| Onizuka, a type-15 shuttlepod. | |
| Affiliation: | Federation Starfleet |
| Length: | 3.6 meters |
| Crew: | 2 pilots, 1 passenger |
| First seen: | 2365 |
| The cramped shuttlepod interior. | |
The type-15 shuttlepod is a Federation shuttlepod carried by Starfleet starships, a small version of Starfleet's larger shuttlecraft.
Service history
The type-15 shuttlepods were introduced sometime prior to 2365. They are part of the standard shuttle complement on Galaxy class (TNG: "Time Squared"), Renaissance class (TNG: "Identity Crisis"), and Nebula class (DS9: "Second Sight") starships.
Technical data
Two long range 500 millicochrane impulse driver engines are contained within nacelles on either side of the shuttlepod. The shuttle is also equipped with eight DeFi 657 hot gas RCS microfusion thrusters. Additional power is provided by three sarium krellide power cells. (TNG: "In Theory", "Descent, Part I") While normally specified as an impulse-driven craft (TNG: "Time Squared"), some of these vessels are outfitted with low-capacity warp drives. (TNG: "The Mind's Eye") The type-15 shuttlepod is also equipped with two type IV phaser emitters for defense.
The normal flight crew is two pilots, although the shuttle can easily be operated by a single being. The ship also has a small cargo space, which can be used for carrying supplies. The cargo area was loaded and accessed through a hatch in the back of the craft. (TNG: "The Most Toys") The type-15 is not normally outfitted to carry passengers, but a bench can be installed in the cargo area for a single crewperson. In this configuration, the cargo hatch serves as an emergency egress point, which can be blown away by explosive charges. (TNG: "Power Play")
The open rear hatch of a type-15 shuttlepod.
List of Type-15 shuttlepods
USS Aries (NCC-45167)
- Cousteau (TNG: "Identity Crisis")
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
- #01 - Unknown (TNG: "Devil's Due")
- #03 - Voltaire (TNG: "In Theory")
- #05 - El-Baz (TNG: "Time Squared," "Transfigurations," "Descent, Part I," "Descent, Part II")
- #07 - Onizuka (TNG: "The Ensigns of Command", "The Mind's Eye", "The Outcast")
- #09 - Ley (TNG: "The Price")
- #12 - Pike (TNG: "The Most Toys")
- Campbell (TNG: "Power Play")
USS Prometheus (NCC-71201)
- Unnamed (DS9: "Second Sight")
- Used by Gideon Seyetik to reignite Epsilon 119 star; destroyed
Background information
The shuttlepod was designed by Rick Sternbach and Richard McKenzie and the miniature was constructed by Tony Meininger. It was introduced in the second season of Star Trek: The Next Generation to alleviate the costs associated with building exteriors and mockups of the larger, more elaborate types of warp-capable passenger shuttles. The exterior of the type-7 shuttlecraft, built for TNG: "Unnatural Selection," was not entirely convincing and could be shot from limited angles. These ships were designed to carry fewer people, and had slower speeds. Originally intended to be impulse-only, as specified by Riker in TNG: "Time Squared", dramatic requirements often had the shuttles traveling long distances that would require warp speeds, so we must assume that certain craft shown traveling long distances were fitted with some sort of warp drive. The type-15 designation was never spoken onscreen, but was derived from background graphics and artwork, reiterated by the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual.
By the fifth season of TNG, the shuttlepod was joined by the larger type-6 shuttlecraft, which also had a fullscale mockup which matched its filming miniature. The interior set of the shuttlepod was also reused for the type-18 shuttlepod in DS9: "The Search, Part I," "The Search, Part II," and "Destiny."