Runabouts are a class of small, multi-purpose starships in the Star Trek science-fiction franchise, primarily the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which aired on syndicated television between 1993 and 1999. They were the primary means of transport for the crew of the DS9 station. As the station had three launch pads, its normal contingent of runabouts numbered three, though a high rate of loss often reduced that number until a new ship or ships could be assigned (see "Disposability" below). This fictional spacecraft design was created primarily by Herman Zimmerman, Rick Sternbach and Jim Martin in the 1990s for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and later used throughout the franchise such as in books, comics, and games.[1]