"Жұлдыз жолындағы "Дануб" классы ғарыш кемелері"

Small starships/large shuttles in the sci fi franchise

Runabouts ("Danube class" vessels) are a fictional class of small, multi purpose starships appearing in the Star Trek science fiction franchise, primarily the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which aired on syndicated television between 1993 and 1999. They served as a means of transport for the crew of the fictional space station Deep Space Nine, in the early seasons of the series enabling storylines taking place away from the station. This spacecraft design was created primarily by Herman Zimmerman, Rick Sternbach and Jim Martin in the 1990s for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and later used throughout the franchise such as in books, comics, and games. The series bible describes the Danube class vessels as "the symbol of the Federation presence in [Deep Space Nines] sector". The Starfleet design elements were intended as a touch of familiarity for the characters (and in turn, the viewers) in environments dominated by alien designs and structures, specifically the Cardassians and Bajorans. From the third season of DS9 onwards, much of the exploration aspect of the series was facilitated by the starship USS Defiant, which took over much of the runabouts' previous role in allowing characters to move off the station. Defiant was introduced because the producers wanted the series to enable more than two or three characters to travel away from Deep Space Nine at once, while the introduction of the Dominion as an antagonist during the second season created the in universe requirement for a more powerful and combat capable starship based at Deep Space Nine. The Danube class vessels are larger than shuttlecraft seen in previous series of Star Trek, but significantly smaller than previously depicted starships. The runabouts are usually named after rivers on Earth. The hull of the Danube class runabout is shaped roughly like a long, rectangular box. A downward curving 'wing' is located on each side of the vessel; these start near the top of the hull, and curve down to the warp nacelles. The runabout's impulse drives are located between the wings and the vessel's body. The Deep Space Nine Technical Manual gives the runabout's dimensions as long, wide, and high. The runabouts have a two person flight crew, and can carry two other crew. According to the first season episode "Dax", they were capable of speeds up to Warp 5. Although not explored in the series, background materials indicate the runabout had a modular mission payload system, where the middle section of the runabout could be swapped out for modules carrying different equipment. The set was laid out with the two flight crew facing forward and out the windows, while consoles for the two other crew have them facing the sides of the runabout. The runabout's transporter was located in the centre rear of the compartment. One runabout, USS Ganges, appeared in season one episode "Past Prologue" with a 'roll bar' mounted over the top of the ship. This roll bar, described as containing sensor equipment, was added to the model to help viewers distinguish between Ganges and the runabout USS Yangtzee Kiang during a chase sequence. This episode used stock footage from various DS9 episodes; incongruously, the runabout's destruction depicts the vessel with a roll bar, while all previous scenes show the vessel without one. Screenwriter René Echevarria conceived the 'little ship show' idea as a comedic filler episode early in The Next Generations run, but despite suggesting it multiple times, did not receive the chance to go ahead until late in DS9s run. Meiniger built a new, long runabout model: dialogue in the episode specified that the runabout had shrunk to , but a model that small would have had problems with lighting and detail. The model was mounted on a specially built three axis head, which allowed for easier miniature effect work than with the original filming model.

NameRegistryDepictionNamed forUSS YellowstoneNX 74751Prototype for an advanced runabout designed in large part by Ensign Harry Kim and Lieutenant Laska in an alternate timeline. Destroyed by antimatter containment loss. A river in the western United States, also the first national park and a volcano

A large number of runabouts are damaged or destroyed over the course of the series. In the third season episode "Family Business", Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) quips, "The rate we go through runabouts, it's a good thing the Earth has so many rivers" (referencing the naming tradition of the Danube class vessels), and in Star Trek 101, authors Terry Erdmann and Paula Block comment that the series "goes through runabouts like potato chips".

In 1993, AMT/Ertl released a 1:72 scale model kit for the runabout USS Rio Grande. During the filming of season two, one of these models was put together by the show's art department for a miniature effect shot where a runabout exploded, instead of having to assemble, then destroy, a more expensive filming model. Later, the company released a 1:2500 scale model of Deep Space Nine itself, which included three runabouts to place on the station's landing pads. In 1994, Playmates Toys released a "Runabout Orinoco" playset, in which two of Playmates' action figures could be seated. A runabout was amongst the Star Trek Micro Machines produced by Galoob. As well as the standard toy, bronzed and silvered versions have been released in collectors' sets. Several 'ship' cards from Decipher, Inc.'s Star Trek Customizable Card Game depicted Danube class ships. A generic Runabout card (based on the appearance in The Next Generation) was included in the original set, with named runabouts appearing in subsequent sets. Runabouts appear in several incarnations in the Star Trek Online massively multiplayer online role playing game. Danube and Yellowstone classes appear as both playable 'small craft' starships and as decorative non combat pets to be displayed when using larger starships. The Danube class starship and pet correspond to the DS9 appearance, with the roll bar equipped. However, the Yellowstone runabouts have a different visual design to the ship's appearance in Star Trek: Voyager.

In 2017, CBR ranked the runabout the fifteenth most powerful spacecraft of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. They note they were an important vessel in the television show early on before the arrival of the USS Defiant spacecraft. They felt they were a big upgrade over smaller shuttlecraft of the period, and while they land the occasionally lucky shot against larger starships, they were no match for them in general.