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Star Trek: Insurrection

F. Murray Abraham in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

When the crew of the Enterprise learn of a Federation conspiracy against the inhabitants of a unique planet, Captain Picard begins an open rebellion. When the crew of the Enterprise learn of a Federation conspiracy against the inhabitants of a unique planet, Captain Picard begins an open rebellion. When the crew of the Enterprise learn of a Federation conspiracy against the inhabitants of a unique planet, Captain Picard begins an open rebellion.

  • Jonathan Frakes
  • Gene Roddenberry
  • Rick Berman
  • Michael Piller
  • Patrick Stewart
  • Brent Spiner
  • 563 User reviews
  • 182 Critic reviews
  • 64 Metascore
  • 3 wins & 8 nominations

Star Trek: Insurrection

  • (as Levar Burton)

Michael Dorn

  • Ru'afo

Donna Murphy

  • Lt. Daniels

Bruce French

  • Son'a Officer #1
  • All cast & crew
  • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Star Trek: Nemesis

Did you know

  • Trivia In the scene where Captain Picard and the Admiral are in Picard's ready room, there is a cloth on the back of Picard's chair. This is the cloth given to him by the Mintakans in Who Watches the Watchers (1989) , an episode in which Starfleet used a duck blind for anthropological purposes.
  • Goofs Troi comments that she had never kissed Riker with a beard before. Yet Troi had kissed the bearded Riker in Ménage à Troi (1990) , as well as in several other occasions on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) .

Admiral Matthew Dougherty : Jean-Luc, we're only moving 600 people.

Captain Picard : How many people does it take, Admiral, before it becomes wrong? Hmm? A thousand, fifty thousand, a million? How many people does it take, Admiral?

  • an extended library scene in which Riker and Troi throw small paperballs at each other. This scene also include some lines by the Librarian (Lee Arone-Biggs) and a Trill Officer (Max Grodénchik);
  • a scene in which Picard and Anij kiss each other;
  • a scene in which Picard spills cheese on a PADD displaying the Briar Patch;
  • the actual ejection of the warp core;
  • Data punching some Son'as on the planet and nailing them with iso-linear tags;
  • "There will be no cover-up!" line on the Son'a ship.
  • Connections Featured in Siskel & Ebert: The Prince of Egypt/Shattered Image/Little Voice/A Simple Plan/Central Station (1998)
  • Soundtracks Theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture by Jerry Goldsmith

User reviews 563

  • Feb 11, 2003
  • How long is Star Trek: Insurrection? Powered by Alexa
  • What is 'Insurrection' about?
  • Who returns from the previous movie?
  • What does "insurrection" mean?
  • December 11, 1998 (United States)
  • United States
  • The Official Star Trek Web Site
  • Star Trek 9
  • Convict Lake, California, USA (Data enters the lake)
  • Paramount Pictures
  • See more company credits at IMDbPro
  • $58,000,000 (estimated)
  • $70,187,658
  • $22,052,836
  • Dec 13, 1998
  • $112,587,658

Technical specs

  • Runtime 1 hour 43 minutes
  • Dolby Digital
  • Dolby Surround 7.1

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Published Dec 10, 2023

The Lessons of Star Trek: Insurrection

For the 25th anniversary of its theatrical release, let's revisit what Jean-Luc Picard and his crew taught us with their third big-screen adventure.

Stylized still from Star Trek Insurrection featuring Jean-Luc Picard, Worf, Data, Beverly Crusher, and Deanna Troi

StarTrek.com

Star Trek: Insurrection put Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the U.S.S. Enterprise -E at odds with a controversial Federation policy involving the forced relocation of the Ba’ku, testing the intrepid crew’s dedication to defending the core values that they had sworn to uphold…

Never Leave a Friend Behind

Worf approaches as Captain Picard is at the helm of an Enterprise shuttle in Star Trek: Insurrection

Star Trek: Insurrection

When Admiral Dougherty reported that Data had malfunctioned and requested the android’s schematics, he had no intention of allowing Captain Picard to become further involved in the situation. Of course, that didn’t stop Picard from immediately altering course and warping to the Ba’ku homeworld.

Upon learning that Dougherty was willing to terminate Data, Picard emphatically volunteered to try and capture the android intact. With Worf’s assistance, Picard safely brought Data as part of a daring retrieval mission that put all their lives in danger. Regardless of Dougherty’s disposition, Picard demonstrated that one should do everything possible to save a friend.

Challenge Your Preconceptions

Picard is welcomed by Anij and Sojef, the leaders of the Ba'ku community in Star Trek: Insurrection

According to Dougherty, the Ba’ku were a pre-warp society who held his science team hostage. Once Picard beamed down to the planet, he quickly realized that not only were the Ba’ku peaceful, but they proved to be a technologically-advanced species who simply shed their attachment to automation.

On a similar note, the admiral claimed Data’s systems failure was unprovoked, yet Picard and Geordi La Forge still chose to investigate further. The chief engineer discovered that the damage to Data was caused by a Son’a weapon, even though the Son’a claimed not to have fired until after the android malfunctioned. In both cases, Picard’s crew needed to temper their own expectations by gathering evidence and making direct observations.

The Line Must Be Drawn Here

Admiral Dougherty approaches Picard in the captain's ready room in Star Trek: Insurrection

Following the revelation that Admiral Dougherty and the Federation Council planned to transport the Ba’ku against their will, Picard delivered an impassioned rebuttal pointing out the tragic history of forced relocations of indigenous populations on Earth.

