captain in star trek enterprise

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Star trek: every captain of the enterprise.

Star Trek has featured many starships named Enterprise. Along with Kirk and Picard, here's every Enterprise Captain from each movie and TV series.

Here is a breakdown of all USS Enterprise Captains across the various Star Trek movies, live-action series, comics, and books. Beginning with Star Trek: The Original Series , the Starship Enterprise has been at the very heart of the enduring sci-fi franchise created by Gene Roddenberry in 1966. Of course, the two most famous Captains of the Enterprise are James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), who shared the big screen together in 1994's Star Trek Generations, but Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) is quickly achieving greatness in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Star Trek has introduced other successful spinoffs set on different starships like Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Discovery , as well as the space station-based Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . But, in the eyes of many fans, it isn't truly Star Trek unless it's about the Enterprise . The men and women who have commanded the Enterprise rank among the greatest heroes in Star Trek, because they know that when they sit in that chair, they can make a real difference. These are the accomplishments of all USS Enterprise Captains from every TV show, movie, and alternate reality.

The 22nd Century - USS Enterprise NX-01

Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) - Star Trek: Enterprise 's titular starship was the first United Earth starship that could travel at Warp 5. Captain Archer commanded it during its missions which created pivotal alliances that ultimately led to the founding of Star Trek 's United Federation of Planets, which Archer presided over in 2161 – marking him among the most important of all USS Enterprise Captains.

The 23rd Century - USS Enterprise NX-0002

Admiral/Captain Charles Rasmussen - A Federation Starfleet Admiral and instructor at Starfleet Academy, Charles Rasmussen captained the Constitution-class ship NX-0002, during which Rasmussen also sacrificed his life to save his crew. This occurs in an issue of the Star Trek: The Original Series comics called "Shakedown."

The 23rd Century - USS Enterprise NCC-1701

Captain/Admiral Robert April - Captain April first appeared in Star Trek: The Animated Series , where he was voiced by James Doohan. In the 23rd century, Robert April was the first Captain of the Constitution -class USS Enterprise NCC-1701 deep space heavy cruiser when it launched in 2245. Christopher Pike was his First Officer during the starship's first five-year mission. Admiral April (Adrian Holmes) is a recurring character in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Captain/Fleet Captain Christopher Pike - The Captain of the Enterprise in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , Christopher Pike leads a new five-year mission of exploration. Pike counts Enterprise legends like Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) and Number One (Rebecca Romijn) among his crew. In a few years, Fleet Captain Pike will suffer a horrific accident that leaves him trapped in a wheelchair. Jeffrey Hunter played Pike, Leonard Nimoy played Spock, and Majel Barrett played Number One in the original Star Trek pilot, "The Cage."

Vice Admiral/Captain Katrina Cornwell (Jayne Brook) - Starfleet Vice Admiral Katrina Cornwell temporarily assumed command of the USS Enterprise and then later transferred it back to Pike in 2258. This was part of the efforts to keep the Enterprise out of the war with the Klingons. At the Battle near Xahea, Cornwell ends up sacrificing her life in order to save the ship from an undetonated photon torpedo. Before that, in 2257, Cornwell also temporarily commanded the USS Discovery.

Captain/Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) - The most legendar y Enterprise Captain of the 23rd century, Kirk's five-year mission was seen in Star Trek: The Original Series. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) held the dual role of the Enterprise 's First Officer and Science Officer. Kirk's Starship Enterprise engaged in numerous pivotal missions that resulted in Kirk's promotion to Admiral at the end of his voyages. Outside of the main series and movies (and often even outside of the Star Trek universe), Captain James T. Kirk continues to be referenced in animated series such as Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy.

Captain Zarlo - In the Star Trek comic book series, Kirk gets assigned to take on a secret mission against the Klingons on the planet of Mobita, and Captain Zarlo gets assigned to replace Kirk as Captain of the Enterprise.

Captain Willard Decker (Stephen Collins) - In Star Trek: The Motion Picture , Captain Will Decker was in command of the retrofitted Starship Enterprise when Admiral Kirk demoted him to First Officer and took command of the mission to intercept V'Ger. Decker merged with V'Ger at the end of the film and was listed as "missing in action".

Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy) - In 2285, Spock was promoted to Captain and commanded the Enterprise , which was primarily used as a training vessel. In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , Admiral Kirk once again assumed command when Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban) stole the Genesis Device, which resulted in Spock's death.

Captain Lawrence H. Styles (James B. Sikking) - The arrogant and appropriately named Styles was actually the captain of the experimental USS Excelsior , which chased but failed to catch up to the Enterprise , ending up stolen and used in Kirk's mission to resurrect Spock. In the Star Trek novel "Prime Directive," Styles temporarily assumed command over the Enterprise during its refit after it was severely damaged. Styles has a similar attitude to Kirk, which is why they severely dislike each other (and mainly why their dynamic works).

The 23rd Century - USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A

Captain James T. Kirk - After stealing the Enterprise to resurrect Spock, and subsequently saving Earth from a space probe seeking to communicate with humpback whales in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , Admiral Kirk was demoted to Captain and given command of the new USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A. Kirk's Enterprise-A in Star Trek V : The Final Frontie r and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country met God and helped secure peace with the Klingon Empire before the Enterprise-A was decommissioned.

The 23rd Century - USS Enterprise NCC-1701-B

Captain John Harriman (Alan Ruck) - The Excelsior -class USS Enterprise-B was launched in 2293 under the command of Captain John Harriman. Their shakedown cruise is infamous for encountering the Nexus, which resulted in the presumed death of Captain Kirk, as seen in the prologue of Star Trek Generations.

The 24th Century - USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C

Captain Rachel Garrett (Tricia O'Neill) - The Ambassador -class USS Enterprise-C made only one appearance, in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Yesterday's Enterprise". The Enterprise-C was meant to be destroyed at Narendra III while defending a Klingon outpost from a Romulan attack, but it fell through a time vortex that altered the timeline. Captain Garrett died before the Enterprise-C could return to its proper era and set the timeline right.

The 24th Century - USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D

Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) - Star Trek: The Next Generation 's Galaxy -class USS Enterprise-D was designated as the flagship of the United Federation of Planets. Under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the Enterprise-D's numerous missions involved multiple first contacts with new species, diplomatic and military engagements, and scientific pursuits. The Enterprise-D was destroyed on Veridian III in Star Trek Generations but the D was rebuilt and saved the galaxy one last time in Star Trek: Picard season 3.

Acting Captain William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) - In TNG 's "The Best of Both Worlds" two-parter, Captain Picard was abducted by the Borg and turned into Locutus. Commander William Riker became the Enterprise-D's Acting Captain and led the successful rescue of Picard and defeat of the Borg, after which Picard resumed his role as Captain of the Enterprise.

Captain Edward Jellico (Ronny Cox) - Perhaps the most despised Captain of the Enterprise, Edward Jellico was assigned to take over the Federation flagship when Picard went on a secret mission and was captured and tortured by the Cardassians in the "Chain of Command" two-parter. After alienating the crew and clashing with Riker, Jellico returned the Enterprise-D back to Picard once he was rescued.

The 24th Century - USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E

Captain Jean-Luc Picard - The Sovereign -class USS Enterprise-E was the most advanced starship in the Federation when it was assigned to Captain Picard prior to Star Trek: First Contact. Continuing as the Federation flagship, the Enterprise-E was the setting of three Star Trek: The Next Generation movies and the crew successfully faced the Borg, the Son'a, and the Remans led by Picard's clone, Shinzon (Tom Hardy).

Captain Worf (Michael Dorn) - Captain Picard was promoted to Admiral and left the USS Enterprise-E to lead the Federation's mission to rescue the Romulans from their sun going supernova. Worf was promoted to Captain of the Enterprise , but the ship was lost under mysterious circumstances. In Star Trek: Picard season 3, Worf insisted what happened to the E was "not my fault."

The 25th Century - USS Enterprise NCC-1701-F

Admiral Elizabeth Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy) - The Odyssey -class USS Enterprise-F made its lone appearance in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Under the command of Admiral Shelby, the F was intended to lead Starfleet's Frontier Day celebration before the starship was retired. Tragically, the Enterprise-F and the rest of the assembled Starfleet were assimilated by the Borg, and Shelby was apparently killed at the end of Star Trek: Picard season 3.

The 25th Century - USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D

Commodore Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) - In Star Trek: Picard season 3, Commodore Geordi La Forge oversaw the Fleet Museum on Athan Prime where he painstakingly restored the USS Enterprise-D in secret. Geordi got to unveil his surprise to Admiral Picard and his fellow Enterprise-D crew mates as they warped off to save the galaxy on Frontier Day. When Picard beamed to the Borg Cube to rescue his son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), Geordi became Acting Captain of the Enterprise-D. La Forge led the Enterprise's assault against the Borg Cube and successfully rescued Picard and friends before ending the threat of the Borg, at last.

The 25th Century - USS Enterprise NCC-1701-G

Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) - The Constitution III-class USS Titan-A was rechristened as the USS Enterprise-G at the end of Star Trek: Picard season 3 . The Titan's First Officer, Seven of Nine, was promoted to Captain of the Enterprise, with Commander Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd) as her First Officer and Ensign Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) appointed as Special Counselor to the Captain. Seven also makes history as the first LGBTQI Captain of the Enterprise.

Star Trek Alternate Reality Enterprise Captains

The 22nd century mirror universe - iss enterprise nx-01.

Captain Maximilian Forrest (Vaughn Armstrong) - In the Mirror Universe, the NX-01 ISS Enterprise was commanded by Captain Forrest. In the Star Trek: Enterprise "In a Mirror, Darkly" two-parter, Forrest engaged in a tug-of-war for control of the Enterprise with Commander Jonathan Archer until he was killed by Tholians. However, Archer took command of the USS Defiant, a 23rd-century Constitutio n-class starship from the Prime Universe.

23rd Century United Earth Fleet Timeline - USS Enterprise NCC-1701

Captain James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) - In an alternate reality created by Romulan interference in Earth's 21st-century history, Captain James T. Kirk commanded the USS Enterprise, a starship in the United Earth Fleet . The UEF was mired in an endless war with the Romulans, which humanity was losing. Kirk and Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) traveled back to 21st-century Toronto to reset the course of history back to Star Trek's proper Prime Timeline, but Captain Kirk was tragically shot and killed by a Romulan time traveler named Sera (Adelaide Kane) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow."

The 23rd Century Mirror Universe - ISS Enterprise NCC-1701

Captain Christopher Pike - The ISS Enterprise' s original Captain was assassinated by James T. Kirk prior to the events of the Star Trek: The Original Series season 2 episode, "Mirror, Mirror".

Captain James T. Kirk - After he killed Pike, Captain Kirk maintained his control over the Enterprise thanks to a device called the Tantalus Field, which allowed him to vaporize his enemies remotely. Kirk was briefly switched with his Prime Universe counterpart, who posed as the Mirror Kirk until they were switched back to their proper realities.

Captain Spock - When the Mirror Kirk returned to the ISS Enterprise , Spock relieved him of command, took the Tantalus Field, and also Kirk's mistress Marlena Moreau (Barbara Luna).

"All Good Things..." Timeline - USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D

Admiral William T. Riker - In the future reality seen in TNG 's series finale, "All Good Things..." , the refurbished Enterprise-D (which had a third nacelle allowing the starship to reach Warp 13) was Riker's personal flagship.

26th Century - USS Enterprise NCC-1701-J

Captain Dax - In the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Azati Prime", Captain Archer was brought to a potential 26th-century timeline where the Universe -class U.S.S. Enterprise-J was under the command of Captain Dax, a Trill who hosts the Dax symbiote that once joined with Jadzia (Terry Farrell) and Ezri (Nicole de Boer) from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

J.J. Abrams Star Trek Kelvin Timeline - USS Enterprise NCC-1701

Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) - In the alternate Kevin timeline created by J.J. Abrams' Star Trek 2009 reboot, Christopher Pike was Captain of the Enterprise, which was the Federation flagship, when Starfleet mobilized to save Vulcan from the time-traveling Romulan named Nero (Eric Bana).

Acting Captain Spock (Zachary Quinto) - After Pike was abducted by Nero, First Officer Spock became Acting Captain, which was challenged by cadet James T. Kirk, who later assumed command of the Enterprise as Acting Captain, leading to Nero's defeat.

Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) - As thanks for saving the Earth from Nero, Kirk was promoted to Captain and given command of the Enterprise. Kirk remained Captain in Star Trek Into Darkness and then launched a five-year mission of exploration.

Kelvin Timeline - U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-A

Captain James T. Kirk - Three years into their five-year mission, the Enterprise was destroyed by Krall (Idris Elba). After Kirk saved the Starbase USS Yorktown from Krall, he was given command of the newly-built Constitution -class USS Enterprise-A at the conclusion of Star Trek Beyond .

Star Trek's Enterprise Captains, Ranked From Worst To Best

With over a dozen movies and a growing number of television series, the  Star Trek  franchise boasts an impressive list of captains . And we're pretty confident that there isn't a single captain that at least one  Trek  fan doesn't call their favorite. After all, there are plenty of debates about whether Picard is better than Kirk, whether Janeway is better than Sisko, and so on and so forth. It's all subjective, and for the most part, it's all in good fun. 

But with so many captains now a part of the  Trek  universe, we thought we'd narrow in on a more specific question. Who are the best and worst captains of the many ships with the name of the vessel that started it all, the  Enterprise ? After all, we've been introduced to quite a few of them over the years, even beyond the more recognizable leads of Kirk, Picard, and Archer.

In order to answer this question, we're sticking to Enterprise  captains of the Prime  Star Trek timeline. That's not meant as disrespect to fans of the Kelvin timeline , but if we consider those captains, then we open it up to all the other alternate timeline  Enterprise  captains, like those from the Mirror Universe , from non-canonical media, and even that shaggy-bearded Will Riker from the Borg-ruled timeline in  The Next Generation 's ( TNG ) "Parallels." And since we don't have as much bandwidth as your average Starfleet supercomputer, we've got to make tough choices. 

John Harriman isn't ready for the challenge

In the opening scene of 1994's  Star Trek: Generations , we meet the bottom captain on our list — Captain John Harriman (Alan Ruck) of the Enterprise -B. The ship's maiden voyage is meant as little more than an opportunity to show off for the press, and to celebrate the occasion, James Kirk (William Shatner) and some of his retired officers are welcomed aboard as honored guests. Harriman only has a quick trip around Earth's solar system planned, but things get more complicated when they pick up a distress call from ships caught in a severe gravimetric distortion. 

Initially, Harriman tries to get another ship to answer the call, giving the excuse that this new Enterprise  lacks the crew and the outfitting. Pressured by the presence of the legendary Kirk and by the press, Harriman decides to get involved. Once arriving at the distortion causing all the trouble, Harriman is hesitant to get too close. Eventually, he swallows his pride and asks Kirk for his suggestions.

Now, we need to be fair to Harriman. Ultimately, he rises to the occasion, and it seems likely the experience will make him a better captain. Also, canonically speaking, this is the only scene in which we get the chance to judge him. Still, even with these considerations, it's impossible to imagine some of the more well-known  Enterprise  captains acting quite so skittish or indecisive, even during their first time in the big chair.

Edward Jellico is too narrow-minded to captain the Enterprise

Ronny Cox has the distinction of not only appearing on one of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's most beloved two-parters — season 6's "Chain of Command" — but of playing one of the franchise's most hated captains. Captain Edward Jellico transfers from the USS Cairo  to the  Enterprise  in order to replace Jean-Luc Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart) indefinitely. The change is made so Jellico can conduct negotiations with the Cardassians while Picard is sent on what some believe is a suicide mission.

A lot of the fan hatred for Jellico can be boiled down to the fact that he's the new guy. For example, two moments that irk fans are when he orders Livingston, Picard's pet fish , removed from the Ready Room and when he insists Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) start wearing her uniform on the bridge. While, yes, these are big changes, they aren't unreasonable ones. Honestly, it makes you wonder why Troi has gotten a pass as far as uniforms are concerned all this time.

Where Jellico really does deserve some of the fan rejection is his unwillingness to listen to his officers, particularly when it comes to Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes). It's part of the first officer's job to discreetly express any concerns to the captain about their orders. But Jellico treats any questioning from Riker like a full-blown mutiny. Thankfully, Picard survives his mission and resumes command of the Enterprise . 

Will Decker is a good man who doesn't get much of a chance

Will Decker (Stephen Collins) gets a raw deal in 1979's  Star Trek: The Motion Picture . After James Kirk completes his five-year mission, he recommends Decker to be his successor as captain of the  Enterprise . But Decker doesn't get very long to enjoy his promotion. Instead, he oversees the refit of the  Enterprise , only to have his rank abruptly taken away from him.

In the beginning of the film, Kirk — now an admiral — gets himself back in the  Enterprise 's chair when a powerful space-borne "intruder" is detected heading toward Earth. While it's clear that there's some validity to Kirk's experience making him the best choice for this particular job, it's just as obvious that he's unhappy behind a desk and is using the situation as an opportunity to get himself back in the thick of things. 

While we never get to see much of Decker as a captain, he takes his demotion just about as well as anyone could. He still serves aboard the ship and even saves it a couple of times during the journey to intercept the intruder, which eventually turns out to be an evolved Voyager probe originally sent from Earth in the 20th century. Decker volunteers to become one with the intruder — which calls itself V'ger. Clearly heroic and willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good, Decker would probably have a higher spot on this list if he'd had more time in the captain's chair.

Robert April deserves his accolades

Perhaps one of the lesser-known  Enterprise  captains is Robert April ( voiced by James Doohan ), who precedes both Kirk and Christopher Pike as captain of the  Enterprise . He only has one canonical appearance — in the  Star Trek: The Animated Series  season 2 episode "The Counter-Clock Incident" – and it's set long after most of his  Enterprise  missions. Regardless, the story gives us a good idea of what kind of captain April must've been.

In "The Counter-Clock Incident," April and his wife, Sarah, are in their 70s and aboard the Kirk-commanded  Enterprise  as passengers on their way to the planet Babel, where April is meant to be honored on the occasion of his mandatory retirement. On the way there, the ship is caught in a negative universe, and in order to escape, the ship needs to travel to a dead star ... which causes everyone on the ship to age backwards. Eventually the entire regular crew is so young that completing or even understanding their tasks aboard the Enterprise  is impossible. It's only because of the younger but still adult April and his wife that the  Enterprise  escapes the negative universe intact. 

April's relatively low spot on our list is mainly because we don't get much time to see him. Considering it's said he's one of the most decorated officers in Starfleet, he'd probably rate a higher spot if we had the chance to watch his canonical adventures.

Rachel Garrett gives everything for the Federation

In the season 3  TNG  episode "Yesterday's Enterprise," we meet the only woman to be appointed captain of the  Enterprise who's been revealed thus far. Tricia O'Neil plays Rachel Garrett, captain of the  Enterprise -C, who finds herself and her ship transported to a bleak future. Responding to a distress call from a Klingon outpost, Captain Garrett faces off against four Romulan warbirds. The exchange of fire causes a temporal rift, sending the  Enterprise -C over 20 years into the future, where Starfleet is fighting a losing war against the Klingon Empire. 

While we only get this one episode to see Garrett's leadership, it doesn't take long before her quality as a captain is obvious. While she's just as shocked as anyone would be about being hurled decades into the future, she doesn't let it interfere with her duty. She immediately sets to repairing the  Enterprise -C to help with the war effort, including refusing Dr. Crusher's (Gates McFadden) insistence that she rest in Enterprise -D's sick bay. 

Once Captain Picard makes it clear the best way Garrett can help is to return to her time — something that will almost certainly mean the death of her and her crew, considering the Romulan firepower waiting for them — she accepts her fate and that of her ship. Unfortunately, Garrett doesn't make it back to the past. She's killed during a Klingon attack, forcing her first officer to step in.

Christopher Pike is one of the Enterprise's best

Captain Christopher Pike has been played by more actors on TV than any other Enterprise captain. The first actor to play him was Jeffrey Hunter in the  Star Trek: The Original Series  pilot episode, "The Cage," and in flashbacks in the two-parter "The Menagerie." Sean Kenney plays the chair-bound version of Pike in "The Menagerie," and Anson Mount plays him in the second season of  Star Trek: Discovery .

Ironically, in spite of so many actors playing him, we actually haven't seen him as an Enterprise  captain much. There's his time as captain in "The Cage," but for most of  Discovery 's second season, he's captaining the titular ship rather than the  Enterprise . However, he does return to the  Enterprise  in  Discovery 's two-part season 2 finale, and he'll reportedly reprise the role in the upcoming  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

However, we still have a good idea of what kind of  Enterprise  captain Pike was. He performs just as well or better than most captains in "The Cage," and while it may not be the  Enterprise  he's captaining for most of his time on  Discovery , it's a good bet he's just as solid and courageous in the face of danger and mind-bending discoveries on the bridge of the  Enterprise . Not to mention that — as is revealed in "The Menagerie" — we know the crippling injuries he eventually suffers are the result of Pike sacrificing his own safety to save a ship full of Starfleet cadets. 

Will Riker defeats the Federation's worst enemy

There are plenty of moments in both the  TNG  TV series and the  TNG  era of films in which Will Riker takes over the bridge from Captain Picard. For example, Riker is in charge during the battle that ultimately destroys the Enterprise -D in Star Trek: Generations , and he also takes command when the Enterprise -E races to warn the Federation of the villains' plans in 1998's Star Trek: Insurrection . But no single story more clearly proves Riker's worth as an Enterprise captain than the events of one of the best  TNG two-parters, "The Best of Both Worlds," which bridges the series' third and fourth seasons. 

Ironically, Riker is wrestling with why he keeps turning down promotions when one is thrust upon him. When Captain Picard is kidnapped by the Borg and assimilated into their collective, Riker is given a field promotion to captain and names Commander Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy) as his first officer. In spite of the assimilated Picard — now calling himself "Locutus of Borg" — having intimate knowledge of Riker's personality and tactics, Riker manages to outmaneuver the Borg, catch them off balance, and save both Picard and the Federation from assimilation.

"The Best of Both Worlds" makes it clear that — while no one would want to see Picard taken away from the Enterprise  – Riker could've taken his mentor's place permanently, if necessary.

Spock becomes a better captain over time

Along with multiple instances of Spock (Leonard Nimoy) taking charge of the Enterprise in Star Trek: The Original Series , he takes the reins completely a couple of times in the films. Spock is the captain of an  Enterprise  mostly full of trainees between the events of  Star Trek: The Motion Picture  and 1982's Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . He also takes command in 1991's  Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country after Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) are arrested by the Klingons. 

We don't get to see much of Spock as a captain in between the first two Trek movies, but the fact that his trainees manage to help the Enterprise  survive what proves to be one of their deadliest duels in Wrath of Khan  is evidence of his worth as a teacher. And it's difficult to imagine anyone else being able to prove Kirk and McCoy's innocence as Spock does in  Star Trek VI . 

If it weren't for Spock's evolution as a character, he might find himself a bit lower on our list. In early commands Spock enjoys during the original series — such as his time trying to save his shuttle crew in "The Galileo Seven" — Spock's overreliance on logic makes it difficult for him to serve as an effective leader. But by  Star Trek VI ,   he's learned, as he tells Kim Cattrall's Lt. Valeris, that "logic is the beginning of wisdom" and "not the end."

Jonathan Archer was a trailblazer

By the time Star Trek: Enterprise started showing us the adventures of Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), there had been five other  Star Trek  series and nine movies, all taking place chronologically  after  the events of  Enterprise . So most fans watching  Enterprise  for the first time had already seen the experiences of captains like Kirk, Picard, Janeway, etc., and as such, some of the decisions Archer makes can seem insane .

For example, take the episode "Strange New World." When T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) warns caution before sending crew members to explore a planet that no human has set foot on before, Archer and some of the other bridge officers laugh at her concerns. When you see something like that, it's tough to ignore about a million and a half situations in Star Trek  that would make Archer want to punch himself for laughing. 

In light of this, Archer sometimes comes off as less than his future counterparts, but you have to remember that while the idea of going where "no one has gone before" is often (but not always) hyperbole in the case of future captains, it's much more literal in Archer's case. Until the very end of Enterprise , the United Federation of Planets doesn't even exist. Archer makes long lists of mistakes, but he does it because he goes down paths no other human has trod before. And like the best captains of  Trek , he does it with passion and stubborn idealism.

