The only snag is that later shows got into the habit of using shuttles (or Runabouts, if it's Deep Space 9) in stories where the heroes must be stranded somewhere -- so the shuttle gets blown up or crashes.



I nearly wrecked an entire convention's Trek Q&A session once by asking just how many shuttles Voyager had. The look on Richard Arnold's face said it all: "Why the %&#@ did he have to ask THAT?!?"