For something that is seldom used in Trek, there are a lot of designs for escape pods and lifeboats. Some, like those carried on the Enterprise E, USS Voyager and Defiant can be seen on screen. while the famous 'interlocking' escape pods of the Enterprise D remain in the realms of background material.
Despite their infrequent use there are great many designs of escape pod, all attempting to solve different issues in their own way. today we take a closer look at each of these varied designs to better understand the design philosophy behind starfleets escape pods.