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''Enterprise'' or USS ''Enterprise'', often referred to as the Starship ''Enterprise'', is the name of Spacecraft in Star Trek, several spacecraft in the ''Star Trek'' science fiction franchise.
The ''USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), Enterprise'' made for the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' television series has been called an iconic design, and it influenced subsequent spacecraft in and outside the franchise. Several vessels named ''Enterprise'' have been the main setting for various ''Star Trek'' spinoff series and films.
Introduction: Star Trek: The Original Series, ''Star Trek'' (1966–1969)
The USS ''Enterprise'', led by Captain James T. Kirk, is the main setting of the original ''Star Trek'' series and ''Star Trek: The Animated Series'' (1973–74). Matt Jefferies designed the ship, and its core components – a saucer-shaped primary hull, and cylindrical secondary hull, and a pair of outriding engine nacelles – established the core ship design for the franchise. ''Enterprise'' footage was rotoscoped for its depiction in the animated spinoff. Ship: USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), Refit USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701
Introduction: ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' (1979)
Jefferies created an updated ''Enterprise'' design for the ''Star Trek: Phase II'' series. He left the project when ''Phase II'' halted and production began on the first ''Star Trek'' film, ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture''. Several artists, including Andrew Probert, contributed to the film redesign. Several aspects of the ship, such as the engine nacelle grills, were influenced by Art Deco, art deco. The ship's significantly different appearance compared to the television show was attributed to an 18-month refit. The ship is heavily damaged in ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'' (1982), and it is destroyed in ''Star Trek III: The Search for Spock'' (1984). Ship: USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-A
Introduction: ''Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home'' (1986)
Captain Kirk is given command of a new vessel named ''Enterprise'' at the end of ''Star Trek IV''. Despite being a new ship narratively, the producers used the same filming model, redressed to include the new "NCC-1701-A" registry. The vessel appears in next two films, ''Star Trek V: The Final Frontier'' (1989) and ''Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'' (1991). The ship is ordered Ship commissioning#Ship decommissioning, decommissioned at the end of the sixth film, and it appears in a Starfleet Museum in the Star Trek: Picard season 3, third season of ''Star Trek: Picard'' (2023).
Introduction: ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (1987–1994)
Andrew Probert designed the ''Enterprise'' created for the franchise's return to television, taking place on a new ''Enterprise'' led by Captain Jean-Luc Picard 70 years after the events in the original series. This ''Enterprise'' also appears in the first film featuring the ''Next Generation'' cast, ''Star Trek Generations'' (1994). The ship's engineering section is destroyed in ''Generations'', but its saucer section crash lands on an alien planet. In the third season of ''Star Trek: Picard'', the saucer section has been attached to a different vessel's engineering hull, and it features prominently in the show's climax before becoming part of the Fleet Museum. Ship: USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-C
Introduction: "Yesterday's Enterprise" (1990) episode of ''Star Trek: The Next Generation''
A third-season episode of ''The Next Generation'' includes a depiction of the ''Enterprise''-D's predecessor, the ''Enterprise''-C. Rick Sternbach used an illustration created by Andrew Probert as the design basis for the ''Enterprise''-C, executing a final design that could be more easily produced on a television episode's budget. Led by Captain Rachel Garrett, the ''Enterprise''-C is destroyed protecting a Klingon outpost from a Romulan attack, strengthening an alliance between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Ship: USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-B
Introduction: ''Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: Generations'' (1994)
The opening of ''Generations'' depicts the maiden voyage of the ''Enterprise''-B, during which James Kirk is lost and presumed dead. The vessel serves after Kirk's ''Enterprise''-A and before the ''Enterprise''-C from "Yesterday's ''Enterprise''". The filming model was a modification of the ''Excelsior'' created for ''Star Trek III'', with some components added to depict damage to the ship without harming the underlying model. Ship: USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E), USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-E
Introduction: ''Star Trek: First Contact'' (1996)
With the ''Enterprise-''D's destruction in ''Generations'', a new film vessel for Picard and his crew was designed as the main setting for its sequels: ''Star Trek: First Contact'', ''Star Trek: Insurrection'' (1998), and ''Star Trek: Nemesis'' (2002). It also appears in the first-season finale of ''Star Trek: Prodigy'' (2022) and the series finale of ''Star Trek: Lower Decks'' (2024). The ship is disabled or destroyed under Worf, Worf's command.
