I think this is a good opportunity to put all of those questions to rest.
Right now, as of June 2364, there are 22 member planets within the United Federation of Planets. These 22 planets are the home worlds of member species, with the exception of a few colony worlds that have large enough populations to be represented on the Federation Council. In addition, there are nearly 100 inhabited protectorate planets, all of which are smaller colony worlds – consisting of mining colonies, science and research colonies, notable Federation-controlled planets, etc. Protectorates are not represented on the Federation Council, but do hold protective status under the Federation Constitution.
Starfleet does not defend these planets and protectorates. Instead, planetary defense belongs to the ships of the Federation Port Guard, which is, in fact, larger than Starfleet, but maintains smaller combat-oriented vessels. Both Starfleet and Port Guard vessels are active in the war against the Cardassians – along the Cardassian border.
In terms of the size of the Federation, there are 70 light years between Tzenkethi space and the Romulan Neutral Zone. The Federation resides between these two empires. There are 60 light years between the Cardassian border and Klingon space. The Federation controls those 60 light years of space. There are 80 light years between Cardassian space and the Romulan Neutral Zone, with the Federation located in the middle.
The Federation is roughly 100 light years from border to border. It takes a vessel, traveling at warp 9, twenty-five days to cross 100 light years.
The current UFP member planets are (in alphabetical order):
Agralakis – (Algol System) – Algolians
Andoria – (Procyon System) -- Andorians, Aenar
Axanar – (Epsilon Eridani System) -- Axanar
Betazed – (Beta Zeta System) -- Betazoids
Bolias – (Bolarus System) -- Bolians
Deneva – (Deneva System) -- Federation citizens (Human colony world)
Denobula – (Denobula Triaxa System) -- Denobulans
Desotriana – (Coridan System) – Coridanites
Earth – (Sol System) – Humans
Kazar Prime – (Kazar System) – Kazarites
Keracindal – (Alpha System) -- Federation citizens (Human colony world)
K’Norm – (K’Normia System) – K’Normians
Lamatillis – (Lorillia System) – Lorillians
Mars – (Sol System) -- Humans
Tamatal – (Qualor System) – Zakdorn
Proxima – (Alpha Centauri System) – Federation citizens (Human colony)
Risa – (Epsilon Ceti System) – Risians
Sauria – (Psi Serpentis System) -- Saurians
Seyalia – (Delta System) – Deltans
Tellar Prime – (Tellar System) – Tellarites
Trill – (Trillius System) – Trill, Trill symbionts
Vulcan – (Vulcan System) – Vulcans
The Federation (and by extension, Starfleet), does not maintain large space facilities. The resources to build large space stations is prohibitive, so most Federation administrative facilities are located on planets. Some member planets, however, do maintain their own orbital space stations (of various modest sizes). The only space stations Starfleet maintains are of the Regula-class (which usually house no more than 200 residents), and the newly deployed Galaxy-class saucer starbases, which can comfortably house roughly 2,600 civilians and personnel.
There was discussion, over a century ago, of Earth possibly building a massive “Spacedock”, however, in our history, the design was far too large to be practical, and the idea never went beyond the drawing board. Today, the only orbital structures above Earth are Regula-class space stations, the “crab-like” McKinley Station, and a handful of drydocks and small administrative stations associated with Starfleet’s San Francisco Fleet Yards.
-Lieutenant Sam Archer
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June 3, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)