[JamesTKirk1701]

The entire Saucer itself is an escape pod, hence the emergency seperation ability for it.

[OneBuckFilms]

Originally Posted by JamesTKirk1701

The entire Saucer itself is an escape pod, hence the emergency seperation ability for it.

Whereas this seems very likely with a Constitution class ship, and is certainly the case with the Galaxy Class, it has never been established for either the Prime (Original TOS) Constitution, the Refit (my personal favorite design) or the Alternate Reality version.

There are indications in the model design of the Refit Constitution, and it was considered and portrayed as a concept by (I think) Adrew Probert, but it was never seen, and as far as I'm immediately aware, it was never mentioned.

[Commodore]

It has been a long-held belief that the two wedge-shaped structures on the underside of the TOS Enterprise were landing legs (with the third hidden by the connecting dorsal).

It was also believed that hull separation would have been a one-time only thing or that reconnection would only have been possible at a starbase or drydock during the TOS era.

[OneBuckFilms]

Originally Posted by Commodore

It has been a long-held belief that the two wedge-shaped structures on the underside of the TOS Enterprise were landing legs (with the third hidden by the connecting dorsal).

It was also believed that hull separation would have been a one-time only thing or that reconnection would only have been possible at a starbase or drydock during the TOS era.

It's certainly possible, and I seem to remember the one-time only restriction also being postulated.

The landing struts idea is a new one for me though.

[Commodore]

Yeah, the idea is that they unfolded from the hull as the saucer approached a flat planetary surface and they acted like a tripod. Presumably they could be folded back up again if the saucer needed to fly once more.

[NCC-73515]

The A and E also have them.

[JamesTKirk1701]

Those things could be giant cargo doors. It was my impression that if the saucer had to eject the secondary hull it would cruise at best possible speed to the nearest starbase.

[celticarchie]

Kirk told Scotty he could separate the saucer in the TOS episode The Apple.

Last item under Background Information.

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/The_Apple

[OneBuckFilms]

Originally Posted by celticarchie

Kirk told Scotty he could separate the saucer in the TOS episode The Apple.

Last item under Background Information.

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/The_Apple

I stand corrected. It IS Canon !!!

[Commodore]

Originally Posted by JamesTKirk1701

Those things could be giant cargo doors.

The cargo doors (or rather hatch) were located along the aft secondary hull, but we never got a good look at it due to the physical limitations of shooting a model at the time. Additionally, the shuttlebay could also be used to receive cargo shuttles if necessary.

It was my impression that if the saucer had to eject the secondary hull it would cruise at best possible speed to the nearest starbase.

Which could be years away at impulse unless it was already close to one anyway (as was likely the case in TNG's "Encounter At Farpoint").

IIRC, the best-case scenario was for saucer separation to occur near a (preferably Class-M) planet so the saucer could land and await rescue from another vessel. If no planets are within reach, then the saucer would have to hold its current position in space until help arrived.