From FEInfobase

The Ill-fated Falcon

In 2400 Star Fleet launched the final Sovereign Class ship to be built by the Federation.

Her keel was laid in late 2396 but due to the stresses, strains and shortages during the war progress on her space frame was slow to say the least. Late in 2397 Star Fleet ordered all the hulls currently development readied for war, Utopia Planitia spent 3 months jury-rigging weapons and shields on to the half completed hulls. From the get go it was obvious the Falcon was no where near ready for the battle, work on the ship ceased and the hastily added weapons systems were removed for use on other vessels.

Work resumed on the Stargazer at the end of 2398 it took a further 2 years to complete the ships mighty space frame, during that time Earth and the Federation attempted to firm up earths defences by creating the 1st Fleet. On the 1st January 2400 Fleet Admiral Picard Officially Unveiled the 1st Fleet as the first line of defence for the systems surrounding Sol and Sol its self, at the same time Star Fleet Launched the newly completed USS Falcon under the Command of Captain Alex West.

The Falcon was assigned to the First Fleet as a rapid response vessel, responding any and all issues that reached the ears of the Echelon listening post. The Falcons time was to be short lived, after only 6 months in space the Falcon was hit caught unawares by a subspace rift while responding to a distress call. From the rift emerged the wreckage of a Prometheus Class Starship unable to manuver out of the way the Falcon collided with the wreckage.

Damaged beyond her Chief Engineers abilities to repair, the Falcon was towed back to Utopia Planitia to undergo massive reconstruction of her saucer section and left warp nacelle. The ship stayed in space dock until the 1st of January 2403 when she was released for shake down under the Command of Captain Andreas Morkain. A mere two months in to her shakedown the Falcon was again struck by misfortune as her navigational deflector failed and she was struck by yet more debries.

Although the damage was fairly superficial Star Fleet decided a change of name was in order, on the 1st of March 2403 the Falcon was officially renamed USS Stargazer in honour of Fleet Admiral Picards first command.