Although Dougherty wished to use the planet’s metaphasic radiation to heal millions, he stated that they were only moving 600 Ba’ku. Picard wisely questioned how many people’s rights needed to be violated for the action to be viewed as wrong?

Making Sacrifices

Geordi La Forge realizes a longtime dream of his and experiences a real sunrise with his own eyes upon being healed by the Ba'ku planet's metaphasic radiation in Star Trek: Insurrection

Picard resolved to put his career on the line to help the Ba’ku, even going so far as to take the rank pips off of his collar and change into civilian clothes. The Enterprise -E’s command crew soon joined him, also willing to risk all they had worked so hard to achieve in order to aid the Ba’ku and stand up for their ideals. Geordi La Forge offered a very personal take on the situation.

La Forge, whose eyes had been regenerated by the metaphasic radiation, questioned how he could enjoy watching another sunrise while knowing what that gain had imposed upon the Ba’ku. Aware of all an unsanctioned mission could cost them, the senior officers vowed to convince the Federation Council to alter its intentions and leave the Ba’ku alone.

Taking a Moment

Struggling to keep Anij alive, as she's crushed under the cavern rubble, Picard holds her hand asking her to stay in the moment with him in Star Trek: Insurrection

The Ba’ku’s preference to take delight in life’s simple pleasures manifested physically, as Anij showed a talent for slowing the progress of time. Picard marveled at this, not understanding how such a feat could be accomplished. When a cave-in trapped the duo behind a rock wall, Anij was left with a serious wound. The only way to keep her alive long enough for Dr. Crusher to arrive was to attempt to focus on the moment once again.

Working with Anij, Picard found the strength within himself to bring time to a crawl, giving rescuers the chance to save the Ba’ku woman. Although living in the moment is a powerful lesson, the encounter in the cave also underlined the importance of believing in yourself and your ability to attain extraordinary goals.

Reconciliation Remains Possible

Sojef, Anji, and Picard witness a regretful Gallatin embracing his mother in Star Trek: Insurrection

As it turns out, the Son’a were a group of Ba’ku who had been exiled from the planet for trying to take over the colony. Picard confronted Gallatin, one of the senior Son’a officers, and recruited him to prevent Ru’afo from massacring his own people. Gallatin participated in Picard’s bid to assert control over the Son’a flagship, a deed which turned the tide in the captain’s favor.

Gallatin’s change of heart, as well as the Federation Council’s decision to halt the relocation, showcased two of Starfleet’s most basic ideals — that diplomacy can win the day and one can always redeem oneself.

In this spirit, Anij arranged to start the healing process between the Son’a and Ba’ku by reuniting Gallatin with his mother, who quickly embraced her son without judging him for his mistakes.

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Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer, author, and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider and StarWars.com. Learn more about Jay by visiting JayStobie.com or finding him on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms at @StobiesGalaxy.

Collage featuring stills from Star Trek Nemesis, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Discovery

Forgotten Trek

Designing the “Porsche” of Starships: A Sovereign Enterprise

Enterprise-E concept art

Before Star Trek: First Contact even had a title, Herman Zimmerman, the franchise’s veteran production designer, knew his team would have to develop a new Enterprise . The “D”, after all, had crashed in Star Trek Generations .

Zimmerman turned to John Eaves, who had joined Star Trek during production of The Final Frontier and who was at the time working for Deep Space Nine . Eaves got started in the summer of 1995.

John-Eaves

“I wanted a sleek, very fast ship with favorite elements from the starships that had gone before,” he told Star Trek: The Magazine in 2003 — “especially Bill George’s Excelsior .”

Everyone knows the basic shape: the saucer section, the body, the two nacelles. They’ve been arranged so many times in so many beautiful ways, I thought: “Well, how will I approach this?” I decided to start with a really sleek design. While all of the Enterprise s were beautiful, none of hem had a really streamlined, warp-speed look. We have the “Cadillacs” of starships; I wanted to make a Porsche. So I gave the saucer an oval shape and designed it so that it was longer than it was wide. I really liked the older, longer nacelles, and returned to that in order to give the ship balance. I put a lot of ships down on paper — probably 25 or 30 sketches — until I came up with an outline I liked.

Eaves paid a visit to Rick Sternbach, who had just designed the Starship Voyager for the new television seies.

It was really funny to see how similar the two ships were, in the rough sketches. We thought, “Wow, this is a nice direction to go — the new Federation design, from Voyager to the Enterprise -E.”

Zimmerman and Executive Producer Rick Berman picked their favorites from Eaves’ sketches and the process continued from there.

Enterprise-E concept art

Something new, something old

One thing that distinguishes the Enterprise -E from its predecessor is the absence of a “neck” connecting the body to the saucer. Eaves decided this made the ship look faster.

At 2248 feet (685 meters), the “E” is longer than the “D” — but it is smaller when it comes down to girth and mass.

Enterprise-E cutaway

Another design element had little to do with structure or logic, and everything to do with nostalgia:

I remembered that the original Enterprise had these two little triangles on the forward end of the saucer. So when I was laying out the bottom of the E’s saucer, I put those two little triangles up at the forward end of mine. I have no clue what they’re for; they’re just a neat shape and I wanted to include something from the old ship as a “thank you” to Matt Jefferies. I also wanted to give fans of The Original Series something they could spot and say: “Ah, there’s something carried from the past into the present.”

Another familiar feature: the control tower on top of the shuttlebay.

