the Defiant. Upon entering the aft compartment, there is a replicator on the right side and a computer console on the left side. There are five upright windows at the aft end, which correspond with those on the runabout model. In the middle of the room there is an oblong table and four chairs, the same that will later appear in Voyager's conference room.

Aside from the new compartment, the most important change to the flight deck set is that the former rear wall of the set with the cavity can now be found behind the rear door, which will be like this on the DS9 runabouts as well.

In season 2 the cockpit retains the recessed aft wall behind the door as it appeared in TNG: "Timescape" (at least in most of the episodes).

The Homecoming

The cockpit has its first appearance in this season in "The Homecoming". The first thing to notice is that the small phaser shelf has been replaced by a black console. The lateral door, including the light, is still the same. We can also notice that the rear area of the command section is like in "Timescape", with the pentagonal deepening about half a meter behind the rear door. The large viewscreen on the side of the cockpit has been slightly modified. If we compare its first appearance in season 2 with the last one in season 1, we can see the smaller horizontal field with the white border has been moved from the upper to the lower edge of the interface. The yellow side wall of the platform and the screen beside the door are still the same.

In "The Siege" we only see the docking hatch of the runabout. Unlike in "Emissary" and in "Q-less", not the entire flight deck set was placed beside the station docking set, but just its entrance hatch, with the already well-known deepened wall obstructing the view, although it should not be behind the runabout's entrance. This will be done in several other episodes too.

Cardassians

This episode shows the cockpit set from an unusual perspective, as we can look inside through the open lateral window. There is one recognizable change to the set. So far the triangular boxes above the corner monitors on either side of the pilots' seats were horizontal on the underside. The built-in light aimed straight down. Now the boxes are sloped, with the lights pointing inward.

In "Melora" we can have a good look from the aft at the forward end of the cockpit again. The only change seems to be an addition to the lower console between the two seats. We can see the interface with the movable cover and the red button from "Past Prologue". Beneath the pentagonal console in the familiar wall (now behind the rear door) we can see a new illuminated rectangular area. The side walls of the cockpit are unchanged and the windows are open.

Second Sight (as USS Prometheus interior)

In this episode, the aft compartment set is clearly visible for a second time besides TNG: "Timescape". It was rearranged and now serves as two or three different rooms on the USS Prometheus. The wall with the door leading to the cockpit (now completely red) remains the same as in the TNG episode. The bunk beds on either side and the archway in front of them were removed. A door or gateway was installed on the port side, which is recessed relative to the former bunk beds and makes the set appear somewhat more spacious and less one-dimensional. In the following, "port"/"starboard" and "fore"/"aft" refer to the orientation on the runabout.

We don't see the aft window in the episode, which would have given away that it is the runabout set. In fact, a new wall was inserted instead, including two doors with rounded edges similar to the original one that leads to the front. The difference is that the new doors don't have a double frame. This is an important detail to identify which part of the set we are looking at. There really are two new doors, which we can see only briefly in the third scene the set appears in.

The port and starboard walls with the characteristic zigzag cross-section are still the same as in "Timescape". We only see the windows on the starboard side, which complies with the idea that the set is aboard a starship, as opposed to the narrow runabout. In fact, the starboard side is all windows now, whereas the port side of the set consists of just solid walls with the zigzag shape and a console. This is the same wall portion that was previously located on the starboard side in "Timescape".

The room appears four times in the episode, first as a dining room with a table, then as Sikso's guest quarters, then as Nidell's living room with a couch and a table and finally as some unspecified room. We assume the set was not rebuilt but remained the same throughout the episode, except for slightly rearranged furniture and decoration.

The first time, during the dinner, we can mainly see the starboard side of the set, which is all windows. The solid port side is hardly visible at all, except for the new gateway. We don't see how the guests enter the room, but it is implied that it is through the "old" central door. Seyetik then leaves the set through the "new" aft door on the starboard side when he looks after his wife Nidell. We can see that the new portion is also where the bunk beds are located now, behind the door on both the port and the starboard side. Most likely this is the bedroom of her quarters (although Nidell is said to have prepared the meal).

The second appearance is only brief. Sisko finds Fenna in his quarters when he enters through the "old" door. Once again, we can see the windows on the starboard side.

Right after that, the set appears for the third time, as Nidell's room. The difference is that now the characters (Sisko, Dax, Fenna) use the "new" door on the port side to enter, passing by bunk beds that are located here as well. It almost looks like it is an entirely different set, but we actually just see the other side that the two previous scenes concealed from us. As already mentioned, the solid wall is exactly the same that was also used in "Timescape", but on the other side of the set. Later in this scene, we can also see the windows on the opposite (starboard) side, as well as both new aft doors. Actually, the room could be the very same that earlier appeared as the dining room; even the table is the same. But it would not make much sense for Sisko and Dax to enter through a door that most likely leads to another private room.

When Sisko and Fenna meet for the last time, they are sitting in front of the starboard windows. This may be Sisko's guest quarters yet again. Since the scene consists only of close shots, we can't make out any decoration or furniture that would more clearly establish the location.

The Alternate

Nothing has changed in this episode. We can clearly see the lateral door, still with red stripes and with the illumination of the "X".

Armageddon Game

This is the first time that we can make out a small control interface on the forward starboard side of the transporter console. Otherwise the cockpit remains unchanged. The transporter console is still white on the inside, with a grille in front of the fluorescent tubes. Furthermore, we can see that the door to the aft compartment is shut again, not revealing the wall that should be in the corridor behind it.

The perhaps most significant change, however, is that the windows are barred for the first time. The main reason is that it saves costs in the post production if no stars have to be inserted. The window is covered by simple beige panels of the same color as the walls. The lateral interfaces in the forward portion of the cockpit are unchanged. The X-struts in the door are lighted. The lateral black panels are not permanently illuminated, however.

In "Paradise", the windows are covered with the beige panels too. The replicator, however, has been replaced by a simple flat interface. The rear door is open, with the wall behind it.

In this episode the windows are open again. Otherwise there is nothing special.

Playing God

We can clearly see the front portion of the cockpit, where nothing has changed since "Melora". The windows are barred again with the beige covers. The replicator is there again, on both sides, as it may have been the case already in "Whispers". On the other hand, the two small interfaces at the front side of the transporter are gone. The rear door is closed, the side doors are still the same.

The Maquis, Part I

The doors are open again, revealing the wall with the cavity.

The Maquis, Part II

We can see different runabouts in this episode with slightly different interior arrangements. As we are shown only the lateral front sections of the runabouts, the only visible change is to the windows, however. At the beginning of the episode Sisko, Dukat and O'Brien are flying the Mekong. The windows are open, allowing to look outside.

Later on, Sisko and Dukat take the Rio Grande, whose windows are open as well. Kira and Dax, on the other hand, are on the Orinoco, and Bashir and O'Brien on the Mekong. On the two latter vessels the windows are covered with the beige panel.

This is the first episode to feature the new, more sophisticated looking window cover that doesn't let the windows look like painted over. It appears to consist of two parts and has a reddish basic color (maybe the same as in the doors) with beige borders. At the rear end we can recognize the pentagonal wall console again, but with a significant change. The console is integrated into the rear wall again, hence no access to the aft section is possible. In this episode we can clearly the ceiling of the set as well as the front portion. There are no other changes.

In this episode the wall is moved back again, so that Keiko can stay there and use a replicator that was placed there. The windows are open. The transporter platform is still the same.

The Jem'Hadar

The last time in the second season that we see the runabout is in "The Jem'Hadar".

The aft end is unchanged since "Tribunal". This is another episode with more than one runabout, which differ in their windows but also in the door to the aft section. Sisko, Jake and O'Brien take the Rio Grande to the planet. The door is open and we see the familiar pentagonal console. The windows are open. On the Orinoco with Bashir and Kira the windows are closed with the new cover and the rear door is open. On the Mekong, finally, with Dax and Odo the windows are closed as is the rear door.

The Rio Grande reveals a modification to the lower console between the pilots' seats. Here we can see a terminal holding a couple of isolinear chips. We can see a floor hatch again, but with a different shape than in "Q-less".

Also in this episode, we can see how Jake and Nog enter and exit from the runabout. It seems that, as already in "The Siege", the runabout set was not combined with the station's docking set, which facilitates the production of the episode.

After an appearance in VOY: "Caretaker" the runabout flight deck was significantly remodeled for the first time, prior to the first appearance in the third season of DS9. Many of the consoles were replaced with new, more sophisticated looking ones. The basic floorplan of the set remained the same, but there are a couple of changes that will gradually become apparent in the episodes of season 3.

VOY: Caretaker (as Maquis raider)

The cockpit set was modified to act as the bridge of Chakotay's Maquis raider. The LCARS displays were swapped with 23rd century-style computer controls and supplemented with occasional coffin-shaped structures to separate two consoles. The doors and the wall at the cockpit rear end were given a new, partially ribbed surface, encompassing the transporter platform. In addition, the characteristic oval port and starboard windows were closed and were covered with another computer display. Later in the episode, however, when Chakotay is on the raider again and prepares to ram the Kazon mothership, the windows are open again and we can see the stars.

Overall, the changes look extensive, but they mostly consisted of add-ons that could probably be removed rather easily. Only the front consoles retained their look when the set was turned into the runabout cockpit again.

Heart of Stone

The first time that we see the new runabout interior is in "Heart of Stone". The consoles in the front portion are all renewed with new 24th century LCARS displays, the structure of the section is the new one already seen in "Caretaker". The initially unlighted long black box on either side wall was removed altogether. The new console in its place protrudes less into the cockpit area. The corner above that console with the monitor was replaced with a still larger screen, but one that follows the hull shape and hence appears less boxy. There is some sort of rubber protection strip around the consoles.