James T. Kirk is the Enterprise captain all others are judged against

For those more used to later captains like Picard and Janeway, James T. Kirk makes some decisions that are mind-boggling. For example, while later captains would take great pains to protect the integrity of the timeline, when Kirk beams a 20th-century fighter pilot aboard the  Enterprise in "Tomorrow is Yesterday," you practically expect him to give the guy a tour of the ship. And you would rarely expect the kind of vengeance in other captains that you see in Kirk as he pursues the Gorn in "Arena." And no Starfleet captain makes quite as many mistakes due to the "feminine wiles" of antagonists as Kirk does.

But then, there are the great moments in  Trek  that no other captain could've achieved. Kirk makes it possible for peace to be made with the Klingons in  Star Trek VI , which has far-reaching consequences in the franchise's continuing narrative. Plus, he stops the Romulans from seeing the Federation as easy prey and gives them a couple bloody noses in the meantime. 

At heart, Kirk is more of a pure adventurer than just about any other captain in the franchise, but he doesn't shirk his duty. And sometimes, his less civilized side makes him a better captain. Whether you like him or not, you have to admit that when he tells Picard in Generations , "I was out saving the galaxy when your grandfather was in diapers," there isn't a single lie in his mouth.

Jean-Luc Picard is the best the Enterprise has ever known

Probably no two  Star Trek captains are weighed against each other more often than Kirk and Picard. Picard is often treated as a more timid, snootier answer to his predecessor, but those comparisons aren't fair. Yes, Picard certainly is older than Kirk was when he took over the  Enterprise , and his overall affect feels more intellectual. But when you actually consider his actions, Picard is no diplomatic shadow of Kirk. 

Sure, he's not quite as brash, but that doesn't stop him from going against Starfleet's orders when he feels it's necessary, like when he ignores their insistence that he stay out of the fight with the Borg in  First Contact  or when he disobeys Admiral Dougherty's (Anthony Zerbe) orders in  Insurrection . He's just as passionate about meeting the unknown as Kirk, but that passion is tempered with experience. While he's often portrayed as being more academic, that isn't a weakness. It's in part Picard's education that makes him the only captain who could defend Data as well as he does in "The Measure of a Man" — or, for that matter, himself in "The Drumhead." And it also helps him to keep saying no when more quick-tempered crew members like Worf want to arm photon torpedoes every time they meet someone new. 

Overall, no other  Enterprise  captain has matched the perfect balance of sophistication, intellect, passion, and unmovable idealism as Sir Patrick Stewart's portrayal of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. That's why there can be no other choice for the top spot of  Star Trek 's  Enterprise  captains.

Star Trek: Every On-Screen Captain of the USS Enterprise, Ranked

Make it so; the best on-screen captains of Star Trek, at the helm of the most iconic ship in Starfleet, ever.

When Star Trek first aired on network television on September 8th,1966, no one could've ever guessed that it would become one of the greatest science fiction franchises of all time. Only lasting three seasons, the original series failed to gain a firm foothold over television audiences at the time, but once Star Trek moved to the big screen , the world never took it for granted again. Now, with more than half a century of television spin-offs, blockbuster movies, comic books, and novels fully fleshing out the universe, it's clear that the most iconic stories of the franchise have always centered around the starship Enterprise and the legendary captains that command its crews. But, to make this list of elite on-screen captains, you can't just be an acting commander, or given the chair in an act of emergency; no, you have to be the real deal. With that out of the way, here's a list of the best onscreen captains to ever command the USS Enterprise.

7 Captain April

While Captain April may be the most unknown of starship captains to make this list, he's also regarded as one of the most important, carrying the distinction as the first captain to ever command the Enterprise after its christening. Having taken command of the very first Enterprise commissioned by the United Federation of Planets on April 11th, 2245, April makes his on-screen debut in 1974's Star Trek: The Animated Series , The Counter-Clock Incident , where as commodore he travels with the Enterprise to the dilithium-rich world of Babel to usher in his retirement, and reminisce to Captain James T. Kirk about his time aboard as captain of the Enterprise. Not much is known of him if you only visit his on-screen appearances, but Star Trek lore is filled with references to him in novels, comic books, and encyclopedias, filling in the blanks of his legendary career. His most recent onscreen appearance occurs in the new Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ' television series, where he makes his live action debut, and serves as an admiral in Starfleet.

6 Captain Spock

Spock is best known for his loyal service as first officer aboard the starship Enterprise, and even more so for the timeless friendship he shared with Captain James T. Kirk. His decorated career as first officer overshadows his short stint onscreen as captain of the Enterprise, but as one of the most iconic characters of the Star Trek mythos , his service in that capacity should not be diminished. Our first glimpse of Spock as captain of the Starfleet flagship comes at the beginning of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , where he's been training a new generation of crew members aboard the Enterprise . When the Enterprise receives a distress signal from Regula I, Admiral James T. Kirk assumes command of the Enterprise , and enacts Spock as his first officer. But, what isn't well known, is that Spock had been serving as captain of the Enterprise since 2280, having taken command five years before the events of The Wrath of Khan in 2285.

In the Kelvin universe that director J.J Abrams introduced, Spock remains a formidable force in the study and application of logic, but it is this fundamental adherence to strict logic that, while often seen as one of his greatest strengths, hinders him from a more developed role in the big chair. This weakness is personified during the Kelvin timeline's Star Trek , where Spock, while serving as acting captain, is forced to resign by Kirk, and accept the role that his emotions play in his ability to lead; something that Kirk had already come to realize. With that said, Spock remains one of the greatest all-time decorated Starfleet officers, regardless of rank, granting his onscreen stint as captain of the Enterprise a worthy and iconic addition to this list.

Related: Leonard Nimoy's Original Spock Ears Arrive at the Smithsonian

5 Captain Archer

Starfleet in the era of Captain Archer's command, operates in a completely different reality than the one audiences have come to know and love. Making his onscreen debut in Star Trek: Enterprise , the United Federation of Planets didn't exist yet, marking Archer as one of the earliest pioneers of interstellar travel in the Star Trek universe. As commander of the Enterprise NX-01, the first starship of the United Earth alliance capable of reaching warp factor five, and having soared the cosmos nearly a hundred years before Captain Kirk's five-year mission with the Enterprise NCC-1701 as part of the United Federation of Planets, Archer traces his distinct lineage to some of Earth's earliest explorers.

His role in establishing the framework on which the United Federation of Planets would later build upon included forging diplomatic missions with new alien species, and developing closer ties with the Vulcan race, who nurtured humanities early foray into interstellar politics, culminating in one of the first conflicts with the Klingon empire. Under his leadership, the Enterprise became associated with the level-headed diplomacy needed to nurture closer ties with allied space faring civilizations, and he is credited as one of the architects of what would eventually become the United Federation of Planets, serving as president of the newly formed alliance in 2184. While regarded as one of the least favorite Star Trek television series, Enterprise did have some bright spots , giving fans their fix before a new era of Star Trek films hit theaters later in the decade.

4 James T. Kirk [Kelvin Timeline]

In 2009, J.J Abrams introduced audiences to the alternate Kelvin timeline in the rebooted Star Trek film of that year, upending the established canon of Star Trek for all time. Documenting the travels of Spock as he time travels back in time after being attacked by a Romulan mining vessel commanded by Nero, we're soon introduced to a young James T. Kirk who has grown up without the guiding hand of his father, George Kirk, an instrumental presence that inspired Kirk to join Starfleet in the Prime timeline. In the Kelvin universe , Kirk is selfish, brash, and unfit for anything resembling the bridge of a starship. That is, until he's brought under the guidance and influence of another leading father figure; Captain Pike. Growing into his leadership potential over the course of three films, audiences witnessed one of the most unforgettable captains of the Enterprise endure the growing pains of becoming a Starfleet officer, worthy of the name, Kirk.

Because of his youth, this Kirk suffers from not being as settled or measured as his Prime timeline counterpart, and is often ready and willing to defy the orders of captains, admirals, the federation itself, and even the most sacrosanct of federation ideals; the Prime Directive. Because of the absence of his father while developing through Starfleet, Kirk's measuring stick becomes Captain Pike himself, who leads with a sense of assuredness, calm, poise, and dignity that serves as the greater example of leadership within the Star Trek mythos. When Pike dies from a surprise attack led by Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness , Kirk is motivated to become the Star Trek captain of legendary ethos, and while he continues to make mistakes along the way, we can't help but love him for the way he leads with his heart.

3 Captain Pike

Captain Pike has been a stalwart presence in the Star Trek universe since the very beginning, making his debut in The Menagerie episode during season one of the original series. While not as iconic as some of his contemporaries, his more recent appearances in Star Trek films and television have established him as a capable and distinguished leader, catapulting him into the hearts and minds of Trekkies everywhere. While many of his earliest years in Starfleet were spent under the command of Captain April, he still emerges as the more iconic presence due to his continued relevance in Star Trek storylines.

His leadership has nurtured, inspired, and set the example for the careers of legendary commanders like James T. Kirk himself, and Spock has the distinction of serving as first officer under Pike during his first five-year mission as commander aboard the Enterprise. For many audiences, their first taste of Pike's leadership was during the alternate Kelvin timeline introduced in the Star Trek films directed by J.J Abrams, where he played an instrumental role in developing James T. Kirk as a capable leader worthy of the chair, and sacrificed his own safety for the survival of his crew. His time as captain of the Enterprise is documented in the new Star Trek: Strange New Worlds television series, and like many other captains on this list, Pike has become one of the most decorated, and iconic captains in Starfleet history.

Related: Zoe Saldana Comments on Star Trek 4 Getting Delayed Yet Again

2 Captain James T. Kirk [Prime Timeline]

The original onscreen captain of the U.S.S Enterprise, James T. Kirk set the bar high for any Starfleet captain lucky enough to be seen on film and television after him. While not the first to captain the Enterprise according to canon, Kirk arguably remains the most iconic leader to ever grace the big chair, and it's this iconography that catapulted Star Trek into the zeitgeist of science fiction royalty, now and forever to come. Kirk led with a sense of swash-buckling bravado, fearless bravery in the face of combat , and a heroic presence that allowed audiences to trust him the same way the crew of the Enterprise did. While he often defied Starfleet during the course of his five-year assignment as captain of the Enterprise, his leadership was never based on defiance, and at no point was his independence unwieldy. During its initial run on the NBC network, Star Trek failed to gain a true foothold on television, but renewed popularity through heavy syndication allowed the television series to gain a cult following, and gave Paramount reason enough to take a chance on the first Star Trek movie in 1979, some 13 years after its debut on television.

That movie is where Star Trek took off into the stars, and the true legend of Captain Kirk would begin. Over the next decade, audiences would follow Kirk and crew through some of the greatest adventures ever captured onscreen, with films like Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan regarded as some of the best science fiction storytelling ever. The movies allowed Star Trek to expand further into comic books, novels, and spin-off television projects, like Star Trek: The Next Generation , where Kirk would cross over into new adventures and films with new captains of the Enterprise, like Captain Picard. As new fans joined the adventure decade after decade, Star Trek generated the kind of passion necessary to catapult itself into the new millennium, and beyond. For that, Captain Kirk and his original crew of the Enterprise remain the catalyst behind that legacy.

1 Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted Sept. 26th, 1987, and lasted for seven seasons, becoming the most successful Star Trek television series of all time. The show introduced a new generation of audiences to the newest Enterprise starship at the time, the iconic NCC 1701-D, and the crew that would take her on new missions to explore the cosmos. It was during this show that viewers would be introduced to the greatest captain to ever command the bridge of a federation starship bearing the name Enterprise; Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Over the course of seven seasons, and four films, Picard became the standard-bearer for Starfleet captains, leading with a sense of calm, level-headed excellence, and distinguished poise that one couldn't help but be inspired by. By the time Star Trek: First Contact , considered the best film from that era , hit theaters in 1996, Picard's legacy was established, and audiences never once questioned his ability to command.

While one might argue that Kirk stands as the more iconic captain of the Star Trek mythology, Picard sets himself apart by the way in which he commands his crew with dignity, poise, and unquestionable competency. While Kirk was known to be an erratic leader at times, and more prone to emotional outbursts that could potentially undermine his crew and their safety, Picard stands as the more even-keeled and capable starship captain, commanding the Enterprise with an unwavering sense of duty and accountability. New series outings, like Picard , further expand upon his legend, and give fans a deeper look into the ethos of Jean-Luc by creating a more intimate experience with the beloved captain, allowing us to submit to his powerful leadership once again, knowing that he alone has the ability to "make it so."

