Guardian Class

Template:StationSpecificationsThe Guardian-class spacedock is currently the largest class of space station in operation by the United Federation of Planets. Combining successful design features from both the Spacedock-class family and the Regula-class family, this massive station has multiple large docking facilities, the capability to handle modular additions, and some of the most potent defensive armaments in Starfleet service. These stations are still rare, with the first one not coming online until 2396.

Mission Parameters

Like all spacedock-type stations, the Guardian-class is a large, multi-purpose station with the ability to manage the logistics needs of an entire sector. They are equipped for starship construction, repair, and resupply, large scale trade and cargo operations, scientific inquiry command and control functions, and are potent defensive platforms, all while serving as a home to tens of thousands of residents.

This class's most distinguishing feature is the presence of a large docking bay on the top of the station, drawn from the Spacedock-class, as well as a smaller secondary docking bay on the bottom of the station, drawn from the Regula family. The upper docking bay has large space doors and is capable of admitting even the largest of starships, while the lower docking bay is open to space to allow for quick turn-arounds of visiting cargo vessels. This split's the station's docking operations much more effectively than the single large docking bay present on the Spacedock class, and allows the upper docking bay to devote more space to construction and maintenance facilities.

Docking Facilities

Spacedock-type stations are designed to be able to service an entire fleet at the same time, and as such the Guardian-class can comfortably accommodate 40 starships of mixed sizes in internal bays, with a further 42 external docking ports for shorter visits. Compared to a Spacedock-class station, the Guardian-class improves efficiency dramatically with the use of external docking ports and many bays without cumbersome space doors.

While the largest dock on the station, it is intended that the upper dock only be used for long-term stays for maintenance and the construction of new starships, where the radiation shielding properties of the space doors are most useful. This bay contains berths around the central tower for sixteen explorer-type starships or a larger number of smaller ones, with four massive space doors that give even the Odyssey-class more than enough clearance. At the floor of the bay, there are a further four construction bays which can each build or refit two cruiser-type starships simultaneously. The bay is ringed by twelve cargo bays which have their own smaller space doors, each one above an extendable docking port. Above the bay are four runabout pads, and beneath it are eight large shuttle bays.

Civilian and mercantile traffic largely uses a set of docking modules near the center of the station, as they are closest to the station's commercial, recreation, and living areas. The two medium docking modules, marked by large communications spires above and beneath them, can accommodate several starships or a handful of freighters. They also contain six shuttle bays and four docking ports each, handling a mix of civilian and Starfleet traffic. The two smaller docking modules have three docking bays for freighters or small starships, as well as two docking ports and two over-sized landing pads that are mainly used for runabouts, but can also handle small starships with landing capabilities.

Turnaround Starfleet traffic is handled in the lower docking bay, with enough space in the central open dock to handle eight explorer-type starships or a much larger number of smaller ones, with ships stopping here to exchange crew, refuel, or other tasks that only require a few hours to accomplish. The smallest starships can also be accommodated in six docking bays that ring the exterior of this module, while cargo traffic is routed to two massive freight bays above it.

Between all of these facilities, a Guardian-class station supports its own fleet of thirty-two runabouts and a hundred shuttles. In addition to these standard craft, this class of base can also support four squadrons of sixteen fighters.