We can also notice that the two side doors have been changed. The filling between the beige struts is not striped anymore, but solid red. In addition, two horizontal lamps were installed, which can be seen better in later episodes. The side windows appear to be unchanged. In "Heart of Stone" the rear door is closed. The transporter platform seems to be still unchanged.

We get a better impression of the new interior in this episode. The first thing to notice is the modified inner side wall of the transporter platform, which consists of vertical blue lights strips now. We can see how people are rushing towards the shuttle. The door is opened, and at some distance behind it we can (barely) recognize the familiar pentagonal console again.

We can also have a look at the console area of the runabout. The most noticeable change is that the chairs were modified. The tubes and other attachments were removed, making the seats overall more simplistic. This may have been already the case in "Heart of Stone". In front of O'Brien we can see the new consoles.

The new horizontal lamps can be found above the side doors. The small replicator in the front wall of the transporter platform is still there. In addition, there are two silver handles on either side of the replicator, which are shown more clearly in later episodes.

Through the Looking Glass (as Terran raider)

For this episode the cockpit set was modified for the second time to act as a vessel of a different type. It is the Terran rebel raider, actually the same design as the Bajoran assault vessel. Black stripes were added all over the place, even on the lamp above the side window. The consoles were replaced with a 23rd century design. The window was covered by a new console, and the transporter platform is now hidden behind a console. The ceiling illumination is red here. Interestingly, this is the first time that we see the new outer wall of the transporter platform. The formerly yellow pane was replaced with a greenish blue one that consists of stripes and looks just like the other (inner) wall. The phaser holder is there again, the console in that place is gone. In the place of the replicator we can see a new console, including the Terran emblem.

Improbable Cause

The runabout set had to be reverted to its former state for this episode. We can notice, however, that the two screens at the aft wall of the cockpit were slightly modified. The red door to the aft compartment is closed. The windows are closed as well. We can clearly see the handles on the wall of the transporter platform. The replicator is there again, and is used in the episode. The modified pattern on the inner walls of the platform is visible as well. The side doors are still the same since "Heart of Stone".

The Die is Cast

The only change in this episodes (showing the very same shuttle on the way back from the very same mission) is that the windows are open now.

We can see Nog and Jake in a simulation of the runabout cockpit in Quark's holosuite. The runabout is the same as before. The aft door seems to be open, and we can have a good look at the new consoles with the padded edges.

VOY: Non Sequitur (as Yellowstone class)

The runabout cockpit takes a detour to VOY: "Non Sequitur" before it appears in DS9's season 4. The Yellowstone-class cockpit is the same as that of the latest Danube class from DS9. The windows as well as the rear door appear to be closed. The lighting of the side doors is the same as usual. The transport platform including the handles are the same as well.

Not much happened with the cockpit prior to season 4.

The Visitor

We witness how Jake leaves the station on a runabout. We don't see the cockpit but only Jake looking at the station out of a window. This must be the aft window row in the aft compartment of the vessel.

Hippocratic Oath

As already in "Q-less", O'Brien is working on a hatch in the floor. Its position is still the same, but instead of flipping it open this hatch can be completely removed. The circuitry underneath the hatch has changed as well.

Indiscretion

The next appearance of the cockpit is in "Indiscretion". Here the window is covered again, with the same sheet as in all recent episodes. The difference is that this time the cover is flush with the inner surface of the cockpit and not deepened. Also the recessed part of the cover is now beige like the frame. We can see behind Kira that the door is closed.

Sword of Kahless

The old recessed window cover is back in this episode. The door is initially closed, and when it opens we can recognize the pentagonal console in the wall behind it. Otherwise there is nothing different here.

Our Man Bashir

In this episode nothing has changed either. The aft door is closed. The "columns" that are visible outside right behind the windows in flight direction (port as well as starboard), however, are strange, as nothing like this can possibly be visible outside the vessel. Could it be that this is a part of the set that normally shouldn't be visible?

Sons of Mogh

Here we can see again what the unobstructed view outside the windows should be like. The door is closed. The actual set is unchanged.

The windows and the door are closed in this episode. When Kira and O'Brien leave the shuttle, we can see once more how the wall with the pentagonal console serves to obstruct the view, although it should not be where we see it.

Shattered Mirror (as Peregrine class)

Once again the whole set was redressed for a totally different vessel, this time for a Peregrine-class fighter. The set is overall similar to the one from "Through the Looking Glass", including the excessive black lining and the 23rd century-style consoles. The ceiling lamps, however, are not red here but the "X" on the side doors is lighted red. Once again the windows were covered, with what looks like molten consoles.

The Quickening

The last time that the cockpit appears in its 4th season runabout version is in "The Quickening". The windows are covered, the door is closed. Otherwise everything is as it should be: replicators, LCARS interfaces, handles, illuminated X-struts and the pattern on the transporter platform.

For season 5 the cockpit was once again extensively rebuilt, for the first time since season 3. This time especially the rear portion of the set was modified, whereas the area around the seats and consoles remained untouched.

The first time that these changes appear is in DS9: "The Ship", but the scenes are so blurry that we don't see too much of them.

Nor the Battle to the Strong

This is the first time that we can clearly see the modifications.

The transporter platform was moved from the front section of the cockpit to the area behind the rear door. The door was widened and is (at least in this episode) permanently open. The two monitors that are located on either side of the door in the rear wall were modified as well. The right one now displays a view of the runabout, while the left one has a new LCARS interface. In the former place of the transporter console there is a new separate console, that allows to pass on the left or the right (easier than with the transporter in that place). On either side of the transporter platform there are narrow doors that allow access to the aft compartment. The transporter platform is open only on the front side, the rear panel is illuminated. The LCARS panels on the transporter and the two replicators still exist, only the handles were removed. From now, the cockpit windows are mostly barred.

Without further modifications we can see this new cockpit in "The Assignment", "Let He Who Is Without Sin", "Things Past", "The Ascent", "The Darkness and the Light", "In Purgatory's Shadow", "By Inferno's Light", "Blaze of Glory" and "Empok Nor". In all these episodes the windows are covered and the door is open.

Something of interest in this episode is the new rectangular hatch in the cockpit floor behind which the Orion Syndicate's bomb is hidden.

The Darkness and the Light

We can see for the first time that on the side walls behind the new big opening at the aft end, there are large LCARS panels. These look different in almost each episode.

In Purgatory's Shadow

There is a problem with the way that Garak enters the ship. We can see how he is standing in front of the docking hatch, how the outer door of the runabout slides to the side and reveals the usual pentagonal console that shouldn't be there. Garak steps in, but from the inside we can see him come in through one of the doors beside the transporter platform, not through the side door behind the window. There is no other door on that side of the hull. The goof may have been more or less deliberate, as it was required to let Garak enter the cockpit slowly enough to notice only after a few seconds that someone is already sitting there.

Blaze of Glory

We see how Sisko is working in a Jefferies tube in the aft section of the ship. We have to wonder where the space is for a full-scale Jefferies tube though. When the door opens there is the usual pentagonal console in the background, simply to obstruct the view.

Here the crew enters the normal way through the side door again. In the background the docking tube is visible. The episode also shows the area between the rear door and the transporter.

Nothing exciting happens with the cockpit in season 6. The windows are always barred. The big red door is mostly open, except for "Valiant".

One Little Ship

This is the first time that we can see the cover on the runabout's windshield.

Change of Heart

This is the first episode where we can see how the big door to the aft section slides open.

There is also a blooper in this episode, albeit not a very obvious one. When Jake's and Nog's runabout is being pursued by the Jem'Hadar, the two are shown head on, from the area of the windshield. The window pane including the central strut, which is normally located just forward of the trapezoid panel, has been removed for this take. Otherwise the latter would have obstructed the view. We can still see the contours of the junction with makeshift paint.

Star Trek: Insurrection

Star trek: insurrection (as enterprise-e shuttle).

The summer break between the 6th and the 7th season gave the set builders the opportunity to redress the cockpit rather extensively for the streamlined Enterprise-E shuttle in "Star Trek Insurrection".

The window frames were removed and replaced with different ones matching the outside view of the shuttle. The two side windows were covered with consoles. The wall is continuous where the big door opening used to be on the runabout. A transporter platform is now located here. There are still LCARS displays on the left and on the right, but with different graphics. The consoles underneath the front windows are similar as those of the runabout though. Overall, the new cockpit was given much darker, earthy colors. The chairs are still the same.

For this season the cockpit was reconstructed and repainted to its previous appearance. The front end is the same again as already in season 5. The windows are always closed in season 7. There are once again different LCARS panels on the two side walls behind the big central door.

Treachery, Faith and the Great River

Here we can see for the second time (since "Valiant") how the large door at the rear end opens and closes.

A ventilation opening was added to the central wall to allow Laas to flow into the ship. This opening, however, hardly makes sense in this place, as the wall is very thin here and the retracted door is right behind the grille.

Prodigal Daughter

In this episode the pentagonal console makes another appearance behind the runabout's entrance hatch.

What You Leave Behind

This is the last appearance of the runabout, and we can also see the out of place pentagonal wall behind the entrance hatch for a last time.

The following images illustrate the basic configuration of the runabout before and since season 5, when the transporter was moved behind the rear door.

Here is an annotated list of all appearances of the runabout set:

Re-Used Shuttle Interiors - runabout interiors, other shuttle cockpits

Redresses of the Type-9 Shuttle Cockpit - its various re-uses for Starfleet and alien shuttles

Redresses of TNG's Alien Shuttle Cockpit - history of the cockpit set that appeared in many TNG episodes

Galleries - Starfleet Bridge Illustrations

Thanks to Alex, who spotted the goof in "Valiant", and to DataCable, who found the new light arrangement in "Cardassians". Thanks also to Svetz Falhain for the hint about the appearance of the aft section in "Second Sight" and to Richard Compton for pointing out the use of the set for the Saratoga escape pod.

https://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/runabout_interior.htm

Last modified: 28 Jan 2024

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Designing the Starship Voyager

Development of the fourth Star Trek series started in the middle of 1993, during the last season of The Next Generation and the second season of Deep Space Nine . Executive Producer Jeri Taylor decided as early as August that the new ship should be sleeker and smaller than the Enterprise -D.

