GALAXY CLASS

   The Galaxy Class began it's development in 2343 with the approval of the project given in July of that year. Starships of this class were designed as the most advanced of their time with a projected total of 12 ships - six being fully constructed and six more completed to the framework stage of construction. The Galaxy class prototype bearing Starfleet registry number NX-70637 (changed later to NCC-70637) launched in 2356. The prototype was declared deep spaceworthy, warp capable and commissioned as USS Galaxy the very next year. The second production model of Galaxy class starships would be launched in 2358, bearing the registry number NCC-1701-D, leaving Martian orbital dock on manuevering thrusters. The vessel was declared deep spaceworthy and warp capable in 2359 but was not commissioned as USS Enterprise until 04 OCT 2363. The first production model, USS Yamato, NCC-71807, was commissioned in about 2360. Ships of this class measured about 642 meters long and were designed with three isolinear computer cores; two in the saucer section and one in the engineering section. These vessels are armed with twelve Type X phaser arrays and three photon torpedo launchers for their defense. Galaxy class ships are capable of separated flight, which means the saucer section (module) and the engineering (battle) section can operate independently of each other. This allows the bulk of the ship's population to remain outside a combat area. If in an absolute emergency, the saucer can make an emergency landing on a habitable planet's surface. Of the first three vessels of the class, only the Galaxy would survive to complete it's first decade of service. By 2375, a total of eight known ships of this class have served or are serving in Starfleet.