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Federation Probes

Standard Probes Special Probes Satellites Uncertain Probes Unknown Probes

Standard Probes

Most of the following Starfleet standard probes were mentioned in various episodes. The depictions and specifications are taken from the TNG Technical Manual, whereas an identification on screen was usually not possible owing to their small size relative to the starships. Possible inconsistencies in the appearance and performance of probes may be easily explained in that there are frequent upgrades, sometimes with new casings, in accordance with the DS9 Technical Manual.

Class 1

General description

This type of probes is equipped with a full EM/subspace and interstellar chemistry pallet for in-space applications.

Known probes

No name given

Annotations

Probes of Class 1 were mentioned and shown in TNG: "Where Silence Has Lease", "Time Squared", "Pen Pals" and "The Defector". They were just referred to in "Reunion". In "Where Silence Has Lease" there was a model looking like the TNGTM depiction. In "Pen Pals" the probe was just a light effect, but here it makes sense considering that Worf mentioned they would use torpedo casings for this particular mission. Finally, a display of the Mirror Defiant in "Shattered Mirror" depicted the Class-1 or Class-2 probe along with the Defiant MSD, hence confirming that probes looking like this really exist.
The DS9TM states that the Class 1 has an effective range of 32*10⁶km and a total delta-v of 0.6c. If this is true, it means a considerable upgrade of the device.

Class specifications

Sensor probe
Range: 200,000km
Max. speed: 0.5c

Class 2 Class 2 variant	General description This type of probes is equipped with a full EM/subspace and interstellar chemistry pallet for in-space applications. It is based on Class 1. In addition, Class 2 has enhanced long-range particle and field detectors and imaging system. Gallery: Other Small Federation Vessels	Known probes No name given
	Annotations This probe is visible in TNG: "The Most Toys", where is is just represented by a light. Additionally, Class 2 is mentioned in DS9: "Battle Lines". A relatively detailed model of the probe, closely resembling the design in the TNGTM, was built for VOY: "Real Life", although here it is once again only visible in the form of some lights.	Class specifications Sensor probe Range: 400,000km Max. speed: 0.65c

Class 3	General description This is a planetary probe, with a full range of terrestrial soft landing to subsurface penetrator missions. Gas giant atmosphere missions are survivable up to 450bar pressure.	Known probes No name given
	Annotations This type shows up in TNG: "The Enemy" where is resembles rather Class 1 or 2 than the TNGTM depiction of Class 3. The probe is also referred to in DS9: "Valiant".	Class specifications Planetary probe Range: 1,200,000km Max. speed: 0.65c

Class 4

General description

This is a stellar encounter probe, modified from Class 3. The probe is equipped with triply redundant stellar fields and particle detectors and a stellar atmosphere analysis suite. There are six ejectable/survivable radiation flux subprobes, deployable for nonstellar energy phenomena.

Known probes

No name given

Annotations

In DS9: "If Wishes Were Horses" such a probe is launched from Deep Space 9, but it looks quite different than the TNGTM depiction. Maybe this is already the upgrade mentioned in the DS9TM. The same detailed model (it looks much like s small starship, even with something looking like warp nacelles) is visible in "Rejoined" where the probe is launched somewhere from the Defiant's deflector. In addition, probes of this type are mentioned in TNG: "Rascals", "Relics" and DS9: "Children of Time". The Class-4 probe is used in TNG: "Relics" to study the Dyson Sphere, although it doesn't seem to be the best-suited type.
The same model of Class 4 as in its previous appearances on DS9 is also used in DS9: "Meridian", this time for a probe whose designation is not mentioned but which is launched into a star's corona. Since this is exactly the purpose of Class 4, we silently assume it is another appearance of this very type.
According to the DS9TM, the new effective range of Class 4 is 72.3*10⁶km, and the total delta-v is 0.98c.

Class specifications

Stellar encounter probe
Range: 3,500,000km
Max. speed: 0.6c

Class 5

General description

This is a medium-range reconnaissance probe, with extended passive data-gathering and recording systems. The probe has a full autonomous mission execution and return system and is capable of atmosphere entry and soft landing. It is coated for low observability and may be modified for tactical missions with a custom sensor countermeasure package.

Known probes

No name given

Annotations

Such a probe is mentioned but not shown in TNG: "Chain of Command".
In VOY: "Blink of an Eye" B'Elanna modifies a Class-5 probe for low-orbit observation. Although the Class 5 is designed as a mid-range warp probe, the special environment of the "accelerated" planet may require its use (also because of its low observability). The probe seen in the episode looks like the multispatial probe (see below). This may be exactly the common new casing the DS9TM mentions for the combined Class 4 and 5.
The DS9TM notes that "the class-4 and class-5 upgrades have been combined into a single new class-5-type hull casing". The new effective range of Class 5 is 84.2*10⁹km, and the total delta-v is Warp 2.6.

