TEXT: Posted by Jesse Heinig on Decipher’s forums: 
  While I would normally post a weblog on a Friday at the end of the week, in this case I was pretty busy so 
  Saturday is it. The last week has seen a lot of work on the web adventures. Pending approval from 
  Paramount, we should have a few ready to go live once the new web site is done. That'll be a nice treat, and 
  we'll continue to post 'em as they're done. Some of them are older LUG convention adventures converted 
  over, but the majority are new ones submitted by people here and developed for the web.  
  With the web adventures out of the way, it's back to the usual book schedule. That means I've been starting 
  on some new material, like the rules for hologram and android characters and the outline of a possible book 
  on psionic powers. Plus, there's the usual back-and-forth to see if we can fit everything. Production (i.e. 
  Kieran) is working on the Star Trek: The Next Generation sourcebook, and some playtesters have seen a 
  few chapters already. One of the neat things is that we have room in there to include material that didn't fit 
  into earlier books or didn't make it for some reason, like the Constellation-class ship, which was supposed to 
  be in Starships but didn't make it at the last minute when we didn't have the art for it. So, to show you guys 
  I'm not sitting on my hands, here's the text for it, written by the most excellent Don Mappin!  
   
  STARFLEET CONSTELLATION-CLASS  
  Exploratory Cruiser; Commissioned: 2285  
   
  Hull Data  
  Structure: 30  
  Size/Decks: 6/16  
  Length/Height/Beam: 302/78/157  
  Complement: 350  
   
  Operational Data  
  Atmosphere Capable: No  
  Cargo Units: 60  
  Life Support: Class 2 (C)  
  Operations System: Class 3 (D)  
  Sensor System: Class 3a (+3/CC)  
  Separation System: No  
  Shuttlebay: 2a  
  Shuttlecraft: 12 Size worth  
  Tractor Beams: 1 fv, 1 ad, 1 av  
  Transporters: 6 standard, 6 emergency  
   
  Propulsion Data  
  Impulse System: RSV-2 (.5c) (CC)  
  Warp System: LN-64 Mod 3 x2 (8/9/12) 
  (CC)  
   
  Tactical Data  
  Phasers: Type VIII (x4/D)  
  Penetration: 5/5/4/0/0  
  Torpedo Launchers: Mk 22 DF (x4/D)  
  Photon Penetration: 5/5/5/5/5  
  Deflector Shield: CIDSS-1 (AA)  
  Protection/Threshold: 13/4  
   
  Miscellaneous Data  
  Maneuver Modifiers: +2 C, +0 H, +2 T  
  Traits: None 
   
  Mission  
  The Constellation-class was initially designed as an exploratory cruiser intended for 
  exploration and scientific missions coreward of the Milky Way Galaxy and along the 
  frontier of the Federation. Despite its commissioning profile, limitations forced its use 
  closer to Federation starbases and outposts. Nevertheless, the class serves as an all-
  around excellent surveyor and scientific vessel, capable of delivering a number of 
  dedicated scientific personnel to a specific location.  
   
  Features  
  The Constellation-class is the first Starfleet design to use a multi-layered warp field 
  through the use of a quad-nacelle design. The LN-64 Mod 3 warp engines generate an 
  overlapping warp field perpendicular from the centerline, as opposed to along the 
  centerline. The intent was to mimic some of the theoretical speeds promised by the 
  transwarp engine, but ultimately the gains were minimal.  
  A number of other enhancements are built into the Constellation-class for her role as an 
  explorer, including the uprated Class 3a sensor suite and dual shuttlebays similar to 
  those found on the Miranda-class. The bulk of the Constellation’s internal space is made 
  