Rick Sternbach, who was then working as an illustrator and tech consultant on The Next Generation , was brought on board the following month. He wasted no time getting the design process started.

It was the first lead ship Sternbach designed. He had been responsible for various alien ships and shuttlecraft on The Next Generation , including the runabout, but his predecessor, Andrew Probert, had created the Enterprise -D.

Sternbach’s early sketches of Voyager show a streamlined vessel with a dart-like primary hull and a flattened, elongated engineering section, sporting swept-back runabout-like warp pylons.

Pieces were added and subtracted and hull contours, both gently curved and angular, were explored in perspective over the course of weeks and months. Hull cross sections were drawn in blue pencil to check internal deck heights, total number of decks and overall ship length. Sternbach prepared comparisons with familiar Starfleet vessels to help the producers decide.

They added to his challenge by deciding Voyager should be able to land on a planetary surface. That meant the ship needed deployable landing gear.

By the spring of 1994, something resembling the Voyager we know had emerged. The slightly angular dart front had been smoothed off and nestled into the engineering section — still assuming a separation capability — and sweeping pylons ended in a set of long nacelles. The nacelles had doors to open up the warp coils for some kind of new energy jump. Impulse thrusters were buried underneath, similar to the runabout, and a large triangular wedge sat atop the ship, possibly acting as a scout craft or long-range sensor array.

Notable details included a large forward sensor cutout and a stepped engineering hull that supported a ring of large cargo bays and impulse engines. The former would stay, the latter was eliminated.

Fast-looking ship

This was a fast-looking ship, with a hint of solid engine hardware showing on the outside.

When the producers signed off, Sternbach proceeded to the initial blueprint and study-model stages. He scaled up a top plan view of the ship to a length of 48 inches, the presumed size of the motion-control model. From this, he derived bottom, side, fore and aft views. The side elevation and resulting cutaway suggested that the ship would be about 1,000 feet long, the same size as Kirk’s Enterprise .

Following the Starfleet tradition, Sternbach reserved space for the bridge on Deck 1 and a variety of placeholder windows on the hull, which would be built into standing sets.

Windows are an important design factor, because of the coordination needed between the studio and outside model makers for continuity between the exterior and interior of the ship. Since Voyager would be smaller than the Enterprise -D, the windows would be proportionately larger and more visible on the television screen. That made it even more important that they matched the sets.

Just as Sternbach was about to produce a final set of blueprints for the model makers (he had even produced a small mock-up model himself), Taylor came back and asked if he could not make Voyager a little curvier after all.

Saucer separation was no longer necessary. This allowed Sternbach to integrate the primary and secondary hulls more smoothly.

Sternbach continued to play with the nacelle placement. Should they be on pylons, like on the Enterprise -D? Or downturned, like a runabout? Early in July, the final nacelle movements were completed with the 45-degree wing-up angle being approved by the producers.

Building the miniature

Sternbach drew up five orthographic projections of the final version: top, bottom, starboard, forward and aft elevations. These went to the model builders in August: Tony Meininger’s Brazil Fabrication. They also received detailed sketches from Sternbach as to intended function, color or whether a lighting effect was required.

Two months later, Meininger delivered the model to Image G for shooting, although some modifications and detailing continued until December.

Voyager came on the air at a time when huge advancements were being made in computer-generated imagery (CGI). Over the course of the first few seasons, models were phased out and digitally-created starships entered service. By Season 4, in 1997, Meininger’s studio model had become obsolete. It was sold off at auction in 2006 to an Englishman for $110,000.

Stock footage of the model continued to be used. You can tell the two versions apart from the windows underneath the shuttlebay. The windows are lighted in the CGI model. There was no room to install electrical wiring in the physical miniature, who whenever those windows are dark, you know you’re looking at the real thing.

Thank you for this cool online resource! The Eaglemoss Designing Starships volumes 1 and 2 have 50-75 percent of the drawings featured on the site, when the topics align, but it’s that last 25-50 percent that’s really special. Seeing rough versions, or extra angles, or so forth, is very rewarding for me. I understand that there’s only so much space in a paper book, but that’s what makes the digital delivery medium interesting! Plus, you have lots of concept art for sets, while the hardback collections I have focus almost entirely on the ship models. Any set details are incidental, when they were referenced in the ship blueprints (like some of the deck detailing on the Voyager cutaways here).

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Monday 1 September 2014

Aeroshuttle test footage, and more voyager behind the scenes goodies.

This was a visual effects concept test to show the producers of Voyager what a launch sequence of the (as of yet) unused "Aeroshuttle" might look like. This special craft was capable of warp speeds and able to fly in a planetary atmosphere. Ultimately, the decision was made to leave the Aeroshuttle alone and introduce the Delta Flyer (this was shortly before the movie "Insurrection," which featured a launch sequence of the Captain's Yacht - the producers didn't want Voyager to "steal the thunder" of such a scene from the upcoming movie). The test was created by Voyager CGI Supervisors Rob Bonchune and Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz, under the supervision of VFX Producer Dan Curry.

The not-so-small AeroShuttle tucked up under the Voyager forward hull was based roughly on the Starfleet Runabout spaceframe, in hopes that if we ever saw it, we could modify the existing set from DS9. Ah, sadly, it was not to be, but we did get to see the ventral side and I did get to write a bit of imagined history for Star Trek The Magazine. The craft began life as a concept patterned after a manta ray and was nicknamed as such. That turned into the AeroWing, which coincidentally was a copyrighted name for a toy connected to The Mighty Ducks. Headscratching ensued. AeroShuttle became the in-house term.

One of the preliminary views of the ship based on some Runabout hardware styling, following an early approval from the producers for a smaller (smaller than Ent-D), slightly pointy vessel with down-turned pylons.

Here's a front view of the early, more angular Voyager (going backwards just a little in time). A few changes were made to the forward hull and the shape of the shuttlebay landing deck to make the third phase drawings and foamcore study model.

This sizing chart is still earlier than the first pic in this series, but it shows the thinking of the possible size for the angular third phase. I did a few versions of the chart with the ship at different lengths for the producers; this one comes in at 1250 feet. Other Starfleet ships are added to show the size relationships.

Here's a cutaway from the front of the angular Voyager, or at least a version of it, partly to get a sense of the deck numbers and partly to place standard bits of Starfleet hardware. Whatever sets got designed and built would be fit into the eventual blueprints (to marry up the interior and exterior), like Captain Janeway's ready room, the conference lounge, and crew quarters, but at this early stage it was still pretty fluid.

One additional angle on the foamcore mockup of the ship, just before curvitization. I may have mentioned this before, but this particular mockup escaped our custody, I assume about the time the art department was shutting down in 2001, but I can report that it is now in safe hands (not mine) and will be restored and a few dings repaired. A few other foamcore mockups I built, like a very early Type 6 TNG shuttle and the alien shuttle Nenebek, also went this way or that, but c'est la vie.

Once the perspective sketch of the curvy Voyager was approved, a preliminary set of ortho views was drawn up on our standard 24"x36" blueprint paper. The producers and the VFX folks were given copies of this one, with the added notice "Not for Construction - For Discussion Purposes Only." At this time, we still didn't have a final approval on the nacelle articulation, but I kept drawing sketches and played with the ship in rough CG printouts. As you can see, most all of the hull surface details were falling nicely into place.

Once the preliminary blueprints had been approved, drawn on 24"x36" tracing vellum, the real blueprints were started. The producers and VFX decided that the miniature would be five feet long, and that's how big I made the construction drawings. Full size, 60" long, on slightly longer paper. Luckily my drafting table was long enough to hold them. The first tricky part was getting the top/bottom plan view -and- the starboard elevation on the table together to match up. The other tricky part was having to reach three feet or more near the top of the table to draw with the t-square and triangle and a bunch of templates. Worked out, though. The general hinge area for the pylons is indicated, but the final look would be determined by the model makers based on how things came together structurally. The manta shuttle is still there, soon to be replaced. All of the other hull features are pretty much locked.

I like the Manta, but I can see why they scrapped it--looks very Cardassian.

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Runabouts occupy a range of usefulness between a shuttle and a small starship. Generally modular in nature, they are built with the "go anywhere, do anything" school of thought, which makes them useful for low-intensity missions independent of their base or mothership. With greater defenses, range, and accommodations, these craft are suited for missions of over a week and can be outfitted for even longer missions when necessary. They are more commonly found aboard starbases, though most starships can handle at least one in their hangers. These are the most capable auxiliary craft in Starfleet.

• 1 Danube -class runabout
• 2 Arrow -class runabout
• 3 Volga -class runabout
• 4 Orion -class runabout
• 5 Delta -class runabout
• 6 New Atlantic -class runabout
• 7 Executive type runabout

Danube -class runabout

The Danube -class runabout was designed in the mid-2360s to serve as a standardized utility vehicle across the Federation , capable of low-intensity tasks across multiple mission parameters, ranging from cargo transport to passenger service to scientific missions to medevac. With a standardized cockpit module and warp sled, multiple modules could be used with this class of vessel to do things that simple shuttles could not and that a full starship would be a waste for. This class was intended mainly for starbases though was also assigned to large starships. It remains one of the most common medium-sized craft in service, over thirty years later, because of its utility and survivability.