Class specifications

Medium-range reconnaissance probe
Range: 43*10⁹km
Max. speed: Warp 2

Class 6	General description This is a comm relay and emergency beacon, modified from Class 3. It provides 9270 RF and subspace channels, with a 360° antenna coverage and 0.0001 arc-second high-gain antenna pointing resolution. The probe features an extended deuterium supply for transceiver power generation and planetary orbit plane changes.	Known probes No name given
	Annotations This probe only appeared in the TNGTM.	Class specifications Comm relay / emergency beacon Range: 43*10⁹km Max. speed: 0.8c

Class 7	General description This is a remote culture study probe, modified from Class 5. It is applicable to civilizations up to level III and has low observability coatings and hull materials. The maximum loiter time is 3.5 months. A low-impact molecular destruct package is tied to antitamper detectors.	Known probes No name given
	Annotations This probe only appeared in the TNGTM.	Class specifications Remote culture study probe Range: 450*10⁶km Max. speed: Warp 1.5

Class 8	General description This probe uses a modified photon torpedo casing. It is equipped with a standard sensor pallet and mission-specific modules. Its applications vary from galactic particles and fields research to early-warning reconnaissance missions.	Known probes No name given
	Annotations A modified probe of this type was used for the transport of K'Ehleyr in TNG: "The Emissary".	Class specifications Medium-range multimission warp probe Range: 120ly Max. speed: Warp 9

Class 9	General description This probe uses a modified photon torpedo casing. It is equipped with a standard sensor pallet and mission-specific modules. The typical application is an emergency log/message capsule on homing trajectory to the nearest starbase or known Starfleet vessel position.	Known probes No name given
	Annotations This probe only appeared in the TNGTM.	Class specifications Long-range multimission warp probe Range: 760ly Max. speed: Warp 9

Special Probes

Atmospheric probe	General description This may be another standard probe, but further specifications are unknown.	Known probes No name given
	Annotations When the Defiant was trapped inside a gas giant's atmosphere in DS9: "Starship Down", this probe was modified and used to destroy a Jem'Hadar attack ship. Maybe this is just Class 3 in a new casing?	Class specifications None available

"Egg" type	General description Dr. Paul Stubbs built this special probe to examine a stellar explosion.	Known probes "Egg"
	Annotations The "egg" prop seen in TNG: "Evolution" was designed by Rick Sternbach. It is said to be a modification of the virus containment device originally built for TNG: "The Child".	Class specifications None available

Interface probe	General description The interface probe is a remote-controlled device for investigations is hostile environmental conditions.	Known probes No name given
	Annotations The probe appeared in TNG: "Interface" where Geordi controlled it through his neural interface. It may have been designed for indoor use and hence not a space probe in a classic sense, but could most likely be operated in open space as well.	Class specifications None available

Mars defense probe

General description

The Mars perimeter defense probes are used to protect the Sol system from hostile intruders.
Article: Analysis of the Qualor II Surplus Depot

Known probes

No name given

Annotations

The miniatures of the probes, seen in TNG: "Best of Both Worlds", are made from a Soviet Typhoon-class submarine, with two Los Angeles-class submarines as nacelles.
It is uncertain whether these probes are capable of warp flight. It seems they are sublight probes, since they approached the Borg cube as late as it had already crossed the Mars perimeter.
The studio miniature also appeared in the Qualor II junkyard in TNG: "Unification".

Class specifications

None available

Microprobe	General description Microprobes belong to the inventory of USS Voyager.	Known probes No name given
	Annotations Microprobes were mentioned in VOY: "The Cloud" and "Eye of the Needle", represented just by a light effect.	Class specifications None available

Multispatial probe	General description This special probe with Borg shielding belongs to the inventory of USS Voyager. It is a small probe that fits into the cargo hold of the Delta Flyer. It is used to map space, but its more exact purpose remains unknown. Gallery: Other Small Federation Vessels	Known probes No name given
	Annotations The multispatial probe must be something immensely valuable, as the crew took all the efforts to build the Delta Flyer and accepted the danger to enter a gas giant atmosphere, only to retrieve this probe in VOY: "Extreme Risk". Its purpose, however, remains a mystery.	Class specifications None available

Radio beacon	General description The radio beacon supports navigation and communication. Gallery: Other Small Federation Vessels	Known buoys No name given
	Annotations Voyager launched such a beacon while in "chaotic space" in VOY: "The Fight", where it served as a navigation aid. It is possible that this probe is a further development of the above Class 6.	Class specifications None available

Soliton wave rider	General description This unmanned spacecraft was used for the test of the soliton wave as a new propulsion method. Article: Analysis of the Qualor II Surplus Depot	Known probes No name given
	Annotations The soliton wave test took place (and failed) in TNG: "New Ground". It makes sense that Starfleet would use an existing large probe resembling a starship for this purpose. It was not mentioned in the episode that the probe was specifically built for the test, so it could be the same type as the Mars perimeter defense probes whose miniature was re-used here.	Class specifications None available

Utopia Planitia defense drone

General description

This appears to be an unmanned spacecraft, originally built to protect Utopia Planitia, but reprogrammed to attack the shipyards in 2384.

