
The Constitution Class is a Federation Starship-class, Class I heavy cruiser that was used for galactic exploration and diplomacy in the mid-23rd century. It is prominently featured in the Star Trek universe and has several nicknames and subclass names in fandom, including the Bonhomme Richard, Achernar, and Tikopai. The Constitution Class is also referred to as the undisputed Queen of the Fleet and has been featured in fan film productions like Star Trek: Phase II and Starship Exeter.
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What You'll Learn

Names from Joseph's Star Fleet Technical Manual
Franz Joseph's Star Fleet Technical Manual is a non-canon source that lists over a hundred Constitution-class ships divided into subclasses. The subclasses are:
- Constitution
- Bonhomme Richard
- Achernar
- Tikopai
Joseph included all the ship names that the original series producers had proposed at the start of the second season. These names were also listed in his Star Trek Blueprints companion publication.
The Constitution-class was the largest and most elaborate vessel class Starfleet had fielded at the time. It featured an unprecedented 14 research labs, making it the most extensive mobile research platform ever deployed by the Federation. The class utilized a greater level of modularity, allowing for incremental changes to the configuration. This flexibility became the standard starship design practice.
The Constitution-class was also among the first to allow for primary-hull saucer separation, although this was only to be used in emergencies. The separation used explosive bolts, and the ship could only be reconnected at a starbase.
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Names from Ships of the Star Fleet
The Constitution-class starships were the largest and most elaborate vessels in the Starfleet. They were used as premier exploratory vessels during the mid-23rd century. The class was known for its celebrated missions of galactic exploration and diplomacy.
The Ships of the Star Fleet list includes the following names:
- USS Endeavour (NCC-1895)
- USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
- USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)
- USS Excalibur (NCC-1664)
- USS Exeter (NCC-1672)
- USS Hood (NCC-1703)
Other names from the Ships of the Star Fleet list include the USS Ahwahnee, USS Constellation, USS Defiant, USS Eagle, USS Emden, USS Intrepid, USS Korolev, USS Lexington, and USS Potemkin.
The Constitution-class starships were among the first to allow for primary-hull saucer separation in emergencies. They were also used to test Federation-built copies of the Romulan cloaking device. The interior design of the engineering section was drastically upgraded during the 2270s refit, and the medical facilities were considerably updated.
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Names from Star Trek Adversaries
The Constitution Class is a Flagship in Star Trek Adversaries. While it is not considered canon, several sources have produced a long list of Constitution-class starships. The main source was Franz Joseph's Star Fleet Technical Manual, which listed over a hundred Constitution-class ships divided into subclasses: Constitution, Bonhomme Richard, Achernar, and Tikopai. Ships of the class were later expanded by other publications, such as Ships of the Star Fleet, which included the Endeavour, Enterprise, and Enterprise (II) subclasses.
The Constitution-class was a Federation Starship-class, Class I heavy cruiser that was used as a premier exploratory Starfleet vessel during the mid-23rd century. They were designed for long-duration exploration and patrol missions with minimal outside support and were best known for their celebrated missions of galactic exploration and diplomacy. These starships were capable of operating on five-year mission cycles, with an operating endurance of eighteen years.
The Constitution-class starships were among the first to allow for primary-hull saucer separation, though only in emergencies, as the separation's use of explosive bolts required starbase facilities for reconnection. They featured fourteen research labs each, making them the most extensive mobile research platforms ever deployed by the Federation. The class utilized a greater level of modularity, which allowed for incremental changes to configuration, and this flexibility became standard starship design practice.
The Constitution-class vessels featured staterooms for senior officers, composed of two areas separated by a retractable, transparent aluminum partition. The entrance opened into the living area, which included a library computer terminal and a work desk. The sleeping area held a single large bed that could double as a sofa during off-duty relaxation. By the 2290s, crew space was limited, and the size of officers' quarters was reduced, with crewmen housed in dormitories with bunk beds. The original Constitution-class starships also had at least six recreation rooms, including 3D chess and card game tables.
The Constitution-class starships underwent a significant refit in the 2270s, with the interior design of the engineering section being drastically upgraded to include a vertical warp core and a horizontal intermix area. The medical facilities were also considerably updated, with new micro-diagnostic tables and medical stasis units.
