NCC-1701/5A

NCC-1701/5A was a class S-4 aquashuttle, an auxiliary vehicle specifically constructed for undersea operations and spaceflight in the 23rd century. In the year 2270, this vessel was assigned to the Federation starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701).

Service history
In 2270, NCC-1701/5A was prepared for a survey of the class O planet. Considering himself rusty on aquashuttle operations, Lieutenant Clayton spent several weeks reviewing microtapes in preparation for his assignment as the ship's pilot. He landed the shuttle near the planet's largest land mass.

Before James T. Kirk, Spock and Leonard McCoy could begin taking samples, however, the aquashuttle was attacked by a sur-snake. The ship's phasers stunned the creature, then Clayton took the aquashuttle down to study the animal. It revived quickly, came after the ship again, and damaged the phasers and liftoff engine. As Montgomery Scott prepared to beam out the crew, McCoy and Clayton were thrown overboard. The shuttle was then dragged underwater with Kirk and Spock inside.

Five days later, crumpled wreckage of the aquashuttle was located, with Kirk and Spock lying unconscious nearby. 


 * The aquashuttle's registry appeared in some shots as NCC-1701/012 and NCC-1710, but was most often depicted as NCC-1701/ 5A, sometimes with the 5 and A seeming to form a 1.