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6 'Star Trek' Captains, Ranked from Worst to Best

Star trek captains.

The "Star Trek" captains of the USS Enterprise (and in one case, the space station Deep Space Nine) have so many different personalities to them. The ever-scrappy Capt. James T. Kirk. The Shakespeare-quoting Capt. Jean-Luc Picard. Capt. John Archer, the reluctant diplomat. And so on. How are we to take the measure of these captains to figure out who is best? Space.com's Elizabeth Howell, who has watched all of the live-action TV series as well as the Hollywood movies, weighs in on the main captains featured in the live-action TV series and Hollywood movies. (We've ignored some of the characters who become captain temporarily, or who are only shown briefly, such as Capt. Pike.) We're releasing this slideshow just days before "Star Trek: Discovery." In an intriguing twist on the shows' usual format, the star of "Discovery" is not actually a captain, but the first officer of the USS Shenzhou. We're looking forward to learning more about Michael Burnham (played by Sonequa Martin-Green). [ 'Star Trek: Discovery' Premiere Unites Starship Casts Both New and Old ]

6. Capt. John Archer ("Star Trek: Enterprise," 2001-05)

While Capt. Archer comes last on our list, we want to emphasize he is an extremely able captain that was a true pioneer — his ship, the Enterprise NX-01, was the first starship capable of exploring distant star systems. That made Archer host to a number of "first contact" incidents that would have challenged even the best of us. Memorably, when he encounters the Ferengi for the first time, he immediately senses their selfish nature and plays them off against each other to get his captive ship back in "Acquisition." But Archer still struggles with the responsibilities of being a captain in general. Especially in the early seasons, he doesn't know much about diplomacy or the military; it takes repeated encounters with hostile species such as the Klingons or the Suliban to realize the value of tactics. Archer began to hit his stride in Season 3, but, unfortunately, we didn't get to see much of his evolution because the series was canceled after Season 4.

5. Capt. Benjamin Sisko ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," 1993-1999)

Benjamin Sisko started his command at Deep Space Nine under very difficult circumstances. His wife was dead — it's a long story involving the evil Borg species, but he held Capt. Jean-Luc Picard responsible for it as Picard was temporarily assimilated into the Borg's collective. Sisko was on the verge of resignation. After his crew members began arriving, Sisko quickly discovered that the situation on Bajor, the nearby planet, would be incredibly difficult to resolve because so many factions were trying to gain control of the government. As Sisko gained confidence in himself, his crew and his mission, he realized there was a unique opportunity due to a wormhole just nearby the station. Sisko quickly realized this would be a welcome opportunity for merchants to come to the station and make it a thriving community. However, Sisko had his hands full dealing with disputes between all the different species, not to mention the Bajor situation. But he prevailed, and mostly kept his temper while doing so. [ The Evolution of 'Star Trek' (Infographic) ]

4. Capt. James T. Kirk ("Star Trek" reboot movies, 2009-present)

The rebooted Capt. Kirk (played by Chris Pine) starts as a much younger captain than the one portrayed in the TV series. This gives Pine the room to make some juvenile-yet-hilarious mistakes, such as getting in bar fights, or being angry with colleague Spock because the logical Vulcan alien — a very by-the-books sort of person — accused Kirk of cheating on a key test when he found a loophole. Kirk's boisterous mistakes as a neophyte captain made him funny to watch on screen in the first movie ("Star Trek," 2009), but by the second movie ("Star Trek Into Darkness," 2012) his mistakes quickly caught him up to him. Among other errors, he broke the First Directive about contact with alien species early in their development, and put too much trust in the terrorist John Harrison (played by Benedict Cumberbatch). Fortunately, Kirk matured by the time "Star Trek Beyond" (2016) was released , and he began to show the crafty gifts of his TV namesake. One of the best sequences was near the end of the film, when he rode a motorcycle around an enemy camp to confuse the aliens there and give his captured crew enough time to escape. We're looking forward to seeing how Kirk progresses in the next "Star Trek" film, which is greenlit but doesn't yet have a release date or a name.

3. Capt. Kathryn Janeway ("Star Trek: Voyager," 1995-2001)

In raw courage, Capt. Janeway may win for her ability to keep the crew focused while her ship was stranded on the far side of the Milky Way galaxy, a 75-year trip away from home. In consultation with a nearby ship, the Marquis, she made the difficult decision to merge the two crews to best preserve their chances of survival. Much later in the show, Janeway entered a controversial temporary alliance with the Borg (a notorious, assimilating alien species) to stay alive in the face of an even stronger enemy. These decisions are all the more courageous given that she was so far from Starfleet's authority at the time. One of Janeway's trademarks was her pure cheek, especially when somebody tried to undercut her authority. "Ma'am is acceptable in a crunch, but I prefer Captain," she says in the very first episode, "Caretaker." Or that time that Seven of Nine (played by Jeri Ryan) disagreed with her in "Random Thoughts." Janeway responded: "I dread the day when everyone on this ship agrees with me. I thank you for your opinion, but our mission is not going to change."

2. Capt. James T. Kirk ("Star Trek: The Original Series," 1966-1969; "Star Trek" movies, 1979-1994)

The TV version of Capt. Kirk (played by William Shatner) is almost like a modern Odysseus. He's forever wandering across the universe, getting snared by beautiful women, but somehow able to use his wiles to escape trap after trap. Shatner's performance is a joy to watch on screen, although his antics rob him of the gravitas one might think was required in military organizations such as Starfleet. Kirk remains steadfastly optimistic and resolute about exploration, as shown by the famous speech that fans call "Risk Is Our Business" (in "Return To Tomorrow"). Kirk compares the exploits of Starfleet to the previous explorers of the Apollo program , or even the first people to take flight. He also remains friends with and listens to the advice of the core group of his crew, even when Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) continually argue with each other — which is no small feat. Kirk also shows flashes of creative brilliance. In one episode, "A Piece of the Action," he creates confusion among the bad guys by creating card game rules out of thin air. In another episode, "The Corbomite Maneuver," Kirk tells the bad guys that they can't blow up the Enterprise because he will do a reverse-reaction of a secret, imaginary substance called "corbomite." It was just a bluff, but he stopped the Enterprise from imminent destruction.

1. Capt. Jean-Luc Picard ("Star Trek: The Next Generation," 1987-1994; "Star Trek: The Next Generation" movies, 1994-2002)

There's no question that Jean-Luc Picard was in charge of the Enterprise; all it took was a withering look or one well-placed comment to remind a crew member when they stepped out of line. While Picard was very respectful of authority and Starfleet's command, he also wasn't afraid to speak up for his crew when the situation warranted it. Perhaps the best example is in "Measure of A Man," where he speaks up on behalf of Data — an android who wants to be human, and whom Picard argues is just as much of a crew member as anyone else on his ship. Picard's performances likely would have qualified him for an Emmy if he wasn't dressed in an all-body suit as the star of a science-fiction series. Some of his most tear-jerking moments: His defiance under torture in "Chain of Command," when he yells "There are four lights!" after his captor tries to persuade him the number is wrong; his performance in "The Inner Light," where Picard grows old on a quiet rural planet and then is wrenched back to his battleship reality; and his battle cry "No!" in "Star Trek: First Contact" in 1996 (while smashing glass) just before he realizes he will need to let the Borg take over his ship.

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Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, " Why Am I Taller ?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace

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USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

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The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) was a 23rd century Federation Constitution -class starship operated by Starfleet , and the first Federation starship to bear the name Enterprise . During its career, the Enterprise served as the Federation flagship and was in service from 2245 to 2285 . During the latter years of its life, the Enterprise was refitted into a Constitution II -class starship and served as a training vessel until its destruction in 2285.

• 2.1 Construction and launch
• 2.2 Robert April's command
• 2.3.1 Early voyages
• 2.3.2 A new science officer
• 2.3.3 Rigel VII
• 2.3.4 Talos IV
• 2.3.5 Federation-Klingon War
• 2.3.6 The red bursts
• 2.3.7 Battling Control
• 2.3.8 Continuing mission
• 2.4.1 Discoveries
• 2.4.2.1 Klingon engagements
• 2.4.2.2 Romulan engagements
• 2.5 Refit of the 2270s
• 2.7 Khan's return
• 2.8 Final mission
• 4 Alternate timelines and realities
• 5.1 Robert April's notable first contacts
• 5.2 Christopher Pike's notable first contacts
• 5.3 James T. Kirk's notable first contacts
• 6.1 Robert April's command crew
• 6.2 Christopher Pike's command crew
• 6.3 James T. Kirk's command crew
• 7.1 Complement
• 7.2 Casualties
• 8.1 Appearances
• 8.2 Background information
• 8.3 External links

Lineage [ ]

Service history [ ], construction and launch [ ].

Specifications of the USS Enterprise

In the early- to mid-23rd century, at least twelve heavy cruiser -type starships , the Constitution -class , were commissioned by the Federation Starfleet . ( TOS : " Tomorrow is Yesterday ") Constructed at the San Francisco Fleet Yards in San Francisco , California , the Federation vessel registered NCC -1701 was christened "the Enterprise " in a long line of ships of the same name . ( DIS : " Brother "; TAS : " The Counter-Clock Incident ")

Captain Robert April oversaw construction of the ship's components as well as its initial trial runs. His wife, Sarah April , designed several tools for the ship's sickbay . ( TAS : " The Counter-Clock Incident ") Larry Marvick was one of the designers of the Enterprise itself, while Doctor Richard Daystrom designed its computer systems. ( TOS : " Is There in Truth No Beauty? ", " The Ultimate Computer ")

During its construction, a piece of the Enterprise NX-01 was used as it was the previous ship to bear the name. ( SNW : " Those Old Scientists ")

Robert April's command [ ]

Robert April commanded the Enterprise from 2245 to 2250

The Enterprise was launched on April 11, 2245 , under the command of Captain April. ( DIS : " Brother ") Sarah April served as the ship's first chief medical officer , with Christopher Pike serving as Captain April's first officer . ( TAS : " The Counter-Clock Incident "; DIS : " Brother "; SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")

In 2246 , April chose to break General Order 1 and warn a pre-warp civilization, the Perricans , about a possible apocalyptic meteor shower that was due to hit their planet. ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

In 2248 , April sent his science officer to the industrial-age planet Na'rel to solve the imminent threat of an extinction-level drought by sharing Federation technology. ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

Una Chin-Riley was assigned to the Enterprise as Captain April's science officer . ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera "; display graphic ) One deep space cruise took it within half a light year of 99 Pegasi . ( ST : " Q&A ")

He also visited Man-us II without his security officer, during which he chose to reveal the Enterprise to the Ohawk , a pre-warp civilization. ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

Christopher Pike's command [ ]

In 2250 , April left the Enterprise and command was turned over to Pike. Pike also chose Chin-Riley to be his first officer. ( DIS : " Brother "; SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera " display graphic )

Early voyages [ ]

The Enterprise orbiting Pragine 63

At one point, the Enterprise visited Pragine 63 , where science officer Lynne Lucero was transferred to the USS Cabot , to serve as its new captain. ( ST : " The Trouble with Edward ")

A new science officer [ ]

In 2253 , Pike and the Enterprise traveled to Starbase 40 where Pike would obtain a half Human - Vulcan science officer, Spock , who served under him for over eleven years. ( TOS : " The Menagerie, Part I "; ST : " Q&A "; SNW : " Among the Lotus Eaters " display graphic )

Rigel VII [ ]

The Enterprise visited Rigel VII in 2254

In 2254 On stardate 2496.4, the Enterprise visit Rigel VII as a routine exploration of a remote class M planet. Captain Pike, along with a landing party consisting of Spock, Yeoman Zac Nguyen , Ensign C. Plummer and M. Aberth and several others went down to the planet where they were attacked by the Kalar . Yeoman Ngyugen, Ensign Plummer and Aberth were killed, while Spock and six others were injured. The mission lasted all of four hours. The remaining members of the landing party returned to the Enterprise and set course to Vega colony to get medical aid for those injured. Unbeknownst to the crew, Ngyugen had actually survived and been left stranded on the planet. ( TOS : " The Cage "; SNW : " Among the Lotus Eaters ")

Talos IV [ ]

The Enterprise was the first starship to visit the Talos star systems in nearly 20 years.