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Names from Star Trek: Phase II
The Constitution-class was a Federation Starship-class, Class I heavy cruiser used as a premier exploratory Starfleet vessel during the mid-23rd century. These starships were designed for long-duration exploration and patrol missions with minimal outside support. They were best known for their celebrated missions of galactic exploration and diplomacy.
While the Constitution-class was prominently featured in fan film productions like Star Trek: Phase II, it is not considered canon. Several sources have produced a long list of Constitution-class starships. The main source was Franz Joseph's Star Fleet Technical Manual, which listed over one hundred Constitution-class ships divided into subclasses: Constitution, Bonhomme Richard, Achernar, and Tikopai. Ships of the class were later expanded by other publications, such as Ships of the Star Fleet, which included the Endeavour, Enterprise, and Enterprise (II) subclasses.
Joseph incorporated all the ship names the Original Series producers had originally proposed at the start of the second season. These included the USS Ahwahnee, USS Constellation, USS Defiant, USS Eagle, USS Emden, USS Endeavour, USS Enterprise, USS Excalibur, USS Exeter, USS Hood, USS Intrepid, USS Korolev, and USS Lexington.
Some of the ships featured in Star Trek: Phase II include the USS Kongo, the USS Enterprise, and the USS Exeter. The USS Kongo performs a saucer separation in the second episode of the series. The USS Enterprise, the "classic ship we all know and love", is destroyed via self-destruct in 2285. The USS Exeter is quarantined and abandoned in 2268.
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Names from Starship Farragut
The Starship Farragut is a fan film production featuring Constitution-class vessels. The Constitution-class starships were Federation Starship-class, Class I heavy cruisers used for galactic exploration and diplomacy in the mid-23rd century. They were designed for long-duration exploration and patrol missions with minimal outside support.
The Constitution-class starships were the largest and most elaborate vessel class Starfleet had fielded, with an unprecedented 14 research labs each. They became the most extensive mobile research platforms ever deployed by the Federation, expanding known space by thousands of cubic parsecs. The class utilized a greater level of modularity, which allowed for incremental changes to the configuration and became a standard starship design practice.
The Constitution-class starships were known for their celebrated missions and were featured in various fan productions, including Star Trek: Phase II, Starship Exeter, and Of Gods and Men, in addition to Starship Farragut.
While the specific names of the Constitution-class vessels in Starship Farragut are not mentioned in the sources, Franz Joseph's Star Fleet Technical Manual provides a list of over 100 Constitution-class ships divided into subclasses: Constitution, Bonhomme Richard, Achernar, and Tikopai. Other sources, such as Ships of the Star Fleet, include subclasses like Endeavour, Enterprise, and Enterprise (II).
The Constitution-class vessels were often referred to by their registry numbers, such as NCC-1701 for the classic USS Enterprise, which was destroyed via self-destruct in 2285. The replacement Enterprise, a refit Constitution-class ship, was ordered to be decommissioned in 2293.
The Constitution-class starships underwent significant refits in the 1970s, with upgrades to the engineering section, medical facilities, and crew quarters. They were known for their duotronic computer systems, retractable aluminium partitions, and recreational facilities, including 3D chess and card game tables.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution class has been referred to by several names in the Star Trek fandom, including:
- Federation Starship-class
- Class I heavy cruiser
- Starship-class
- Star Fleet
- Constitution-II Class
Some examples of starships that are part of the Constitution class include the USS Ahwahnee, USS Constellation, USS Defiant, USS Eagle, USS Emden, USS Endeavour, USS Enterprise, USS Excalibur, USS Exeter, and USS Hood.
Constitution-class starships were designed for long-duration exploration and patrol missions with minimal outside support. They were capable of operating on five-year mission cycles and had an operating endurance of eighteen years. They also featured fourteen research labs each, making them the most extensive mobile research platforms ever deployed by the Federation.
The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) is a classic example of a Constitution-class starship that was featured in Star Trek. The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A) was a refit Constitution-class ship that also appeared in the franchise.
Yes, there have been several notable upgrades and modifications to the Constitution-class starships over time. For example, in 2267, the probe Nomad increased the ship's engine efficiency by 57%, allowing it to reach warp 11. However, these upgrades were later reversed as they were causing too much stress on the ship's structure. In the late 2260s and early 2270s, the starships underwent a major refit, which included upgrades to the engineering section, medical facilities, and crew quarters.

