I remembered that on the original Star Trek series, they had these observation windows inside the shuttlebay, so that you could look at the shuttles from another deck. I decided the deck on the “E” could also serve this double purpose — that once you’re inside the shuttlebay, the roof concaves up, so that you can have windows looking inside and outside the ship as well.

Enterprise-E concept art

Saucer separation

Eaves took the trouble to work out how the saucer might separate, even though this wasn’t mentioned in the script:

I just knew that the saucer separation was a part of it. I figured that was something that always had to happen, and I wanted to make sure it had been worked out beforehand.

Without the saucer, the engineering hull looked like a dart: “very fast but also aggressive.”

Saucer separation was never seen on screen, but Eaves created an artwork of what it would look like for the 2015 Ships of the Line calendar.

Enterprise-E saucer separation concept art

Escape pods

Something the script did call for: escape pods. First Contact would show pods being ejected into space for the first time.

On most Federation starships so far, the hatches had been rounded squares. On the “E”, they became beveled triangles.

I worked on several escape pod sketches and came up with a nod shape that reflected the triangular hatches.

Enterprise-E escape pod concept art

Alex Jeager, Industrial Light and Magic’s art director for the movie, had been working on the escape pods as well. When Eaves took a look at Jeager’s drawings, “I pushed my sketches aside. I liked the beauty and simplicity of Alex’ creations and how he utilized the top of the pod as a heat shield for planetary reentry.

Ironically, our designs were extremely similar. Alex is an incredibly talented artist; I wish I could have worked more closely with him. He came up with some wonderful designs, including all of the starships for the Borg battle scene.

Final steps

Once the new ship’s shape was complete and approved, Eaves drew plan views of the ship: top, side, front and back.

At one point, Zimmerman suggested lowering the nacelles, à la Voyager . This was abandoned.

The final drawings were sent to Sternbach, who made the blueprints for ILM’s model makers. Using the 2248-feet length of the ship, Sternbach scaled the vessel down to determine the number of decks: 24. Eaves prepared detail drawings of important areas, like the bridge module and the deflector dish.

Eaves knew the team that would be making the model. They were all masters of their craft, and had worked on Star Trek ships before, including the Excelsior .

I didn’t want to give them too much information; I’d rather they have their chance to be creative as well. So I wanted the sketch to be just an idea. They took it from there to put the things that they knew so well into the model. John Goodson and I would talk almost every day and we cleared up all sorts of details as they built the model.

Enterprise-E model

Modifications

Star Trek: Insurrection and Nemesis both required modifications. In the former, the Enterprise ejects its warp core to escape the Son’a. The latter saw the addition of torpedo launchers above the two shuttlebays. Eaves provided the concepts for both.

Enterprise-E concept art

“I remembered that the original Enterprise had these two little triangles on the forward end of the saucer,” said Eaves. The “little’ triangles on the saucer were to of its landing gear. The third was its neck section. In the event of a saucer separation, it could land on a planet. That is what they were for.

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25 Best Star Trek Ships, Ranked

Starfleet, the Federation, and many others in the Star Trek franchise boast powerful starships like the Sovereign-Class or Krenim Time Ship.

One of the most popular sci-fi television shows of all time, Star Trek , has been enthralling fans for decades. In recent years, the property has come back with a vengeance. The Prime timeline is in full effect, and multiple spinoffs have made their way to Paramount+.

While Star Trek is known for its big idea sci-fi, it also features some great space battles. The starships of Star Trek are some of the most powerful in all sci-fi, armed with powerful weapons and great designs. From the well-known vessels like the USS Enterprise to the lesser-known ships that appeared for an episode or two, these ships are as powerful as they are cool.

Updated January 22, 2024, by Joshua M. Patton: The Star Trek universe is vast, with nearly 60 years of history behind it, and with that longevity comes dozens or hundreds of vessels. From the physical filming models used through the 20th century to the all-digital models used in the 21st, these ships are basically characters themselves. If the ships don't "feel" real, then Star Trek doesn't work. This article has been updated to match CBR's current formatting standards and include more information about Star Trek's best ships.

25 The Krenim Time Ship Is a Unique Vessel in Star Trek Lore

Starship details at a glance, star trek: prodigy's connection to voyager, explained.

Star Trek captains go too far at times , something Voyager' s Captain Janeway was known for. However, there was sometimes good reason for that. The Delta Quadrant was a dangerous place, and Janeway dealt with amazing threats. The most dangerous, even more powerful than the Borg or Species 8472, was the Krenim Time Ship.

The vessel was out of synch with time, which kept the crew from aging while also making the ship itself invulnerable to attack. The Krenim Time Ship's main weapon didn't destroy planets; it erased them from the timeline. On top of that, it was armed with powerful chronometric torpedoes and energy weapons. The Krenim Time Ship was a nearly unstoppable weapon made to change history.

24 The Species 8472 Bioship Was Unlike Any Ship That Came Before It

Since their introduction into Star Trek canon, the Borg have had their run over the galaxy, able to destroy entire Federation armadas with only one ship. That is until they opened a portal into fluidic space and met Species 8472. This alien race proved a threat unlike any other to the cybernetic collective, as they could destroy Borg ships with relative ease. Biogenetic in nature, the ships of Species 8472 were as resistant to technological attack as the individuals themselves — rendering conventional weapons, transporters, and force fields useless against them.

The Species 8472 bioships could also emit incredible energies in tandem, destroying Borg ships as easily as the Borg destroyed others. When the crew of the USS Voyager formed an alliance with the Borg to fight them, Command Chakotay said he believed the ship itself might be alive. The ship was designed by Steve Burg and was one of the earliest fully computer-generated models used in Star Trek .

