A small Federation starship used for relatively short-range travel.
Resembling an enlarged shuttlesraft, Danube-class runabouts had
a cockpit that incorporated a short-range two person transporter, as
well as seating for four people, including a two-person flight crew.
The Danube-class ranabout's aft section contained living
accommadations, and the midsection was a detachable module that could
be replaced for different mission profiles. The Enterprise-D
off-loaded three Danube-class runabouts at station Deep Space
Nine in 2369. Starfleet commissioned the first Danube-class runabouts
in 2368. Aft of the pilots' compartment, the craft contained a small
living area, with bunks and a replicator for food processing. This
area made the craft comfortable for extended travel. A
Danube-class runabout's exterior is made from duranium
comnposites. Danube-class runabouts include:
Danube-class runabouts were first seen in "Emissary" (DS9), although the U.S.S. Jenolan (Scotty's Sydney-class transport in "Relics" [TNG]) may also have been an early runabout. The aft section of the Danube-classrunabout was first seen in "Timescape" (TNG). The Danube-class runabouts seen in Deep Space Nine are traditionally named after great rivers. The Danube-class runabouts was designed by Rick Sternbach and Jim Martin., and the interior cockpit set was designed by Joseph Hodges, all under the direction of Herman Zimmerman. The aft compartment was designed by Richard James. The miniature was built by Tony Meininger. Although Danube-class runabouts are primarily used in Deep Space Nine, Picard and company took a trip in an unamed Danube-class runabout in "Timescape" (TNG), which was the only time to date that the aft compartment has been seen.
