How many ships did Starfleet send into deep space?

[Robert DeSoto]

When I say deep space, I mean long term really deep space missions. Not going to explore one sector for a week then going back to a Starbase for shore leave.

The USS Olympia was sent to explore the Beta Quadrant for 8 years.
The USS Voyager explored the Delta Quadrant for 7 years.
Two other Federation starships were sent to intercept Voyager in a few years.
Enterprise NX-01 explored deep space while the rest of Starfleet was stuck near Earth with shitty Warp 2 engines.
Riker was supposed to command the USS Aries to explore some sector that was months away from Federation space at high warp.

I think Kirk mentioned that the USS Enterprise had enough food to feed 430 people for five years. But the Enterprise never stayed out from Federation space for anywhere that long

Is that it? Were there any other ships

 

[C.E. Evans]

There's not an official number because there isn't one. Writers just made up stuff as they went along or was required by the story.

As a result, any number of Federation starships were sent on deep-space expeditions, IMO. Kirk's Enterprise may have been how most multiyear deep-space missions go--generally operating along the farthest reaches and venturing into unexplored territory for short periods of time before returning back to a Federation starbase or member world for supplies, repairs, crew rotation, etc. Over the course of several years, though, the amount of explored space could be considerable that way...

 

[Robert DeSoto]

No of course there's no official number. Just trying to think how many ships were mentioned throughout the show. Very few that I can remember.

The ships are clearly capable of operating independently for long periods of time. But they are rarely deployed in that fashion. Maybe Starfleet wants to keep all its ships close by in case they need them to go to war.

Another one I thought of was the IKS T'Ong, but that's not a Starfleet ship.

 

[C.E. Evans]

No of course there's no official number. Just trying to think how many ships were mentioned throughout the show. Very few that I can remember.

Actually, there's many, but they're usually only mentioned in passing here and there. These are usually vessels conducting some sort of scientific mission or having established earlier contact with some alien race. The Star Trek Encyclopedia actually has a comprehensive list of starships and what they were noteworthy for and many of them appear to have been on deep-space exploration missions or scientific research missions. Here's some of them on that list:
USS Adelphi
USS Archon
USS Antares
USS Enterprise
USS Essex
USS Excelsior
USS Exeter
USS Grissom
USS Horizon
USS Intrepid
USS Maryland
USS Raman
USS Reliant
USS Tsiolkovsky
USS Ulysseus
USS Yamato
USS Yosemite

Presumably, not all of these vessels were dedicated exploration vessels, but they all were apparently on some exploration or scientific research missions at the time they were seen. It may even be that many other starships may have been dispatched on such missions even if exploration wasn't their primary purpose.

The ships are clearly capable of operating independently for long periods of time. But they are rarely deployed in that fashion. Maybe Starfleet wants to keep all its ships close by in case they need them to go to war.

I don't think that any starship has the means to operate completely independently for years and years at time. Eventually, they'll simply run out of fuel and supplies after awhile and will need to restock. But with periodic layovers and refurbishment at a starbase or Federation member world, a starship can probably conduct a long-term deep-space mission lasting several years or even longer.

It would still enable ships to be "out there in the unknown," but perhaps no more than a few weeks or months from Federation space at maximum warp at any given time, IMO.

 

[sojourner]

You need to strike Voyager from your list. Starfleet didn't "send" it to explore the delta quadrant.

 

[Robert DeSoto]

No of course there's no official number. Just trying to think how many ships were mentioned throughout the show. Very few that I can remember.

Actually, there's many, but they're usually only mentioned in passing here and there. These are usually vessels conducting some sort of scientific mission or having established earlier contact with some alien race. The Star Trek Encyclopedia actually has a comprehensive list of starships and what they were noteworthy for and many of them appear to have been on deep-space exploration missions or scientific research missions. Here's some of them on that list:
USS Adelphi
USS Archon
USS Antares
USS Enterprise
USS Essex
USS Excelsior
USS Exeter
USS Grissom
USS Horizon
USS Intrepid
USS Maryland
USS Raman
USS Reliant
USS Tsiolkovsky
USS Ulysseus
USS Yamato
USS Yosemite

Presumably, not all of these vessels were dedicated exploration vessels, but they all were apparently on some exploration or scientific research missions at the time they were seen. It may even be that many other starships may have been dispatched on such missions even if exploration wasn't their primary purpose.

