Probes are utilized by Starfleet to examine distant objects currently outside the range of the station or vessel's sensors or that it is risky for the crew to examine. In some situations a probe can be modified to serve as a last ditch weapon if needed or as an emergency long range warp transport. At present there are nine classes of probes carried aboard Starfleet installations.
Probe Classes
- Class 1
- A Class 1 probe has a full EM/Subspace and interstellar chemistry pallet for in-space applications with a range of 200,000 km.
- Class 2
- A Class 2 probe has a full EM/Subspace and interstellar chemistry pallet for in-space applications, enhanced long-range particle and field detectors and imaging system with a range of 400,000 km.
- Class 3
- A Class 3 probe is a Planetary Probe with a terrestrial and gas giant sensor pallet with material sample and return capability, and an on-board chemical analysis sub-module.
- Class 4
- A Class 4 probe is a specialized Stellar Encounter Probe designed to enter into the corona of a Star. They are outfitted with triply redundant stellar fields, particle detectors, and a stellar atmosphere analysis suite.
- Class 5
- A Class 5 probe is Medium-Range Reconnaissance Probe with extended passive data-gathering and recording systems and a full autonomous mission execution and return system. The probe is capable of planetary atmosphere entry and soft landing capability. They can be further enhanced with low observability coatings and hull materials as well as a custom sensor countermeasure package.
- Class 6
- A Class 6 probe is a Communications Relay and Emergency Beacon.
- Class 7
- A Class 7 probe is a remote Culture Study Probe with a passive data gathering system and subspace transceiver. It is applicable to civilizations up to technology level III with low observability coatings and hull materials. It also has an internalized self destruct protocol.
- Class 8
- A Class 8 probe is a Medium-Range Multimission Warp Probe with a range of 1.2 light years. Applications vary from galactic particles and fields research to early-warning reconnaissance missions.
- Class 9
- A Class 9 probe is a Long-Range Multimission Warp Probe with a range of 7.6 light years that has been converted from a modified Torpedo casing. Applications vary from galactic particles and fields research to early-warning reconnaissance missions. Typical application is emergency log-message capsule on homing trajectory to nearest starbase or known Starfleet vessel position. In emergencies these vessels can also be modified as a passenger transport.
Real World
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