williams_482Jun 22, 2023

Why was the Galaxy class saucer separation ability so rarely used?

https://startrek.website/post/96822

Why was the Galaxy class saucer separation ability so rarely used? - Star Trek: Website

The Galaxy class starship was designed with the ability to separate the saucer from the stardrive section, so that the “floating” city part of the ship could be left somewhere safe while the rest of the ship galavants off to do something risky. We see this happen precisely once, in the season one episode Arsenal of Freedom. We also see saucer separation deployed for a handful of tactical and or emergency uses (such as against the Borg in The Best of Both Worlds, or to escape the breaching warp core in Generations). So, this seems like a useful ability to have, and the Enterprise is constantly being sent into dangerous situations. Why not use this ability more frequently?

Show threadjapps13Jun 23, 2023
Do we know if it is really used infrequently, or does it just happen that it is not used during the events pictured on screen? There is no dialog where a character claims that it is used infrequently?
Show threadwilliams_482Jun 23, 2023
Fair question, but given the sheer volume of notable things that happen to the Enterprise over the course of the show, it seems unlikely that an event serious enough to warrant saucer separation wouldn't have been shown.
Show threadmaegulJun 23, 2023

A lot of the focus here seems to be on the military utility, which is also how I suppose the separation feature was presented in the show.

But an obvious use case would probably have been less dramatic. Anytime two things needed to be done at the same time. Send the drive section to the more distant or dangerous location and keep the saucer where it’s safer, like running supplies or something for a planet.

Don’t know it would have been good TV though?! Perhaps if it was used as a plot device to put the ship in trouble?

Show threadwrosecrans
@maegul @williams_482 I think it would actually be good TV for Lower Decks. A California class might have to visit a Galaxy class saucer that has been left in orbit for a month managing a research expedition or a conference, while the stardrive section got delayed hunting a Romulan warbird.
It just wouldn't be good television for a show set on a Galaxy class ship. The only way to do a "split ship" show would probably be to mainly follow characters on only one half.
Jun 23, 2023 at 6:08pmWeb
Show threadwilliams_482Jun 23, 2023

Yeah, that's a plausible scenario, and folding that into a Lower Decks episode is totally doable.

The only thing I'd tack on is that a hero ship getting lost chasing a Romulan Warbird is definitely interesting enough to merit an episode. With or without the saucer attached.

Show threadmaegulJun 23, 2023
This is a great way to bring a Galaxy class ship into lower decks!!