23 The Galor Class Warship Was the Face of the Cardassian Fleet

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Sisko and Gul Dukat for one of sci-fi's greatest rivalries . The Cardassians were the show's main villains for much of its run and fans got used to seeing their mainline battleship, the Galor class. This vessel was the backbone of Cardassia's fleet, spearheading its conquest of worlds throughout the Alpha Quadrant after it aligned with the dreaded Dominion.

The Galor wasn't a new ship, but she was a powerful one. The ship wasn't heavily armed compared to something like a Galaxy -class, but its forward disruptor array was extremely powerful. A Galor could do massive damage to targets and could take a beating like few other ships.

22 The Jem'Hadar Fighter Was a Scarab-Like Fighter That Packed a Wallop

Jem'Hadar Fighters were the mainline vessel of the Dominion Fleet. The Jem'Hadar were a very powerful Star Trek race , and their ships matched their might. Extremely sturdy, their ships could survive a crash landing on a planet and still be flyable with minimal repairs. Armed with phased polaron disruptors, the Jem'Hadar Fighter 's weapons could easily pierce the shields of Starfleet vessels in the early days after their first confrontation.

Over time, the efficacy of the ship's weapons and shields went down after Sisko and his crew captured one to be studied. Still, a group of Jem'Hadar Fighters was still dangerous to just about any single ship in the allies' repertoire. The ship was designed by Jim Martin, influenced by Rick Sternbach's Egyptian-scarab flavored designs. John Eaves also did the mockup of the full ship that appeared in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 5, Episode 2 "The Ship."

21 The D'deridex Class Warbird Revealed How the Romulans Upped Their Game

Star trek: insurrection's first villains help the movie make better sense.

Star Trek: The Next Generation showcased powerful threats , including the return of the Romulans. The main vessel of the Romulan Star Empire's fleet, D'deridex-class Warbirds were massive vessels that dwarfed some of the largest ships the Federation put to space. Powered by a forced quantum singularity, these battlecruisers were armed to the teeth with multiple disruptor arrays and photon torpedo tubes.

Like most Romulan vessels, D'deridex-class Warbirds were equipped with cloaking devices, which was a pretty scary proposition — a vessel with the size and power of a D'deridex being able to sneak behind enemy lines undetected and wreak havoc is something any good commander would fear.

20 The Narada Is a Mining Vessel That Doubles as a Warship

As seen in the first of three Star Trek reboot movies starring Chris Pine in 2009, The Narada is a Romulan vessel from the late-24th century. After pursuing Ambassador Spock through a black hole, it arrives in the middle of the 23rd century and continues its relentless vengeance mission against the Federation and its allies.

Though it's a fairly safe bet that in its own time, The Narada is not an exceptionally powerful ship when compared to its peers, that's not the case in the 23rd century. Shortly after its arrival it destroys an entire planet (as well as a starship or two) and it's more than deserving of a place on this list. While not mentioned in the film, subsequent materials and the novelization revealed this ship was made from repurposed Borg technology, which is why it was so powerful.

19 The Excelsior Class Eventually Replaced the Original Constitution Class

Ship design was always important to Star Trek 's success , and Connie set up the most common design: primary saucer hull connected to the secondary hull, which contained the engines and power systems. The Excelsior was designed to replace the Connie , taking advantage of years of research and development. The Excelsior was built around the new transwarp drive, dubbed "the Great Experiment" by Starfleet, but the project's failure meant it would be years before the Excelsior replaced the reliable Constitution Class.

The Excelsior was an improvement on the Connie in every way — better sensors, better computers, and better defenses. The ship was armed with multiple phaser batteries and torpedo launcher, allowing the ship to cover itself with 3-D firing arcs at nearly every angle. The Excelsior would eventually fulfill its destiny of becoming the main heavy cruiser of Starfleet. It remained in use for over a hundred years, forming the backbone of Starfleet through the Dominion War and beyond, as the class got another refit in the late 2390s/early 2400s.

18 The Miranda Class Starship Was a Versatile Vessel for Starfleet

The Miranda Class starship is the backbone of the Federation fleet for a reason. First introduced in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , it has since appeared in many movies and television series tied to the franchise. The ship itself has a solid array of weaponry, if nothing truly out of the ordinary, and it can more than hold its own against standard classes of enemy ship.

A fun fact about the ship's design is that it was actually meant to be the other way round, but Wrath of Khan producers looked at it upside down. When the error became clear, they decided they preferred it that way. The repurposed Constitution class design was used to save money since the film had a slim budget.

17 The Sarcophagus Was a Klingon Ship of the Dead

Why klingons look different from discovery to strange new worlds.

The terrifyingly named Ship of the Dead or the Sarcophagus is actually used to transport the preeminent Klingon House of T'Kuvma. The ship was more than 200 years old, and the bodies of slain Klingon warriors are entombed on its hull. It serves as the main ship for their forces during the Federation-Klingon War depicted in Star Trek: Discovery .

The ship packs a heck of a punch and has guns capable of turning the entire surface of a mid-sized, habitable planet into a barren wasteland. It also has spectacular cloaking abilities and is around three times bigger than even the biggest ships in the Federation fleet. It's a truly intimidating leviathan to come up against.

