A question about Federation society

[RayCav of ASVS]

I am a

- planetary governor
- civilian governmet official
- average joe
- civilian elite
- military elite

I want to

- go to the other side of Federation space (long range trip)
- go to Betazed (medium range trip)
- go to Jupiter Station, from Earth (short range trip)
- go to the Moon, from Earth, and I can't take the transporter due to (technobabble) medical reasons (subwarp trip)

Assuming that Federation society is what Lord Wong makes it out to be (and I sincerely believe him), how do I get to where I want to go?

[Ted C]

You submit a request to Starfleet stating the purpose of your trip, and hope they approve it.

[Evil Jerk]

For short range trips I imagine you book passage on a Federation shuttle, dignitaries and the elite, etc. can hop aboard a Starfleet ship and get ferried to where they want to go.
I assume that they have long range shuttles or transports for the average joe who wishes to travel. But who knows, the lack of much traffic above Fed worlds suggests that travel is a bit restricted other than to places like Risa.

[pecker]

For short range trips I imagine you book passage on a Federation shuttle, dignitaries and the elite, etc. can hop aboard a Starfleet ship and get ferried to where they want to go.
I assume that they have long range shuttles or transports for the average joe who wishes to travel. But who knows, the lack of much traffic above Fed worlds suggests that travel is a bit restricted other than to places like Risa.

Well, the reason we don't see much traffic above ST worlds could be that planet's are just so damn big. Hell, there could be hundreds of laucnhes off earht every day, so the odds of you seeing one in the 5 second beauty shot of Earth isn't too likely.

Anyway, I'd assume a shuttle and/or some sort of passenger liners (Civilian ships are mentioned in ST from time to time. Where do you think all those 'refugee ships under attack' come from?)

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

You book passage on a government ship.

[HemlockGrey]

Or you hop on a old, unarmed transport and head out to the far rim, where the ruthless tyrannical government is not yet fully implemented, and you live your life as mercenary/transporter.

Oh, wait, that's from a good sci-fi show.

[RayCav of ASVS]

For short range trips I imagine you book passage on a Federation shuttle, dignitaries and the elite, etc. can hop aboard a Starfleet ship and get ferried to where they want to go.
I assume that they have long range shuttles or transports for the average joe who wishes to travel. But who knows, the lack of much traffic above Fed worlds suggests that travel is a bit restricted other than to places like Risa.

Well, the reason we don't see much traffic above ST worlds could be that planet's are just so damn big. Hell, there could be hundreds of laucnhes off earht every day, so the odds of you seeing one in the 5 second beauty shot of Earth isn't too likely.

so? where's the orbital traffic? Where are other starships the Defiant might have had to contend with in Paradise Lost?

Anyway, I'd assume a shuttle and/or some sort of passenger liners (Civilian ships are mentioned in ST from time to time. Where do you think all those 'refugee ships under attack' come from?)

"refugee ship" merely supports the point of communist governments. When was the last time you heard of a "refugee ship" leaving the US or a Western power, or Japan?

[Alyeska]

Ever consider just how empty space is? Ever wonder why when Senator Amidia showed up to Coriscant, there was no traffic?

ST ships can beam at ranges of a minimum of 30,000km. That means they don't have to be flying all over the atmosphere.

There might also be a bit to do with budget. We already know Earth should have a couple of space stations in orbit, and yet we only saw them when the Enterprise was near them.

[RayCav of ASVS]

Ever consider just how empty space is? Ever wonder why when Senator Amidia showed up to Coriscant, there was no traffic?

Right now I'm wondering if you even bothered to watch EP I and II

ST ships can beam at ranges of a minimum of 30,000km. That means they don't have to be flying all over the atmosphere.

Trekkie bullshit technobabble. And they can't beam to, say, Jupiter Station. They still need ships, even if just in orbit.

There might also be a bit to do with budget. We already know Earth should have a couple of space stations in orbit, and yet we only saw them when the Enterprise was near them.

Do you mean the show's budget. You should know that doesn't fly here by now.

[Evil Jerk]

Ever consider just how empty space is? Ever wonder why when Senator Amidia showed up to Coriscant, there was no traffic?

ST ships can beam at ranges of a minimum of 30,000km. That means they don't have to be flying all over the atmosphere.

There might also be a bit to do with budget. We already know Earth should have a couple of space stations in orbit, and yet we only saw them when the Enterprise was near them.

But surely in all the times we've seen Earth and other Fed planets, it's just a little telling that we never see any significant traffic ever, or indeed any at all, that around Earth there was never a significant military presence until Endgame.

[RayCav of ASVS]

But surely in all the times we've seen Earth and other Fed planets, it's just a little telling that we never see any significant traffic ever, or indeed any at all, that around Earth there was never a significant military presence until Endgame.

And that was only after advanced warning of another potential Wolf 359

[pecker]

For short range trips I imagine you book passage on a Federation shuttle, dignitaries and the elite, etc. can hop aboard a Starfleet ship and get ferried to where they want to go.
I assume that they have long range shuttles or transports for the average joe who wishes to travel. But who knows, the lack of much traffic above Fed worlds suggests that travel is a bit restricted other than to places like Risa.

