star trek uss

Star Trek’s USS Enterprise – every version of the starship explained

From Kirk's adventures to horizons new with Seven of Nine, the USS Enterprise has a long story. The best Star Trek starship, we've compiled its timeline below.

James Osborne

Published: Aug 20, 2023

The history and timeline of Star Trek’s USS Enterprise, explained. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise… you know the rest.

Since it began in 1966, Star Trek has been tracking the adventures of the USS Enterprise right the way through the Star Trek timeline . Some spin-off Star Trek series , like DS9, Voyager, Discovery, and Lower Decks, have directed their focus elsewhere on other ships (or stations), but the USS Enterprise is still synonymous with the franchise.

The USS Enterprise is undoubtedly the best Star Trek starship to ever grace our screens. And the beauty of it is whether you’re still in love with Kirk’s original ship, or if you have a soft spot for Picard’s Enterprise-D, the USS Enterprise’s long history has something for everyone. We’re now on to the Enterprise-G , introduced in the recent Star Trek Picard season 3, and it can be hard to keep track of the evolution of Starfleet’s flagship. No longer! Here’s the complete timeline of Star Trek’s USS Enterprise , showing its aesthetic evolution, important dates, and captains.

Enterprise (NX-01)

• Active between: 2151-2161
• Captains: Jonathan Archer
• Class: NX-class

The first starship Enterprise, and the only version not to bear the prefix ‘USS’. The beautiful NX-01 established United Earth as an inter-planetary power to be taken seriously, exploring the Alpha and Beta quadrants, and paving the way for the creation of the Federation.

Led by Captain Jonathan Archer and manned by a small and specialized crew, the Enterprise was vital in beginning diplomatic relations with the Tellarites, Andorians, Klingons, and more. The ship’s missions also included the search for the Xindi, who posed a great threat to Earth. After the ship was finally recalled, its crew members were hailed as legendary heroes.

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

• Active between: 2245-2285
• Captains: Robert April, Christopher Pike, James T. Kirk, Will Decker, Spock
• Class: Constitution class; Constitution-II class (refit)

The pioneering adventures of the USS Enterprise began under the command of Captain Robert April with its launch in 2245. After April accepted a promotion to the rank of Admiral, he transferred command to Christopher Pike who led the ship on exploratory and diplomatic missions across the galaxy.

After over a decade in the captain’s chair, Pike stepped aside. James T. Kirk transferred from the USS Farragut in order to take command of the flagship alongside his first officer Spock . They led the crew on a five-year mission of exploration, during which Kirk made first contact with a record number of alien species.

Following on from the success of his period as a captain, Kirk was promoted and chose Will Decker as his successor. Along with Scotty , who remained the ship’s chief engineer, Decker oversaw a huge refit of the USS Enterprise, which was completed as the V’Ger incident began.

After V’ger, Spock assumed command of the USS Enterprise as its captain, and the ship became a training vessel for cadets. Kirk stepped into the chair once again during the battle with Khan, and took the USS Enterprise back to drydock after Spock’s death. As the ship was being repaired, Kirk stole the USS Enterprise with the help of his crew in order to resurrect Spock, but during this mission the USS Enterprise was destroyed in a confrontation with the Klingon Kruge.

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)

• Active between: 2286-2293
• Captains: James T. Kirk
• Class: Constitution-II class

Following on from the destruction of the Enterprise and the demotion of Admiral Kirk, a new Enterprise was constructed for the now-captain to command. The Enterprise-A had a short service history, with only seven years worth of missions.

These included the journey to Sha Ka Ree and, most importantly, its final mission to negotiate peace with Klingon Chancellor Gorkon. After internal sabotage, the USS Enterprise-A became embroiled in a plot to wreck the peace process, though played a vital role in the eventual signing of the Khitomer Accords prior to being decommissioned.

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-B)

• Active between: 2293-unconfirmed
• Captains: John Harriman
• Class: Excelsior class

Only a year after the Enterprise-A was decommissioned, the Enterprise-B was launched before technical work had been completed, with Captain John Harriman leading the new ship. Its early launch was primarily for the sake of publicity, however the ship was quickly drawn into an energy distortion field called the Nexus while responding to an emergency distress call.

This led to massive damage on the ship, and the presumed death of James T. Kirk who was aboard the Enterprise-B for its launch. The history of Harriman’s command, and of the ship following on from the Nexus incident, is largely unknown.

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-C)

• Active between: unconfirmed-2344
• Captains: Rachel Garrett
• Class: Ambassador class

The USS Enterprise-C is one of the most significant ships in Starfleet history. Not only is it the first version of the Enterprise to be permanently captained by a woman, Rachel Garrett (one of the best Star Trek captains ), it’s also the ship which prevented the outbreak of a new Federation-Klingon war through brave self-sacrifice.

While responding to a distress call from the Klingon outpost Narendra III (which was under attack by Romulans), the Enterprise-C was sucked into a temporal rift which brought it into the future. However, in this future, the Klingons and the Federation were locked in a desperate and bloody battle which had claimed 40 billion lives.

To prevent the war and correct the timeline, the Enterprise-C was sent back through the temporal rift. It sacrificed itself at Narendra III defending the outpost against Romulan aggressors, which the Klingons saw as a pivotal act of bravery. The ship was completely destroyed, however, along with its crew.

