Phaser room, ca. 2266
The phaser room, also known as phaser control, is a location on early Federation Starfleet starships such as the Constitution-class USS Enterprise. As the name suggests, this room's purpose is to control the various functions of the ship's mounted phaser weapons, such as when they fire. Toxic phaser coolant is routed through this section.
The room can also be used in the event the primary phaser control circuits fail, as a backup to computer control. (TOS: "Balance of Terror") Template:PhaserTechnology
Background
The phaser control room is a re-dress of the Engineering set. The phaser panel was borrowed from the same set -- it is the panel Kevin Riley sits at in both of his series appearances, and it is also the console Kirk used to disable Khan's planned destruction of the ship in "Space Seed". This panel was moved in season two, when an alcove and doorway replaced this spot.
It is assumed that ships made in the early 24th century were sufficiently advanced in technology to make phaser control rooms obsolete and no longer required. However, some ships such as the Constellation, Miranda, and Excelsior classes may have continued using them as backups until the mid-24th century. It is more likely, however, that these classes were upgraded or automated, thus making actual use of the phaser control rooms unrequired except for maintenance of the phasers themselves.