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I ask this because I was myself asked, and did not know the answer (despite being a life-long Trekker). As this refers specifically to the Galaxy-class Enterprise, perhaps there is a specifications sheet that shows the answer?

Vogon Poet
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Raymond Danner
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  • At least 39, not including those that don't have names; http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Federation_shuttlecraft – Valorum Mar 23 '17 at 21:17
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    Does the question refer to the number of shuttles onboard at any one time, or the total throughout the ship's history? – Organic Marble Mar 24 '17 at 12:30
  • @Valorum But some of those were destroyed. We don't know how many of those 39 were replacements. If the question is about the standing complement, I don't think it's possible to answer. – Tim Sep 29 '17 at 02:03
  • The great irony of the Galaxy Class main shuttlebay is we never actually saw it until someone made a video game model of the whole ship. – lucasbachmann Mar 14 '23 at 16:53

3 Answers3

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From Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual:

The USS Enterprise is equipped with auxiliary shuttlecraft to support mission objectives.

Standard complement of shuttlecraft includes ten standard personnel shuttles, ten cargo shuttles, and five special purpose craft. Additional special-purpose shuttles can be provided to a starship as necessary. The Enterprise also carries twelve two-person shuttlepods for extravehicular 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 standby at all times, available for launch at five minutes' notice. Four additional shuttlecraft are always available on immediate standby (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 standby, and all nine remaining operational vehicles to be maintained at immediate standby.

The manual also lists what kind of auxiliary spacecrafts were carried on the Enterprise-D:

We also know from on-screen evidence that some Danube-class runabouts were aboard (could these possibly be the mentioned "special purpose craft"?).

And of course, there is also the Captain's Yacht.

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Sekhemty
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Specifications for the Galaxy class showed it had a 3 DECK shuttle bay! With literal parking lots for shuttlecraft and storage for shuttle pods (warpless) and small worker bees. Given this area it could potentially carry over 50 in the main shuttle bay alone. Design blueprints by TNG veteran artist Rick Sternbach showcase the main shuttlebay with Three decks, one for storage, one maintenance and one for launch/recovery. Not to mention the two adjacent shuttle bays in the engineering section that can hold about a dozen on board so. A total of 43 were counted in the series. enter image description here

LazyReader
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    I think you would do well to take on the advice given previously and include evidence in your answers to back them up. Also don’t just answer to reiterate information. Note: not saying that is the case here, just in general – TheLethalCarrot May 10 '20 at 19:33
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    Specifications created by whom? What is the canonicity of these images and where did you get them from? – Valorum May 10 '20 at 20:10
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In season 3 episode 2 'The Ensigns of Command' at his computer panel, Lt Worf commented when asked by Cpt Picard how long it would take to evacuate the planets population of Tau Cygna V, due to the Sheliak. It calculated out to be 4 weeks and 4 days (or 32 days).

Given the population numbers stated and the time it calculates that some 70 shuttle craft were aboard Enterprise D based on Lt Worf's statement, which of course is clearly creative writers licence on a figure nobody would ever work out!

Peter Balikoff
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    Hi, welcome to SF&F. You could improve this answer by supplying the exact quotes and showing the math. – DavidW Mar 14 '23 at 10:42
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    The problem with trying to work this out with maths is that we have no idea what the absolute maximum (emergency) capacity of the various shuttles is. Can they carry more if they remove the bulkheads and seats, for example. – Valorum Mar 14 '23 at 11:36
  • We also don't know if Worf is factoring in that the shuttles only need to make it into orbit (at which point the transporters will start working) rather than all the way to the Enterprise. – Valorum Mar 14 '23 at 11:37