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)

• Active between: 2363-2371; 2401
• Captains: Jean-Luc Picard, Edward Jellico
• Class: Galaxy class

20 years after the sacrifice of the Enterprise-C, the Galaxy class Enterprise-D was launched as Starfleet’s flagship. The ship was under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard for the vast majority of its service history (barring a brief period of command by Captain Jellico during Picard’s mission to Celtris III), during which time first contact was made with numerous powerful alien species including the Q Continuum, the Borg, and the Cytherians.

Decades after its destruction, the Enterprise-D was rebuilt by Geordi La Forge at Starfleet museum, and in 2401 the reconstructed ship was vital in the final battle with the Borg.

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)

• Active between: 2372-unconfirmed
• Captains: Jean-Luc Picard, Worf son of Mogh
• Class: Sovereign class

Captain Jean-Luc Picard was assigned command of the USS Enterprise-E, a state-of-the-art Sovereign class ship, after the destruction of the D. The Enterprise-E led many significant missions, with the time-travel to Earth’s past to prevent interference from the Borg being (arguably) the most pivotal.

In Star Trek Picard season 3, it’s confirmed that Worf was promoted to the rank of captain and took command of the USS Enterprise-E at some point after Picard became an Admiral in 2381. However, Worf was also blamed for the ship’s destruction, indicating that the USS Enterprise-E’s service history came to an end under his command at an unspecified date.

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-F)

• Active between: Unconfirmed-2401
• Captains: Elizabeth Shelby
• Class: Odyssey class

The service history of the USS Enterprise-F, an Odyssey class ship, remains the most ambiguous to date. The ship is only seen just before it is decommissioned in Picard season 3 under the command of Fleet Admiral Shelby prior to the Borg attack Sol Station. This attack led to the death of Shelby, and the F was decommissioned as planned in 2401.

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-G)

• Active between: 2402-unconfirmed
• Captains: Seven of Nine
• Class: Neo-Constitution class

In 2402, the USS Titan-A was rechristened as the Enterprise-G and command was handed to the newly promoted Seven of Nine. Previously, while still the Titan, the ship had been commanded by Captain Liam Shaw .

What’s next for the USS Enterprise?

The adventures of the USS Enterprise look set to continue into the 25th century, with Captain Seven of Nine at the helm and Commander Raffi by her side. Should we ever get a Star Trek Legacy release date , we’ll see what these adventures look like, and the continuing voyages of the USS Enterprise.

The history and legacy of the USS Enterprise looks set to continue as long as there are new letters in the alphabet.

For more on Star Trek, take a look at our picks for the best Star Trek characters , and check out our guide tp watching the Star Trek movies in order . You can also learn all about the Strange New Worlds season 3 release date  and the Star Trek 4 release date , before seeing what’s new on Paramount Plus .

Or, find out why Leonard Nimoy said The Voyage Home was inspired by the best TOS episode , and check out our feature on why Data isn’t Starfleet’s best artificial officer .

James Osborne After graduating from the University of York with a degree in archaeology (inspired by Captain Picard), James worked with the news team at Screen Rant while contributing features to Vulture, The AV Club, Digital Spy, FANDOM, and the official Star Trek website. Now, he writes about all things sci-fi and fantasy at The Digital Fix with an 'Enterprise-D ambiance' playlist on loop. He's a seasoned expert on all things Star Trek , Lord of the Rings , Star Wars , and Yellowstone , and is more than willing to share his hot takes on TNG which he believes is the greatest series ever made.

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Star Trek: Discovery

Ten years before Kirk, Spock, and the Enterprise, the USS Discovery discovers new worlds and lifeforms as one Starfleet officer learns to understand all things alien. Ten years before Kirk, Spock, and the Enterprise, the USS Discovery discovers new worlds and lifeforms as one Starfleet officer learns to understand all things alien. Ten years before Kirk, Spock, and the Enterprise, the USS Discovery discovers new worlds and lifeforms as one Starfleet officer learns to understand all things alien.

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• Trivia The Starfleet vessels seen in the first season, including the Discovery, the Shenzou and the redesigned Enterprise, were all designed by production artist John Eaves. Eaves' work with Star Trek spans three decades. Probably his most notable contribution was the design of the Enterprise-E for Star Trek: First Contact (1996) .
• Goofs With Michael being the adoptive sister of Spock, the series has many flashbacks to their childhood and upbringing on Vulcan. Spock's Vulcan half-brother, Sybok, does not appear nor is mention during these scenes. In Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) , Spock says that he and Sybok grew up together. However, since it's never stated when Sybok joined Sarek's home - only that he did so following his mother's death - or when he was exiled from the family, it's not impossible Sybok moved in after Burnham, and left before she graduated (the two extremes of the flashbacks). Also, since Sybok was never mentioned before Star Trek V, it seems reasonable the family never spoke of him again after his estrangement.
• Alternate versions The serif-font legends and subtitles in the "broadcast" episodes are absent from the DVD versions, where they are replaced with the standard DVD subtitles.
• Connections Featured in MsMojo: Top 10 Female Lead TV Shows You Should Be Watching in 2017 (2017)

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Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from ‘Star Trek’ boldly goes home after twisting voyage

The first model of the USS Enterprise is displayed at Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, left, and Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, shake hands over the recently recovered first model of the USS Enterprise at the Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, left, and Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, view the recently recovered first model of the USS Enterprise at Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

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DALLAS (AP) — The first model of the USS Enterprise — used in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series — has boldly gone back home, returning to creator Gene Roddenberry’s son decades after it went missing.