16 The Jem'Hadar Battleship Was Larger Than the USS Enterprise-D

The Jem'Hadar Battleship was the largest vessel in the Dominion fleet and the most feared, which is saying something considering just how powerful Jem'Hadar vessels are. Armed with multiple polaron disruptor batteries and torpedo launchers, the Jem'Hadar Battleship was not just one of the most powerful Dominion vessels but one of the most powerful vessels in the galaxy.

Extremely hard to damage, a Jem'Hadar Battleship taking the field was met with apprehension. Twice the size of a Galaxy- class and three times as powerful, no ship that any of the allies fielded could hurt it in a one-on-one battle.

15 The Curiosity Class Was a Small, but Mighty, Advanced Starfleet Vessel

Star Trek: Picard was chock-full of nostalgic moments and exciting developments as it charted new territory in the 24th century. Without a doubt, the arrival of William Riker and the USS Zheng He at the head of a Federation fleet was one of those pulse-pounding moments viewers cheered for. It also was one of the most massive assemblage of vessels seen in Star Trek .

Primed to save Captain Picard from a Romulan fleet that was threatening to destroy him, the USS Zheng He had an imposing appearance. A new, Curiosity class vessel, Riker touted the Zheng He as “the toughest, fastest, most powerful ship Starfleet ever put into service.” Although it was never seen in action, it’s reasonable to assume it’d be more advanced than any ship that came before it.

14 The Akira Class Vessels Were Fast, Sleek Fighters

The Akira Class was commissioned in the 2370s and was part of the Federation's initiative to field more ships with the main purpose was fighting. It was basically a torpedo boat that had its dorsal weapons pod armed with a large amount of fore and aft torpedo tubes.

The Akira Class even has port and starboard tubes, almost unheard of on Starfleet ships. Like most Starfleet vessels, it also is armed with phasers. The Akira also had fore and aft launch bays, making it an ideal launch platform for Starfleet attack ships. Fast and maneuverable, it could bring a disproportionate amount of power to bear for its size. The ship got its name from the anime film, Akira .

13 The Jem'Hadar Battle Cruiser Was a Near Unbeatable Ship

Why 'in the pale moonlight' is an important ds9 episode.

The Jem'Hadar Battle Cruiser was the larger cousin of the Jem'Hadar Fighter and a formidable vessel in its own right. Not seen until after the Cardassian-Dominion alliance, these large cruisers were armed with the standard polaron beam disruptor batteries that made Dominion ships so powerful, as well as multiple torpedo tubes.

Extremely durable vessels, even one Jem'Hadar Battle Cruiser was considered a substantial threat to Deep Space Nine even after its massive weapons upgrade. They often anchored Dominion lines in battle and could take down even the most powerful allied vessels single-handedly.

12 The Reman Warbird Was a Nemesis to the USS Enterprise-E

Star Trek: Nemesis was a divisive film to fans of The Next Generation , but one thing that was undeniably awe-inspiring was the power of the Reman warbird, the Scimitar . Armed to the teeth, the ship had fifty-two disruptor banks and twenty-seven photon torpedo bays, which allowed it to lay waste to the Enterprise-E and several other ships with ease.

The Scimitar was also heavily armored, able to withstand double the damage other ships could. Its cloaking technology has Geordi LaForge’s stamp of approval as “perfect,” and its thalaron radiation weapon could strip a planet of life in seconds.

11 32nd Century Federation Fleet Is Sleek and Near Magical

Star Trek: Discovery turned its narrative on a dime at the end of Season 2 by transporting its crew from the Kirk era to almost one thousand years in the future. Here, the Federation has been decimated by a phenomenon called “The Burn,” during which all dilithium in the galaxy grew inert and devastated the ships that used them. Using "programmable matter" the nacelles and some saucer sections could appear detached from the main hull.

However, the crew of the Discovery was treated to a tour of a shipyard filled with ships of the 32nd century, including the USS Nog and the USS Voyager-J . Although these ships weren't seen in action, it can be assumed nine hundred years of technological advancement would make them the most sophisticated and powerful ships on this list.

10 The Prometheus-Class Was a Multi-Attack Vessel

How a set fire led to star trek: voyager's funniest episode.

Starfleet's subtle change into a more war oriented power was heralded by multiple new warship designs. This war fleet was first meant to defend against the Borg, but the Dominion's threat kept them making ships made for war, including the Prometheus class. However, this ship wasn't just kitted out with the latest in weapons and shield technology.

The Prometheus class was created around multi-vector attack formation. The ship split into three, and was suddenly three times the threat it was before. The USS Prometheus could single-handedly destroy a D'deridex class ship with multi-vector attack mode, using only phasers. That's a powerful ship and a great weapon in Starfleet's arsenal.

9 The Defiant Class Was Starfleet's First Warship

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is amazing , and it got better when the USS Defiant arrived. The Defiant class was originally designed to fight the Borg and was brought out of mothballs to counter the Dominion threat. Armed with four phaser cannons, three phaser banks, and four forward and two aft quantum torpedo launchers, the Defiant packs a tremendous wallop for a ship of its size.

The Defiant Class had powerful deflectors and ablative armor to make them extremely hard to damage, but their speed and maneuverability also make them very hard to hit. Able to destroy smaller vessels with a few shots with phaser cannons, the Defiant Class turned the tide of the war with the Dominion.

8 The Sovereign Class Signified Starfleet's Turn Towards the Militaristic

The most powerful vessel in Starfleet, the Sovereign class takes all the lessons Starfleet learned and puts them into practice. More powerful after a class-wide refit, the Sovereign class boasted sixteen phaser arrays, a forward quantum torpedo launcher, three forward photon torpedo launchers, and six aft photon launchers.