Known drones

No name given

Annotations

These drones appear in SHO: "Children of Mars", PIC: "Remembrance", "Maps and Legends", "The End is the Beginning" and "Et in Arcadia Ego II". We can infer from the story that they were unmanned.
The design is based on the Section 31 drones from Discovery. The roughly hexagonal flat shape of the original drone was supplemented with even much flatter "wings". We can't tell how big these drones are and why they would be so extremely flat (making them a great target from many angles).

There is a continuity error because for the Picard episodes a big Starfleet emblem was added to the drones that was not yet present in the Short Treks episode. It is an oddity anyway why Starfleet would decorate their attack drones (but not their ships) that way.

Class specifications

None available

Satellites

Mars defense satellite	General description Large numbers of this satellite can be found in orbit of Mars in 2384.	Known satellites No name given
	Annotations This satellite is visible in PIC: "Maps and Legends" and in the recap for "The End is the Beginning". The latter shows slightly modified footage.	Class specifications None available

Ultraviolet satellite	General description The only purpose of these small satellites is to emit ultraviolet radiation. They can be deployed from 23rd century Federation starships in a planet's orbit and are energized via remote control.	Known satellites No name given
	Annotations We can see the satellites for the first time in the TOS-R version of "Operation: Annihilate!". It remains unknown whether the no less than 210 deployed satellites were specially constructed to fight the neural parasite infestation on Deneva. Most likely the basic satellites were ready-made standard devices with power supply, radio receivers and attitude control. But they needed to be rigged at least with the ultraviolet emitters that don't sound like they could be available on standard-issue satellites or buoys. A lot of work for Scotty and his staff!	Class specifications None available

Uncertain Probes

It is uncertain whether the following probes whose name or purpose was not explicitly stated exist as distinct types. Maybe they just belong to one of the above standard types, even if they look somewhat different.

Emergency buoy	General description This type of buoys can be launched from Galaxy-class ships to transmit the log entries.	Known buoys No name given
	Annotations The buoy appeared in TNG: "Descent". Its purpose sounds very much like the one of the above standard probe Class 6.	Class specifications None available

Scanner probe	General description It is unknown whether this could be one of the standard probes.	Known probes No name given
	Annotations Before the standard probe of Class 1 is started in TNG: "Where Silence Has Lease", Picard orders the launch of a "scanner probe" that vanishes after a few seconds. The scanner probe is likely a device with fewer options and a smaller range than Class 1. On the other hand, Class 1 is already the least complex of the standard probes. The footage is identical to the later Class 1 probe in the same episode "Where Silence Has Lease". The probe would later appear as Class 3 in TNG: "The Enemy".	Class specifications None available

Transponder

General description

This is a probe that broadcasts the name, registry and other pieces of information to allow the identification of a Starfleet vessel.

Known probes

No name given

Annotations

The USS Titan drops several of these probes as decoys while on the run from Changeling-infested Starfleet vessels in PIC: "The Bounty". It is possible that standard probes were rigged to act as transponders because normally there should not be more than one of them, and not outside the ship.
The design of the transponder is similar to Voyager's multispatial probe from VOY: "Extreme Risk".

Class specifications

None available

Uncertain probe 1	General description It is unknown whether this is a distinct type of probes and what purpose it is used for.	Known probes No name given
	Annotations A not further specified probe was launched in TNG: "The Outcast". While it resembled the standard types in the TNGTM, there is no perfect match. The footage as seen on the bridge viewscreen is the same as in "Where Silence Has Lease".	Class specifications None available

Uncertain probe 2	General description It is unknown whether this is a distinct type of probes and what purpose it is used for.	Known probes No name given
	Annotations A not further specified probe was launched in TNG: "Lower Decks". It resembled the standard types in (Class 1 and 2 in the TNGTM, Class 1 and 3 on screen). This probe was previously seen as emergency buoy in TNG: "Descent" (see above).	Class specifications None available

Unknown Probes

Quadros 1, long-range probe, launched in the 22nd century, explored parts of the Gamma Quadrant, including the Idran system (DS9: "Emissary")

Vega IX, long-range probe that was sent to record the collapse of the star Beta Stromgren and discovered the living ship named Gomtuu (TNG: "Tin Man")

We may assume that Vega IX is the individual name of the probe.

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Federation Probes

Standard Probes

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Known probes

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Special Probes

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Known buoys

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Known drones

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Satellites

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Known satellites

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