The model’s disappearance sometime in the 1970s had become the subject of lore, so it caused a stir when it popped up on eBay last fall. The sellers quickly took it down, and then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions to authenticate it. Last weekend, the auction house facilitated the model’s return.

Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, said he’s thrilled to have the model that had graced the desk of his father, who died in 1991 at age 70.

“This is not going home to adorn my shelves,” Roddenberry said. “This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”

AP AUDIO: Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from ‘Star Trek’ boldly goes home after twisting voyage.

AP correspondent Margie Szaroleta reports on the return of the original model of the USS Enterprise from the TV show “Star Trek.”

Heritage’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said the auction house was contacted by people who said they’d discovered it a storage unit, and when it was brought into their Beverly Hills office, he and a colleague “instantly knew that it was the real thing.”

They reached out to Roddenberry, who said he appreciates that everyone involved agreed returning the model was the right thing to do. He wouldn’t go into details on the agreement reached but said “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.”

Maddalena said the model vanished in the 1970s after Gene Roddenberry loaned it to makers of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released in 1979.

“No one knew what happened to it,” Rod Roddenberry said.

The 3-foot (0.91-meter) model of the USS Enterprise was used in the show’s original pilot episode as well as the opening credits of the resulting TV series, and was the prototype for the 11-foot (3-meter) version featured in the series’ episodes. The larger model is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

The original “Star Trek” television series, which aired in the late 1960s, kicked off an ever-expanding multiverse of cultural phenomena, with TV and movie spinoffs and conventions where a fanbase of zealous and devoted Trekkies can’t get enough of memorabilia.

This USS Enterprise model would easily sell for more than $1 million at auction, but really “it’s priceless,” Maddalena said.

“It could sell for any amount and I wouldn’t be surprised because of what it is,” he said. “It is truly a cultural icon.”

Roddenberry, who was just a young boy when the model went missing, said he has spotty memories of it, “almost a deja vu.” He said it wasn’t something he’d thought much about until people began contacting him after it appeared on eBay.

“I don’t think I really, fully comprehended at first that this was the first Enterprise ever created,” he said.

He said he has no idea if there was something nefarious behind the disappearance all those decades ago or if it was just mistakenly lost, but it would be interesting to find out more about what happened.

“This piece is incredibly important and it has its own story and this would be a great piece of the story,” Roddenberry said.

Thankfully, he said, the discovery has cleared up one rumor: That it was destroyed because as a young boy, he’d thrown it into a pool.

“Finally I’m vindicated after all these years,” he said with a laugh.

Screen Rant

Discovery was built on earth like uss enterprise in j.j. abrams’ star trek.

Burnham's time jump reminds us that, unlike other Star Trek hero ships, both the USS Discovery and J.J. Abrams' USS Enterprise weren't built in space.

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

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

Star Trek: Discovery’s Enterprise Crossover Made 1 Of Burnham’s Crew Very Happy

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

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

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

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

Starfleet Ships Are Usually Built In Space

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

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

Star Trek: Discovery streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

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

Star Trek (2009)

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

‘Star Trek’: Long-Lost Original USS Enterprise Model Finally Makes the Voyage Home

The model was used for the pilot and credits of the original 'Star Trek' series.

The Big Picture

• The original USS Enterprise model has been found in a storage locker after going missing for decades.
• The model was used for the original unaired pilot and opening credits of Star Trek: The Original Series .
• Rod Roddenberry plans to restore and display the iconic starship model in a museum for public viewing.

The original model of the USS Enterprise from Star Trek: The Original Series has been located, after spending several decades missing — not in some distant region of space, but in a storage locker. The model has been returned to Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry , the son of original Trek creator Gene Roddenberry . ABC News reports that the three-foot-long model was given to Gene Roddenberry after the original Trek series ended in 1969, and graced his desk for several years before he loaned it to the makers of 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture . The model disappeared shortly afterward and remained missing until it turned up on eBay last year. It had been discovered in a storage locker by parties unknown, who contacted action site Heritage Auctions. Although the model would fetch an enormous price at auction as a one-of-a-kind pop-cultural artifact, an arrangement was made between the finders and Roddenberry, whose father died at 70 in 1991.

The model in question was the first finished model of the iconic starship; it was used for the series' original unaired pilot episode, "The Cage," which was later incorporated into a two-part episode , "The Menagerie," before it was released in full in the 1980s. It was also used for the shots of the Enterprise seen in the show's opening credits. A larger model was later created for the rest of the series; that model is currently on display at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum . Roddenberry intends for the original model to find a permanent home, as well:

"This is not going home to adorn my shelves. This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere."

What Is the USS Enterprise?

The flagship of the United Federation of Planets' Starfleet, the USS Enterprise is a Constitution-class starship from the 23rd century. It was originally captained by Robert April, who appeared on Star Trek: The Animated Series before appearing in live-action for the first time in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . April later passed on command to Christopher Pike , whose adventures are currently being chronicled in the prequel series Strange New Worlds . After Pike was promoted to fleet command, James Kirk was given command of the ship, taking it on a five-year mission that kicked off one of science fiction's most enduring franchises.

In Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , then-Admiral Kirk stole the Enterprise to journey to the unstable Genesis Planet and reunite his friend Spock's mind with his body; during that adventure, Kirk had the ship self-destruct to prevent it from being seized by the Klingons. It was later replaced by a near-identical ship, the Enterprise-A ; many subsequent Federation ships have borne the name, up to the rechristened Enterprise-J in the series finale of Star Trek: Picard .