This class of runabout has a cockpit module that has a standard exterior with two interior variations: the primary differences being that the later module has a free-standing console in the center of the cockpit, while the transporter has been pushed back to its own compartment, rather than being in the cockpit itself. Both modules continue to be produced, though the variation with the free-standing console is more common now. Aft of this, modules can be installed in many different configurations, the most common being a corridor module with four quarter-sized modules connected to it. A single large module, two half modules, and many other combinations can also be achieved. These modules are quick to build and install and have a wide variety of purposes. There is a standardized aft module with a crew rest area, lounge, and replicator, but this can also be customized or omitted when there is a large module that takes up the entirety of the craft aft of the cockpit. Additional roll-bar modules such as torpedo launchers or sensor arrays can be added above the vessel as well.

Armaments are comprehensive, with all-around coverage of phaser arrays and two microtorpedo launchers, and its tactical utility can be increased further with specialized modules that can make it into a formidable patrol vessel.

Arrow -class runabout

Developed in the late 2380s, the Arrow class runabout is a much larger craft than the Danube class runabout, at around twice its length. It is intended for longer duration missions and can support larger crews. Unlike its smaller cousin, it is less modular; interior spaces can be reconfigured for mission needs, but it is more complicated than simply swapping different modules, so typically these vessels remain in a single configuration for extended periods of time.

These vessels are sleek and angular, with large wings to increase their performance in atmospheric flight. They have several phaser arrays and torpedo launchers, which make them capable patrol ships. The forward cockpit can seat up to nine and there are additional stations and a four-place transporter aft. A crew rest area is located amidships with views out into space, along with compartments that can be configured as bunk rooms or labs. Further aft are other mission configurable spaces and a relatively large cargo hold. Access to the lower deck is provided from ladders amidships as well as ramps leading down from the cockpit's side exits, and this level contains two hatches compatible with most standard docking ports, as well as additional equipment storage. Primary egress and ingress is provided by a forward ramp that lowers from the floor of the sub level.

Configurations of this vessel include as a patrol craft, as a scout, as a small research vessel, as a passenger transport, and as a general utility vessel. They are too large to be used aboard most starships, but they are common at starbases.

Volga -class runabout

The Volga represents the Federation's best effort at a compromise between the need to provide smaller Starfleet vessels with long-legged runabout support and the limited hangar space which is usually available on such ships. Smaller than many contemporary shuttle designs, the Volga is rated as a runabout due to the remarkable range enabled by her highly efficient warp core and the extensive instrumentation and advanced tactical systems adapted from the Delta Flyer project. While the development of more powerful and capable runabouts has been a boon to Starfleet since their inception in the early 2370's, the large size and extensive maintenance requirements of these high-performance craft have been a persistent barrier to their deployment on small starships or Starfleet installations which would benefit the most strongly from their enhanced capabilities.

The Volga has a relatively large forward cockpit which is similar to a type-11 shuttle , but the forward stations are split. Aft of the cockpit is a two person transporter as well as a crew rest area, followed by a small cargo bay. It is substantially faster than shuttles and has deployable airfoils for enhanced atmospheric performance. These airfoils also have wingtip phaser arrays. This craft operates with a standard crew of six, but can also be configured to carry up to twenty people on shorter missions. It is less modular than other runabouts, as there is much less space available for specialized equipment, but it makes a very capable general support craft for small starships. Entry is provided primarily by a large aft ramp, but there is also a docking port on the top of the craft. Unlike most Federation small craft, the Volga is equipped with landing struts that deploy to allow for appropriate ground clearance when the vessel is on the surface.

Orion -class runabout

Designed originally as a faster, more heavily-armed version of the Danube class runabout (a project that would eventually become the Arrow class runabout), the Orion class project was tailored in the last few months before the Dominion War broke out as a high-speed scout vessel, that vastly outperformed all other small vessels, with an astonishingly-fast warp drive that could top Warp 8 on a regular basis. This vessel was designed to be able to linger in or near enemy space with a small profile and powerful sensor arrays that would be equally as useful for peacetime applications. During its wartime service, it proved especially popular with Starfleet Intelligence, for its ability to get in and out quickly before it could be detected, even without a cloaking device. However, because of this advanced warp drive system, it's systems are consider rather high maintenance and it spends a lot of its life in the hanger. Post-war, this craft has seen service on frontline outposts and starships, enabling explorers to increase their effective range and dramatically improving the effectiveness of patrol vessels.

This vessel is built for the primary mission of scouting, but it can also be used as a high-speed courier for small, sensitive packages or important individuals. It has a normal crew of three, a pilot, a commanding officer, and a mission specialist, but can accommodate a fourth person if necessary. The Orion can support missions of up to several weeks, with two crew cabins and a mess area, along with a transporter, replicator, and medical supplies. Most of these vessels have been refit with EMH programs as their duties call for them to frequently be out of contact with Starfleet. Access to the vessel is provided by dorsal and ventral hatches, along with a larger hatch on the stern of the craft that is also equipped with an airlock for EVA situations. Tactical systems are relatively light, as the vessel is designed to flee rather than fight, but it does have a forward phaser bank and two aft banks.

Delta -class runabout

The Delta class was created from the efforts of the crew of the USS Voyager to establish a new, formidable and multi-purpose small craft that could perform tasks well above and beyond that of the Intrepid class' standard Type 9 shuttlecraft . The Type 9 shuttles suffered from being cramped, short-ranged and limited in capabilities, which hampered Voyager' s efforts to get home from their estimated 70+ year journey through the Delta Quadrant .

The first of the class, the Delta Flyer, was originally constructed by Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, Lieutenant Tom Paris, Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres, Ensign Harry Kim and Seven of Nine. The Delta Flyer's original mission and reason for construction was to retrieve a multispatial probe from a gas giant, and therefore was outfitted with tetraburnium hull plating which would help it survive the massive amounts of pressure. However, while constructing the Delta Flyer it was decided that the crew would outfit the ship with all the latest and most potent technologies in order to make it a multipurpose vessel to suit all their needs. Eventually Borg-enhanced regenerative shielding, bio-neural gel pack circuitry, retractable warp nacelles, more "pilot-friendly" controls for better control handling, upgraded warp systems and a phaser array system were all installed during the construction of the vessel.

When Voyager returned to the Alpha Quadrant, the Starfleet Corps of Engineers immediately began to implement the design with a few upgrades to the Starfleet systems that Voyager didn't have during the ship's construction. Although somewhat resource-intensive for a runabout, it paid itself off two-fold in its usefulness and abilities. These vessels are highly advanced but they take up a lot of hanger space. Like the more ubiquitous Volga class, they're less modular than the Danube.

New Atlantic -class runabout

Designed to be the true successor to the modular and highly-useful Danube class runabout, the New Atlantic class runabout is the closest upgrade in terms of size, capabilities, and modularity to her older sister. This class was developed with lessons learned from some of the other runabout classes developed after the Danube but is generally an evolutionary design rather than a revolutionary design; while it uses some novel components, such as annular warp coils, most of her systems are tried-and-true. It is especially popular for long-range missions, as its modules allow it to be equipped with additional fuel and comfortable living quarters.

The ship is slightly longer and taller than the Danube-class, with a cockpit in the nose of the craft on the upper level, followed by crew rest areas, additional crew stations, and small cabins for four. The lower module is especially large and essentially can change this vessel's entire configuration with a single overhaul stop. Configurations for these modules range from passenger modules, to command-and-control modules, to VIP accomodations, to scouting and scientific modules, to tactical modules. In addition, this class has additional mounting points for two modules on the top of the hull, which range from torpedo launchers to phaser cannons, which can turn this ship into a capable gunship for patrols.

In the center of each warp engine are two extendable cylindrical modules which hold two of the craft's phaser arrays, which can rotate to optimize firing solutions. There are also two fixed arrays on the top of the ship.

Executive type runabout

The Executive type runabout was classified as a shuttle until the category of runabouts was introduced in the mid-24th century. This class of vessel is used to transport dignitaries and senior officers from ground to orbit in relative comfort. It is also capable of intra-system flights and is relatively common in the core worlds. Unlike purpose-built runabouts, however, they aren't capable of long-distance journeys.

Entry is provided through two side hatches, which also separate the cockpit from the seating area. It has a single large impulse engine on the stern and is equipped with standard navigational shielding, but no weapons.

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Published Mar 19, 2015

Designing the Defiant

The script for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ‘s third season episode “ The Search ” called for a new class of warship which it described as “a little clunky.” The vessel “was built primarily for battle,” it said, “not exploration or science.”

The reason for introducing the ship was that executive producer Ira Steven Behr and the show’s writers felt that mere runabouts couldn’t be expected to defend the space station from the Dominion who had shown themselves capable of destroying a Galaxy class starship in the season two finale, “ The Jem’Hadar .”

“We had all these plans for this Dominion,” said Behr in an interview that was included in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's season three DVD, “and what were we going to go after them with? Shuttlecrafts?” He added, “You know, it just seemed ridiculous. So we needed a ship.”

Yet it was the runabout which concept artist Jim Martin initially “beefed up” a little in his first designs for the ship. “I started with the cockpit windows,” he recalled in an interview with Star Trek: The Magazine 1, 4 (August 1999), "and worked my way out, adding things on top of the runabout, making it look like they were adding systems and weapons to an existing ship.”

The producers didn’t like it, though. “After the idea for the runabout was shot down, it was replaced with the writers’ idea that it was going to be a full-fledged fighting starship called the USS Valiant.” But Herman Zimmerman, Star Trek 's veteran production designer, cautioned Martin it should still look like something that hadn’t been seen on the show before.

"The writers requested a small starship which was designed by the Federation to battle the Borg. I drew some familiar looking Starfleet designs but also included a drawing of a small, compact ship that I had done for an entirely different episode of DS9 . This is the direction that they chose, I think it was because it was so unique."

The design was inspired by a Maquis fighter that Martin had previously designed for Deep Space Nine and bears resemblance to a small Cardassian vessel, later known as the Hideki class, that Sternbach designed for the season-two episode, “ Profit and Loss .”

Zimmerman’s request for something unique was certainly met: the Defiant was the first Starfleet vessel without external warp nacelles.