The Sovereign class was built for a wide variety of missions, like the Galaxy before it, but Starfleet made sure to arm it with the latest in weaponry, allowing it to hold its own against even the most powerful enemy vessels without needing reinforcements.

7 The Borg Cube Is Simplistic and Terrifying

The Borg cube is easily the most powerful ship encountered by any of the Alpha Quadrant powers. Armed with a variety of powerful beam weapons, torpedo launchers, and tractor beams, a Borg cube was more than a match for fleets of ships. In fact, it could destroy multiple ships before they could even scratch it. As the Borg assimilated new species and technology, their vessels were consistently being updated but the basic shape stayed the same.

Equipped with regenerative shielding and the adaptive technology that make the Borg so formidable, the only way Borg cubes have ever been defeated was with computer-based trickery, knowledge from when Captain Picard was assimilated, or future technology. Much from Star Trek' s past holds up , including the power of a Borg Cube.

6 The Shrike Was a Sinister Vessel for Even More Sinister Villains

Star Trek: Picard gave viewers several amazing ships, and one that grabbed fans' attention was the Shrike. Commanded by the changeling Vadic, this warship had an eye-catching design, with four claw-like protrusions extending forward from its body, giving it a fierce, insectoid look. It was also armed to the teeth.

Vadic allowed the Titan to scan them, revealing the Shrike 's armament comprising forty isolytic burst warheads, eighty-eight plasma torpedoes, two hundred thirty-six photon torpedoes, eighteen anti-matter missiles, twenty pulse wave torpedoes, and an unknown number of directed energy weapons. On top of that, the Shrike was equipped with a portal weapon, which could transport ships it engaged through space into more vulnerable positions.

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The long lost original model of the USS Enterprise has been returned

The model, in the opening credits of Star Trek , had been missing since the 1970s. It popped up on eBay last fall. The seller helped facilitate its return to the family of the creator of Star Trek .

(SOUNDBITE OF ALEXANDER COURAGE'S "THEME FROM STAR TREK")

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Leila Fadel.

The long-lost original model of the USS Enterprise, the one that could be seen in the opening credits of the TV show "Star Trek," has been returned. Missing since the 1970s, the model popped up on eBay last fall. The seller eventually took down the item and helped facilitate its return to Rod Roddenberry, the son of the late "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry. Roddenberry, the son, says he now hopes to get the model into a museum for the public to enjoy.

It's MORNING EDITION.

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

star trek insurrection ships

Discovery Was Built On Earth Like USS Enterprise In J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery, season 5, episode 4, "Face the Strange". Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 4, "Face the Strange", reminds us that the USS Discovery was built on Earth, just like the USS Enterprise in the J.J. Abrams Star Trek movies. Written by Sean Cochran and directed by Lee Rose , "Face the Strange" catapults Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) through the personal history of the USS Discovery. From its construction in the 23rd century to the crew being killed by the Breen in the 32nd century, Discovery season 5, episode 4, covers the full spread of the starship's history.

Star Trek: Discovery season 1 established that the USS Discovery was still a new and groundbreaking vessel in 2256 . It's unclear exactly when Burnham and Rayner's trip to the in-construction USS Discovery takes place, but deck seven hadn't quite been completed on schedule. However, it's very clear from a glimpse of the outside world where Burnham and Rayner have traveled to, the San Francisco Fleet Yards on Earth, drawing a direct link with J.J. Abrams' version of the starship Enterprise from the Kelvin Timeline movies.

Star Trek: Discoverys Enterprise Crossover Made 1 Of Burnhams Crew Very Happy

Uss discovery was built on earth just like uss enterprise in j.j. abrams’ star trek.

The USS Discovery was built at the San Francisco Shipyards, something first mentioned way back in Star Trek: Discovery season 1 . "Face the Strange" reveals the location of the shipyard, via a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge. This places Starfleet's San Francisco Shipyards somewhere in or around Starfleet Academy and Federation Headquarters. A huge amount of space must be required to construct starships, so it's possible that specialist platforms have been erected in the area around San Francisco Bay. The height of Burnham's view means that the audience don't see the ground, suggesting that the Crossfield-class starship could be constructed on a floating platform.

The Kelvin Timeline version of the USS Enterprise was also built on the Earth's surface, at the Starfleet Shipyard in Riverside, Iowa . However, while the majority of construction took place in Iowa, the Enterprise itself was launched from the San Francisco Fleet Yards. This draws a direct link with Star Trek: Discovery , suggesting that the nature of starfleet construction in the 23rd century was largely unchanged by the destruction of the USS Kelvin. However, the USS Discovery and the Kelvin Timeline USS Enterprise are still unique, because the majority of Star Trek 's starships are built in space.

Star Trek: Discovery was the first Star Trek show in 12 years, released after the three J.J. Abrams movies, which may account for season 1's reference to the Earth-based construction seen in Star Trek (2009) .

Starfleet Ships Are Usually Built In Space

In the Star Trek universe, Starfleet's ships are generally built in space, either at the Utopia Planitia Shipyards above Mars, or in various space docks. The USS Excelsior, first glimpsed in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock was being built and tested at Spacedock One. A century later, the USS Enterprise-D, USS Defiant and USS Voyager were all constructed at the orbital Utopia Planitia Shipyards. This makes the USS Discovery unique in the prime Star Trek timeline, as it's the only hero ship confirmed to be built on Earth. In fact, Discovery is unique among other starships in Star Trek: Discovery 's 32nd century timeline.

