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Is there a canon explanation for why Star Trek away teams don't wear environmental suits?


Last night I was watching the TNG episode "Relics", where Riker, La Forge and Worf beam aboard a disabled 75-year-old ship with minimal life support. Upon arrival, Riker takes a tricorder reading and reports that the air is "stale" but breathable. Outside of the obvious reasons of production costs and actor comfort, is there any reason why away teams would be allowed to beam into a relatively unknown environment without being required by regulations to wear an environmental suit (or at least bring along some spare oxygen)?



Answer



I'm not sure of how "unknown" the atmospheric conditions aboard the ship were. They always scan for an atmosphere first and Starfleet officers trust their technology almost implicitly. If they beam over then they're probably already confident that they are not in danger. The tricorder checks are just to make sure.


There reaches a point when you have to assume that they have the same common sense that you do, even if it's not shown on-screen.


Besides, the transporter keeps the story moving faster than a shuttle.


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