It serves as a base for the exploration of the Gamma Quadrant via the Bajoran wormhole and is a hub of trade and travel for the sector's denizens.

The station builds on the legacy of the Cardassian-Federation interactions introduced by that show and the first episode, "Emissary", includes a visit from the Enterprise-D.

The station exists in a time and place also occupied by The Next Generation, Voyager, Lower Decks and the seventh through tenth films, the 2370s through early 2380s.

However, it would appear that the journey could be completed in a much shorter length of time if necessary by engaging warp drive within the Bajoran star system.

Common locations on the promenade depicted or mentioned in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine include Quark's Bar (the crew's most frequently seen off-hours location, which also includes holosuites), the infirmary, the replimat (a self-service replicator eatery), a Bajoran temple, Elim Garak's clothing shop, chief of security Odo's office, a Klingon restaurant, a mineral assay office, a candy kiosk, and, for a brief time during the first season, Keiko O'Brien's classroom.

The upgrades included the installation of multiple rotary torpedo launchers on the docking pylons and weapons sail towers, stowable phaser banks that retract when not in use and improved shields that extend 300 meters around the station.

[14] Aside from a failed Bajoran military coup, the Dominion's occupation, and a brief leave of absence from late 2374 to early 2375, Sisko, promoted to captain in 2371, remained in command of Deep Space Nine.

[16] In the continuing story novels, DS9 was forced to jettison its power core due to the actions of Dominion rebels.

With the station now under Federation law, Quark almost closed down his bar, but remained open after Rom arranged to have it designated as the Ferengi embassy to Bajor, placing it under the jurisdiction of Ferenginar.

[17] In the year 2383, DS9—while under the command of Captain Ro Laren—was destroyed by a series of bombs planted by the Typhon Pact, when an attempt to distract Starfleet from their efforts to discreetly use the wormhole backfires, although the station is evacuated in time so that only a thousand people are lost of those on the station at the time, none of whom are major characters.

Ricardo Delgado, Joseph Hodges, Nathan Crowley, Jim Martin, Rob Legato, Gary Hutzel, Michael Okuda, and executive producer Rick Berman also contributed to the design.

[21] At a 2006 auction held by the New York City branch of Christie's of London, the original 6' diameter "hero model" of Deep Space 9 went for US$110,000.