Travel pod

A travel pod was a small Federation shuttlepod predominately used during the 23rd century by facilities like the San Francisco Fleet Yards to transfer personnel to drydocks or spaceships without having to use transporters. These vessels had a flight crew that could include one pilot and up to seven passengers.

In 2272, Admiral Kirk traveled aboard travel pod 05 from the orbital office complex to the refitted USS Enterprise (NCC-1701). 

In 2285, Sulu piloted such a vessel, carrying Kirk, Uhura and McCoy to the Enterprise for an inspection tour. 

The following year, the former crew of the Enterprise was transported to their new ship, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A), aboard a travel pod while the Enterprise was still docked in Earth Spacedock. 

Background information
At least two travel pods that were numbered differently from those seen in the film have appeared in Paramount-licensed works. In early concept paintings that production illustrator Michael Minor created for The Motion Picture, a travel pod numbered "4" can be seen. (The Art of Star Trek, pp. 15-153, 168-169) The first edition of the Star Trek Encyclopedia had a diagram of a travel pod labeled 06.

In the book Ships of the Line (pp. 74-75), the travel pod was classified as a Mark II-B pod.

For information on the studio model, see: Travel pod model

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