This is my attempt at a Space station in Startrek. It is about 680 meter wide and about the same in height as well.
The station will make use of two warp 'rings' that will carry the station at warp 7.5 and will have 4 large banks of impulse engines. Even though it will have enough fuel for years it will need to drop out of warp every 72 hours of an extensive diagnostic of the warp systems and the stations SFI system. If all goes well this would take only 4 hours, if a problem is found it could mean a longer diagnostic or repairs.
My idea for this station is that each station would be out fitted with a different purpose in mind, as such to give examplies in my head there are 4 such stations..
Camp Bastion: The first of the class and the namesake is fitted out for ground deployment support, so when a significant force is deployed to a ground theater this station would be deployed into orbit to provide all the support that a starbase could provide. For example be the HQ for the forces deployed, provide command and control support, fire support (orbital strikes and fighter strikes), provide images of a location and intelligence. It would also have medical facilities and R&R for troops that wouldn't otherwise have that.
Camp Basra: Advanced Flying School, designed with extensive flight operations, maintenance and hangers to train advanced flying to starfleet and marine pilots. This would include class rooms holodecks. This station would teach pilots to fly a number of fast attack craft including fighters and gunships and the more nimble starships like the Wallace and Defiant.
Camp Vecktor: A trade station which focuses on a high tourist trade and security. As such it has a high number of transporters manned by customs officers, there is a large 'police' presence, a hotel and holodecks along with large cargo holds. This station would have a few squadrons of fighters and at least two light escort ships for protection.
Camp Livingston: A deep space resupply station which would follow a small fleet of explorers out into the unknown. This station would be the fastest of the four and the newest. It would have an extensive R&R facility with holodecks,aquarium and arboretum that would work as a R&R location but also allow a team of scientists to develop and study plants and animals and fish to see how well they survive in an enclosed space. It would also have a large medical facility and powerful sensors for the purposes of picking 'interesting looking' locations for study.
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Matthew
Perhaps you can make a construction in which the saucer moves to a horizontal travel position? It would have the added benefit of creating a smaller area to hit if you find yourself in the middle of an enemy armada all of the sudden...
Concerning the possibility of docking craft: I think you'll want to go with runabouts and fighters anyway. A combat-oriented runabout in itself would pack such a hefty punch that you wouldn't need even an escort ship to be a ble to dock. On the other hand, if this structure serves as a mobile base (with facilities to mine certain metals or minerals from a planet) and in essence has to be self sufficient, it wouldn't be such a bad idea to integrate a pair of retractable arms or drydocks. It's supposed to be a starbase in any right, right?
And yeah, never was designed to hold a starship, always meant to be a shuttle/runabout/fighter carrier...
Thank you for the comments Borgman, nice to see that my work does draw some attention.