Lifeboat

A lifeboat (sometimes known as an escape pod) was a small craft used to evacuate from a vessel or facility during catastrophic failure of onboard systems, external attack or threat. 

Earth (pre-Federation)
RMS

2270s
refit

2330s
ASRV

2350s
Cetacean lifeboat

2370s
, ,

2350s
Cardassian lifeboat