Martin didn’t quite recognize the impact it would have at first. “When you’re in the art department and you’re doing the job from episode to episode, you don’t really think, ‘Boy, this is really going to revolutionize Federation design.’ You’re getting a design out of the way. It’s only after the fact that you think, ‘Wow, that was a different idea.’ I’m glad we took the chance to take a little bit of a departure.”

The name Valiant was dropped in favor of Defiant out of fear that it would conflict with Star Trek: Voyager and its titular starship.

In the season seven episode “ The Changing Face of Evil ,” the Defiant was destroyed -- but a replacement showed up just five episodes later.The ship was nearly destroyed in First Contact. Indeed, early drafts of the script suggested that it was to be destroyed. In a DVD commentary for the film, producer Ronald D. Moore explained that Behr had seen the script and objected to the needless destruction of it in a story that didn’t even involve Deep Space Nine characters besides Worf. The Defiant was therefore allowed to survive the battle — “adrift but salvageable” — and hardly a mention of its participation in the battle with the Borg Cube was made in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

Nick Ottens is the man behind the Forgotten Trek website. The site bills itself as "the largest resource about the production and behind the scenes of Star Trek." Online since 2002, it features concept art, photographs and interviews, some of which has never been published before.. or until now. Be sure to visit the site at Forgotten Trek and keep an eye on StarTrek.com for future pieces from the site's archive.

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Star Trek: 10 Secrets Of The Danube-class Runabout

This is the story of a little ship that took a little trip: DS9's runabout.

The early seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine get kind of a bad rap. Sure, the arrival of the Defiant in season three and Worf showing up in season four definitely kicked the action up a few notches, but anyone who's seen "The Circle" trilogy knows that Bajoran politics can be just as exciting as interstellar war (seriously, go watch those episodes).

One of the big complaints made by critical fans during those nascent years was the relatively static nature of Deep Space Nine, which (by design) eschewed boldly going to new adventures with having the wormhole bring those adventures to us. Still, it's not like Deep Space Nine was stuck entirely on the station, when our motely crew of Starfleet and Bajoran heroes needed to fly to Bajor or Cadassia or even into the Gamma Quadrant, they hopped aboard one of three Danube-class runabouts and had... cramped adventures.

Despite being somewhat diminished after the introduction of the Defiant, the Danube-class runabout continued operation throughout Deep Space Nine, appearing in an impressive 79 episodes (plus a couple episodes of TNG, Voyager, and Lower Decks) and remains an indelible image from that early-90s Star Trek boom. Runabouts might be unappreciated little workhorses in the larger Starfleet, but their ubiquity makes them the perfect subject matter for a listicle exploring their background, design, and their secrets.... even if they never really did much exploration themselves.

10. Big Little Ships

The Danube-class runabout was created specifically for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as a method of occasionally getting DS9's crew (and the show's writers) off the space station and into some trouble on a relatively nearby planet.

As Star Trek was wont to do in those days, the initial intention was to use an existing studio model in order to save on the enormous costs already incurred in the creation of the new series. To stand in for the runabout, DS9's producers turned to the Executive Shuttle, designed by John Goodson and built by Industrial Light & Magic for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Having made only a single appearance in its original configuration up to that point (it eventually reappeared in Star Trek: Generations), the Executive Shuttle had recently been converted into the USS Jenolan for the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Relics" and was considered a good candidate to be modified yet again.

Under the supervision of DS9 production designer Herman Zimmerman, illustrators Jim Martin and Rick Sternbach worked to refit the existing Executive Shuttle model while set designer Joseph Hodges designed the ship's cockpit. As the runabout cockpit set would be required for filming long before the miniature of the ship itself would need to be ready, certain elements of the original Executive Shuttle were locked into place, including its forward windows and side airlock doors.

Ultimately, however, the producers changed their minds about reusing the Executive Shuttle and requested a brand new model to be designed and constructed. As the cockpit had already been constructed and photographed for the pilot episode "Emissary", Martin and Sternbach designed their brand new runabout model to include the pre-existing windows and airlocks, the only two elements to remain from the original Executive Shuttle idea.

I played Shipyard Bar Patron (Uncredited) in Star Trek (2009).

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The Worst Star Trek: Voyager Episode Is Better Than You Remember

The Star Trek: Voyager episode "Threshold" gets mocked every year, but it deserves credit as a silly story about the best Starfleet values.

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Here lies Thomas Eugene Paris, beloved mutant. That’s what Trekkies think about every Jan. 29, known among some as “Threshold Day,” commemorating the 1996 airing of the Star Trek: Voyager season two episode “Threshold.” Threshold Day consists mostly of memes and jokes, poking fun at what most consider one of the series’ worst episodes, if not one of the most embarrassing Star Trek episodes of all time.

While it is certainly corny, “Threshold” doesn’t quite deserve its ignoble reputation. Not only is it far from the worst episode of Voyager (Chakotay’s ancestors’ bones play no part in the story), but it contains a lot of qualities found in the best Star Trek episodes. Is that enough to elevate “Threshold” to the upper Trek tiers? No, but it is enough to give the episode a better reputation than the one it has now.

Crossing the Threshold

Directed by TV veteran Alexander Singer, from a teleplay written by Voyager producer Brannon Braga and based on a story by Michael De Luca (the man who wrote John Carpenter ‘s In the Mouth of Madness and currently serves as co-chairperson of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group), the second season episode “Threshold” involves Tom Paris’s attempts to cross the warp threshold. Paris achieves this goal, reaching Warp 10 in a runabout, but achievement is undercut when his body begins changing and he mutates into a lizard-looking creature. In this form, Paris kidnaps Captain Janeway and puts her in the runabout, traveling to Warp 10 with her. When Chakotay and Tuvok find Paris and Janeway, they’ve changed into giant salamanders and mated.

Yes, that’s an episode with a strange premise, one of many in Voyager ‘s first few seasons. Most Trek series take a couple of seasons to find their footing, as when the crew develop a camaraderie in The Next Generation , the Dominion reveals itself as a threat in Deep Space Nine , or the titular ship jumps ahead 900 years in Discovery .

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In Voyager , these problems stemmed from failures in the very premise of the show. No one holds Janeway responsible for unilaterally stranding the Voyager in the Delta Quadrant, there’s no tension between the Starfleet regulars and members of the renegade group the Maquis, and Neelix is creepy and controlling until Kes leaves in season four.

To be sure, some of these problems do occur in “Threshold.” After the credits, the episode finds Neelix inserting himself into a conversation between Kim, Paris, and Torres. Sure, Neelix’s comments do spark the brainstorm that ends with a solution, but the sitcom joke structure grates even today. Furthermore, Tom mentions his former Maquis status during a terrified rant, something that Janeway dismisses just like everyone else ignores the Maquis’ past crimes against Starfleet.

And yet, despite these shortcomings, “Threshold” still successfully checks off a few important Trek boxes.

In the Zephram Cochrane Tradition

“Threshold” begins with a classic Trek problem. Tom Paris wants to cross the warp threshold to test the limits of his spacecraft. He does so in a runabout called the Cochrane, named for Zephram Cochrane , the first human to create a warp drive. When his simulations hit problems, Paris consults Kim and Torres, and the trio brainstorms ideas. Once they come up with an idea and successfully run it through a simulation, they pitch the idea to Janeway, who approves a manned experiment. In other words, the team has an aspiration, uses collaboration and the scientific method to address a problem, and adheres to the chain of command. “Threshold” begins as an example of Starfleet at its best.

Detractors might point to the various mistakes made along the way, most notably when Paris talks Janeway out of letting Kim take the test flight, a command decision she first makes because of a rare and largely untroubling medical condition. However, Tom’s refusal to be bound to his physical limits are nothing new to Star Trek . Kirk said the same thing when Starfleet told him that he was too old, Picard said the same thing when his artificial heart became an issue. Going beyond limits is part of Starfleet’s ethos.

Like Zephram Cochrane himself, Tom overcomes the obstacles to do something that most would consider foolish and reckless, relying on his intelligence, reason, and fellow explorers to go on some kind of star trek.

Boldly Going Gone Badly

As much as Trek values aspiration and scientific pursuit, it also understands the dangers of unchecked hubris, which leads to the other part of the episode. Words cannot properly explain Tom’s transformation, which director Singer lets occupy the middle section of the episode. Ghastly effects by Michael Westmore, who won a Primetime Emmy for “Threshold,” see Paris lose his distinguishing features, changing into a goopy monster with webbed feet and an indistinct face.

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Mutant Tom draws heavily from Universal horror tropes, not just when he carries away Janeway in the manner of a creature dragging away a damsel on an old one-sheet. As Tom faces death, he becomes honest in his fears and desires, asking Kes for a kiss while also ranting about his anger at his father. The scene in which Tom lashes out at Janeway and then immediately apologizes and begs her to stay captures his vulnerable state, as if he’s clutching at every last thing that makes him human. But it fails, and he becomes a monster.

That failure and the price that Paris pays has always been part of the Trek adventure. Every time Kirk and the crew had to pull out their phasers or face down a god-like being, they experienced the consequences of exploration. Most Star Trek: Enterprise episodes dealt with the various compromises made by the fledging Starfleet as it gets to know the wider universe. Both Deep Space Nine and Discovery dealt with the redefinition of Federation values in extreme circumstances. TNG is bookended with Q testing humanity’s ability to handle the complex situations they encounter, a test that continues with the finale of Picard .

Tom’s grotesque mutation shows the stakes of the test. He put his intellect, and his hubris, in service of pushing humanity forward, and he paid the price by losing that humanity. The Doctor manages to revert he and Janeway to their human form, which suggests that his achievement has been undone, but the episode ends with Tom earning a commendation and, most notably, he and Janeway’s salamander babies are still out there.

