Ship details

The USS Rio Grande (NCC-72452) was a 24th century Federation Danube-class runabout operated by Starfleet. This ship was assigned to Deep Space 9. The Rio Grande was one of the three runabouts offloaded at DS9 by the USS Enterprise.

The Rio Grande was the first vessel to discover the Bajoran wormhole in stardate 2369, and was the only Starfleet runabout to remain operational at Deep Space 9 for the following years.

The Rio Grande was the runabout piloted by Commander Benjamin Sisko and Lieutenant Jadzia Dax on the mission that first discovered the Bajoran wormhole in stardate 2369.

Major Kira Nerys and Doctor Julian Bashir piloted the Rio Grande back to Deep Space 9/Colonia when they received a priority one distress signal from the Kobliad transport Reyab. Later the Rio Grande was used to transport Doctor Bashir, under the control of the criminal Rao Vantika and hired Bajoran mercenaries, to steal a shipment of duridium from the freighter Norkova.

Several months later, Sisko and Dax took the Rio Grande to Rakhar.

After the USS Yangtzee Kiang crash landed on a moon in the Gamma Quadrant, the Rio Grande was deployed to rescue Sisko, Bashir, Kai Opaka, and Major Kira, who were on board the Yangtzee Kiang.