  up of scientific laboratories and lateral sensor pallets. This space comes at something of 
  a cost, as living accommodations on board the cruiser are cramped.  
  As with most Starfleet cruiser designs, the Constellation-class is well-armed and able to 
  defend herself as necessary. Equipped with the latest Type VIII phaser arrays, this 
  cruiser can project a respectable amount of firepower. Unfortunately, the profile of her 
  warp nacelles provides several blind spots aft of the vessel. The Mk 22 direct fire photon 
  torpedo launchers extend her range capabilities.  
  The CIDSS-1 shield grid, the first of its kind, provides adequate protection and enhanced 
  particle dispersal—ships of the class can withstand a number of strikes with minimal 
  penetration. Unfortunately the CIDSS-1 grid is also underpowered and relatively easy to 
  overload and knock out in a sustained conflict. Thus, the Constellation-class is not 
  advised to take part in sustained engagements.  
  The two shuttlebays allow the vessel to fill a limited support role, but because of space 
  limitations her cargo and personnel carrying capacity are restricted. As such, the 
  Constellation-class is ill-suited for diplomatic or courier missions beyond first contact 
  situations.  
  Starfleet’s Corps of Engineers lists the Constellation’s standard mission duration at three 
  years, although in the last twenty years that has been lowered to a more reasonable two 
  years to account for both the class’ deficiencies and wear and tear on older systems. 
  The class was designed to last for at least 15 years between system overhauls, and 
  there have been no significant refits during that time. The replacement of her linear warp 
  drive engines was at one time attempted, but proved to be too time-consuming to rollout 
  fleetwide.  
   
  Background  
  The late 23rd century was one of exploration for Starfleet—not only within the Federation 
  but also on the drawing boards of starship designers. After the failure of the transwarp 
  experiments of the Excelsior-class, Starfleet engineers turned their attention to different 
  methods of increasing the warp travel speeds. While multi-nacelle designs had always 
  been considered, maintaining the stability of the subspace warp fields necessary for 
  faster-than-light travel had proven too difficult a hurdle to overcome. New duotronic 
  computer models in the late 2290s allowed for real-time warp field monitoring and 
  adjustment, allowing the first fully realized quad-nacelle starship: the Constellation-class.  
  Originally it was theorized that by overlaying multiple symmetrical warp fields the then-
  current warp envelope (still expressed in Original Cochrane Units) could be pushed even 
  further.  
  Prototypes of the Constellation-class achieved warp field stability with little difficulty; the 
  gains that had been hoped for were simply not realized. Instead the class gained only a 
  modest cruising speed upgrade. Too far along in the design process to begin anew, and 
  with Starfleet eager to have a deep-space exploration cruiser to replace the aging 
  Constitution-class, the Constellation cruiser was commissioned on 2292.  
  Her speed aside, the Constellation-class performed as expected, and better, at the task 
  of exploration and research. Constellation-class cruisers surveyed a number of stellar 
  anomalies over the years, including the first extensive review of a particle fountain.  
  Never intended as front-line combatants, ships of this class nevertheless saw action in 
  the Cardassian and Tholian wars, and even limited duty during the Dominion War. Long 
  since out of production, any vessels currently in service continue to remain active 
  throughout the duration of their operational lifetime and are then retired.  
   
  Ships in Service  
  Name Registry Notes  
  
  U.S.S. Antietam NCC-2874 Lost in unknown circumstances along the  
  Tholian border (2335)  
  U.S.S. Constellation NX-1974 Lead ship of the class, scrapped after extensive fire while 
  in Spacedock (2309); (R2)  
  U.S.S. Fading Sun NCC-2902 Commanded by Captain Andrew Greenberg;  
  heralded as one of Starfleet’s finest tacticians during the Pale Wolf Conflict (2322)  
  U.S.S. Gettysburg NCC-3890 Commanded by Captain Mark Jameson;  
  resolved hostage situation on Mordan IV by arming both sides of the conflict  
  U.S.S. Hathaway NCC-2593 Abandoned and later recovered for use during  
  wargame simulations against the Enterprise-D (2365)  
  U.S.S. Magellan NCC-3069 Commanded by Captain Conklin; participated in  
  the G’oun Cluster Mapping and Exploration Initiative  
  U.S.S. Stargazer NCC-2893 Commanded by Captain Jean-Luc Picard (2355);  
  presumed lost at the “Battle of Maxia;” recovered by Ferengi and returned to Starfleet 
  (2364)  
  U.S.S. Vespucci NCC-3864 Commanded by Captain Tara Oltitavanio;  
  attached to the Tenth Fleet; performed with distinction during the Dominion War (2375); 
  (R6)  
  U.S.S. Victory NCC-9754 Commanded by Captain Zimbata; responsible  
  for halting Orion smuggling operations in Riley System (2362) 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Star Trek RPG/Decipher/Ships/Starfleet_Constellation.pdf