User:The doctor/starship/1

The USS Constitution (NCC-1700) was the prototype Federation class I/class XI heavy cruiser/cruiser starship in service to Starfleet in the 23rd century. She was authorized for construction by Starfleet appropriation on stardate 0945 and finally entered service on reference stardate 1/8801. 

Service history
The Constitution was launched around stardate 1/8801 following a month of celebrations commemorating the new. For her maiden voyage the Constitution was assigned a round-trip cruise between Earth and Babel with a crew of Starfleet cadets, honored officers and various Federation diplomats aboard. 

In 2245, the Constitution came to the assistance of the NX-0002 after she had been disabled in the Sol systems and taken in tow by a Klingon battle cruiser. After destroying the cruiser, the Constitution's commanding officer boarded the NX-0002 and debriefed all personnel aboard. 

The Constitution was later refit to mk III specifications and re-entered service around stardate 2/0206. 

In 2267, the Constitution was one of several starships that were undergoing repairs at Starbase 11 when the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) arrived following an encounter with an ion storm. 

By 2268 the Constitution was under the command of Captain Phil Waterston, during which time, he attended a discreet meeting with Captain James T. Kirk and several other officers about the discovery of Section 31. 

On stardate 2/1205 (c.2270) the Constitution was removed from active service and placed in the inactive reserve fleet. 

Decipher continuity
In another continuity, the Constitution entered service in 2245 under the command of Fleet Captain Garth of Izar, who retained command until 2255. During this time, the Constitution was involved in the Axanar Rebellion.

Captain Darion Page assumed command of the Constitution in 2256 and remained in command until the ship was lost in action in 2269. 

USS Constitution personnel

 * Commanding officer:
 * Fleet Captain Garth of Izar (2245-2255, Decipher continuity)
 * Captain Darion Page (2256-2269, Decipher continuity)

Apocrypha

 * The Last Unicorn Games sourcebook Ship Recognition Manual, Volume 4: Starships of the Original Series Era, published after LUG lost their Star Trek license, states that the Constitution served as Fleet Captain Garth of Izar's flagship during the Axanar crisis of 2250 and afterward, as well as stating that she was destroyed by an encounter with a subspace rift in 2268.