The ships are clearly capable of operating independently for long periods of time. But they are rarely deployed in that fashion. Maybe Starfleet wants to keep all its ships close by in case they need them to go to war.

I don't think that any starship has the means to operate completely independently for years and years at time. Eventually, they'll simply run out of fuel and supplies after awhile and will need to restock. But with periodic layovers and refurbishment at a starbase or Federation member world, a starship can probably conduct a long-term deep-space mission lasting several years or even longer.

It would still enable ships to be "out there in the unknown," but perhaps no more than a few weeks or months from Federation space at maximum warp at any given time, IMO.

Voyager, the Olympia, and the Enterprise NX-01 operated completely independent from Starfleet bases for years. Same with the old Earth Cargo ships. There was also some alien freighter in DS9 that was sent on a two year mission to the Gamma Quadrant. I don't remember the name of that ship, but it was the one that Li Nalas tried to hide in.

If civilian freighters can operate for years independently from Federation facilities, I'm guessing most Starfleet vessels can too.

When I say independent, I meant independently from Starfleet or Federation facilities. Those freighters and Starfleet ships can still get supplies from alien ports open to public traffic. Or like Voyager, they can harvest raw resources from planets, nebulas, whatever.

The ships mentioned in the encyclopedia, did they mention if any of those ships were away for more than a couple months? The Enterprise was never shown being away for long. They would be exploring deep space in one episode, and the next episode they would be back in Federation space fighting with Klingons or somebody. They were definitely not gone for more than a year. Unless it happened outside of the three TOS seasons.

 

[Vanyel]

I thought that the Galaxy Class was designed to carry enough supplies, parts, and power to be able to explore deep space for years before returning to Federation Space.

 

[Xerxes1979]

Actually I think 99% of intial exploration is done with probes. Larger ships probably just fill in the sensor gaps as the Federation grows slowly from civilization creep.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Voyager, the Olympia, and the Enterprise NX-01 operated completely independent from Starfleet bases for years.

The Voyager and had to rely on non-Starfleet facilities in order to keep running and came close to being stranded in space more than once because it was out there on its own, and NX-01 Enterprise's mission was never specified to be a multiyear expedition and it needed alien help to keep running more than once as well. The Olympia's eight-year mission could have easily been like the original Enterprise's in the sense that it may never have been too far from Federation space at any given time.

Same with the old Earth Cargo ships.

But, IIRC, most of those cargo ships were on "milk runs" in explored space. In those instances, they were simply slow vessels moving through already settled regions of space.

There was also some alien freighter in DS9 that was sent on a two year mission to the Gamma Quadrant. I don't remember the name of that ship, but it was the one that Li Nalas tried to hide in.

It was the Nanut, a Tygarian freighter. It's possible that the freighter was hired to work for a colony in the Gamma Quadrant for two years (it was prior to hostilities with the Dominion).

If civilian freighters can operate for years independently from Federation facilities, I'm guessing most Starfleet vessels can too.

I think with freighters, it's just a case that they move very slowly, but they probably are no more than a few weeks or months from a Federation world at maximum warp.

From what we've been able to see onscreen, independent operations aren't that terribly long. Ships seem to be only to go so far without having to stop somewhere for supplies and repairs.

When I say independent, I meant independently from Starfleet or Federation facilities. Those freighters and Starfleet ships can still get supplies from alien ports open to public traffic. Or like Voyager, they can harvest raw resources from planets, nebulas, whatever.

