Type 6 Shuttle

standard

Universe :	Prime Timeline
Affiliation :	Federation
Class Name :	Type 6 Shuttle
Type :	Shuttlecraft
Unit Run :	Berman [1] - Active Piller [1] - Active NCC 1701-D/03 Justman [2] - Active NCC 1701-D/06 Curie - Missing [3] NCC 1701-D/15 Galileo [4] - Active NCC 1701-D/15 Goddard - Active [5] NCC 1701-D/15 Magellan [6] - Destroyed [7] NCC 1701-D/16 Fermi - Destroyed [8] NCC 74656/05 Sacajawea [9] - Active RS-47 Verne [10] - Active plus 2,198 others built in total. 1,010 have been lost in all.
Commissioned :	2356 - 2368, class remains in service
Dimensions :	Length : 6 m [11] Beam : 4.4 m [12] Height : 2.7 m [12] Decks : 1
Mass :	3.38 [12] metric tons
Crew :	1 [13], plus 6 passengers in standard model, 2 in diplomatic model [13]
Defence Systems :	Standard shield system, total capacity 500 TeraJoules Light Duranium / Tritanium Single hull. Low level Structural Integrity Field
Warp Speeds (TNG scale) :	Normal Cruise : 1 Maximum Cruise : 1.1 Maximum Rated : 1.2 [12] for 48 [12] hours.
Strength Indices : (Galaxy class = 1,000)	Beam Firepower : - Torpedo Firepower : - Weapon Range and Accuracy : 5 Shield Strength : 0.19 Hull Armour : 3.13 Speed : 1 Combat Manoeuvrability : 23,360
Overall Strength Index :	29
Diplomatic Capability :	2
Expected Hull Life :	45
Refit Cycle :	Minor : 1 year Standard : 1 years Major : 15 years

Notes

The Type 6 was fielded in the 2360's in order to introduce several modernizations to the shuttle fleet. It was the first shuttlecraft in service with a Duranium/Tritanium hull, and also introduced isolinear computer systems into shuttlecraft service. In order to avoid introducing too many radical changes in one step, the designers based the structure of the Type 6 on the venerable Type 3 design. The aft section, comprising the impulse engines and other major engineering systems, was identical to the Type 3; the midsection was deleted from the design, and the forward section was heavily modified in order to provide the flight crew with a wider field of view and accomodate the new computing and sensor systems; even so, the new forward end had to fit the existing Type 3 aft end and so there remains a close similarity in overall form.

The Type 6 proved to be quite popular with pilots in service, and many hundreds where produced during the twelve year production run. Eventually Starfleet decided to cease production of the Type 6 in favour of purely modern designs, and the last Type 6 was delivered from the Utopia Planitia fleet yards, which manufactured these craft, in 2368. The type is now gradually being phased out of service, though it will undoubtedly remain a feature of many hangar bays for some time to come.

Colour key

References

#	Series	Season	Source	Comment
1			Visible on the shooting model
2	TNG	6	Suspicions
3	TNG	7	Lower Decks
4	TNG	7	All Good Things
5	TNG	6	Relics
6	TNG	5	Darmok
7	TNG	5	The Outcast
8	TNG	6	Rascals
9	VOY	3	Coda
10	TNG	6	Aquiel
11			Star Trek The Next Generation Technical Manual	Stated on page 161.
12			Star Trek The Next Generation Technical Manual
13			Generic official information

Comments

Lack of shuttlecraft has plagued Star Trek from the earliest days of TOS. The cost of producing a full-sized shuttle model which you can film from any angle is apparently very high, and as a consequence few such models have been seen. One of TNG's answers to this problem was the Type 15 shuttlepod, which was extremely small so as to be as cheap as possible. The second venture into shuttlecraft production was the Type 6; this was made by modifying the Type 3 model used in Star Trek V. The middle section was chopped off to make the Type 6 shorter, and extra windows where added to the front section. Side winglet stubs also seem to have vanished during the rebuild.

I've kept the description of the Type 6's history in line with what actually happened in real life for the most part. Frankly, after writing five specs pages in the last couple of days I'm running out of things to say about Starfleet shuttlecraft! Ah well, only five more to go...

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Last updated : 22 Dec 2021

Series :	TNG Season 6
Episode :	Suspicions

Series :	TNG Season 7
Episode :	Lower Decks

Series :	TNG Season 7
Episode :	All Good Things

Series :	TNG Season 6
Episode :	Relics

Series :	TNG Season 5
Episode :	Darmok

Book :	Star Trek The Next Generation Technical Manual
Comment :	Stated on page 161.