Challenger class
Wreckage of the Challenger-class USS Buran
Owner:	United Federation of Planets
Operator:	Starfleet
Active:	24th century

The Challenger-class starships were Starfleet vessels in service in the later 24th century. They shared many design aspects with Galaxy-class and Nebula-class starships.

Contents 1 Ships of the class 2 Appendices 2.1 Appearances 2.2 Background 2.3 Apocrypha 2.4 External link

Ships of the class Edit

Named

• USS Buran (NCC-57580)

Uncertain

• USS Armstrong
• USS Kearsarge

Appendices Edit

Appearances Edit

• TNG:
  • "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II"
  • "Unification I"

Background Edit

The Challenger-class was a "kitbashed" design study and filming model built by Ed Miarecki that was barely glimpsed among the wreckage of the "graveyard" scene in TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II". [1] It was made from spare pieces of AMT/Ertl USS Enterprise-D starship models, specifically the saucer section and warp nacelles.

Starfleet ship classes usually share their name with the class prototype ship. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock; Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual) Assuming that only one ship of a given name is in service at any time, the USS Challenger prototype for the Challenger-class was retired some time prior to 2377, when the Galaxy-class USS Challenger (NCC-71099) was seen in VOY: "Endgame".

Apocrypha Edit

In the Star Trek: The Next Generation Annual story "Thin Ice" published by DC Comics, the USS Marco Polo was stated to be a Challenger-class starship. This design appeared as a variant of the Constellation-class design, with the lower nacelles replaced by a secondary hull. [2]

External link Edit

• Challenger-class reconstruction at Ex Astris Scientia