Constellation class starship

The Constellation class is a fictional class of starship that appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation and subsequent Star Trek television series.

Designed by Andrew Probert and Rick Sternbach, the Constellation class starship, first appeared in the pilot episode of The Next Generation as a model ship in Captain Jean-Luc Picard's ready room. Sternbach constructed the model by kitbashing Ertl models of the movie Enterprise, using parts from other model kits such as the VF-1 Valkyrie from the The Super Dimension Fortress Macross anime series to add detail.

The design was then used for the USS Stargazer in the first season episode "The Battle", with Greg Jein building a four-foot shooting model. Originally the Stargazer was planned to be a Constitution class starship, so that the movie Enterprise model could be reused (the episode as originally shot referred to the USS Stargazer as a Constitution class starship) however Probert and Sternbach persuaded the producers not to reuse the movie Enterprise model, the dialog was re-dubbed and a new model was designed and constructed.

The second season episode "Peak Performance" featured a decommissioned Constellation class starship called USS Hathaway, which was reactivated to take part in a wargaming exercise against the USS Enterprise, while under the command of Commander William Riker. Hathaway later appeared briefly in the fifth season Next Generation episode "Redemption, Part II".

Aside from these two appearances, Constellation class starships have only appeared in establishing shots.

Appearance
The Constellation class was designed to appear to be a contemporary of the refitted Constitution class and Miranda class, with similar designs for the primary hull and virtually identical warp nacelles. A Constellation-class starship is composed of a saucer-shaped primary hull with two backward-angled pylons at the aft end. The pylons rise vertically from the ventral side and dorsal side and each supports two warp nacelles at its end.

Other Constellation-class starships

 * USS Constellation (NX1974/NCC-1974) : Mentioned briefly in background dialogue in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and appeared as a listing on a computer display in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, but never appeared on screen. She is assumed to be the lead ship of the Constellation class.


 * USS Gettysburg (NCC-3890) : Mentioned in dialogue in the Next Generation episode Too Short a Season, but never appearing on screen, the Star Trek: Encyclopedia has listed this ship as a Constellation class. A starship Gettysburg was also mentioned during the Deep Space Nine episode Treachery, Faith, and the Great River.


 * USS Magellan (NCC-3069) : A USS Magellan was mentioned in dialogue in the Next Generation episode Starship Mine. The Star Trek: Encyclopedia lists this starship as a Constellation class. A USS Magellan was also mentioned in dialogue in the Deep Space Nine episode Sacrifice of Angels, but it is unclear whether this ship is the same one from the Next Generation episode, or even whether it appeared on screen.


 * USS Sheffield  (NCC-1982-B) : The final designation of Constellation class studio shooting model when it became a display on various tours and conventions. According to Rick Sternbach, it didn't appear under this designation in on-screen footage.


 * USS Victory (NCC-9754) : Appearing briefly in the Next Generation episode Elementary, Dear Data, the Victory is described as Commander Geordi La Forge's first Starfleet assignment. Aside from this appearance the Victory was mentioned in dialogue in a number of episodes of Next Generation and Deep Space Nine.