Special Sub-Topic: Runabouts Click Here To Play: Runabouts

After what planetological feature are runabouts traditionally named?

Rivers. Nearly all runabouts seen in 'TNG', 'DS9', and 'VOY' have been named after Earth rivers; presumably others bear the names of rivers on other Federation worlds.

In how many of the first four 'Star Trek' series did runabouts appear?

2. The timelines of 'The Next Generation', 'Deep Space Nine', and 'Voyager' overlap. [Thanks to BellOrso for pointing out that the 'Voyager' runabout was a Yellowstone-class, not a Danube.]

Which of these people IS NOT a principal designer of the runabout?

Matt Jeffries. Walter M. "Matt" Jeffries was the designer of the original Enterprise, in the 1960s. He died in 2003 at age 82, but is immortalized in the eponymous 'Jeffries tube'.

In the 'Voyager' episode 'Non Sequitur', Harry Kim is working on an advanced runabout prototype. What is it called?

Yellowstone. In an alternate universe where Harry becomes a Starfleet engineer, runabouts are apparently named after national parks rather than rivers.

The runabout is the Federation's only full-fledged starship small enough to be carried inside another starship.

t. Runabouts may resemble shuttlecraft on steroids, but they are classified as true starships, as indicated by their U.S.S. designation and their unique NX- or NCC- hull registry number.

The three runabouts delivered to Deep Space Nine by the Enterprise-D are the _____, the _____, and the _____.

Rio Grande, Ganges, Yangtze Kiang. These three ships arrive in the first 'DS9' episode; by the end of the series, only the Rio Grande is still in service.

The official patch of the Runabout Development Team depicts a cartoon runabout with a bulging sack of hardware slung over its shoulder.

t. An embroidered version of this colorful and humorous patch is available from many online vendors.

A runabout's middle module can be swapped out to accomodate a variety of mission profiles.

t. Like the venerable Eagle from 'Space: 1999', the runabout is a multi-role, workhorse spacecraft. Available mission modules include passenger compartments, cargo and sensor pallets, and weapons pods.

In which aptly-titled 'Deep Space Nine' episode is the runabout Rubicon reduced by a subspace compression anomaly?

One Little Ship. Following typical 'Star Trek' plot logic, a second encounter with the anomaly restores the Rubicon to its original size, rather than shrinking the already-shrunken starship still further.

In what year does the Enterprise-D deliver three runabouts to Deep Space Nine?

2369. The first production runabouts flew off the assembly line in 2368, and three were soon assigned to DS9. The other choices are the birth years of Captains Kirk (2233), Picard (2305), and Sisko (2332).

How many people can a runabout's transporter accomodate at one time?

2. The inclusion of a transporter is another feature which distinguishes runabouts from shuttlecraft.

Where was the prototype runabout constructed and flight-tested?

Mars. Runabouts were developed at Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards on Mars. The prototype, U.S.S. Danube NX-/NCC-72003, is still assigned there.

Although a runabout can be flown by a single pilot, how many people does its flight deck seat?

4. A fully-crewed runabout carries a pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer, and weapons officer.

On short-duration emergency flights (e.g. evacuation), how many people can be crammed aboard a runabout?

40. Let's HOPE this is only a short flight, or you'll end up knowing your 39 shipmates a lot closer than you want to!

How many decks does a runabout have?

1. With a draft (height) of only 5.4 metres (~18 feet), there really isn't much room for another one.

Which 'lucky' runabout manages to evade destruction through the entire 'Deep Space Nine' series?

Rio Grande. Let's face it: Runabouts are the SUVs of Starfleet -- as cool as they are, they have a dismal safety record. At least nine have been destroyed or abandoned during the three series in which they appear. The Rio Grande had a few close calls, but survived.

What is the total displacement (mass) of a runabout, in tonnes?

158.7. (~350,000 pounds) The 3,205,000-tonne Sovereign class displaces more than 20,000 runabouts.

What is the overall length of a runabout, in metres?

23.1. (~76 feet) The 23-metre Danube class is Starfleet's shortest starship; the longest -- the 685-metre (~2,248-foot) Sovereign class -- is nearly 30 times as long.

All runabouts are heavily armed, with pulsed-phaser cannon and quantum torpedoes.

f. Runabouts typically pack only defensive armament -- phaser arrays and photon microtorpedo launchers -- but they can be fitted with special modules to mount more firepower.

Flying the Rio Grande on its inaugural mission, Sisko and Dax encounter something interesting. What is it?

A stable wormhole. Following their discovery, Deep Space Nine is moved from Bajor orbit to a strategic position near the wormhole, which links the Alpha and Gamma Quadrants.