Explorers
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Explorers are the largest, most powerful, most versatile ships fielded by Starfleet. As their classification indicates, their primary purpose is exploration. Because they can encounter virtually any situation (including many threatening ones), and because they often conduct multi-year missions far from Federation space, they contain a wide variety of systems, including ones designed to ensure the comfort of the crew during extended assignments. They are also Starfleet's most heavily armed vessels.
Since the earliest days of Starfleet, Explorers have served prominently in the fleet. From the early Daedalus- and Ranger-class ships, to the famous Constitution-class of James T. Kirk and his contemporaries, to the Ambassador-class developed earlier this century (now downgraded to Heavy Cruiser), each previous design has influenced the modern Explorers such as the Galaxy- and Sovereign-classes. The design style which now characterizes the Explorer ship type - primary hull ("saucer"), engineering hull, and nacelle-and-pylon - can be seen in even the earliest Explorers. Some Cruisers have also contributed design elements to the modern Explorers.