Aquashuttle

An aquashuttle, aqua-shuttle or amphishuttle was a type of auxiliary vehicle customized for submersible undersea operation as well as spaceflight. Such craft were developed by the Federation, Gorn Alliance, Klingon Empire and Monean Maritime Sovereignty.

History and specifics
Some Starfleet aquashuttles were armed with a phaser cannon to defend against threatening undersea lifeforms. Sensor arrays were optimized for undersea data collection. 

A higher piloting skill was required to operate an aquashuttle. 

In the 2260s, Starfleet Intelligence compiled data on Klingon and Gorn aquashuttles. 

Some class F shuttlecraft were capable of short-range underwater activity. In the 2260s, the Federation starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)'s Galileo and Shuttlecraft NCC-1701/8 briefly submerged to rescue the crew of a surveyor and two Tekkorians from the class O planet Tekkor. 

In the year 2270, the Class S-4 shuttlecraft NCC-1701/5A was assigned to the Enterprise to survey the class O planet. 

In 2310, the USS Hermes (NCC-10376) was assigned at least two amphibious shuttles for its mission to Pacifica, including the two-person Nautilus. Captain Nyota Uhura allowed Carol Marcus and Gillian Taylor to pilot the Nautilus and search for Harpo, who'd gone missing. The vessel was outfitted with sea probes and flood lights. (SS SNW (The Hero of My Own Life))

In 2375, immersion shielding and thruster modifications quickly made the Delta Flyer seaworthy. Its structural integrity field allowed for a trip 600 kilometers deep into the core of The Waters. Kathryn Janeway noted that similar modifications could be made to USS Voyager, but would take a week to complete. 

In the 2380s, some of Starfleet's four-person type-11 shuttlecraft were capable of being refitted for multi-mission profiles. Reconfiguring them as aquashuttles entailed lowering and reconfiguring the warp nacelles to act as pontoons. Stabilizing fins, linear induction thrusters, searchlights, undersea sensor arrays and tractor beam emitters would also be added, along with structural integrity field generators.

In 2381, the type-11 shuttles Gillespie, Ellington II, Marsalis and  were refit as aquashuttles aboard the USS Titan to explore the class O planet Droplet. 

24th century Monean research vessels could descend to a maximum depth of 100 kilometers. They could also travel through space and were armed for space combat. (, Pressure at Depth Calculator)

Background

 * Modifications to the Delta Flyer allowed it to withstand a pressure of more than 59,500 atmospheres. Monean research vessels could descend to a pressure of 9,900 atmospheres. (Pressure at Depth Calculator)

Aquashuttle classes

 * Federation
 * Class S-4 shuttlecraft (23rd century)
 * (with modifications, 24th century)
 * Type-11 shuttlecraft (aquashuttle configuration, 24th century)
 * Gorn Alliance
 * (23rd century)
 * Klingon Empire
 * (23rd century)
 * Monean Maritime Sovereignty
 * Monean research vessel (24th century)

Aquashuttles

 * Delta Flyer (with modifications)
 * Ellington II
 * Gillespie
 * Marsalis
 * Nautilus
 * Aquashuttle NCC-1701/5A
 * Aquashuttle NCC-1701/5A

Appearances

 * SS SNW (The Hero of My Own Life)
 * SS SNW (The Hero of My Own Life)
 * SS SNW (The Hero of My Own Life)
 * SS SNW (The Hero of My Own Life)