An away mission is a mission, on which an away team performs tasks in locations outside of their starship or starbase. This includes missions on planet surfaces and other starships. Away missions range from exploration or first contact to combat. The majority of these missions are launched using a ship's transporter to send the crew to their destination. When use of the transporter is impossible, shuttlecraft are used.
Starfleet regulations enacted in the 24th Century prohibit the captain from joining away missions. This was probably due to Capt. Kirk's habit of joining away missions resulting in him being placed in serious danger more than once during his classic five year mission.
See also:
- Landing party
- Observer team
- Survey team