Silly Trek is Not Stupid Trek

Is “Threshold” silly? Absolutely. The very fact that Tom and Janeway have salamander kids is bizarre, especially since no one has mentioned it since (except Lower Decks , of course. Lower Decks never forgets).

But ever since Spock smiled at giggling flowers in “The Cage,” silliness has been the cost of exploration on Star Trek . Going forward often involves crossing boundaries, even if it’s stepping over the threshold into goofiness.

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

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Ever since I was a kid and saw the first LEGO space themed set, I hoped that there eventually would be a Star Trek theme. Alas, despite LEGO adding licensed sets from many pop culture franchises like Marvel, Disney, and Jurassic World over the years, there was never a Star Trek set. That all finally changed when began selling officially licensed Star Trek sets – and as I’m partial to minifig scale vehicles, the first set I chose to get was their 493-piece Class F shuttlecraft.

It’s been a few years since I’ve built a brick set, but I was able to finish this shuttle in just under three hours. Even though these weren’t LEGOs, the build experience was completely indistinguishable from building with LEGO bricks. The pieces fit together just like LEGOs do, likely because LEGO’s patents have expired and now other companies can make brick pieces exactly to LEGO’s specs.

What impresses me the most is just how closely the brick model resembles the onscreen Galileo shuttle from the Original Series. It’s a good thing that shuttle was so blocky in appearance, but it’s also a testament to BlueBrixx’s attention to detail in what they chose to re-create in brick form. The pieces fit together very tightly, making this model very sturdy… except for its nacelles.

The nacelles are the only weak point in the model. As in, literally, they’re a weak point — the front third of the nacelles have a tendency to disconnect if you accidentally put downward pressure on the model’s bow; this is because the shuttle model actually rests its full weight on the nacelles.

Without anything to support the shuttle’s front half, the nacelles’ front sections bear a lot of strain at the segments that contact the surface. This minor shortcoming doesn’t detract from the model at all, though, because the nacelles hold together surprisingly well, all things considered — as long as you’re careful about where you’re putting pressure. You could also solve the problem by placing something like an extra brick or a small display stand underneath the forward bow to support it.

Being in minifig scale, the model naturally has an interior that can accommodate them. There are no minifigs included with the set, but as with the onscreen shuttle, there are seats for up to 8 figures – plus some standing room behind the helm too. Interestingly, the Memory Alpha entry for the Class F shuttle is officially listed as having a crew complement of only 7, so perhaps the extra seat is intended to be for one of the pilots when then they need a break!

The interior is every bit as detailed as the exterior and accurately replicates what was seen onscreen to the extent that is possible in small plastic bricks. There is also an aft compartment that I don’t believe was ever seen onscreen (and is not accessible from the main compartment unless you remove the door).

That could present an opportunity for creativity: customizing the space using other bricks, which I look forward to trying at some point.

The USS Rio Grande was one of the three original Danube -class runabouts assigned to Deep Space 9. It was the only runabout of the original trio to survive the full run of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine series. Over the course of the series, the Rio Grande discovered the Bajoran wormhole, crossed over into the Mirror Universe, and even singlehandedly destroyed a Jem’Hadar attack ship.

A vessel with such an illustrious career deserves a tremendous tribute, and BlueBrixx fittingly has made sure that its 3090-piece Rio Grande model lives up to the distinguished runabout.

As with the Galileo shuttle, the most striking initial impression is just how closely this brick-built model resembles the onscreen Rio Grande , both in its exterior and interior. BlueBrixx has recreated just about everything that was depicted onscreen, even the rear sleeping and dining compartment — complete with a replicator! – that wasn’t even seen in Deep Space Nine , but in TNG’s “Timescape.”

Most impressively, the designers have also included things that were never seen onscreen, such as the specialized mission modules in the midsection and engine components in the pylons.

The build experience on this one is best described as similar to running a marathon; proper planning and pacing is a must. The runabout may look sleek and compact when finished, but this massive set is a beast, and more than likely will take you at least a few days to complete.

I wouldn’t consider it a set for beginners, and it’s definitely not a set for kids. The build is still a very rewarding experience, especially when you finally snap on the top cover and start to hear the DS9 theme play in your mind. (Well, maybe that’s just me!)

As the BlueBrixx product page shows, the set includes a rollbar that was seen on some runabouts, most notably in “The Jem’Hadar.” I’ve opted not to include this rollbar on my model, because the Rio Grande was only equipped with this module in just one out of its 40 appearances.

One of the great things for me about brick sets is that you can inject your own creativity as you build. For example, I wasn’t crazy about building the toilet that BlueBrixx included in the instructions, so I used some spare LEGO bricks and custom minifig accessories to create an armory in its place. I think the armory turned out pretty well, and the LEGO bricks fit seamlessly in case anyone was wondering about compatibility.

Now that I’ve built multiple BlueBrixx Star Trek sets, it’s becoming increasingly evident to me is that these kits are clearly a labor of love, developed by devoted Star Trek fans. I’ve noticed many places where the designers could’ve opted for a simpler build but went with a more complex, intricate setup to match more closely the appearance of the onscreen ship as much as possible.

For someone who’s waited a long time for Star Trek themed LEGO sets, it’s such a joy to see Star Trek building brick sets being made by people who really care about paying homage to the franchise and doing their best to recreate some of its icons. I look forward to many more BlueBrixx sets, especially more small craft in minifig scale!

In addition to the new products BlueBrixx announced earlier this summer which are now making their way to collectors’ homes, the company also unveiled a host of new  Star Trek builds at the recent  Destination Star Trek Germany convention last weekend.

While their convention video is of course presented in their native German language, the new starships and other brick-build designs speak for themselves — expanding the BlueBrixx catalog from the earliest days of warp spaceflight to the far reaches of the Delta Quadrant.

All of BlueBrixx’s available Star Trek build sets are for sale through their website, which ships internationally from their Germany distribution center. (If you’re interested in any of their newly-previewed products, you can sign up to be notified when each becomes available on that page.)

Have you bought any of BlueBrixx’s builds from their first or second wave of  Star Trek  releases? Do any of the new Wave 3 builds grab your attention? Let us know in the comments below!

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8 Alpha Quadrant Things Star Trek: Voyager Found In Delta Quadrant

• Star Trek: Voyager finds familiar things from the Alpha Quadrant in the Delta Quadrant, sparking important questions and connections.
• Encounter with Ferengi negotiators leads Voyager crew to stop their interference in a pre-warp civilization for profits.
• Janeway and crew discover humans abducted by aliens in the 1930s living in the Delta Quadrant, including Amelia Earhart.

For a show with the conceit of being so far from home, Star Trek: Voyager found a surprising number of things in the Delta Quadrant that originated in the Alpha Quadrant, including several from Earth itself. The USS Voyager, commanded by Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), and Commander Chakotay's (Robert Beltran) Maquis raider Val Jean were both brought to the Delta Quadrant in 2371 by the Caretaker (Basil Langton). After Janeway destroyed the Caretaker's array to save the Ocampa , Voyager and the Val Jean were left without a ticket back to the Alpha Quadrant, and banded together to make the long journey.

Finding something familiar in an otherwise totally alien corner of the galaxy brought a sense of familiarity to the USS Voyager crew and viewers at home alike, but the presence of something from the Alpha Quadrant in the Delta Quadrant inevitably raised important questions , like how familiar people and objects traveled 70,000 light years from home in the first place, and whether the find could lead Captain Kathryn Janeway towards a quicker path home to Earth.

Star Trek: Voyagers 20 Best Episodes Ranked

A pair of ferengi negotiators, arridor and kol, star trek: voyager season 3, episode 5 "false profits".

The USS Voyager encounters a pair of Ferengi negotiators, Arridor (Dan Shor) and Kol (Leslie Jordan), who claim to be the prophesied Great Sages of the Takarians, a society with Bronze Age level technology. The Ferengi have no Prime Directive to deter them from interfering with the Takarians' development , so they're performing "miracles" with a standard replicator to reap the monetary benefits of the Takarians' worship. Voyager's crew know the Ferengi reputation well enough to know they're no Sages, so they must figure out how to put a stop to Arridor and Kol's grift.

"False Profits" serves as a Star Trek sequel episode to Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 8 "The Price", as Voyager catches up with Arridor and Kol (formerly played by J. R. Quinonez) seven years after their Delta Quadrant arrival. The Ferengi took a test flight through the supposedly stable wormhole near Barzan II, which was supposed to emerge in the Gamma Quadrant, but instead stranded the Ferengi in the Delta Quadrant, where they made the best of their situation as only Ferengi can.

Star Trek: Voyager Season 3, Episode 23 "Distant Origin"

"Distant Origin" opens on Forra Gegen (Henry Woronicz), a scientist who discovers that his people, the Voth, share certain genetic similarities with the humans aboard the USS Voyager. While this confirms Gegen's theory that the Voth are the descendants of a species brought to their homeworld millions of years ago , religious leader Minister Odala (Concetta Tomei) refuses to accept the truth. Even with Commander Chakotay present as a living specimen of humanity, Odala pushes Gegen to recant, because Gegen's theory goes against the Voth Doctrine that keeps Odala in power.

After meeting Gegen's assistant, Tova Veer (Christopher Liam Moore), Janeway and the Doctor use the holodeck as a research guide to extrapolate how hadrosaurs might look in the 24th century if they'd been able to evolve into a humanoid form with comparable intelligence. The result resembles Veer, so Janeway and the Doctor conclude, like Gegen, that the Voth evolved from hadrosaurs into a highly advanced species on Earth , then fled to the Delta Quadrant in spacefaring vessels instead of being wiped out with the other dinosaurs.

The Friendship One Probe

Star trek: voyager season 7, episode 21 "friendship one".