While traveling to the Vega Colony, the Enterprise learned there were survivors of the SS Columbia that were marooned on Talos IV nearly eighteen years earlier . Following the stop at Vega, the Enterprise traveled to Talos to rescue the Columbia survivors only to find out it was a trap devised by the Talosians . ( TOS : " The Cage ")

Federation-Klingon War [ ]

In late 2256 , Michael Burnham encouraged Cadet Sylvia Tilly to improve her physical conditioning so that she would stand out amongst her peers and be assigned to the Enterprise or one of its "sister ships." ( DIS : " Lethe ")

At that time, the Enterprise was on a five-year mission under Pike. With the Federation-Klingon War underway, Starfleet elected not to recall the starship and leave the vessel as an instrument of last resort, so ordered Pike and his crew to remain out of the fighting. ( DIS : " Brother ")

Pike later accused Starfleet Command of not recalling Enterprise because they knew he would steadfastly remind them of Federation values, but Admiral Katrina Cornwell , the only Starfleet Command representative present to hear the accusation, countered that they "wanted the best of Starfleet to survive," if the war was lost, and they had deemed that to be Enterprise . ( DIS : " Project Daedalus ")

The red bursts [ ]

The Enterprise and Discovery rendezvous in 2257

Following the conclusion of the war in 2257 , the Enterprise was dispatched by Starfleet to investigate one of a series of unidentified signals detected throughout the galaxy . ( DIS : " Brother ") En route, the ship suffered multiple catastrophic systems failures, leading Pike to issue a priority 1 distress call .

The call was received by the USS Discovery , en route to Vulcan . ( DIS : " Will You Take My Hand? ", " Brother ") Pike and two senior officers transferred to Discovery to continue their mission, while a team was dispatched to tow the Enterprise back to Spacedock for a diagnostic , where the damage was assessed as severe, with no estimate for repair. ( DIS : " Brother ")

The Enterprise being towed to drydock for repairs

A week later, Pike's first officer, Una Chin-Riley, reported to Pike that the holographic comm system was the source of the failures, which had compromised primary systems. Pike ordered Una to tell Chief Engineer Louvier to strip the system from the ship in favor of viewscreen communication. ( DIS : " An Obol for Charon ")

Battling Control [ ]

The Enterprise taking on Discovery 's crew

After the Discovery acquired data from a Sphere that would ultimately lead to the evolution of Section 31 artificial intelligence Control which would threaten all sentient life in the Milky Way Galaxy , Pike was left with no other option but to set the Discovery 's auto-destruct system and call the Enterprise for immediate evacuation of the ship's crew. ( DIS : " Through the Valley of Shadows ")

On stardate 1051.8, the Enterprise finally rendezvoused with the Discovery and began taking on the ship's crew. When all personnel were fully evacuated, Captain Pike ordered Discovery 's destruction. However, the Sphere intelligence utilized Discovery 's defensive systems to block the Enterprise 's torpedo volley. Unable to eliminate Discovery , the crew determined that sending the Discovery into the future was the only method to secure the Sphere data from Control.

The Enterprise and Discovery engage Section 31 vessels

With the appearance of a fifth red burst, both ships traveled to the planet Xahea , which was ultimately the position Cornwell and Pike decided to fight Leland/Control's armada. ( DIS : " Such Sweet Sorrow ")

After the decision was made to destroy Discovery to prevent its capture by Control, the ship deployed evacuation corridors to transfer its crew to Enterprise . ( DIS : " Such Sweet Sorrow ")

The Enterprise undergoes repairs in 2258

During a decisive battle with Control, the Enterprise lost a significant portion of her saucer section when an undetonated photon torpedo penetrated it and later detonated. Admiral Katrina Cornwell was killed while sacrificing herself to stop the torpedo from destroying the entire ship. As the Discovery traveled into the future, the Enterprise and a fleet of Klingon and Kelpien reinforcements provided covering fire against the attacking Section 31 drone ships and then finished them off when Georgiou neutralizing Control left the enemy ships dead in the water. Following the battle, the Enterprise underwent extensive repairs in orbit of Earth while the crew lied to Starfleet that the Discovery had been destroyed. ( DIS : " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 ")

Continuing mission [ ]

Following the repairs to the Enterprise , the ship resumed its mission of exploration, once again under the command of Christopher Pike. Their first stop was a shakedown run to a new moon that was discovered at Edrin II . ( DIS : " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 ")

The Enterprise at Kiley 279

Following the mission to Edrin II, the Enterprise returned to Earth where its crew was enjoying some much-needed downtime. In 2259 , the Enterprise was undergoing scheduled maintenance and system upgrades when April, now a fleet admiral, pulled Pike out of exile and the Enterprise out of drydock when Una Chin-Riley and the USS Archer went missing during a first contact mission to Kiley 279 . General Order 1 was violated in this mission, leading to Starfleet command to rename it the " Prime Directive ". ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")

On stardate 2259.42, the Enterprise left Starbase 1 to continue its third five-year mission of exploration. ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")

The Enterprise in the Persephone system

The Enterprise 's first stop on her mission was observing a planet in the Persephone system , at which she tried to divert a comet away but ended up getting into a fight with a species known as the " Shepherds ". ( SNW : " Children of the Comet ")

The Enterprise visited an abandoned Illyrian colony at Hetemit IX to find out what had happened to the colonists; however, an Illyrian light-based virus broke out aboard the ship, forcing the crew to shut the Enterprise down. After becoming infected, chief engineer Hemmer nearly destroyed the ship after disengaging the ship's warp core containment field. ( SNW : " Ghosts of Illyria ")

The Enterprise engaged the Gorn at Finibus III.

The Enterprise later encountered a small Gorn fleet at Finibus III , and narrowly escaped after taking major damage to her hull, torpedo bay, and structural integrity field. ( SNW : " Memento Mori ")

The ship visited Starbase 1 after the fight with the Gorn and underwent repairs. While the crew enjoyed some shore leave, Captain Pike engaged in negotiations with the R'ongovian Protectorate . ( SNW : " Spock Amok ")

The Enterprise encountered a shuttlecraft under attack by presumed pirates and assisted, delivering the inhabitants back to their planet, and later investigated what the pirates were doing when looking into the wreckage. ( SNW : " Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach ")

The Enterprise was hijacked by a group of rogue pirates after her crew was betrayed by a passenger . After tricking the pirates and taking control of one of their ships, the crew were able to reclaim the Enterprise after disabling her warp and impulse engines. ( SNW : " The Serene Squall ")

The Enterprise visited Earth Outpost Station 4 and helped the Outposts with retrofitting and supplies.

The Enterprise , along with the USS Cayuga , visited the Neutral Zone and helped with retrofitting the Earth Outpost Stations and delivering supplies. However, after witnessing an alternate timeline version of the Neutral Zone Incursion , Captain Pike became aware of James T. Kirk , recognizing that he had the potential to be a good captain for the Enterprise . Commander Chin-Riley was arrested shortly thereafter after being discovered to be an Illyrian . ( SNW : " A Quality of Mercy ")

While Captain Pike was off of the ship securing a lawyer for Chin-Riley and it was undergoing routine maintenance and inspection by Commander Pelia 's inspection team at Starbase 1 , the Enterprise received a distress call from Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh on Cajitar IV , a planet on the edge of Klingon space, about an "anti-Federation threat." However, Admiral April refused to allow the ship to investigate, fearing that it could reignite the Klingon War due to the Klingons currently being in control of the planet following a painstakingly-negotiated treaty. ( SNW : " The Broken Circle ")

Under Lieutenant Spock's leadership, the crew faked a potential warp core breach in order to evacuate the inspection team, steal the Enterprise and go to Noonien-Singh's aid. Although Pelia deduced their deception, she aided the crew in stealing the ship rather than stopping them and she acted as Chief Engineer. ( SNW : " The Broken Circle ")

The crew uncovered a false flag operation by the Broken Circle to reignite the Klingon war using the rebuilt NCC-1279 . The Enterprise destroyed the rogue ship and foiled the Broken Circle's plot. Afterwards, Pelia expressed an interest in sticking around as a part of the crew and April let Spock off easy, concerned about a potential upcoming war with the Gorn that Starfleet would need every good officer they had for. ( SNW : " The Broken Circle ")

The Enterprise returned to Earth for Commander Chin-Riley's court martial . After Chin-Riley was acquitted, she was allowed to return to duty aboard the ship as first officer. ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

The Enterprise and the Cayuga were assigned to a joint mission charting a new binary star system when the Enterprise was reassigned to investigate and correct cultural contamination on Rigel VII after depiction of a Starfleet delta was discovered in a garden . Five years after the Enterprise's disastrous mission to the planet, the ship returned to discover that " High Lord Zacarias" was actually Yeoman Zac Nguyen who was believed to have been killed in the mission five years before but had actually been left behind instead. Due to exotic radiation from the debris field around the planet, the crew lost their memories, but eventually managed to pilot the Enterprise out of it to a safe distance. Spock was subsequently able to develop a shield harmonic that protected the crew against the radiation and Pike had the ship lift an asteroid from the planet that was emitting the same radiation and keeping the Kalar from forming explicit memories and was thus stunting the growth of life on Rigel VII. Pike arrested Nguyen who was then transferred to the Cayuga to face punishment for his actions from Starfleet. ( SNW : " Among the Lotus Eaters ")

The Enterprise joined the USS Farragut in repairing a deuterium refinery that would serve as a " gas station " for Federation starships for further exploration of that region. Ensign Uhura and Lieutenant Saul Ramon of the Farragut began to experience hallucinations, and the intense brain damage this caused to Ramon caused him to sabotage the Enterprise and die in an explosion. Uhura eventually realized that the deuterium contained a living species that was trying to communicate with them. Uhura then convinced Captain Pike to destroy the refinery to save them. ( SNW : " Lost in Translation ")

Ensigns Brad Boimler and Beckett Mariner in the Enterprise 's engine room

On stardate 2291.6, the Enterprise crew encountered Ensigns Brad Boimler and Beckett Mariner from the late 24th century while they were investigating a time portal on Krulmuth-B . To return the officers to their own time, the crew discovered a hidden component from the Enterprise NX-01 built into the ship that contained horonium , the very material needed to power the time portal. ( SNW : " Those Old Scientists ")

Ambassador Dak'Rah , son of Ra'Ul , was picked up by the Enterprise from the USS Kelcie Mae on stardate 1875.4 to transport the ambassador to Starbase 12 . However, his divisive presence on the vessel resulted in his death. ( SNW : " Under the Cloak of War ")

The bridge crew dancing and singing

On stardate 2398.3, while the Enterprise was traveling in the far edges of the Alpha Quadrant , they encountered a naturally-occurring subspace fold . While conducting experiments, Ensign Uhura sent a message containing music through the fold. This caused the fold to release a quantum uncertainty field that created a musical reality aboard the ship. Crewmembers started to express themselves through uncontrollable singing, which was deemed a security threat by Lieutenant Noonien-Singh. The entire crew, singing in unison, were able to shatter the uncertainty field before an approaching Klingon force could fire upon it, with disastrous consequences. ( SNW : " Subspace Rhapsody ")

James T. Kirk's command [ ]

The Enterprise in orbit, 2267

In 2265, after nearly twenty years of service aboard the Enterprise , Captain Pike would be promoted to fleet captain and command of the Enterprise would be transferred to James Kirk. The Enterprise would also be assigned to another five-year mission of deep space exploration . The ship's primary goal during this mission was to seek out and contact alien life. Captain Kirk's standing orders also included the investigation of all quasars and quasar-like phenomena.