I just can't see that as being standard procedure for Starfleet vessels. It's too much like kicking a starship out there and depending mostly on the kindness of strangers for its success--if it can't, oh well, too bad. I think those are more emergency contingencies rather the expected way a long-range Starfleet ship is to be normally run, IMO.

The ships mentioned in the encyclopedia, did they mention if any of those ships were away for more than a couple months? The Enterprise was never shown being away for long. They would be exploring deep space in one episode, and the next episode they would be back in Federation space fighting with Klingons or somebody. They were definitely not gone for more than a year.

I think the original Enterprise is probably the best example of what a multiyear deep-space mission is really like--the ship operates along the farthest reaches, periodically ventures out into unexplored space for a period of time, and then returns back to Federation territory for supplies, upgrades, crew rotations etc., before venturing out into unexplored territory again. Ships like the Enterprise may be called upon for other duties between "probes." But each time the ship goes out, it goes a little bit deeper and deeper into the unknown and can really explore a lot of space that way over several years.

Another thing to consider is just how much of Federation space is actually explored. Some sectors of Federation space (especially out along the frontier) may have been annexed or established by treaty, but no one has actually been out that way to explore the planets and star systems there yet. That way, there could be quite a few unexplored systems that may be close to Federation space in one dimension, but actually lie outside of Federation space in another...

 

[neozeks]

I think the original Enterprise is probably the best example of what a multiyear deep-space mission is really like--the ship operates along the farthest reaches, periodically ventures out into unexplored space for a period of time, and then returns back to Federation territory for supplies, upgrades, crew rotations etc., before venturing out into unexplored territory again. Ships like the Enterprise may be called upon for other duties between "probes." But each time the ship goes out, it goes a little bit deeper and deeper into the unknown and can really explore a lot of space that way over several years.

I would agree that's how most frontier ships would operate. But I don't think it's a problem if Starfleet sends a few specially designed, fully stocked ships on really deep exploration missions lasting years. Just a few, probably less than one percent of the fleet. I think that's the case with Riker's Titan in the Titan novels (I've only read the first one).

 

[C.E. Evans]

I think the original Enterprise is probably the best example of what a multiyear deep-space mission is really like--the ship operates along the farthest reaches, periodically ventures out into unexplored space for a period of time, and then returns back to Federation territory for supplies, upgrades, crew rotations etc., before venturing out into unexplored territory again. Ships like the Enterprise may be called upon for other duties between "probes." But each time the ship goes out, it goes a little bit deeper and deeper into the unknown and can really explore a lot of space that way over several years.

I would agree that's how most frontier ships would operate. But I don't think it's a problem if Starfleet sends a few specially designed, fully stocked ships on really deep exploration missions lasting years. Just a few, probably less than one percent of the fleet. I think that's the case with Riker's Titan in the Titan novels (I've only read the first one).

I could see a ship (24th-Century) being out there all by itself for two or three years (depending on how much resources it consumes), but after that, I think the fuel tank starts running on fumes and the amount of raw matter for food replicators start to run thin. Maybe Deep Space stations make ideal pit stops for ships operating for extended periods outside of Federation territory.

 

[neozeks]

I could see a ship (24th-Century) being out there all by itself for two or three years (depending on how much resources it consumes), but after that, I think the fuel tank starts running on fumes and the amount of raw matter for food replicators start to run thin. Maybe Deep Space stations make ideal pit stops for ships operating for extended periods outside of Federation territory.

Yeah, two to three years is a reasonable length, if only for psychological reasons (I don't think many Starfleeters would be willing to leave everything they know behind them for much more than that). But I don't think it's technically impossible to have an even greater duration. Such ships would no doubt be equiped for resource harvesting and production and anyway, it's highly unlikely they won't find a single species willing to trade with them - first contact is one of the main reasons they would be so deep in space in the first place.

 

[T'Girl]

Same with the old Earth Cargo ships.

But, IIRC, most of those cargo ships were on "milk runs" in explored space. In those instances, they were simply slow vessels moving through already settled regions of space.

