Federation colony

• Colonial operations handled by Federation Colonial Authority
• In 23rd century, potential independent colonial bodies draft, submit colonial charter for approval (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
  • Applications can be submitted by either private individuals or corporate bodies (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
  • Up for colonists to decide level of Federation ties, Starfleet support
    • Establishment as an independent colony does not waive Federation citizenship of the population (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
    • Independent colonies outside Federation jurisdiction, but also outside implicit Federation sphere of support, instead treated with as with any other independent nation (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours, VAN Novel: Harbinger)
• Core systems generally reserved for directly Federation-run colonies, private colonies tend towards frontier worlds
• Most colonial militaries consist of civil air and ground patrols (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
  • Members sometimes move from colony to colony over time (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
  • As of 23rd century, civil air patrols use vehicles with inertial dampers, electrically-charged plasma cannons (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
  • Handheld surface-to-air weaponry limited to Starfleet only, unavailable to civilian forces (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
• Standard practice to dismantle main colony transport ships to provide for initial settlements planetside (ENT: "Terra Nova"; DIS Novel Desperate Hours)