The Galaxy-class is a type of Federation starship, currently employed by Starfleet.
History
The Galaxy-class Development Project began at the Utopia Planitia shipyards in 2346.
Development
The design took elements from the Ambassador-class, but there are noticeable differences between the two. The basic hull geometry is the same, but the stardrive section's overall shape is completely different.
The first Galaxy-class ship, the namesake, was launched in 2358.
Refits
The Galaxy-class currently possesses six different refits.
The first refit, the Mark-II, added two phaser platforms to the dorsal warp nacelles. Subsequent refits only added minor improvements, with the exception of one. The first ship to recieve this refit was the U.S.S. Venture.
Most notably, the new Mark-VI adds pulsed phaser arrays, multi-layered shielding, and new, prototype phased plasma torpedoes. The only starship that currently has this refit installed is the U.S.S. Challenger.
Notable Galaxy-Class Starships
U.S.S. Challenger NCC - 71099
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC - 1701-D
U.S.S. Venture NCC - 71854