Last mission, we visited a Class L planet. What do these classes mean?
The Federation, and Starfleet by extension, recognizes 20 distinct classes of planets. They are classed by factors such as planet age, mass, and distance from their sun, and labeled by an arbitrary alphabetic designation. Here are some of the more common classes of planets:
- Class M – derived from the Vulcan word Minshara, these planets are among the most habitable in the galaxy. Notable examples include Earth and Vulcan
- Class L – marginally habitable, able to support vegetation but rarely animal life
- Class P – glaciated, habitable planets, such as Andoria
- Class J – gas giants, like Sol VI (Saturn)
- Class Y – also sardonically called the ‘Demon Class’, these planets are in the habitable zone of their solar systems and have comparable mass and gravity to Class M, yet are highly toxic