Milk runs would be the aveage mission for the bulk of Starfleet. Patrolling the inner Federation where the majority of the member star systems are, doing coast guard like duties, maybe customs, anti-piracy, keeping an eye on the Orions-Kzins-whoever.

 

[Nerys Myk]

The correct answer is "All of them". That way the Enterprise can be the only ship in the quadrant!

 

[BooThePun]

Roddenberry described Starfleet's role as being akin to that of the eighteenth-century royal navy. Therefore, most ships would be on assigned duties in settled Federation space, with the occasional ship outfit for a long-term exploration mission. However, Starfleet's primary duties probably involved colonial support, peacekeeping, or transport. We saw all the ships on Star Trek do each of these things, so I don't think it's a large leap to assume TPTB felt that assisting Federation citizens was Starfleet's primary role, with exploration being secondary. But since the exploration makes for better TV than acting as a mail ship. . .

 

[AJHalliwell]

The correct answer is "All of them". That way the Enterprise can be the only ship in the quadrant!

Lol.

But really, any exact numbers from Star Trek are probably not accurate and fan made -- cause they only say what is important to the plot of an episode. We don't know how many ships Starfleet operated at one time; how many officers it had, etc. I'd like to think a good number were off exploring the outer reaches though, as it fulfills the "to boldly go where no man has gone before..." tagline.

 

[Robert DeSoto]

Voyager, the Olympia, and the Enterprise NX-01 operated completely independent from Starfleet bases for years.

The Voyager and had to rely on non-Starfleet facilities in order to keep running and came close to being stranded in space more than once because it was out there on its own, and NX-01 Enterprise's mission was never specified to be a multiyear expedition and it needed alien help to keep running more than once as well. The Olympia's eight-year mission could have easily been like the original Enterprise's in the sense that it may never have been too far from Federation space at any given time.

Same with the old Earth Cargo ships.

But, IIRC, most of those cargo ships were on "milk runs" in explored space. In those instances, they were simply slow vessels moving through already settled regions of space.

It was the Nanut, a Tygarian freighter. It's possible that the freighter was hired to work for a colony in the Gamma Quadrant for two years (it was prior to hostilities with the Dominion).

I think with freighters, it's just a case that they move very slowly, but they probably are no more than a few weeks or months from a Federation world at maximum warp.

From what we've been able to see onscreen, independent operations aren't that terribly long. Ships seem to be only to go so far without having to stop somewhere for supplies and repairs.

When I say independent, I meant independently from Starfleet or Federation facilities. Those freighters and Starfleet ships can still get supplies from alien ports open to public traffic. Or like Voyager, they can harvest raw resources from planets, nebulas, whatever.

I just can't see that as being standard procedure for Starfleet vessels. It's too much like kicking a starship out there and depending mostly on the kindness of strangers for its success--if it can't, oh well, too bad. I think those are more emergency contingencies rather the expected way a long-range Starfleet ship is to be normally run, IMO.

The ships mentioned in the encyclopedia, did they mention if any of those ships were away for more than a couple months? The Enterprise was never shown being away for long. They would be exploring deep space in one episode, and the next episode they would be back in Federation space fighting with Klingons or somebody. They were definitely not gone for more than a year.

I think the original Enterprise is probably the best example of what a multiyear deep-space mission is really like--the ship operates along the farthest reaches, periodically ventures out into unexplored space for a period of time, and then returns back to Federation territory for supplies, upgrades, crew rotations etc., before venturing out into unexplored territory again. Ships like the Enterprise may be called upon for other duties between "probes." But each time the ship goes out, it goes a little bit deeper and deeper into the unknown and can really explore a lot of space that way over several years.

Another thing to consider is just how much of Federation space is actually explored. Some sectors of Federation space (especially out along the frontier) may have been annexed or established by treaty, but no one has actually been out that way to explore the planets and star systems there yet. That way, there could be quite a few unexplored systems that may be close to Federation space in one dimension, but actually lie outside of Federation space in another...