The son of Roddenberry and actor Majel Barrett , Rod Roddenberry is the chief executive officer of Roddenberry Entertainment. He currently executive produces the latest generation of Star Trek series, including Discovery , Strange New Worlds , Picard , Lower Decks , and Prodigy .

The original model of the Enterprise is now back in the Roddenberry family. Viewers can see it in action in Star Trek: The Original Series , which can be streamed on Paramount+.

Star Trek: The Original Series

In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

Watch on Paramount+

Star Trek: What Does USS Actually Mean?

While "Star Trek" has introduced audiences to all sorts of fantastical characters and alien races, the ships crews use to fly through space have become just as iconic. Of course, there's the USS Enterprise , which has been featured in several "Star Trek" shows and films. But there's also the USS Voyager, which was under the command of Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) in "Star Trek: Voyager,"  as well as the USS Cerritos, as seen in the animated "Star Trek: Lower Decks." However, despite the prevalence of star ships in the series, many may still ask, "What does USS stand for in 'Star Trek?'"

Naturally, USS has a modern-day, real-world meaning. It's used in the United States Navy as a shorthand for "United States Ship." It's followed by a signifier to identify specific ships, such as the USS Arizona and USS Fletcher. Starfleet continues using the abbreviation for its star ships, but the meaning has changed several centuries in the future. In "Star Trek," USS typically stands for "United Space Ship," as can be heard in many episodes from "The Original Series," like "The Cage" and "Patterns of Force." Interestingly, "United Star Ship" has also been an appropriate name," as stated in "The Original Series" episode, "Court Martial." And as it turns out, there's a good reason why USS couldn't continue to stand for "United States Ship" in the Star Trek universe. 

Gene Roddenberry fought adamantly so that USS didn't stand for United States Ship on Star Trek

Giving space ships in "Star Trek" USS designations can likely be traced back to franchise creator Gene Roddenberry's time enlisted in the United States military. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, where the likes of the USS Hornet and USS Yorktown aided the American effort. The USS Enterprise would be built in 1958 as the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, and that's the name Roddenberry used to signal exploration of outer space in "Star Trek: The Original Series."

While Roddenberry seemingly paid tribute to his naval roots, he did change the name so that USS didn't stand for United States Ship. He actually put up a fight to executives to do so, as explained in the reference book, "The Making of Star Trek" by Stephen Whitfield. NBC executives reportedly wanted the Enterprise to be a "good, safe patriotic United States spaceship." However, as "Star Trek" fans know all too well, the franchise envisions a future that goes beyond the traditional sense of statehood. Earth is a more united place, so making the spaceships specifically affiliated with the United States would've been uncharacteristically nationalistic. Roddenberry won in the end, creating a fleet of ships that belongs to everyone and not just one country. 

"Star Trek" has always maintained a diverse cast of characters, showcasing a future where earthlings don't see race and nationality as much. Making Starfleet and all USS vessels a global initiative makes the franchise feel like everyone is welcome. 

In 2016, after almost two years of extensive research and meticulous conservation, USS Enterprise NCC-1701 studio model from the television show Star Trek, went on display in the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall.

The studio model was used for filming the original Star Trek television series, which aired from 1966 to 1969. The Museum’s goal was to stabilize the model, document its history of changes, and return it to the appearance it had during the August 1967 filming of the episode “The Trouble with Tribbles,” which marked the last known modification of the model during Star Trek’s production.

Along the way we:

• Assembled an advisory team of industry experts
• Performed an in-depth scientific analysis of the model’s composition
• Revealed construction details and documented the chronology of paint layers and markings
• Analyzed the original paint under the saucer bolt cover
• Were helped by fans who submitted photos of the model from 1964 through 1976 
• And even hosted “Nerd Camp”

You can follow our journey here and uncover, from paint to hardware, everything we know about the starship Enterprise model.

Explore the Object Record for Enterprise

Learn More About Restoring the Enterprise

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Want to know what colors are on the 3-meter (11-foot) Star Trek starship Enterprise studio model? Read more to find the colorimeter readings for the colors we uncovered during our sanding tests and other conservation work on the model.

The studio model of the  Star Trek  starship  Enterprise  is now on exhibit in the  Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall . After taking it off exhibit in 2014 , assembling a  special advisory committee , examining it using  x-ray radiography , searching out long-lost photos , and planning the work in great detail , months of hard work culminated in several weeks of painting, detail work, rewiring, and final assembly. In the end, the whole project was a tremendous collaboration.

Stardate 1601.28: After a year of extensive research, conservation work on the original studio model of the USS Enterprise is now underway in the Museum’s spacedock.

You can help. Conservators at the Emil Buehler Conservation Laboratory are working to restore the original, 11-foot studio model of the USS Enterprise , used in all 79 episodes of the television series Star Trek , to its appearance from August of 1967. We are looking for first-hand, primary source photos or film of the ship’s early years. Images of the model during production or on public display anytime between 1964 and 1976 will help conservators determine the model’s exact configuration at different stages of its journey.

The door was locked, but a swipe of a security access card rewarded us with a satisfying “click.” Someone pushed the double doors open and we stepped into the laboratory. We paused for the briefest instant as my eyes, and those of my fellow campers, were transfixed on the object on the other side of the room: The Starship Enterprise from the original Star Trek series.

Who do you call when you need to know everything there is to know about the Star Trek starship Enterprise ?

When the National Air and Space Museum opened in 1976, the production model of the Starship Enterprise was prominently and dramatically displayed hanging at the entrance of “Life in the Universe” gallery. Later, when that gallery closed, and the starship was moved to several other locations within the museum.

