Notes : Once a common sight within the Federation, these staions are now reaching the end of their operational life and being phased out of service. Designed as interstellar border trading posts to encourage increased trade with other species, the stations more than accomplished their goal; over 92% of the stations deployed have more than paid for themselves over their lives, while over half have returned more than double the initial investment.

The design of the stations was fairly conventional, with a central core made up of of various cargo, engineering and support areas, surmounted by an eleven deck crew accomodation and recreation area. The base of the core was a large hangar designed to house and maintain visiting small cargo craft as well as the stations own small complement of shuttlecraft. Projecting outwards fromt he core are three long arms, each tipped with a section containing more cargo bays and a docking port for larger ships, as well as a five deck section containing accomodation and recreation areas for visitors.

The stations generally had an uneventful life, but one or two have been involved in important events - Space Station K-7 was heavily involved in the Federations colonisation and development of Shermans planet, above the strenuous - and only occasionally legal - objections of the Klingon Empire. This station was also the site of a time-travelling attempt to assasinate James T. Kirk by a Klingon citizen, an attempt prevented by the crew of the USS Defiant.

Although many of the stations have been retired, the Federation has decided to keep the remainder in service for the duration of the Dominion war in order to use them as supply depots for the Starfleet. These 'old faithfuls' are thus being pressed into vital service one more time. Once the war is over, the remaining stations will be decommissioned over a five year period.