By Star Trek: Voyager season 7 , the USS Voyager is in regular contact with Starfleet Command, and Starfleet gives Voyager a mission to retrieve a 21st-century Earth probe, Friendship One . The probe proves difficult to find, but once discovered on an alien planet suffering devastating climate collapse, the implications of Friendship One's launch become clear. Besides the irreversible damage to the planet's climate, the inhabitants are all suffering from radiation sickness, and bear understandable hostility towards Earth, because the aliens believe humans orchestrated their destruction with the Friendship One probe.

The United Earth Space Probe Agency was one of the early names for the organization the USS Enterprise belongs to in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode, "Charlie X".

Friendship One was launched in 2067 by the United Earth Space Probe Agency with the intention of making friends with whomever found it, as the name implies. Although Friendship One, the 400-year-old Earth probe, traveled for centuries carrying messages of peace, musical recordings, and ways to translate languages, the people who discovered Friendship One in the Delta Quadrant took a greater interest in the antimatter it used to travel across space. Without the proper knowledge of its use, antimatter proved devastating to the planet and its people, resulting in death and disease for generations.

Dreadnought, a Cardassian Missile

Star trek: voyager season 2, episode 17 "dreadnought".

The USS Voyager discovers a dangerously powerful, self-guided Cardassian missile in the Delta Quadrant, which Lt. B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) recognizes as one nicknamed "Dreadnought" . When B'Elanna was with the Maquis, Torres had actually reprogrammed the missile herself, with the intention of turning the Cardassians' own weapon against them. Without a Cardassian target in sight, the artificially intelligent Cardassian Dreadnought targets a heavily-populated Class-M planet , Rakosa V. B'Elanna determines she must be the one to keep Dreadnought from hurting anyone else, and boards the missile to convince it to stand down.

While no concrete reason is given for exactly how the Dreadnought wound up in the Delta Quadrant, its last known location in the Alpha Quadrant was the Badlands, the same rough patch of space where Voyager and the Val Jean, Chakotay's Maquis raider, fatefully met. Because of this, Torres theorizes that Dreadnought arrived in the Delta Quadrant the same way that Voyager and the Val Jean did , courtesy of the Caretaker.

Star Trek: Voyagers BElanna Is More Klingon Than TNGs Worf Ever Was

A klingon d-7 class cruiser, complete with klingons, star trek: voyager, season 7, episode 14 "prophecy".

The USS Voyager certainly never expected to find a Klingon ship in the Delta Quadrant, but more surprising is the fact that the crew of the Klingon D-7 Class Cruiser believes their savior, the prophesied kuvah'magh, is aboard Voyager . Janeway assures the Klingon captain, Kohlar (Wren T. Brown), that the Federation and Klingon Empire have been allies for the past 80 years, and offers Voyager's own half-Klingon, Lt. B'Elanna Torres, as proof their societies are working together now. The kuvah'magh is Torres' unborn daughter, who does save the Klingons, but not the way they expected.

Centuries ago, Kohlar's great-grandfather set off on a quest to find the kuvah'magh, and the Klingon D-7 Cruiser became a generation ship that is now crewed by the descendants of its original crew . The quest begun by Kohlar's great-grandfather brought Kohlar and his crew to the Delta Quadrant after four generations of searching. Whether B'Elanna's child is actually the kuvah'magh or not, Kohlar desperately wants the baby to be their savior, so that his people may finally rest.

Amelia Earhart

Star trek: voyager season 2, episode 1 "the 37s".

The discovery of a 1936 Ford truck, seemingly disconnected from any parent vehicle, leads the USS Voyager to a nearby Class-L planet, where they find eight humans who have been in cryo-stasis since they were abducted by aliens in the 1930s. Among them are one of Janeway's personal heroes, legendary American aviator Amelia Earhart (Sharon Lawrence) , who disappeared without a trace while attempting to fly around the world, and Earhart's navigator, Fred Noonan (David Graf). Earhart and the other preserved humans are known by the planet's inhabitants as "The 37s", and revered as sacred.

Originally thought to be aliens, the natives of the unnamed planet are the descendants of humans. A species called the Briori abducted the natives' ancestors, along with Earhart and the other 37s, from Earth centuries earlier , and took them to the Delta Quadrant. Once held as slaves, the humans who weren't in stasis revolted to free themselves from the Briori, and developed a thriving, Earth-like civilization in the Delta Quadrant. Voyager's crew consider staying with the humans in their little slice of home, while Janeway also offers a ride back to Earth to anyone who wants it, including Amelia Earhart.

The USS Equinox

Star trek: voyager season 5, episode 26 & season 6, episode 1 "equinox".

The crew of the USS Voyager believe they're the only Starfleet vessel in the Delta Quadrant until they find the USS Equinox, five years into their journey home. Captain Rudolph Ransom (John Savage) and the Equinox crew have had a harder time in the Delta Quadrant than Voyager, with more damage, fewer starting resources, and fewer opportunities to make friends along the way. Ransom's survival tactics include sacrificing innocent nucleogenic life forms for a more efficient form of fuel, which Janeway finds hard to stomach, and decides that Ransom needs to be held accountable for defying Federation ideals, regardless of how badly the Equinox is damaged.

Although Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) suggests that the Equinox might be in the Delta Quadrant on a rescue mission to find Voyager, the USS Equinox's specs don't fit the profile of a starship that would be assigned to a long-range mission. The explanation of how the Equinox arrived in the Delta Quadrant in the first place seems fairly simple, because Captain Ransom tells Janeway that the Equinox was also abducted by the Caretaker , just like Voyager, but the Equinox has only been in the Delta Quadrant for 2 years, and Janeway destroyed the Caretaker's array 5 years earlier.

Seven of Nine

Debuts in star trek: voyager season 4, episode 1 "scorpion, part 2".

When Captain Kathryn Janeway allies with the Borg in order to secure safe passage across Borg space, Janeway refuses the cursory assimilation that the Borg want to use to communicate with Janeway and Voyager's crew, and instead requests a speaker for the Borg, citing the existence of Locutus (Patrick Stewart) as precedent. Seven of Nine , Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix 01, is selected as the Borg drone to act as liaison between the Collective and Voyager, likely because Seven of Nine had once been a member of Species 5168, like most of Voyager's crew -- in other words, human.

Voyager season 5, episodes 15 & 16, "Dark Frontier" provides even more detail of the Hansens' fateful journey.

After Seven's link with the Collective is severed, more information about Seven's human origin comes to light. In Voyager season 4, episode 6 "The Raven", when Voyager nears the Hansens' ship, the USS Raven, memories of Seven's early life surface, revealing that Seven had been six-year-old human Annika Hansen , the daughter of Magnus Hansen (Kirk Baily) and Erin Hansen (Laura Stepp), Federation scientists who were studying the Borg when they were assimilated. Voyager season 5, episodes 15 & 16, "Dark Frontier" provides even more detail of the Hansens' fateful journey, showing the Raven arriving in the Delta Quadrant by following a Borg Cube through a transwarp conduit.

10 Ways USS Voyager Changed In Star Treks Delta Quadrant

Star Trek: Voyager links back to the greater Star Trek universe with people and starships from the Alpha Quadrant. Connections to the familiar were especially important early on, because Voyager 's place in the Star Trek franchise was established and aided by the legitimacy these finds offered. Later, when the USS Voyager used the Hirogen communications array to communicate with Starfleet Command, links back to the Alpha Quadrant were plentiful again, not only to prove that the USS Voyager was closer to home, but to help Star Trek: Voyager maintain connections to Star Trek and carry the franchise in its final years.

Star Trek: Voyager is available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Voyager

Cast Jennifer Lien, Garrett Wang, Tim Russ, Robert Duncan McNeill, Roxann Dawson, Robert Beltran, Kate Mulgrew, Jeri Ryan, Ethan Phillips, Robert Picardo

Release Date May 23, 1995

Genres Sci-Fi, Adventure

Network UPN

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Writers Michael Piller, Rick Berman

Showrunner Kenneth Biller, Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Brannon Braga

Rating TV-PG

Delta Flyer (2375)

• View history

The Delta Flyer was a specially designed Starfleet shuttlecraft constructed by the crew of the USS Voyager in the Delta Quadrant in 2375 . The vessel was designed to handle environments that would be too hazardous for a standard shuttlecraft and to be slightly larger than the average shuttle, the crew having acknowledged that standard shuttles were of little use in the increasingly hostile and unexplored Delta Quadrant. The vessel was a blend of Starfleet and Borg technology, designed in collaboration between B'Elanna Torres , Tom Paris , Tuvok , Harry Kim , and Seven of Nine . It was conceived as incorporating a tetraburnium alloy hull with ultra-aerodynamic contours, retractable warp nacelles , parametallic hull plating , unimatrix shielding , and a Borg-inspired weapon system, including photonic missiles , most of which were Paris' conceptions. For aesthetic reasons, Paris designed some of the flight controls to resemble those from the holodeck simulation of Captain Proton ; when Tuvok complained, Paris explained that he wanted to feel the ship and that he was tired of tapping panels. But to Paris' disappointment, the addition of dynametric tailfins was denied by Tuvok. Instead of having the usual two pilot stations, it had several command stations. ( VOY : " Extreme Risk ")

Knowledge of this craft was known to Tuvok as early as 2371 but kept secret due to the Temporal Prime Directive . ( VOY : " Fury ")

• 1 Design and first mission
• 2 2375 missions
• 3 2376 missions
• 4 Destruction
• 5.1 Appearances
• 5.2 Additional references
• 5.3 Background information
• 5.4 External links

Design and first mission [ ]

The Delta Flyer being prepared for its first mission

The idea to design a larger, more efficient shuttle than the cramped Class 2 shuttle was first given to the Delta Flyer 's designer, Lieutenant junior grade Tom Paris, by the former Borg drone Seven of Nine in 2375 . ( VOY : " Drone ")