The original studio model of the Starship Enterprise used in the television series "Star Trek" came to the Smithsonian Institution thirty-five years ago, donated by Paramount Studios in 1974. 

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

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

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

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Leila Fadel.

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

It's MORNING EDITION.

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

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

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Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from 'Star Trek' boldly goes home after twisting voyage

DALLAS — The first model of the USS Enterprise — used in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series — has boldly gone back home, returning to creator Gene Roddenberry's son decades after it went missing.

The model's disappearance sometime in the 1970s had become the subject of lore, so it caused a stir when it popped up on eBay last fall. The sellers quickly took it down, and then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions to authenticate it. Last weekend, the auction house facilitated the model's return.

Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, said he's thrilled to have the model that had graced the desk of his father, who died in 1991 at age 70.

“This is not going home to adorn my shelves," Roddenberry said. “This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”

Heritage's executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said the auction house was contacted by people who said they'd discovered it a storage unit, and when it was brought into their Beverly Hills office, he and a colleague “instantly knew that it was the real thing.”

They reached out to Roddenberry, who said he appreciates that everyone involved agreed returning the model was the right thing to do. He wouldn't go into details on the agreement reached but said “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.”

Maddalena said the model vanished in the 1970s after Gene Roddenberry loaned it to makers of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," which was released in 1979.

“No one knew what happened to it," Rod Roddenberry said.

The 3-foot (0.91-meter) model of the USS Enterprise was used in the show's original pilot episode as well as the opening credits of the resulting TV series, and was the prototype for the 11-foot (3-meter) version featured in the series' episodes. The larger model is on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

The original “Star Trek” television series, which aired in the late 1960s, kicked off an ever-expanding multiverse of cultural phenomena, with TV and movie spinoffs and conventions where a fanbase of zealous and devoted Trekkies can't get enough of memorabilia.

This USS Enterprise model would easily sell for more than $1 million at auction, but really “it’s priceless," Maddalena said.

“It could sell for any amount and I wouldn’t be surprised because of what it is," he said. “It is truly a cultural icon.”

Roddenberry, who was just a young boy when the model went missing, said he has spotty memories of it, “almost a deja vu.” He said it wasn't something he'd thought much about until people began contacting him after it appeared on eBay.

“I don't think I really, fully comprehended at first that this was the first Enterprise ever created,” he said.

He said he has no idea if there was something nefarious behind the disappearance all those decades ago or if it was just mistakenly lost, but it would be interesting to find out more about what happened.

“This piece is incredibly important and it has its own story and this would be a great piece of the story,” Roddenberry said.

Thankfully, he said, the discovery has cleared up one rumor: That it was destroyed because as a young boy, he'd thrown it into a pool.

“Finally I’m vindicated after all these years," he said with a laugh.

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To Boldly Return —

Long-lost model of the uss enterprise returned to roddenberry family, it showed up in an ebay listing; now roddenberry's son wants to show it to fans..

Samuel Axon - Apr 19, 2024 9:05 pm UTC

The first-ever model of Star Trek's USS Enterprise NCC-1701 has been returned to the Roddenberry family, according to an ABC News report.

The 3-foot model was used to shoot the pilot and credits scene for Star Trek's original series in the 1960s and was used occasionally for shots throughout the series. (Typically, a larger, 11-foot model was used for shots after the pilot.) The model also sat on series creator Gene Roddenberry's desk for several years.

It went missing in the late 1970s; historians and collectors believe it belonged to Roddenberry himself, that he lent it to a production house working on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and that it was never returned. Its whereabouts were unknown until last fall, when a listing for a mysterious model of the Enterprise appeared on eBay .

Further Reading

The eBay account that posted the item specialized in selling artifacts found in storage lockers that end up without an owner, either because of failure to pay or death.

The model was turned over by the eBay seller to Texas-based Heritage Auctions. News spread that it had been discovered, and Gene Roddenberry's son, Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry, made public statements that he would like to see it returned to his family.

After that, there were months of silence, and its fate was unknown—until now. Heritage Auctions announced that it had given the model to Rod Roddenberry. Details of the exchange have not been shared, but Roddenberry said he did compensate Heritage in some way.

Heritage reached out directly to Roddenberry upon acquiring the object and reportedly decided to return it because it was "the right thing to do." Roddenberry said that he "felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that" but didn't disclose a sum.

Roddenberry also revealed what he has planned for the model:

This is not going home to adorn my shelves. This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it, and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.

He runs a group called the Roddenberry Foundation that has scanned and digitized many relics from Star Trek's ideation and production over the years, so it's likely the Foundation will get a crack at the model, too.

Listing image by eBay

reader comments

Channel ars technica.

Long-Lost First Model of the USS Enterprise From 'Star Trek' Boldly Goes Home After Twisting Voyage

The first USS Enterprise has boldly gone back home, solving a decades-long mystery

Long-Lost First Model of the USS Enterprise From 'Star Trek' Boldly Goes Home After Twisting Voyage

Josh David Jordan

The first model of the USS Enterprise is displayed at Heritage Auctions in Los Angeles, April 13, 2024. The model — used in the original “Star Trek” television series — has been returned to Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, decades after it went missing in the 1970s. (Josh David Jordan/Heritage Auctions via AP)

DALLAS (AP) — The first model of the USS Enterprise — used in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series — has boldly gone back home, returning to creator Gene Roddenberry's son decades after it went missing.

