The SS Hokule'a was a Terran DY-500-B (sub)class starship that was in service in the early 22nd century. In 2102, this ship was commanded by Captain Melinda Snodgrass.
In that year, the Hokule'a was launched from Earth on a mission of deep space exploration.
This vessel was among the list of ships that appeared on Captain Jean-Luc Picard's desktop monitor while he searched for "all Earth deep-space launches from 2123 until 2190 with destination in or near the Ficus sector" during an investigation of an SOS signal discovered in that sector in 2365. This vessel, however, did not fall within the parameters of his search, but was among the ships launched in that timeframe. (TNG: "Up The Long Ladder")
The name of this ship appeared on an okudagram that appeared on Picard's desk monitor, and was not verbally referenced on screen. A legible version of the okudagram appeared in the reference book Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Continuing Mission.
Hokule'a means "star of gladness" in the Hawaiian language. The Federation's Hokule'a-class starships, devised by the Star Trek Encyclopedia, carried the Hokule'a name into the 24th century. The USS Tripoli is stated by the Encylopedia to be a member of this class.
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