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Phaser drill

Voyager crew using phaser drills.

A phaser drill was an excavation device employing phaser technology to drill holes into rock formations or a planet's mantle. The device employed tripods to stabilize it during firing. Given its size, it was built with a longer lasting or more powerful energy supply than a typical weapon phaser.

In many instances, a starship's phasers were employed to act as a drill. In 2367, the USS Enterprise-D used its main phasers as a drill 1.6 kilometers underground to access the protected bunker on Turkana IV to rescue hostages. (TNG: "Legacy") In 2368, the Enterprise-D used its phasers to bore holes into the mantle of Penthara IV to release carbon dioxide located in subterranean pockets. The tectonic stability of the planet was overestimated, however, and the drilling caused massive earthquakes and volcanic outbreaks. (TNG: "A Matter Of Time")

Commander Chakotay employed phaser drills to free the Delta Flyer from a rock face. (VOY: "Once Upon a Time")

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