A Federation survey ship was a starship utilized by the Federation for survey missions. In 2236, the Federation survey ship SS Columbia crashed on Talos IV. The research scientists on board, led by Doctor Theodore Haskins, were employed by the American Continent Institute. (TOS: "The Cage" ) In 2262, the Federation Merchant Service utilized class 4 stardrive vessels as survey ships, such as the SS Beagle with a crew of forty-seven. (TOS: "Bread and Circuses" ) In 2266, Charles Evans destroyed the Antares, a Federation survey ship with a crew of twenty. (TOS: "Charlie X" )