Dock 7

From FEInfobase

Dock 7 was a secure construction dock at Utopia Planitia Shipyards in orbit of Mars.

Dock Seven is the primary testing facility for all new warp propulsion technology's. The Venture Star-class Warp drive systems were tested here and installed in the last part of 2404. Dock Seven was a unique feature at Utopia encompassing more than just one construction dock. During the reconstruction phase of Utopia after the war, Dock Seven was repaired with materials and structure salvaged from neighbouring Dock 8. As such, Dock Seven had taken on a hybrid appearance of being double in size, where it was actually only about a two thirds bigger than a normal construction dock. The extra space allowed Dock Seven to finish work on one old project while at the same time starting another new project.

One starship was stationed at Dock Seven, the stardrive section of the former Galaxy-class USS Red October. The drive section was modified to allow quick installation of new warp and power core designs for evaluation and testing in a real starship environment. Normally such testing was done in a simulated setting on a holodeck or computer simulation. Dock Seven Administrator Alvar Hanso preferred the real time approach and requested the hulk of the Red October to be assigned to Dock seven.

Security was higher at Dock Seven than at other parts of Utopia Planetia at the request of former Starfleet CnC Jean Luc Picard and the then-Federation president Edward Jellico. As the nature of what went on here can have a major impact on the future of the Federation and starfleet as it relates to mobility.

Current Yard director Commodore Fernandez has voiced his displeasure at having such a vital component of his construction facility basically made off limits to all nonessential personnel including himself.