Delta Flyer Analog Cockpit Control Panel

Subsequently, Paris brought up the idea numerous times, but was always rebuffed. Captain Kathryn Janeway finally authorized the craft's construction, which was led by Paris, in order to retrieve a multi-spatial probe that was lost in the atmosphere of a gas giant and in danger of being stolen by the Malon . The deciding factor was that Paris had already laid a lot of groundwork, and so the shuttle would not have to be designed from scratch. The Malon also began work on a shuttlecraft of their own and finished theirs before the Flyer was complete. When the Malon sent out their shuttle, the Flyer was deployed early, despite a flaw in the vessel's structural integrity . The Flyer was successful in retrieving the probe, but a hull breach started to occur. B'Elanna Torres designed a makeshift device that deployed a temporary force field , successfully containing the breach. ( VOY : " Extreme Risk ")

Rejected features included dynametric tailfins . Harry Kim 's repeated calls to reinforce the hull with kellinite were also continuously rejected. ( VOY : " Extreme Risk ")

2375 missions [ ]

The Delta Flyer 's second mission was to infiltrate a Species 8472 terrasphere . Paris, Kim, and Chakotay took the Flyer out to investigate the terrasphere. When the undercover Chakotay was revealed, Voyager rendezvoused with the Delta Flyer . ( VOY : " In the Flesh ")

The Delta Flyer encountered near-destruction in its third mission when it got caught in an ion storm and crash landed three kilometers under rock on a class M planet. Life support began to fail and Paris, Samantha Wildman , and Tuvok did not believe they could be rescued. The Voyager crew was able to dig through the rock and locate the Delta Flyer . The crew and the Flyer were beamed aboard. ( VOY : " Once Upon a Time ")

In early 2375 , Voyager was equipped with a quantum slipstream drive and used it in an attempt to return to the Alpha Quadrant . The Flyer , piloted by Chakotay and Kim, rode the slipstream ahead of Voyager in order to chart the slipstream and send appropriate phase corrections to Voyager . Unfortunately, the drive proved unstable and nearly caused Voyager to lose structural integrity . Fortunately, a Harry Kim from an alternate timeline where the ship had been destroyed, was able to transmit a phase correction directly to Seven of Nine's Borg implants which shut the drive down. Use of the drive was then abandoned until it could be better understood.

The Delta Flyer being chased by the USS Challenger

In the previously mentioned alternate timeline , the Delta Flyer remained in the slipstream on course to the Federation while Voyager crash-landed on a class L planet . Fifteen years later , Chakotay, Kim, and Tessa Omond stole the Delta Flyer from a shipyard and used it to locate the remains of Voyager . They retrieved Seven of Nine's corpse and The Doctor from the buried ship. By analyzing Seven's cranial implant they intended to determine when it had shut down and thus when Voyager was destroyed, allowing them to transmit their message accordingly. The Doctor was the only person who could determine the necessary temporal coordinates for their mission. They used a temporal transmitter to transmit the proper phase corrections to Seven via the implant, which would allow Voyager to remain safe in the slipstream. Unfortunately, Kim's corrections did not work - but with time running out, The Doctor convinced him to send another message, this time with corrections which would collapse the slipstream. Just as he transmitted the drive shutdown sequence, the Delta Flyer was destroyed by a warp core breach induced by attacks from the USS Challenger . ( VOY : " Timeless ")

A few months later, the Delta Flyer was used to go underwater on The Waters of the Moneans . The Flyer was able to take large amounts of stress, entering great depths of water. It was even able to reach the core of the ocean which was quite deep underwater. This core was actually a large containment field generator. ( VOY : " Thirty Days ")

During a mission where Voyager crew stole a Borg transwarp coil , Seven of Nine was captured by the Borg. The coil was installed on board the Delta Flyer , for which it was used to proceed to the unicomplex to retrieve Seven. When Janeway beamed into the complex, she was stuck there with Seven when the Borg Queen activated a dispersal field . Seven was able to disable the Queen's interface to the collective and the field was deactivated. With Janeway and Seven retrieved, the Flyer proceeded back to transwarp and returned to Voyager , pursued by the Queen's diamond ; they were briefly forced to transfer power from life support to the shields during the pursuit to give themselves the necessary shield strength to reach the exit point before they were captured. ( VOY : " Dark Frontier ")

2376 missions [ ]

The Delta Flyer tractors the Ares IV inside the ellipse.

The Delta Flyer is towed out of the ellipse.

When Voyager encountered a graviton ellipse , the Delta Flyer was sent in to locate the Ares IV command module, which was lost in the ellipse in 2032 . The crew of Tom Paris, Chakotay, and Seven of Nine examined several artifacts trapped in the ellipse before finding the command module. While the Flyer attempted to tractor the module out of the ellipse, the ellipse was hit by a dark matter asteroid . The Delta Flyer was severely damaged and Chakotay was injured. Aboard Voyager , B'Elanna Torres devised a method to use an ion distributor from the Ares IV to repair vital components of the Flyer . Seven beamed to the Ares IV module where she located the distributor and downloaded the sensor data and logs of the Ares IV commander, John Kelly . She returned to the Flyer with the distributor and Kelly's body. The distributor was connected to the Flyer power systems and the shuttle was able to escape before the ellipse returned to subspace . ( VOY : " One Small Step ")

During a period of shore leave on Voyager , Janeway took the Flyer to a nearby planet in the Norcadian star system . When Seven and Tuvok were kidnapped by Penk , Voyager engaged in battle with his vessel . Penk was able to disable Voyager , but Janeway arrived in the Flyer and was able to disable Penk's signal antenna, forcing Penk to lower power to his ship's force fields. This allowed Seven and Tuvok, along with several other competitors held hostage aboard the ship, to be rescued. Janeway and the Flyer returned to Voyager . ( VOY : " Tsunkatse ")

Chakotay, Neelix, Harry Kim, and Tom Paris returned from a mission aboard the Delta Flyer and were abducted by a damaged Borg cube run by adolescent Borg. The Flyer was locked in a Borg hangar while the Voyager crew were attempting to negotiate for the return of the shuttle and its crew. Before the Borg cube was destroyed due to a feedback pulse after the Borg attempted to remove Voyager 's deflector dish , the Delta Flyer escaped the ship. ( VOY : " Collective ")

Later that year, Janeway decided to take the Flyer on an astronomical survey, crewed by Voyager crewmembers who were not working to the best of their abilities and who had never been on an away mission. The mission became dire when the Flyer was attacked, disabling its warp drive . Janeway plotted a course for a nearby planet and ordered the crewmen to abandon the Flyer . They refused to leave her, although one crewmember, Mortimer Harren , abandoned the Flyer aboard a escape pod and used it to distract the dark matter object. Harren inadvertently discovered how to deter the object using phasers , which the Delta Flyer used to escape. Soon after Harren was returned to the Flyer , an explosion occurred, disabling it. Voyager picked up the distress signal and retrieved the damaged shuttle. ( VOY : " Good Shepherd ")

The Delta Flyer was impersonated by a vessel piloted by several con artists attempting to use the reputations of the Voyager crew for criminal purposes. In order to track their hiding spot, Voyager captured one of the criminals, Dala , and allowed her to escape aboard the Delta Flyer . Tom Paris and The Doctor stowed away in the aft compartment, apprehended Dala, and retook the Flyer after she flew it to the criminals' hiding spot. ( VOY : " Live Fast and Prosper ")

The Delta Flyer , crashed on Kelis' homeworld

While on an exploration mission, the Delta Flyer crashed on a planet with a pre-warp society. Harry Kim was able to evacuate, but B'Elanna Torres remained aboard and survived the impact. A poet on the planet named Kelis found the Flyer and figured out how to access its database, using Voyager 's experiences in the Delta Quadrant as a basis for his plays. Torres attempted to repair the Flyer with Kelis' help, but the ship was damaged beyond her means. Kim eventually located the Flyer and brought an emergency transmitter from the escape pod, which was used to send a distress signal to Voyager . The Flyer was transported aboard and required major repairs. ( VOY : " Muse ")

When Kes traveled back in time to the first year of Voyager 's journey, the tachyon particles caused by her presence in the past resulted in Tuvok experiencing 'flash-forwards' of events that wouldn't happen on Voyager for several years, with the first example of these being when he suggested that the Delta Flyer be used to navigate a region of space filled with subspace vacuoles due to its advanced sensors over four years before it would even be constructed. ( VOY : " Fury ")

Destruction [ ]

The Delta Flyer is destroyed

In early 2377 , Janeway, Tuvok, and Torres flew the Delta Flyer to a Borg tactical cube , with the goal of infiltrating the vessel and assisting the drones of Unimatrix Zero . While approaching the cube, the Borg Queen located the Flyer . The away team beamed onto the cube just as the Flyer was destroyed. ( VOY : " Unimatrix Zero ")

The destroyed Flyer was replaced by a craft of the same name and of similar design and specification, albeit with fewer " Captain Proton "-inspired embellishments. ( VOY : " Drive ")

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " Extreme Risk " (Season Five)
• " In the Flesh "
• " Once Upon a Time "
• " Timeless "
• " Thirty Days "
• " Dark Frontier "
• " Riddles " (Season Six)
• " One Small Step "
• " The Voyager Conspiracy "
• " Memorial "
• " Tsunkatse "
• " Collective "
• " Good Shepherd "
• " Live Fast and Prosper "
• " Unimatrix Zero "

Additional references [ ]

• " The Disease "
• " The Haunting of Deck Twelve "

Background information [ ]

From the Star Trek Encyclopedia  (4th ed., vol. 1, p. 200), " The Delta Flyer was designed by series production designer Richard James and senior illustrator Rick Sternbach . "

Two schematic lots from production designer Richard James of the Delta Flyer 's interior were sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [1] [2]

External links [ ]

• Delta Flyer at StarTrek.com
• Delta Flyer at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Flyer class at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Delta Flyer at Wikipedia
• 2 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-G)
• 3 Star Trek: The Next Generation