Beyond its primary mission, the Enterprise defended Federation territories from aggression, aided member worlds in crisis, and provided scientific expeditions and colonies in its patrol area with annual examinations and support. ( TOS : " Balance of Terror ", " The Man Trap ", " The Cloud Minders ", " Journey to Babel "); ( TOS : " The Galileo Seven ", " The Deadly Years ")

Discoveries [ ]

From 2265 to 2270, the Enterprise visited over seventy different worlds and encountered representatives of over sixty different species . More than twenty of those were first contacts with beings previously unknown to the Federation, including stellar neighbors like the First Federation and Gorn, voyagers from the Kelvan Empire in distant Andromeda , and powerful non-corporeal entities like the Thasians , Trelane , and the Organians . ( TOS : , " The Corbomite Maneuver ", " Arena ", " By Any Other Name ") Two discovered species were the first known examples of silicon-based lifeforms : the Horta and the Excalbians . ( TOS : " The Devil in the Dark ", " The Savage Curtain ", " That Which Survives ")

In the barrier void in 2265

The Enterprise was the first Federation vessel to survive an encounter with the galactic barrier . The ship's warp drive and other systems, however, were critically damaged (which later prompted the ship to be refit and repaired, changing its appearance slightly for the rest of Kirk's mission) and casualties totaled twelve crewmembers and officers . By stardate 4657.5, the Enterprise was traveling through space in a region hundreds of light years further than any Earth starship had explored. ( TOS : " Where No Man Has Gone Before ", " Return to Tomorrow ")

The reality of time travel , externally influenced, had been known for over a century , but following two accidental temporal displacements , the Enterprise became the Federation's first deliberately-controlled timeship . Observing the death-throes of Psi 2000 , the crew suffered from polywater intoxication and the Enterprise nearly lost orbit after an engine shutdown. A previously untested " cold start ", via controlled matter-antimatter implosion , saved the ship, but the high-speed escape from the planet's gravity well caused the ship to travel three days into the past. ( TOS : " The Naked Time ")

Orbiting 1960s Earth

In 2267 , while escaping the gravitational pull of a black star , the Enterprise was hurled through space and time to Earth of 1969 . The crew developed and executed a method to return to their own time, by warping around the sun 's gravity well in a slingshot maneuver . A year later, the Enterprise was ordered to repeat the recently proven slingshot effect, and returned to Earth's past on a mission of historical observation. ( TOS : " Tomorrow is Yesterday ", " Assignment: Earth ")

The space amoeba in 2268

Some missions of discovery confronted Enterprise with entities and mechanisms that threatened great swaths of Federation and neighboring space.

An ancient " planet killer ", fueled by the consumption of planets it destroyed with its antiproton weapon , approached Federation population centers in 2267. It required the combined efforts of the Enterprise and its "sister ship", USS Constellation , to destroy the invader. ( TOS : " The Doomsday Machine ")

One year later, in 2268 , a single-cell organism of colossal scale emitted negative energy , toxic to humanoid life, killing the entire Vulcan crew of the USS Intrepid . The Enterprise penetrated the cell interior and destroyed the organism before its imminent cell division threatened to overwhelm the rest of the galaxy. ( TOS : " The Immunity Syndrome ")

In around 2268, the Enterprise visited Planet 0042692 where they detected an approaching catastrophe, but couldn't intervene directly due to the Prime Directive . Ensign David Garrovick volunteered to embark upon a solo mission in the shuttle Galileo , but the Galileo ended up crashing. The Enterprise departed the planet without Garrovick after which no other Starfleet ship would visit that sector for over a hundred years and there was no record of first contact . Having survived the crash, Garrovick predicted that Starfleet would return one day and sent out a distress call . Learning about Starfleet from Garrovick, the planet's natives began calling themselves Enderprizians , named their settlement New Enda-Prize , and adopted versions of the Enterprise crew's names. ( PRO : " All the World's a Stage ")

Battles [ ]

The Enterprise fires a phaser proximity blast .

The nature of its mission of exploration meant the Enterprise was frequently the only Federation military asset in a little-known, otherwise undefended frontier. When called into harm's way, the ship regularly did so with little chance of immediate support against previously unknown enemies and threats.

Happily, the Enterprise 's earliest engagement of its five-year mission, against a deceptively powerful starship called the Fesarius , ended with an amicable first contact with the First Federation in 2266 . ( TOS : " The Corbomite Maneuver ") Following the destruction of a colony on Cestus III , a surprise attack – from a previously unknown species – led the Enterprise to battle and pursue an evenly matched Gorn starship in 2267. ( TOS : " Arena ")

The Enterprise played the fox for four of its " sister ships " in a war games problem on stardate 4729.4, as part of a series of M-5 drills . Equipped with the new M-5 multitronic unit computer and stripped of most of its crew, the Enterprise became a killing machine – crippling the USS Excalibur and killing its entire crew – before Kirk could re-assert control. ( TOS : " The Ultimate Computer ")

Klingon engagements [ ]

The Battle of Organia in 2267

Warships of the Imperial Klingon Fleet were frequent opponents of the Enterprise . Commander Kor held the Enterprise and Kirk in high professional regard, and relished the prospect of battle. Lower ranks chose to mock the starship; on one such occasion, Korax compared the vessel to a " garbage scow " before he corrected himself, adding, " It should be hauled away as garbage. " ( TOS : " Errand of Mercy ", " The Trouble with Tribbles ")

While Starfleet rallied its forces at the outbreak of a Federation-Klingon War in 2267, the Enterprise was sent forward to secure a border region anchored by the planet Organia . The vessel destroyed a Klingon ship and prepared to engage an approaching Klingon fleet , before the Organian Peace Treaty precluded a full-scale war . ( TOS : " Errand of Mercy ")

The Enterprise sporadically engaged Klingons throughout its voyage. A warship failed in an attempt to blockade the Enterprise from Capella IV in 2267. Sabotaged during a diplomatic mission to the Tellun system in 2268, the ship successfully fought off the assault of a harassing D7 . The same year, the Enterprise was forced to destroy a battle cruiser that Kang had commanded but had recently abandoned, and the rescued Klingons (influenced by the Beta XII-A entity ) subsequently made an unsuccessful attempt to wrest control of the Enterprise from Kirk. ( TOS : " Friday's Child ", " Elaan of Troyius ", " Day of the Dove ")

Romulan engagements [ ]

Ventral view of a Romulan Bird-of-Prey during the Neutral Zone Incursion of 2266

The Romulan Star Empire re-emerged from a century of isolation to antagonize the Federation with the Neutral Zone Incursion of 2266. The Enterprise responded and was victorious against a new Romulan Bird-of-Prey , which was equipped with a cloaking device and a plasma torpedo system. ( TOS : " Balance of Terror ")

In later encounters, the Romulan fleet used strength of numbers in their efforts to overwhelm the Enterprise . When Commodore Stocker took temporary command and violated the Neutral Zone in 2267, up to ten Birds-of-Prey swarmed and pummeled the starship until Kirk's " corbomite " bluff inspired their withdrawal. ( TOS : " The Deadly Years ")

In 2268, the Enterprise again violated the Neutral Zone – for the purpose of espionage – and was quickly surrounded by three Romulan D7-class battle cruisers. The Enterprise escaped by becoming the first Federation vessel to install and successfully utilize a (stolen) Romulan cloaking device. ( TOS : " The Enterprise Incident ")

Near Tau Ceti in the following year, Kirk employed the Cochrane deceleration maneuver , allowing the Enterprise to defeat a Romulan vessel . ( TOS : " Whom Gods Destroy ")

In the final year of Kirk's original mission, the ship was ambushed by a trio of Romulan battle cruisers while on a routine survey. The Enterprise managed to escape through an energy field that adversely affected the ship's main computer. The malfunctioning systems were corrected by another pass through the field, this time with the Romulan ships in pursuit. The attackers then became incapacitated by the same computer malfunctions, and the Enterprise managed to escape. ( TAS : " The Practical Joker ")

Refit of the 2270s [ ]

The Enterprise underwent another major refit into what would later be known as the Constitution II -class . The refitting took eighteen months of work, and essentially a new vessel was built onto the bones of the old, replacing virtually every major system. This ensured Enterprise's continued service for the next several years, enabling the ship to continue to serve in its prominent role.

The Enterprise in drydock, 2270s

Refits and overhauls with new technologies after long deployments were far from unusual in the ship's history. However, the Enterprise 's overhaul of the early 2270s became a nearly keel-up redesign and reconstruction project.

The very heart of the ship was replaced with a radically different vertical warp core assembly, linked to new and heavier warp engine nacelles, atop swept-back pylons and integrated with the impulse engines. The new drive system allowed for an expanded cargo hold in the secondary hull , linked to the shuttlebay . The deflector dish at the front of the main housing was replaced with an entirely new design, one where it was recessed into the housing.

Weapons system upgrades included the phaser banks having power channeled directly from the warp engines. A double photon torpedo /probe launcher was installed atop the secondary hull.

Extra egress points were added for better access/exit from the ship and now included a port -side spacedock hatch, dual ventral space walk bays, four dorsal service hatches, and a standardized docking ring port, which was aft of the bridge on the primary hull . Also included were four more docking ring ports, paired on the port and starboard sides of the launcher and secondary hulls respectively, and service hatch airlocks on the port and starboard sides of the hangar bay's main clam-shell doors. Unlike from before the refit, these new egress points were not covered by retractable hull plating.

A new bridge module reflected the modern computer systems, operating interfaces, and ergonomics that ran throughout the ship.

Following Kirk's promotion to rear admiral and posting as Chief of Starfleet Operations , his successor, Captain Will Decker (whom Kirk himself picked to succeed him), oversaw the refit, assisted by chief engineer Commander Montgomery Scott . ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture )

Following its refit, the Enterprise , in the early 2270s, went on to be critical in defending the Federation from several external threats, including V'ger and Khan Noonien Singh . ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture , Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan )

After eighteen months in drydock for refit, the Enterprise was pressed into service, weeks ahead of schedule, in response to the V'ger crisis, once again under Kirk's command.

Making contact with V'ger

Decker was temporarily demoted to commander and posted as an executive officer because of his familiarity with the new design. Incomplete systems had to be serviced during the vessel's shakedown en route to V'ger , including the first test of the new warp engines.

Shortly after launch, a matter/ antimatter intermix malfunction ruptured the warp field and led to the Enterprise entering into an unstable wormhole . Commander Decker belayed an order from Admiral Kirk to destroy an asteroid in their path, which had been dragged into the ruptured warp field along with them, with phasers. The refitted phasers now channeled power directly from the main engines at a point beyond the dilithium/magnatomic-initiator stage.

Because of this refitted function, both the intermix malfunction and the resultant antimatter imbalance within the warp nacelles caused automatic cutoff of the phasers, a design change of which Kirk had not been aware. Decker ordered the use of photon torpedoes , instead; as a backup, they had been designed to draw power from a separate system in case of a major phaser loss. Commander Spock arrived at a timely point and brought correction to the intermix problem. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture )

Once the V'ger threat was averted, Captain Decker was listed as "missing in action", and the Enterprise remained under Admiral Kirk's command for an interim period. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture ) At some point, Kirk passed command on to the newly promoted Captain Spock. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture , Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan )

Khan's return [ ]

In 2285 , the Enterprise had been pulled from the front lines of Starfleet and the Federation and, near the end of its life, was relegated to a training vessel. The ship participated in a low-tempo training cycle , based in the Sol system . Admiral Kirk boarded his old command to observe a cadet training cruise.

The Enterprise , engaged with the hijacked Reliant

Meanwhile, Khan Noonien Singh had escaped from exile on Ceti Alpha V and hijacked the USS Reliant , after which he stole the Genesis Device from the Regula I space station .

The Enterprise was tasked to investigate, and Spock deferred his command to Admiral Kirk. Subsequent engagements with Reliant left the ship badly damaged, with cadet and crew deaths, including Captain Spock. ( Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan )

Final mission [ ]

The Enterprise , heavily damaged, leaving the Spacedock orbiting Earth

Upon the Enterprise returning to Earth, Starfleet Commander Fleet Admiral Morrow announced that the starship, at that point forty years old and heavily damaged, would be decommissioned. When Morrow denied Kirk requesting permission to return to the Mutara sector , Kirk conspired with his senior officers and stole the Enterprise from Spacedock One , in order to recover Spock's body from the Genesis Planet – to bring it and Spock's katra , the latter possessed by Leonard McCoy , to Mount Seleya on Vulcan . As part of the plan, Kirk had Scott rig up an automation system to run the Enterprise so easily that "a chimpanzee and two trainees " could have handled the craft.