Introduction: ''Star Trek: Enterprise'' (2001–2005)
United Earth Starfleet's ''Enterprise'' is the main setting of ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', which takes places a century before the original ''Star Trek''. Under the command of Captain Jonathan Archer, the vessel is the first Earth-built starship capable of reaching Technology in Star Trek#Warp_speeds, Warp 5. Initial designs of the ''Enterprise'' were deemed too similar to the original 1960s vessel. The final design, created by Doug Drexler, is based on the features of the ''Akira'' class created by Alex Jaeger, Alex Jeager for ''Star Trek: First Contact''. Ship: USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-J
Introduction: "Azati Prime" episode of ''Star Trek: Enterprise'' (2004)
A third-season episode of ''Enterprise'' involves Captain Archer being transported to the 26th-century ''Enterprise''-J. Doug Drexler drew the first design only two days prior to the production meeting for the episode. The computer-generated model was created in a few hours, and Drexler later said that they would have finished it differently. He imagined that the vessel was so large that there would be universities and entire parks on board, with the Elevator, turbolifts replaced by short range Transporter (Star Trek), transporters. More than one design was created, with the final version created with elements from different designs.
Introduction: Star Trek (2009 film), ''Star Trek'' (2009)
A new ''Enterprise'' was designed for the film franchise relaunch, which began with ''Star Trek'' and continued with ''Star Trek Into Darkness'' (2013) and ''Star Trek Beyond'' (2016). The new ''Enterprise'' was conceived as a "hot rod" while retaining elements from the original ''Enterprise'' and ''Motion Picture'' refit. At the end of ''Star Trek Into Darkness'', ''Enterprise'' has started its five-year mission under Captain Kirk. The ship is destroyed in ''Star Trek Beyond'', and a successor ''Enterprise'', with registry NCC-1701-A, is commissioned at the film's conclusion.
Introduction: "Will You Take My Hand?" episode of ''Star Trek: Discovery'' (2018)
''Star Trek: Discovery's'' first-season finale, and several episodes of the second season, depict the USS ''Enterprise'' under the command of Captain Christopher Pike (Star Trek), Christopher Pike. ''Star Trek: Strange New Worlds'' (2022–present) focuses on Pike's command of the ''Enterprise'', whose exterior and interiors were slightly modified from their ''Discovery'' appearance. John Eaves, Scott Schneider, and William Budge redesigned the ''Enterprise'' for its appearance in the streaming series. Ship: USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-F
Introduction: "Võx" episode of ''Star Trek: Picard'' (2023)
This ship appears in penultimate episode ''Star Trek: Picard'' (2023) at the Frontier Day festival. The ship was originally designed by Adam Ihle as part of a fan competition for ''Star Trek Online''. Ihle's design has a "familiar and recognizable" shape while also offering an evolution in design. ''Star Trek Online'' artist Thomas Marrone updated the video game asset, and then sent the model to the series artists to incorporate into the show. Ship: USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-G
Introduction: "The Last Generation" episode of ''Star Trek: Picard'' (2023)
The USS ''Titan'' is the main setting for the third season of ''Star Trek: Picard''. In the series finale, that vessel is renamed USS ''Enterprise'' and placed under the command of Captain Seven of Nine. The ship is based on designs by Bill Krause''.''
''Time (magazine), Time'' described each iteration of the ''Enterprise'' as "a character in its own right". ''io9'' ranked the original design of the ''Enterprise'' as the best version of the ''Enterprise'' lineage, characterizing the original as still superior to all later versions. By contrast, Syfy, SyFy ranked the refit design of the ''Enterprise'' from ''The Motion Picture'' and its sequels as the franchise's best.
Over many decades, the starship has influenced activities of NASA. This includes a successful letter writing campaign by fans to name the initial flight-test Space Shuttle Space Shuttle Enterprise, ''Enterprise'', and NASA's decision to name its IXS Enterprise, IXS ''Enterprise'' advanced propulsion concept vehicle after the ''Star Trek'' vessel. NetDragon Websoft based the design of its Fuzhou headquarters building on the ''Enterprise''-E under an official license from CBS.
Celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has spoken highly of the influence and legacy of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), original ''Enterprise'' on other fictional spaceships. Drawing a parallel to comparing athletes between eras, he said of spaceship design, "What matters is not what they look like now, but what they looked to others at the time that they prevailed... There is only one spaceship that's earlier than [the original ''Enterprise''], and that's the flying saucer from ''The Day the Earth Stood Still''. So, what matters here is, what did [the ''Enterprise''] look like at the time it came out (1966) compared with anything that had been imagined before? And when you consider that, that is the most astonishing machine that has ever graced the screen." On the ship's influence upon scientists, Tyson wrote, "The ''Enterprise'' was the first ever spaceship represented in storytelling that was not designed to go from one place to another; [it was] only designed to explore. It was revolutionary in terms of what we would think space would, and should, be about."