Interesting points

I agree that Kirk's USS Enterprise is probably the typical starship deployment. Explore unknown space for a few weeks, then return to Federation space for military or domestic missions. This was the same with Picard's USS Enterprise-D and Sisko's USS Defiant and three runabouts. And when a ship takes too long to return (like the Constitution class USS Defiant or the Miranda class USS Brittain) Starfleet will send another ship to see what's taking so long.



But the USS Olympia was away from Federation space for a full eight years. It was nothing like Kirk or Picard's assignment. The crew wore out of date uniforms and didn't even know the Federation was at war with the Dominion.

The two Federation ships sent to intercept the USS Voyager would be away for several years. And then of course they have to escort Voyager back which will take another few years.

And of course the Enterprise NX-01 had to rely on non-Federation ports and supplies.

So while the majority of Starfleet probably didn't "depend on the kindness of strangers", Command must have anticipated that these four ships would.



On a side note, a couple other ships opreating in deep space just came to mind, USS Equinox and USS Raven. But neither of these were actually "sent" by Starfleet either.

 

[C.E. Evans]

But the USS Olympia was away from Federation space for a full eight years. It was nothing like Kirk or Picard's assignment.

I never saw that as being feasible. I don't any ship can last out there on its own for more than two or three years at a time without running out of fuel and supplies, not even a Galaxy-class. I think the Olympia had to either rendezvous with a Starfleet tanker and a supply ship at least twice during its mission. Either that, or stock up/fuel up at a starbase or outpost that was out along that way. That would still allow the Olympia to be away from home for eight years.

The crew wore out of date uniforms and didn't even know the Federation was at war with the Dominion.

Actually, I would expect them to have older uniforms. I think that ships and starbases that far out from Earth would be the last to get new uniforms.

Another thing about the Olympia, though, was that the ship was really destroyed prior to the war with the Dominion so they shouldn't have known about that. In that episode, the DS9 crew was talking with someone who had actually died three years earlier, even before Star Trek: First Contact.

The two Federation ships sent to intercept the USS Voyager would be away for several years. And then of course they have to escort Voyager back which will take another few years.

What two ships were sent to find the Voyager?

And of course the Enterprise NX-01 had to rely on non-Federation ports and supplies.

I think more by necessity than by design.

So while the majority of Starfleet probably didn't "depend on the kindness of strangers", Command must have anticipated that these four ships would.

Only in an emergency situation, perhaps, but I doubt they were intentionally sent out to normally operate that way.

"To boldly go where no one has gone before...and pray there are gas stations and grocery stores out there?" Not exactly the best way to run a mission, IMO. Even oceangoing vessels returned home or to an allied port when their provisions were running low.

On a side note, a couple other ships opreating in deep space just came to mind, USS Equinox and USS Raven. But neither of these were actually "sent" by Starfleet either.

And neither really operated under the best of conditions either, IMO.

The USS Equinox was sucked into the Delta Quadrant just like the Voyager was and really kind of fell apart out there on its own, so she's an example of ship that was poorly designed for that. And the (U)SS Raven was a civillian ship that wasn't even meant to be out as far as it was. The Raven was actually not far from the Neutral Zone when it followed a Borg cube through a transwarp conduit into the Delta Quadrant and was essentially stranded there. The Hansons probably had to do whatever was necessary to keep their ship flying for the three years prior to their capture by the Borg.

 

[T'Girl]

The Hansons probably had to do whatever was necessary to keep their ship flying for the three years prior to their capture by the Borg.

Realistically the Hanson probably stole equipment and supplies from the Borg cube they were following, which might have been what lead the Borg to eventual assimilate them.

 

[Silvercrest]

I thought that the Galaxy Class was designed to carry enough supplies, parts, and power to be able to explore deep space for years before returning to Federation Space.

That's right. And that's why it carried children and families on board. If you're a hop, skip, and a jump from Federation territory, there's no reason to take your family with you -- you can go on leave to visit them. You only take them with you if you expect to be gone for years and years.

Not that the show actually followed through on this, of course....