The model's disappearance sometime in the 1970s had become the subject of lore, so it caused a stir when it popped up on eBay last fall. The sellers quickly took it down, and then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions to authenticate it. Last weekend, the auction house facilitated the model's return.

Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, said he's thrilled to have the model that had graced the desk of his father, who died in 1991 at age 70.

“This is not going home to adorn my shelves," Roddenberry said. “This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”

Heritage's executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said the auction house was contacted by people who said they'd discovered it a storage unit, and when it was brought into their Beverly Hills office, he and a colleague “instantly knew that it was the real thing.”

They reached out to Roddenberry, who said he appreciates that everyone involved agreed returning the model was the right thing to do. He wouldn't go into details on the agreement reached but said “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.”

Photos You Should See - April 2024

Maddalena said the model vanished in the 1970s after Gene Roddenberry loaned it to makers of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," which was released in 1979.

“No one knew what happened to it," Rod Roddenberry said.

The 3-foot (0.91-meter) model of the USS Enterprise was used in the show's original pilot episode as well as the opening credits of the resulting TV series, and was the prototype for the 11-foot (3-meter) version featured in the series' episodes. The larger model is on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

The original “Star Trek” television series, which aired in the late 1960s, kicked off an ever-expanding multiverse of cultural phenomena, with TV and movie spinoffs and conventions where a fanbase of zealous and devoted Trekkies can't get enough of memorabilia.

This USS Enterprise model would easily sell for more than $1 million at auction, but really “it’s priceless," Maddalena said.

“It could sell for any amount and I wouldn’t be surprised because of what it is," he said. “It is truly a cultural icon.”

Roddenberry, who was just a young boy when the model went missing, said he has spotty memories of it, “almost a deja vu.” He said it wasn't something he'd thought much about until people began contacting him after it appeared on eBay.

“I don't think I really, fully comprehended at first that this was the first Enterprise ever created,” he said.

He said he has no idea if there was something nefarious behind the disappearance all those decades ago or if it was just mistakenly lost, but it would be interesting to find out more about what happened.

“This piece is incredibly important and it has its own story and this would be a great piece of the story,” Roddenberry said.

Thankfully, he said, the discovery has cleared up one rumor: That it was destroyed because as a young boy, he'd thrown it into a pool.

“Finally I’m vindicated after all these years," he said with a laugh.

Copyright 2024 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Original USS Enterprise model from ‘Star Trek’ returned to creator’s son

The first model of the USS Enterprise, the starship that appeared in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series, has been returned to Eugene Roddenberry Jr., the son of the creator of the series, decades after it went missing.

“After a long journey, she’s home,” Roddenberry wrote on social media Thursday.

For die-hard Trekkies, the model’s disappearance had become the subject of folklore, so an eBay listing last fall, with a starting bid of $1,000, didn’t go unnoticed.

“Red alert,” someone in an online costume and prop-making forum wrote, linking to the listing.

Roddenberry’s father, Gene Roddenberry, created the television series, which first aired in 1966 and ran for three seasons. It spawned numerous spinoffs, several films and a franchise that has included conventions and legions of devoted fans with an avid interest in memorabilia.

The seller of the model was bombarded with inquiries and quickly took the listing down.

The seller contacted Heritage Auctions to authenticate it, the auction house’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said Saturday. As soon as the seller, who said he had found it in a storage unit, brought it to the auction house’s office in Beverly Hills, California, Maddalena said he knew it was real.

“That’s when I reached out to Rod to say, ‘We’ve got this. This is it,’ ” he said, adding that the model was being transferred to Roddenberry.

Roddenberry, who is known as Rod, said Saturday that he would restore the model and seek to have it displayed in a museum or other institution.

He said reclaiming the item had only piqued his interest in the circumstances about its disappearance.

“Whoever borrowed it or misplaced it or lost it, something happened somewhere,” he said. “Where’s it been?”

It was unclear how the model ended up in the storage unit and who had it before its discovery.

The original USS Enterprise, a 33-inch model, was mostly made of solid wood by Richard Datin, a model maker for the Howard Anderson Co., a special-effects company that created the opening credits for some of the 20th century’s biggest TV shows.

An enlarged 11-foot model was used in subsequent “Star Trek” television episodes, and is part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, where it was donated by Paramount Studios in 1974.

Roddenberry, who said he gave the seller a “reward” for its recovery but did not disclose the terms, assembled a group of “Star Trek” production veterans, model makers and restoration specialists in Beverly Hills to authenticate the find.

The group included a “Star Trek” art supervisor, Michael Okuda, and his wife, Denise, an artist on “Star Trek” television series and films, and Gary Kerr, a “Trek x-pert” who served as technical consultant for the Smithsonian during a 2016 restoration of the 11-foot model.

“We spent at least an hour photographing it, inspecting the paint, inspecting the dirt, looking under the base, the patina on the stem, the grain in the wood,” Roddenberry said.

“It was a unanimous ‘This is 100% the one,’ ” he said.

Gene Roddenberry, who died in 1991, kept the original model, which appeared in the show’s opening credits and pilot episode, on his desk.

Kerr compared the model to 1960s photos he had of the model on Roddenberry’s desk.

“The wood grain matched exactly, so that was it,” he said Saturday.

The model went missing after Roddenberry lent it to the makers of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released in 1979, Maddalena said.

“This is a major discovery,” he said, likening the model to the ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz,” a prop stolen in 2005 and recovered by the FBI in 2018, and that Heritage Auctions is selling.