Starships in the 32nd century are built and refitted at Starfleet's Archer Spacedock , unveiled in Star Trek: Discovery season 4. The USS Discovery has made several trips to Archer Spacedock for repairs following its encounters with the Dark Matter Anomaly and the avalanche on Q'Mau. All of which proves that, while starships can be constructed on Earth, it's far more convenient and efficient for them to be built and repaired in space so that they're primed to join Starfleet's armada at the nearest opportunity.

Star Trek: Discovery streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Star Trek (2009)

J.J. Abrams' 2009 movie Star Trek rebooted the iconic sci-fi franchise in a totally new timeline. When a Romulan ship travels back in time and alters the past, the lives of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the future crew of the USS Enterprise are drastically changed. In this new timeline, the Romulan Nero (Eric Bana) sets out for revenge on Spock, setting off a chain of events that reshape the entire universe.

Discovery Was Built On Earth Like USS Enterprise In J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek

Memory Alpha

USS Enterprise (brig)

  • View history

Enterprise, sailing brig, 2371

The holographic simulation of Enterprise

USS Enterprise brig name plate

Dedication plate

In 2371 , a holographic representation of a typical 19th century brig named USS Enterprise was recreated on the holodeck of USS Enterprise -D , as a setting for Worf 's promotion ceremony to lieutenant commander . ( Star Trek Generations )

See also: USS Enterprise (schooner)

Personnel [ ]

  • See USS Enterprise (brig) personnel

Background information [ ]

This Enterprise was portrayed in Generations by the Lady Washington "sailing out of Marina del Rey , California ." ( Star Trek Encyclopedia  (4th ed., vol. 1, p. 243)) She also played the role of the "HMS Interceptor " in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl and was used to represent Captain Hook's ship " Jolly Roger " in the television series Once Upon a Time .

At 178 tons, the Lady Washington is much too small to be any of the HMS Enterprise sailing ships. Only two of the US Navy 's Enterprise sailing ships are close in size; the third (commissioned 1799 ), and the fourth (commissioned 1832 ). Of those two, only the former was ever rigged as a brig (having been re-rigged as such in 1812 ), and it had a much more notable service record. Based on this evidence, the ship in Generations – if it was meant to be a specific ship – was probably the 1799 Enterprise . A commissioned model of the 1799 Enterprise (rigged as a schooner) would later appear as set dressing in Captain Pike 's quarters for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Regardless, there is no canon evidence to indicate that this vessel was intended by the writers to represent any particular ship in the established "real-life" Enterprise lineage, or that the schooner and brig Enterprises were meant to be the same vessel.

According to Ronald D. Moore , the sailing ship scene was an homage to Patrick O'Brian and his books, and to C.S. Forester , who wrote the Hornblower books. ( AOL chat , 1997 )

External link [ ]

  • USS Enterprise (1799) at Wikipedia

COMMENTS

  1. Star Trek: Insurrection

    The theatrical poster for Star Trek: Insurrection. ... He remarked, "In this movie there was an attempt to do more wild actions [than the usual ship maneuvers in the Star Trek films]-probably since we were using CG and didn't have to worry about the lack of flexibility with [physical] model mounts." (Cinefex, issue 77, p. 79)

  2. Star Trek: Insurrection

    Star Trek: Insurrection is a 1998 American science fiction film directed by Jonathan Frakes.It is the ninth film in the Star Trek film series, as well as the third to star the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, with F. Murray Abraham, Donna Murphy, and Anthony Zerbe appearing in main roles. In the film, the crew of the USS Enterprise-E rebels against Starfleet after they discover a ...

  3. Star Trek: Insurrection (ships only)

    The Starship Enterprise was not harmed during the making of this film.

  4. FSD: Starship Database

    Star Trek: Insurrection featured three types of Starfleet vessels. The holoship is essentially an enormous flying holodeck. Its warp nacelles are built right into the vessel, it also has impulse engines as well. The holoship has a small bridge which is located on the top of the vessel, at the rear. The roof and walls of the bridge are ...

  5. Son'a

    " ("The Art of Insurrection", Star Trek: Insurrection (Special Edition) DVD) The Son'a ships were constructed in CGI by Santa Barbara Studios. SBS' Effects Supervisor John Grower stated, "John [Eaves] sent us elevation views and one or two 3/4 perspective drawings of each ship, but we had to do a lot of deduction work. The Son'a Flagship and ...

  6. Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

    Star Trek: Insurrection: Directed by Jonathan Frakes. With Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton. When the crew of the Enterprise learn of a Federation conspiracy against the inhabitants of a unique planet, Captain Picard begins an open rebellion.

  7. Federation mission scoutship

    Technical information []. The scout was a single-pilot starship with a forward mounted cockpit separated from the rest of the vessel.It was slightly larger in size than the Type 11 shuttlecraft and carried dual-mounted phaser banks and photon torpedoes.The vessel was accessible through its docking hatch on the ventral hull.(Star Trek: Insurrection) Ships commissioned []

  8. Star Trek: Insurrection (4/10) Movie CLIP

    Star Trek: Insurrection movie clips: http://j.mp/1J9mTqdBUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/zqsNwODon't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6prCLIP DE...

  9. FSD: Starship Concept Art

    Star Trek: Insurrection Concept Art (Part 1) - By John Eaves. John Eaves discusses the design of the new Federation vessels for Star Trek: Insurrection. Star Trek: Insurrection called for four new Federation vessels: the captain's yacht, shuttlecraft, a scout ship, and massive holoship. It was John Eaves job take the familiar Starfleet design ...