" My God, Bones… what have I done? " – Admiral James T. Kirk

At the Enterprise 's destination, the ship was attacked by a Klingon Bird-of-Prey operated by Klingon Commander Kruge , an assault that left the Enterprise disabled; Scotty's automation system was not designed for combat and overloaded when the ship was attacked. After setting the auto-destruct sequence, Kirk and his crew abandoned the ship for the surface of the Genesis Planet. Demolition charges in place on the bridge, and elsewhere throughout the ship, exploded, killing a Klingon boarding party . The battered secondary hull (with what was left of the saucer) fell from orbit and blazingly streaked across the planet's atmosphere . ( Star Trek III: The Search for Spock )

The Enterprise burning in Genesis' atmosphere

Being forty years old at the time of its destruction, the Enterprise had surpassed its designer's original projected eighteen-year endurance by twenty-two years, when the ship was launched back in 2245. ( DIS : " Brother " graphic display ) The next USS Enterprise , a Constitution II -class heavy cruiser USS Enterprise -A , was launched a year later . ( Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home )

A hologram of the USS Enterprise in 2258 was displayed in Starfleet Headquarters in 2399

The Enterprise 's long history would be remembered for the next century. ( TNG : " The Naked Now "; DS9 : " Trials and Tribble-ations "; VOY : " Flashback ", " Q2 "; PIC : " Penance ", " Fly Me to the Moon ") Captain John Harriman of the USS Enterprise -B would learn of Kirk's missions when he was in grade school . ( Star Trek Generations )

In 2369 , when Montgomery Scott was rescued from the crash landed USS Jenolen , and his surprise that he was found by the USS Enterprise -D , Scott's immediate response was "Enterprise ? I should have known. I bet Jim Kirk himself hauled the old girl out of mothballs to come looking for me, " even though he, along with Pavel Chekov and Kirk were on the USS Enterprise -B during its maiden voyage when Kirk was presumed killed. ( TNG : " Relics "; Star Trek Generations )

In 2383 , Hologram Janeway showed the young crew of the USS Protostar an image of the Enterprise while explaining the history of the Federation and Starfleet to them. ( PRO : " Starstruck ")

In 2384 , the Protostar responded to Ensign David Garrovick 's distress call that had been sent from Planet 0042692 over a hundred years before, discovering that Starfleet had no record of the Enterprise 's mission to the planet, but learning of it from the natives, the Enderprizians . The Protostar crew made second contact and fulfilled Garrovick's promise that Starfleet would some day return to save the Enderprizians from the curse of " the Gallows ," in reality toxic runoff caused by the crashed shuttle Galileo . ( PRO : " All the World's a Stage ")

In 2399 , retired Starfleet Admiral Jean-Luc Picard observed holographic images of the original Enterprise from 2258 and the Enterprise -D in the central lobby of Starfleet Headquarters . ( PIC : " Maps and Legends ")

Kirk's use of the slingshot maneuver using the Enterprise in order to travel through time was mentioned as an example by Picard as one of the methods for travelling back through time in order to repair changes made in 2024 by Q . ( PIC : " Penance ")

Alternate timelines and realities [ ]

• In an alternate timeline shown to Commander Michael Burnham by the time crystal , Enterprise failed to destroy the USS Discovery with photon torpedoes after Discovery 's auto-destruct didn't go off. As in the current timeline, Enterprise was hit in the saucer section with an undetonated photon torpedo which presumably destroyed the ship as Control won in that timeline. Having been shown this vision moments before Enterprise 's failure to destroy Discovery , Burnham stopped the crew from even attempting to do so. Later, Admiral Katrina Cornwell sacrificed herself to save Enterprise from destruction by the torpedo which she predicted would kill at least the bridge crew if it went off and maybe everyone else on the ship. Burnham and Spock came to the conclusion that the time crystal had showed her this possible future so that she could change it. ( DIS : " Such Sweet Sorrow ", " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 ")

The Enterprise at Earth Outpost Station 4 in an alternate timeline

• In an alternate timeline in which Captain Christopher Pike managed to avoid his crippling fate, he was still in command of the Enterprise in 2266 during the Neutral Zone Incursion while James T. Kirk was the captain of the USS Farragut instead. In this timeline, the ship suffered heavy damage from the Romulan warbird and took on the Farragut 's survivors before Pike negotiated a cease fire between the two sides. When the Romulans showed up with a full armada in response to the perceived weakness of the Federation, the Enterprise barely escaped, taking severe damage to several more decks. The incident resulted in an endless war between the Federation and the Romulans before the Pike of this future traveled back in time and showed his past self the consequences of avoiding his fate. ( SNW : " A Quality of Mercy ")
• In an alternate timeline created by the death of Spock at the age of seven, Thelin served as the first officer and science officer of the Enterprise . Upon learning of the damaged timeline that Kirk and Spock decided to correct, Thelin was supportive. Upon hearing that, Spock wished Thelin a long and prosperous life in whatever circumstances the corrected timeline placed him in. ( TAS : " Yesteryear ")

List of first contacts [ ]

Over its forty-years of service, the Enterprise made first contact with numerous species.

Robert April's notable first contacts [ ]

• Perricans ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

Christopher Pike's notable first contacts [ ]

• Kalar ( TOS : " The Cage "; SNW : " Among the Lotus Eaters ")
• Talosians ( TOS : " The Cage "; DIS : " If Memory Serves ")
• Gorn ( SNW : " Memento Mori ")
• Kerkhovian ( SNW : " Charades ")
• Kiley ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")
• Shepherd ( SNW : " Children of the Comet ")

James T. Kirk's notable first contacts [ ]

In most cases, the date indicated is the first time open communication was initiated with at least one member of the species. Otherwise, it is the first known contact with the species.

• Balok's species ( TOS : " The Corbomite Maneuver ")
• Miri natives ( TOS : " Miri ")
• Thasians ( TOS : " Charlie X ")
• Greek gods ( TOS : " Who Mourns for Adonais? ")
• Guardian of Forever ( TOS : " The City on the Edge of Forever ") Note: While the Guardian is not necessarily a species, the Enterprise did make first contact with the Guardian of Forever
• Horta ( TOS : " The Devil in the Dark ")
• Keeper's species ( TOS : " Shore Leave ")
• Metrons ( TOS : " Arena ")
• Organians ( TOS : " Errand of Mercy ")
• Ornithoids ( TOS : " Catspaw ")
• Trelane's species ( TOS : " The Squire of Gothos ")
• Vaalians ( TOS : " The Apple ")
• 892-IV natives ( TOS : " Bread and Circuses ")
• Beta XII-A entity ( TOS : " Day of the Dove ")
• Cheron natives ( TOS : " Let That Be Your Last Battlefield ")
• Fabrini ( TOS : " For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky ")
• Gem's species ( TOS : " The Empath ")
• Gorgan ( TOS : " And the Children Shall Lead ")
• Kelvans ( TOS : " By Any Other Name ")
• Melkots ( TOS : " Spectre of the Gun ")
• Platonians ( TOS : " Plato's Stepchildren ")
• Providers ( TOS : " The Gamesters of Triskelion ")
• Arretan ( TOS : " Return to Tomorrow ")
• Scalosians ( TOS : " Wink of an Eye ")
• Sigma Draconis VI natives ( TOS : " Spock's Brain ")
• Vians ( TOS : " The Empath ")
• Aquans ( TAS : " The Ambergris Element ")
• Excalbians ( TOS : " The Savage Curtain ")
• Lactrans ( TAS : " The Eye of the Beholder ")
• Matter-energy cloud ( TAS : " One of Our Planets Is Missing ")
• Megans ( TOS : " The Magicks of Megas-Tu ")
• Phylosians ( TAS : " The Infinite Vulcan ")
• Planet 0042692 natives ( PRO : " All the World's a Stage ") Note: date approximate
• Sarpeidon natives ( TOS : " All Our Yesterdays ")
• Theela's species ( TAS : " The Lorelei Signal ")
• Zetarians ( TOS : " The Lights of Zetar ")
• Delta Theta III aborigines ( TAS : " Bem ")
• Kukulkan's species ( TAS : " How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth ")

Command crew [ ]

Robert april's command crew [ ].

• Robert April ( 2245 – 2250 )
• Christopher Pike ( 2240s –2250)
• Sarah April (2245– 2250s )
• Una Chin-Riley (2240s–2250)

Christopher Pike's command crew [ ]

The crew of the Enterprise under the command of Christopher Pike in 2258

The crew of the Enterprise under the command Christopher Pike in 2259

• Christopher Pike (2250–early 2260s )
• Katrina Cornwell ( 2258 )
• Una Chin-Riley (2250–)
• Louvier ( 2257 )
• Hemmer ( 2259 )
• Pelia (2259)
• Phil Boyce ( 2254 )
• Joseph M'Benga (2259)
• Una Chin-Riley (2250s–2259)
• Erica Ortegas (2259)
• Garison (2254)
• Nicola (2258)
• Nyota Uhura (2259)
• Christina (2259)
• Shankar (2259)
• José Tyler (2254)
• Amin (2258)
• Jenna Mitchell (2259)
• Una Chin-Riley (2259)
• Mann (2258)
• Zuniga (2259)
• Lynne Lucero (sometime after 2250)
• Evan Connolly (2257)
• Kroad (2258)
• Spock ( 2253 –2260s)
• George Samuel Kirk (2259)
• La'an Noonien-Singh (2259)

James T. Kirk's command crew [ ]

The crew of the USS Enterprise enjoy a jovial moment with Captain Kirk

The crew of the USS Enterprise in the early 2270s

The crew of the USS Enterprise in 2285

• James T. Kirk ( 2265 – 2270 , 2270s , 2285 )
• Robert April (2270)
• Will Decker (2270s)
• Spock (2285)
• Spock (2265–2270, 2270s, 2285)
• Willard Decker (2270s)
• Montgomery Scott (2265–2270s, 2285)
• Mark Piper (2265)
• Leonard McCoy ( 2266 –2270, 2270s, 2285)
• Christine Chapel (2270s)
• Gary Mitchell (2265)
• Hikaru Sulu (2266–2270s, 2285)
• Leslie (2266– 2267 )
• Hansen (2267)
• Hadley (2267– 2268 )
• DePaul (2267)
• Spinelli (2267)
• Kyle (2268)
• Rahda (2268)
• Walking Bear (2270)
• Alden (2265)
• Nyota Uhura (2266–2270s, 2285)
• John Farrell (2266)
• Palmer (2267– 2269 )
• Angela Martine (2267)
• Lisa (2269)
• M'Ress (2269–2270)
• Lee Kelso (2265)
• Dave Bailey (2266)
• Kevin Riley (2266)
• Stiles (2266)
• Hadley (2267–2269)
• DeSalle (2267)
• Osborne (2267)
• Leslie (2267)
• Painter (2267)
• Pavel Chekov (2267–2269)
• Jana Haines (2268)
• Arex (2269–2270)
• Ilia (2270s)
• DiFalco (2270s)
• Saavik (2285)
• Pitcairn (2267)
• Giotto (2267)
• Freeman (2268)
• Pavel Chekov (2270s, 2285)
• Hikaru Sulu (2266–2270)
• Pavel Chekov (2267–2270s, 2285)
• Hikaru Sulu (2265)
• Spock (2265–2270, 2270s)
• Sonak (2270s)

Complement [ ]

The number of the Enterprise 's crew complement more than doubled over the duration of its service.

In 2254 , the Enterprise had a complement of 203, this stated following the loss of three crewmembers at Rigel VII. ( TOS : " The Cage ", " The Menagerie, Part I ")

Enterprise 's file

In 2257 , scans showed the entire crew complement was also stated to be 203, yet in a display graphic specifically stated that the crew compliment was 430; 43 officers and 387 enlisted .