While the slippers represent hope, he said, the starship Enterprise model “represents dreams.”

“It’s a portal to what could be,” he said.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times .

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Original ‘Star Trek’ Enterprise Model Is Found After Being Missing for Decades

The 33-inch model surfaced on eBay after disappearing around 1979. An auction house is giving it to the son of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of “Star Trek.”

• Share full article

By Emily Schmall

The first model of the U.S.S. Enterprise, the starship that appeared in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series , has been returned to Eugene Roddenberry Jr., the son of the creator of the series, decades after it went missing.

“After a long journey, she’s home,” Mr. Roddenberry wrote on social media on Thursday.

For die-hard Trekkies, the model’s disappearance had become the subject of folklore, so an eBay listing last fall, with a starting bid of $1,000, didn’t go unnoticed.

“Red alert,” someone in an online costume and prop-making forum wrote, linking to the listing.

Mr. Roddenberry’s father, Gene Roddenberry, created the television series, which first aired in 1966 and ran for three seasons. It spawned numerous spinoffs, several films and a franchise that has included conventions and legions of devoted fans with an avid interest in memorabilia.

The seller of the model was bombarded with inquiries and quickly took the listing down.

The seller contacted Heritage Auctions to authenticate it, the auction house’s executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said on Saturday. As soon as the seller, who said he had found it in a storage unit, brought it to the auction house’s office in Beverly Hills, Calif., Mr. Maddalena said he knew it was real.

“That’s when I reached out to Rod to say, ‘We’ve got this. This is it,’” he said, adding that the model was being transferred to Mr. Roddenberry.

Mr. Roddenberry, who is known as Rod, said on Saturday that he would restore the model and seek to have it displayed in a museum or other institution. He said reclaiming the item had only piqued his interest in the circumstances about its disappearance.

“Whoever borrowed it or misplaced it or lost it, something happened somewhere,” he said. “Where’s it been?”

It was unclear how the model ended up in the storage unit and who had it before its discovery.

The original U.S.S. Enterprise, a 33-inch model, was mostly made of solid wood by Richard C. Datin, a model maker for the Howard Anderson Company, a special-effects company that created the opening credits for some of the 20th century’s biggest TV shows .

An enlarged 11-foot model was used in subsequent “Star Trek” television episodes, and is now part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum , where it was donated by Paramount Studios in 1974.

Mr. Roddenberry, who said he gave the seller a “reward” for its recovery but did not disclose the terms, assembled a group of “Star Trek” production veterans, model makers and restoration specialists in Beverly Hills to authenticate the find.

The group included a “Star Trek” art supervisor, Michael Okuda, and his wife, Denise, an artist on “Star Trek” television series and films, and Gary Kerr, a “Trek x-pert” who served as technical consultant for the Smithsonian during a 2016 restoration of the 11-foot model.

“We spent at least an hour photographing it, inspecting the paint, inspecting the dirt, looking under the base, the patina on the stem, the grain in the wood,” Mr. Roddenberry said.

“It was a unanimous ‘This is 100 percent the one,’” he said.

Gene Roddenberry, who died in 1991 , kept the original model, which appeared in the show’s opening credits and pilot episode, on his desk.

Mr. Kerr compared the model to 1960s photos he had of the model on Mr. Roddenberry’s desk.

“The wood grain matched exactly, so that was it,” he said on Saturday.

The model went missing after Mr. Roddenberry lent it to the makers of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released in 1979, Mr. Maddalena said.

“This is a major discovery,” he said, likening the model to the ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz,” a prop that was stolen in 2005 and recovered by the F.B.I. in 2018, and that Heritage Auctions is selling.

While the slippers represent hope, he said, the starship Enterprise model “represents dreams.”

“It’s a portal to what could be,” he said.

Emily Schmall covers breaking news and feature stories and is based in Chicago. More about Emily Schmall

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Long-lost first model of the USS Enterprise from 'Star Trek' boldly goes home after twisting voyage

Lost star trek model.

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

DALLAS (AP) — The first model of the USS Enterprise — used in the opening credits of the original “Star Trek” television series — has boldly gone back home, returning to creator Gene Roddenberry 's son decades after it went missing.

The model's disappearance sometime in the 1970s had become the subject of lore, so it caused a stir when it popped up on eBay last fall. The sellers quickly took it down, and then contacted Dallas-based Heritage Auctions to authenticate it. Last weekend, the auction house facilitated the model's return.

Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment, said he's thrilled to have the model that had graced the desk of his father, who died in 1991 at age 70.

“This is not going home to adorn my shelves," Roddenberry said. “This is going to get restored and we’re working on ways to get it out so the public can see it and my hope is that it will land in a museum somewhere.”

Heritage's executive vice president, Joe Maddalena, said the auction house was contacted by people who said they'd discovered it a storage unit, and when it was brought into their Beverly Hills office, he and a colleague “instantly knew that it was the real thing.”

They reached out to Roddenberry, who said he appreciates that everyone involved agreed returning the model was the right thing to do. He wouldn't go into details on the agreement reached but said “I felt it important to reward that and show appreciation for that.”

Maddalena said the model vanished in the 1970s after Gene Roddenberry loaned it to makers of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," which was released in 1979.

“No one knew what happened to it," Rod Roddenberry said.