  10. Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

    Overview. When an alien race and factions within Starfleet attempt to take over a planet that has "regenerative" properties, it falls upon Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise to defend the planet's people as well as the very ideals upon which the Federation itself was founded. Jonathan Frakes. Director. Michael Piller.

  11. The Lessons of Star Trek: Insurrection

    Star Trek: Insurrection. StarTrek.com. As it turns out, the Son'a were a group of Ba'ku who had been exiled from the planet for trying to take over the colony. Picard confronted Gallatin, one of the senior Son'a officers, and recruited him to prevent Ru'afo from massacring his own people. Gallatin participated in Picard's bid to ...

  12. Star Trek: Insurrection Concept Art (Part 2)

    On Star Trek: Insurrection, concept artist John Eaves was given the task of designing all of the Son'a ships. When John Eaves began designing the Son'a vessels seen in Star Trek: Insurrection, he didn't have much to go on. However, as he explains, that's how he likes it: "The script usually just says: 'A giant battleship sweeps across the screen.'.

  13. USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)

    The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E), or Enterprise-E, to distinguish it from other vessels with the same name, is a fictional starship belonging to the United Federation of Planets, commonly known as the Federation, in the Star Trek franchise. It appears in the films Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: Nemesis, where it serves as the primary setting.

  14. Designing the "Porsche" of Starships: A Sovereign Enterprise

    John Eaves works on designs for Star Trek: Insurrection (Star Trek: Action!) "I wanted a sleek, very fast ship with favorite elements from the starships that had gone before," he told Star Trek: The Magazine in 2003 — "especially Bill George's Excelsior." Everyone knows the basic shape: the saucer section, the body, the two nacelles.

  15. Is STAR TREK: INSURRECTION Improved By a "Ships-Only" Edit?

    Via io9, the "Star Trek: Insurrection - Just the Ships" edit was created by Weekly Equation, and it does have a few areas of interest.This was the first Star Trek feature film to solely utilize CGI for the ships and the space battles. Some of the new designs, including the Son'a Collector ship and the Federation Scout ship, are very eye-catching.

  16. Federation holoship

    Despite all of the ship's transporters being locked and secured by Picard, Worf and Gallatin, Ru'afo was able to reroute the command sequencer on one of the transporters through the auxiliary processor in order to beam himself over to the collector. The Son'a crew later utilized the same method to beam back to their ship. (Star Trek: Insurrection)

  17. Ex Astris Scientia

    Son'a ships in "Star Trek: Insurrection" Shuttle. Shuttle - various views (source unknown) Shuttle in "Star Trek: Insurrection" Shuttle in "Star Trek: Insurrection" See Also. Alpha and Beta Quadrant Ships S-Z . Credits. The PDF archive of the Eaglemoss Official Starships Collection is hosted at the Starship Schematics Database.

  18. Star Trek: Insurrection: Official Clip

    All Star Trek: Insurrection Videos Star Trek: Insurrection: Official Clip - Holographic Ship 2:11 Added: December 15, 2015 Star Trek: Insurrection: Trailer 1 2:18 Added: April 23, 2019

  19. "Star Trek: Insurrection"

    In a way, it's a shame "Insurrection" and "Star Trek V" are so flawed, because they're arguably the most thematically meaty of all the Trek films. ... You could have had an interesting scene of events with Starfleet ships ordered to suppress the "Insurrection" of the flagship and then Picard sway them with words and impress sanity upon the ...

  20. Star Trek's Most Powerful Ships, Ranked

    25 Best Star Trek Ships, Ranked. Starfleet, the Federation, and many others in the Star Trek franchise boast powerful starships like the Sovereign-Class or Krenim Time Ship. One of the most popular sci-fi television shows of all time, Star Trek, has been enthralling fans for decades. In recent years, the property has come back with a vengeance.

  21. Federation mission scoutship model

    The Federation mission scoutship model originated out of a 12 March 1998 script requirement of Star Trek: Insurrection, "On the viewscreen the attacking ship moves suddenly into view from a low density gas cloud like a destroyer emerging from a fog bank... it is a Federation Scout ship -- small but impressive, with windows at the forward cockpit...(Scene 33)." [1] Production Designer Herman ...

  22. The long lost original model of the USS Enterprise has been returned

    The model, in the opening credits of Star Trek, had been missing since the 1970s. It popped up on eBay last fall. The seller helped facilitate its return to the family of the creator of Star Trek.

  23. Ru'afo's flagship

    In an interview appearing on the Star Trek: Insurrection (Special Edition) DVD and Blu-ray, Eaves described the vessel as a battleship. It was intended to be 1,160 feet (354 meters) long. The body sculpting facility aboard this ship was a redress of the Museum of Kyrian Heritage, which had previously appeared in VOY: "Living Witness".

  24. Discovery Was Built On Earth Like USS Enterprise In J.J. Abrams' Star Trek

    Starships in the 32nd century are built and refitted at Starfleet's Archer Spacedock, unveiled in Star Trek: Discovery season 4. The USS Discovery has made several trips to Archer Spacedock for ...

  25. USS Enterprise (brig)

    Background information []. This Enterprise was portrayed in Generations by the Lady Washington "sailing out of Marina del Rey, California."(Star Trek Encyclopedia (4th ed., vol. 1, p. 243)) She also played the role of the "HMS Interceptor" in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl and was used to represent Captain Hook's ship "Jolly Roger" in the television series Once ...