Star Trek: Every Starfleet Starship Class Ranked Worst To Best
12. Nebula
The Nebula class ship first appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation episode The Wounded, though in a slightly different configuration to what would follow. The sensor pod that sits above the saucer section on the USS Phoenix was oval, as opposed to the triangular pod that would follow in almost all succeeding vessels.
The Nebula class ship was a tough vessel, following some of the designs of the Galaxy class. Both ships shared a large, oval shaped saucer section and a drive section. However, where the Galaxy class had the nacelles above the drive section, the Nebula class had Nacelles below. Then, the afroementioned sensor pod rises above the back of the Nebula.
Several Nebula class ships took part in battles throughout conflicts with the Borg and the Dominion, though the primary mission for these vessels was scientific research. The Prometheus took part in the mission by Dr. Seyetik to reignite a star, while others of the class helped expand the Federation.