Standard Federation science outpost design from the late 24th century
An outpost or outpost station was a fixed installation located in a remote or frontier region. Such bases were established for various purposes, for example border defense or scientific research.
While studying the Vulcan star charts, Captain Jonathan Archer and Trip Tucker found a remote outpost quite interesting, just a few light years off their current course. T'Pol told them that it was an ancient Vulcan retreat, a monastery at P'Jem. (ENT: "The Andorian Incident")
The Xindi operated multiple lunar outposts. These included a monitoring station that was destroyed by Enterprise NX-01 in early 2154. (ENT: "Azati Prime")
Following the Earth-Romulan War, Earth established a series of outpost stations, constructed on asteroids and shielded by cast rodinium, in order to guard the Romulan Neutral Zone. (TOS: "Balance of Terror")
The colony on Cestus III was an Earth Observation Outpost in 2267, prior to its destruction by the Gorn that same year. (TOS: "Arena")
A Federation outpost was located on Caleb IV. It came under attack by Kor and Kang's forces at one point in the 23rd century. (DS9: "Once More Unto the Breach")
In 2313, the Gatherer Penthor-Mul was captured by the Acamarian Internal Security while leading a raid against the weapons supply depot at the Acamarian outpost Tezber. (TNG: "The Vengeance Factor", okudagram)
In 2366, another Acamarian outpost was mentioned in the police records of Penthor-Mul, which was accessible to the crew of the USS Enterprise-D via the Acamarian planetary database (TNG: "The Vengeance Factor", okudagram)
The Federation also maintained a scientific outpost in the Guernica system. (TNG: "Galaxy's Child")
Medical technician Simon Tarses served at several Federation outposts before joining the crew of the USS Enterprise-D. (TNG: "The Drumhead")
The Melona colony was considered a Federation outpost. (TNG: "Silicon Avatar")
Relay Station 47, a subspace relay station, was considered a Federation outpost. (TNG: "Aquiel")
Calder II was the location, in 2370, of an outpost that consisted of a small science station and had limited defensive capabilities. Because Calder II was a Federation outpost, it was defended by Starfleet. The outpost had a type-four deflector shield, which protected it and the surrounding ruins, as well as two phaser banks. (TNG: "Gambit, Part I")
In 2371, the Duras sisters raided a Romulan outpost to steal trilithium for Tolian Soran, leaving no survivors. (Star Trek Generations)
The Son'a had an outpost on Devos II, in 2375, that was the site of a ketracel-white production facility. In that year, Weyoun had Damar send Dominion ships to the outpost to protect it against a possible Federation attack. (DS9: "Penumbra")
In 2381, an outpost on Jengus IV was set to be moved by ensigns of the USS Cerritos and the USS Carlsbad as part of a tentative peace agreement between the scientists there and the Scrubble people. (LD: "Mining The Mind's Mines")