Steadfast-A Small Craft Assignment
Shuttlecraft Operations
The Steadfast-A is equipped with auxiliary shuttlecraft to support mission objectives.
Standard complement of shuttlecraft includes ten standard personnel shuttles, then cargo shuttles, and five special-purpose craft. Additional special-purpose shuttles can be provided to a starship as necessary. The Steadfast-A also carries twelve two-person shuttlepods for extravehicluar and short-range use.
Operating rules require that at least eleven shuttle vehicles be maintained at operational status at all times. Cruise Mode operating rules require one standard shuttlecraft and one shuttlepod to be at urgent stand-by at all times, available for launch at five minutes' notice. Four additional shuttlecraft are always available on immediate stand-by (thirty minutes to launch), and an additional six vehicles are maintained for launch with twelve hours' notice. Red Alert Mode operating rules require two additional shuttles to be brought to urgent stand-by, and all nine remaining operational vehicles to be maintained at immediate stand-by.
Shuttlebays
The Galaxy class USS Steadfast-A has three major facilities intended for the support of auxiliary shuttlecraft operations from the ship.
The Main Shuttlebay, located in the center and aft sections of Deck 4 in the Primary Hull, includes launch support, recovery, and maintenance facilities for shuttle operations.
Two additional secondary shuttlebays are located in the center and aft sections (both port and starboard) of Deck 13 in the dorsal area of the Secondary Hull.
Shuttlebay exterior space doors are triple-layered compressible extruded duranium. Inner doors are composed of lightweight neofoam sheeting in an expanded tritanium framework. During active shuttlebay operations, atmospheric integrity is maintained by means of an annular forcefield, which permits both doors to remain open for vehicluar ingress and egress without depressurizing the bay.
Shuttlebay Two also includes a dedicated maintenance bay for servicing sensor array pallets. Two shuttlepods are provided for extravehicular removal and replacement of these pallets. Additionally, two adjacent maintenance bays provide work facilities for preparation and servicing of mission-specific sensor instrumentation.