Well, the reason we don't see much traffic above ST worlds could be that planet's are just so damn big. Hell, there could be hundreds of laucnhes off earht every day, so the odds of you seeing one in the 5 second beauty shot of Earth isn't too likely.

so? where's the orbital traffic? Where are other starships the Defiant might have had to contend with in Paradise Lost?

Anyway, I'd assume a shuttle and/or some sort of passenger liners (Civilian ships are mentioned in ST from time to time. Where do you think all those 'refugee ships under attack' come from?)

"refugee ship" merely supports the point of communist governments. When was the last time you heard of a "refugee ship" leaving the US or a Western power, or Japan?

1) You don't realize just how big space is. There could be hundreds, if not thousand, of ship flying around, and we just don't see them in the 5 or 10 seconds we get of Earth.
2)Huh? Reugee ships in the ST sense means those running from an attack ie Tolian Soran in Generations. If California was attacked, you'd have alot of 'refugee' cars and trucks fleeing the state. Refugee ships in Trek does nothing to support Communism (Even though ST is leaning very much that way)

[Evil Jerk]

Well, the reason we don't see much traffic above ST worlds could be that planet's are just so damn big. Hell, there could be hundreds of laucnhes off earht every day, so the odds of you seeing one in the 5 second beauty shot of Earth isn't too likely.

so? where's the orbital traffic? Where are other starships the Defiant might have had to contend with in Paradise Lost?

Anyway, I'd assume a shuttle and/or some sort of passenger liners (Civilian ships are mentioned in ST from time to time. Where do you think all those 'refugee ships under attack' come from?)

"refugee ship" merely supports the point of communist governments. When was the last time you heard of a "refugee ship" leaving the US or a Western power, or Japan?

1) You don't realize just how big space is. There could be hundreds, if not thousand, of ship flying around, and we just don't see them in the 5 or 10 seconds we get of Earth.

Could be, could be.
There could also be a giant dragon cracking open a delicious giant blue egg for breakfast just out of shot, too.
There is no reason that in every shot we've seen of Earth we would never see one damn civilian ship coming and going.

2)Huh? Reugee ships in the ST sense means those running from an attack ie Tolian Soran in Generations. If California was attacked, you'd have alot of 'refugee' cars and trucks fleeing the state. Refugee ships in Trek does nothing to support Communism (Even though ST is leaning very much that way)

The El-Aurian ships? Were those even UFP ships?
And even if they were, I don't see how they're at all relevant.

[Alyeska]

Ever consider just how empty space is? Ever wonder why when Senator Amidia showed up to Coriscant, there was no traffic?

ST ships can beam at ranges of a minimum of 30,000km. That means they don't have to be flying all over the atmosphere.

There might also be a bit to do with budget. We already know Earth should have a couple of space stations in orbit, and yet we only saw them when the Enterprise was near them.

But surely in all the times we've seen Earth and other Fed planets, it's just a little telling that we never see any significant traffic ever, or indeed any at all, that around Earth there was never a significant military presence until Endgame.

And we hardly ever see military traffic at Earth either. It took the Dominion war before ships were actually stationed near Earth.

And FYI I did see Ep 1&2. It did not show traffic except in the atmosphere. The actual space part showed no ships. Why? Because space is VAST and you can't see something the size of an ISD from 100km away.

Oh, transporter range of 30,000km is not bullshit, it was demonstrated multiple times. Hell, the E-D once transported someone to a planet, then transported someone else to the orbiting moon.

[pecker]

so? where's the orbital traffic? Where are other starships the Defiant might have had to contend with in Paradise Lost?
"refugee ship" merely supports the point of communist governments. When was the last time you heard of a "refugee ship" leaving the US or a Western power, or Japan?

1) You don't realize just how big space is. There could be hundreds, if not thousand, of ship flying around, and we just don't see them in the 5 or 10 seconds we get of Earth.

Could be, could be.
There could also be a giant dragon cracking open a delicious giant blue egg for breakfast just out of shot, too.
There is no reason that in every shot we've seen of Earth we would never see one damn civilian ship coming and going.

2)Huh? Reugee ships in the ST sense means those running from an attack ie Tolian Soran in Generations. If California was attacked, you'd have alot of 'refugee' cars and trucks fleeing the state. Refugee ships in Trek does nothing to support Communism (Even though ST is leaning very much that way)

The El-Aurian ships? Were those even UFP ships?
And even if they were, I don't see how they're at all relevant.

1) I'm just saying we can't be so sure.
2) I don't think so. But anyway, what about the Kobayashi Maru? Wasn't that exercise absed on a civilian transport? I doubt they'd base a training exercise around an imaginary type of ship.

[Evil Jerk]

1) I'm just saying we can't be so sure.

I'm not stating it for sure, I'm merely saying that based on the available evidence of little to no traffic, the UFP might have travel restrictions imposed, but they might not.

2) I don't think so. But anyway, what about the Kobayashi Maru? Wasn't that exercise absed on a civilian transport? I doubt they'd base a training exercise around an imaginary type of ship.

I think so, however, the simulation was created in the TOS era, where I'm sure there weree many private and civilian transports available.