In 2265 , the Enterprise 's complement consisted of "almost a hundred women." ( TOS : " Where No Man Has Gone Before ")

In 2266 , Captain Ramart commented to Charlie Evans that the Enterprise was "like a whole city in space ," compared to his ship, the USS Antares , which had a relatively meager complement of twenty. Ramart further explained that there were "over 400 in the crew of a starship ," which was clarified by Kirk as actually "428, to be exact." ( TOS : " Charlie X ")

Jadzia Dax observed to Benjamin Sisko , after they transported aboard the Enterprise , that " they really packed them in on these old ships. " ( DS9 : " Trials and Tribble-ations ")

Casualties [ ]

Service aboard the Enterprise proved to be hazardous duty. Between 2265 and 2269, individuals who were killed while assigned to the ship included at least fifty-eight officers and crew. Nine crew members were killed when the Enterprise encountered the galactic barrier in 2265. Gary Mitchell , Lee Kelso , and Elizabeth Dehner later died on Delta Vega . ( TOS : " Where No Man Has Gone Before ")

Two of seven crewmembers assigned to study Murasaki 312 on the shuttlecraft Galileo – Latimer and Gaetano – both met an unfortunate end, by the hand of a large creature on the planet Taurus II . ( TOS : " The Galileo Seven ")

In 2267, Enterprise security officers Hendorff , Kaplan , Mallory , and Marple were killed on planet Gamma Trianguli VI . ( TOS : " The Apple ") Further incidents with multiple fatalities included four security guards killed by Nomad in 2267, as well as five security guards killed by a dikironium cloud creature on Argus X in 2268. ( TOS : " The Changeling ", " Obsession ") An outbreak of Rigelian fever , in 2269, killed three crewmen and imperiled the rest until a source of ryetalyn could be obtained. ( TOS : " Requiem for Methuselah ")

As well, two Enterprise security officers were beamed out into open space while the ship was under the control of Gorgan . ( TOS : " And the Children Shall Lead ") Lieutenant Galloway was vaporized by Captain Tracey on Omega IV , ( TOS : " The Omega Glory ") but later was somehow resurrected. ( TOS : " Turnabout Intruder ") Yeoman Thompson was reduced to a dry cuboctahedron solid. She was killed when the Kelvan Rojan crushed the object in his hand. ( TOS : " By Any Other Name ")

At some point after stardate 3619.2 in 2268, but before 2270 , security officer Ensign David Garrovick vanished along with the shuttlecraft Galileo from the ship. His ultimate fate on Planet 0042692 was not discovered until 2384 . ( PRO : " All the World's a Stage ")

In the mid- 2270s , Commander Sonak and an Enterprise officer were killed in a transporter accident while beaming to the ship. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture )

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " The Cage "
• " Where No Man Has Gone Before "
• " The Corbomite Maneuver "
• " Mudd's Women "
• " The Enemy Within "
• " The Man Trap "
• " The Naked Time "
• " Charlie X "
• " Balance of Terror "
• " What Are Little Girls Made Of? "
• " Dagger of the Mind "
• " The Conscience of the King "
• " The Galileo Seven "
• " Court Martial "
• " The Menagerie, Part I "
• " The Menagerie, Part II "
• " Shore Leave "
• " The Squire of Gothos "
• " The Alternative Factor "
• " Tomorrow is Yesterday "
• " The Return of the Archons "
• " A Taste of Armageddon "
• " Space Seed "
• " This Side of Paradise "
• " The Devil in the Dark "
• " Errand of Mercy "
• " The City on the Edge of Forever "
• " Operation -- Annihilate! "
• " Catspaw "
• " Metamorphosis "
• " Friday's Child "
• " Who Mourns for Adonais? "
• " Amok Time "
• " The Doomsday Machine "
• " Wolf in the Fold "
• " The Changeling "
• " The Apple "
• " Mirror, Mirror "
• " The Deadly Years "
• " I, Mudd "
• " The Trouble with Tribbles "
• " Bread and Circuses "
• " Journey to Babel "
• " A Private Little War "
• " The Gamesters of Triskelion "
• " Obsession "
• " The Immunity Syndrome "
• " A Piece of the Action "
• " By Any Other Name "
• " Return to Tomorrow "
• " Patterns of Force "
• " The Ultimate Computer "
• " The Omega Glory "
• " Assignment: Earth "
• " Spectre of the Gun "
• " Elaan of Troyius "
• " The Paradise Syndrome "
• " The Enterprise Incident "
• " And the Children Shall Lead "
• " Spock's Brain "
• " Is There in Truth No Beauty? "
• " The Empath "
• " The Tholian Web "
• " For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky "
• " Day of the Dove "
• " Plato's Stepchildren "
• " Wink of an Eye "
• " That Which Survives "
• " Let That Be Your Last Battlefield "
• " Whom Gods Destroy "
• " The Mark of Gideon "
• " The Lights of Zetar "
• " The Cloud Minders "
• " The Way to Eden "
• " Requiem for Methuselah "
• " The Savage Curtain "
• " All Our Yesterdays "
• " Turnabout Intruder "
• " Beyond the Farthest Star "
• " Yesteryear "
• " One of Our Planets Is Missing "
• " The Lorelei Signal "
• " More Tribbles, More Troubles "
• " The Survivor "
• " The Infinite Vulcan "
• " The Magicks of Megas-Tu "
• " Once Upon a Planet "
• " Mudd's Passion "
• " The Terratin Incident "
• " The Time Trap "
• " The Ambergris Element "
• " The Eye of the Beholder "
• " The Jihad "
• " The Pirates of Orion "
• " The Practical Joker "
• " Albatross "
• " How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth "
• " The Counter-Clock Incident "
• Star Trek: The Motion Picture
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
• Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (recording only)
• " The Naked Now " (exterior shown on bridge readout –Blu-ray version)
• " Datalore " (exterior shown on readout in Data's quarters – Blu-ray version)
• " Relics " (bridge shown on holodeck)
• " Trials and Tribble-ations "
• " What You Leave Behind " (corridor shown in montage)
• ENT : " These Are the Voyages... " (closing montage)
• " Will You Take My Hand? "
• " Brother "
• " If Memory Serves " (archive footage)
• " Such Sweet Sorrow "
• " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 "
• " Q&A "
• " Ask Not "
• " Ephraim and Dot "
• PIC : " Maps and Legends " (hologram)
• PRO : " Starstruck " (digital image)
• " Strange New Worlds "
• " Children of the Comet "
• " Ghosts of Illyria "
• " Memento Mori "
• " Spock Amok "
• " Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach "
• " The Serene Squall "
• " The Elysian Kingdom "
• " All Those Who Wander "
• " A Quality of Mercy "
• " The Broken Circle "
• " Ad Astra per Aspera "
• " Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow "
• " Among the Lotus Eaters "
• " Charades "
• " Lost in Translation "
• " Those Old Scientists "
• " Under the Cloak of War "
• " Subspace Rhapsody "
• " Hegemony "
• " Skin a Cat "
• " Holiday Party "
• " Walk, Don't Run "

Background information [ ]

The CG Enterprise from the "remastered" opening credits

The Enterprise on a painting aboard the Enterprise -D

The Enterprise and its interiors in The Original Series were designed primarily by Matt Jefferies . A three-foot demonstration model was completed in November 1964 by the Howard Anderson Company to show to Gene Roddenberry . After getting his approval, an eleven-foot model was then constructed by Richard C. Datin, Jr. , Mel Keys , and Vern Sion at Volmer Jensen 's model shop, and was finished in December 1964 . The eleven-foot model was modified for " Where No Man Has Gone Before " and again for the regular series effect shots. Re-used footage of all three stages of the eleven-foot model's appearance are shown mixed together in TOS.

In the final draft script of " The Naked Time ", the Enterprise was somewhat poetically described thus; " Sleek… efficient… the look of man in space… tooled… equipped… "

For Star Trek: The Animated Series , the color of the Enterprise was limited. D.C. Fontana commented, " For the purposes of animation you can't do the light white, silver kinds of colors. So they made the Enterprise gray and it came off all right. " ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 1, Issue 16 , p. 68)

Some distinctive effects shots of the Enterprise from TOS were recreated in animation for Star Trek: The Animated Series . Depicting the ship performing any new, impressive maneuvers would have been too costly for TAS and would have taken the animators too long to show, despite frequent TAS Director Hal Sutherland later implying that a desire to portray the ship doing " barrel rolls and that kind of thing" was quite common. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 1, Issue 16 , pp. 63 & 64)

The 2270s configuration of the Enterprise depicted in the films Star Trek: The Motion Picture , Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock was designed by Richard Taylor and Andrew Probert , based on designs for the vessel made by Matt Jefferies for the undeveloped television series Star Trek: Phase II . The design for the movie version was the basis of a design patent issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

The Enterprise was to have appeared in Star Trek: The First Adventure , which would have revealed that the design of the ship in TOS was actually a refit; the original design resembled Enterprise NX-01 , though that vessel was created years earlier. When Star Trek: Discovery season 1's finale aired, this idea was continued, as when the Enterprise showed up at the end, it had elements of the NX-01 incorporated into the new model.

The Enterprise was recreated as a new physical model for the DS9 Season 5 episode " Trials and Tribble-ations ". The ship's interior was represented with sets built on Paramount Stage 11 . ( Information from Larry Nemecek ) The CG model of Constitution -class USS Defiant , created for " In a Mirror, Darkly ", was relabeled as the Enterprise for the final scene of " These Are the Voyages... ", the last episode of Star Trek: Enterprise .

A new CG model, built from caliper measurements of the original eleven-foot physical model, was created for use in the remastered and recreated version of The Original Series (for more detailed treatises on the studio models used, see Constitution -class model (original) .

Visual effects artist Gabriel Koerner created a re-imagined version of the pre-refit Enterprise from the movies. The design is more contemporary, while keeping the design of The Original Series version of the ship. A video showing the ship from various angles can be seen on YouTube. The model was also featured as the August image for the 2007 Ships of the Line calendar , as well as in the Ships of the Line coffee-table book, placed between TOS and TMP images, which included text from Michael Okuda suggesting it as one of the ideas on how to refit the ship.

The Enterprise was pictured on three paintings during the Star Trek franchise: on a painting in the recreation deck of the 2270s configuration of the vessel, in Star Trek: The Motion Picture ; on a painting in the waiting area of the sickbay aboard the USS Enterprise -D , in the Star Trek: The Next Generation fifth season episode " Ethics "; and on a painting on the wall of Kirk's kitchen in the Nexus , in Star Trek Generations .

Upon preparing to view the bridge of the Enterprise in the first draft script of TNG : " Relics ", Montgomery Scott specified, " Show her the way she was before stardate 5928, " referencing the stardate on which TOS series finale " Turnabout Intruder " takes place. Consequently, this line of dialogue would have established that the holographic simulation of the Enterprise 's bridge in "Relics" was definitely contemporaneous with the exact setting of TOS. Scott did not specify that in the final draft of the script, however. [4] The line is also not spoken on screen.

The Enterprise was to have been referenced in the first draft script of VOY : " Flashback ", in connection with its near-destruction at Eminiar VII . However, all mention of the vessel was eliminated from the episode by the time the final draft of the script was written.

A new CGI model was created for the appearance of the USS Enterprise in the Season 1 finale of Star Trek: Discovery , " Will You Take My Hand? ". This model updated the appearance of the USS Enterprise to better match the style of other Starfleet ships depicted in the show, most noticeably changing the Enterprise 's nacelles to have visible, glowing blue cutouts on the inner surface. The impulse engine was also different, and the nacelle pylons were swept back with openings in their centers similar to the 2270s configuration . The new model also had a longer "runway" before the shuttlebay doors.

External links [ ]

• USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) at StarTrek.com
• USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) at Wikipedia
• USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) at the Star Trek Online Wiki
• 1 Abdullah bin al-Hussein

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Episode list

Star trek: enterprise.

S1.E1 ∙ Broken Bow, Part 1

S1.E2 ∙ Broken Bow, Part 2

S1.E3 ∙ Fight or Flight

S1.E4 ∙ Strange New World

S1.E5 ∙ Unexpected

S1.E6 ∙ Terra Nova

S1.E7 ∙ The Andorian Incident

S1.E8 ∙ Breaking the Ice

S1.E9 ∙ Civilization

S1.E10 ∙ Fortunate Son

S1.E11 ∙ Cold Front

S1.E12 ∙ Silent Enemy

S1.E13 ∙ Dear Doctor

S1.E14 ∙ Sleeping Dogs

S1.E15 ∙ Shadows of P'Jem

S1.E16 ∙ Shuttlepod One

S1.E17 ∙ Fusion

S1.E18 ∙ Rogue Planet

S1.E19 ∙ Acquisition

S1.E20 ∙ Oasis

S1.E21 ∙ Detained

S1.E22 ∙ Vox Sola

S1.E23 ∙ Fallen Hero

S1.E24 ∙ Desert Crossing

S1.E25 ∙ Two Days and Two Nights

S1.E26 ∙ Shockwave, Part I

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