The 3-foot (0.91-meter) model of the USS Enterprise was used in the show's original pilot episode as well as the opening credits of the resulting TV series, and was the prototype for the 11-foot (3-meter) version featured in the series' episodes. The larger model is on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

The original “Star Trek” television series, which aired in the late 1960s, kicked off an ever-expanding multiverse of cultural phenomena, with TV and movie spinoffs and conventions where a fanbase of zealous and devoted Trekkies can't get enough of memorabilia.

This USS Enterprise model would easily sell for more than $1 million at auction, but really “it’s priceless," Maddalena said.

“It could sell for any amount and I wouldn’t be surprised because of what it is," he said. “It is truly a cultural icon.”

Roddenberry, who was just a young boy when the model went missing, said he has spotty memories of it, “almost a deja vu.” He said it wasn't something he'd thought much about until people began contacting him after it appeared on eBay.

“I don't think I really, fully comprehended at first that this was the first Enterprise ever created,” he said.

He said he has no idea if there was something nefarious behind the disappearance all those decades ago or if it was just mistakenly lost, but it would be interesting to find out more about what happened.

“This piece is incredibly important and it has its own story and this would be a great piece of the story,” Roddenberry said.

Thankfully, he said, the discovery has cleared up one rumor: That it was destroyed because as a young boy, he'd thrown it into a pool.

“Finally I’m vindicated after all these years," he said with a laugh.

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USS Prometheus ( Prometheus class)

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The USS Prometheus (NX-59650 / NX-74913) was a 24th century Federation Prometheus -class starship operated by Starfleet .

• 2.1 See also
• 2.2 Background information
• 2.3 Apocrypha
• 2.4 External link

History [ ]

Prometheus was an experimental prototype designed for deep space tactical assignments and equipped with regenerative shields , ablative hull armor , and multi-vector assault mode . She was the fastest ship in Starfleet with a warp factor of 9.99 when she was launched from the Beta Antares Ship Yards on stardate 50749.5 in late 2373 . The vessel was also equipped with holographic projectors on every deck , allowing its EMH Mark II free range of movement throughout the ship. The Prometheus was at least the second starship to bear the name .

Shortly after stardate 51462 in 2374 , the Prometheus was hijacked by Romulans . During their escape aboard the ship, the Prometheus easily disabled the USS Bonchune when the Romulans decided to enable the multi-vector assault mode , for the first time, proving her potency as a combat vessel .

Coincidentally, during the hijacking the Prometheus received a subspace transmission from the USS Voyager , which was stranded in the Delta Quadrant over sixty thousand light years away. This transmission contained Voyager 's Emergency Medical Hologram , who initially escaped detection by claiming to be the Prometheus' EMH, and also claiming that, as a doctor , he was neutral. Assisted by the Prometheus' EMH, The Doctor was able to regain control of the ship by knocking the Romulans out using neurozine gas (that, naturally, didn't affect the two holograms) and stop her from entering Romulan space . Despite their initial lack of understanding of the controls of the Prometheus , the two EMHs subsequently managed to destroy an opposing Romulan ship before the Prometheus was recovered by Starfleet. Following this, The Doctor spoke directly to Starfleet Headquarters about the fate of Voyager , before returning to his ship to assure them that they were no longer alone. ( VOY : " Message in a Bottle ")

Later, while unravelling one of her conspiracy theories , pitting a Cardassian -Federation alliance against the Maquis , to Chakotay in 2376 , Seven of Nine noted the instance when the Doctor's program was transmitted to "a Starfleet vessel on the outskirts of the Alpha Quadrant ." She posed to Chakotay whether it was " [a]n attempt by the Captain to contact Earth or a secret communiqué informing Starfleet of her progress? " ( VOY : " The Voyager Conspiracy ")

The Prometheus (middle right) escorts Voyager

In 2378 , the Prometheus was stationed near the Sol system and dispatched by Admiral Owen Paris to a defensive point near an opening Borg transwarp aperture near Earth .

It opened fire on the emerging Borg sphere , and assisted in its destruction. Following the emergence of Voyager from the debris, the Prometheus escorted Voyager back to Earth. ( VOY : " Endgame ")

Appendices [ ]

See also [ ].

• USS Prometheus personnel
• USS Prometheus dedication plaque

Background information [ ]

↑ There was some confusion during the production of "Message in a Bottle" concerning the registry of the Prometheus . According to Michael Okuda , he had used the number NX-74913 on all of the internal displays and the ship's dedication plaque . However, the Foundation Imaging FX artists did not get the memo and used the number 59650 instead. Although Okuda's number did appear on screen, the Foundation number was much more prominent.

According to Star Trek: Communicator issue 152 , the Prometheus was redesignated NX-74913 after stardate 51461, right before the date the Prometheus was hijacked by Romulans. This was probably stated to alleviate the registry confusion mentioned above. If this statement was correct, it would suggest that the crew of the Prometheus modified the interior of the ship to reflect the new registry number before the old one was changed on the hull. It would also suggest that the ship had the old registry removed completely by "Endgame". The Prometheus having such a low registry number was meant to show that the ship had been in development for a long time.

This ship is named after Prometheus , the Titan that stole fire from the gods to benefit man in Greek mythology .

Apocrypha [ ]

The Prometheus is the namesake of the Star Trek: Prometheus novel series , in which the ship features prominently. Among the ship's crew in 2385 are Mendon , Chell , T'Shanik , Carson , and the EMH Mark II, retained by the crew out of personal affection despite the subsequent upgrades in the EMH program, now nicknamed "Tric" for his habit of always carrying a tricorder despite being able to conduct such scans by himself.

External link [ ]

• USS Prometheus (NX-59650) at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works