Design history
The original ''Star Trek'' and first films
Ship: USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701Introduction: Star Trek: The Original Series, ''Star Trek'' (1966–1969)
The USS ''Enterprise'', led by Captain James T. Kirk, is the main setting of the original ''Star Trek'' series and ''Star Trek: The Animated Series'' (1973–74). Matt Jefferies designed the ship, and its core components – a saucer-shaped primary hull, and cylindrical secondary hull, and a pair of outriding engine nacelles – established the core ship design for the franchise. ''Enterprise'' footage was rotoscoped for its depiction in the animated spinoff. Ship: USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), Refit USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701
Introduction: ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' (1979)
Jefferies created an updated ''Enterprise'' design for the ''Star Trek: Phase II'' series. He left the project when ''Phase II'' halted and production began on the first ''Star Trek'' film, ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture''. Several artists, including Andrew Probert, contributed to the film redesign. Several aspects of the ship, such as the engine nacelle grills, were influenced by Art Deco, art deco. The ship's significantly different appearance compared to the television show was attributed to an 18-month refit. The ship is heavily damaged in ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'' (1982), and it is destroyed in ''Star Trek III: The Search for Spock'' (1984). Ship: USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-A
Introduction: ''Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home'' (1986)
Captain Kirk is given command of a new vessel named ''Enterprise'' at the end of ''Star Trek IV''. Despite being a new ship narratively, the producers used the same filming model, redressed to include the new "NCC-1701-A" registry. The vessel appears in next two films, ''Star Trek V: The Final Frontier'' (1989) and ''Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'' (1991). The ship is ordered Ship commissioning#Ship decommissioning, decommissioned at the end of the sixth film, and it appears in a Starfleet Museum in the Star Trek: Picard season 3, third season of ''Star Trek: Picard'' (2023).
''The Next Generation'' productions
Ship: USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-DIntroduction: ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (1987–1994)
Andrew Probert designed the ''Enterprise'' created for the franchise's return to television, taking place on a new ''Enterprise'' led by Captain Jean-Luc Picard 70 years after the events in the original series. This ''Enterprise'' also appears in the first film featuring the ''Next Generation'' cast, ''Star Trek Generations'' (1994). The ship's engineering section is destroyed in ''Generations'', but its saucer section crash lands on an alien planet. In the third season of ''Star Trek: Picard'', the saucer section has been attached to a different vessel's engineering hull, and it features prominently in the show's climax before becoming part of the Fleet Museum. Ship: USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-C
Introduction: "Yesterday's Enterprise" (1990) episode of ''Star Trek: The Next Generation''
A third-season episode of ''The Next Generation'' includes a depiction of the ''Enterprise''-D's predecessor, the ''Enterprise''-C. Rick Sternbach used an illustration created by Andrew Probert as the design basis for the ''Enterprise''-C, executing a final design that could be more easily produced on a television episode's budget. Led by Captain Rachel Garrett, the ''Enterprise''-C is destroyed protecting a Klingon outpost from a Romulan attack, strengthening an alliance between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Ship: USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-B
Introduction: ''Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: Generations'' (1994)
The opening of ''Generations'' depicts the maiden voyage of the ''Enterprise''-B, during which James Kirk is lost and presumed dead. The vessel serves after Kirk's ''Enterprise''-A and before the ''Enterprise''-C from "Yesterday's ''Enterprise''". The filming model was a modification of the ''Excelsior'' created for ''Star Trek III'', with some components added to depict damage to the ship without harming the underlying model. Ship: USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E), USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-E
Introduction: ''Star Trek: First Contact'' (1996)
With the ''Enterprise-''D's destruction in ''Generations'', a new film vessel for Picard and his crew was designed as the main setting for its sequels: ''Star Trek: First Contact'', ''Star Trek: Insurrection'' (1998), and ''Star Trek: Nemesis'' (2002). It also appears in the first-season finale of ''Star Trek: Prodigy'' (2022) and the series finale of ''Star Trek: Lower Decks'' (2024). The ship is disabled or destroyed under Worf, Worf's command.
Return to television
Ship: Enterprise (NX-01), ''Enterprise,'' NX-01Introduction: ''Star Trek: Enterprise'' (2001–2005)
United Earth Starfleet's ''Enterprise'' is the main setting of ''Star Trek: Enterprise'', which takes places a century before the original ''Star Trek''. Under the command of Captain Jonathan Archer, the vessel is the first Earth-built starship capable of reaching Technology in Star Trek#Warp_speeds, Warp 5. Initial designs of the ''Enterprise'' were deemed too similar to the original 1960s vessel. The final design, created by Doug Drexler, is based on the features of the ''Akira'' class created by Alex Jaeger, Alex Jeager for ''Star Trek: First Contact''. Ship: USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-J
Introduction: "Azati Prime" episode of ''Star Trek: Enterprise'' (2004)
A third-season episode of ''Enterprise'' involves Captain Archer being transported to the 26th-century ''Enterprise''-J. Doug Drexler drew the first design only two days prior to the production meeting for the episode. The computer-generated model was created in a few hours, and Drexler later said that they would have finished it differently. He imagined that the vessel was so large that there would be universities and entire parks on board, with the Elevator, turbolifts replaced by short range Transporter (Star Trek), transporters. More than one design was created, with the final version created with elements from different designs.
Film franchise reboot
Ships: USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)#2009 film franchise reboot, USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701 and USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-AIntroduction: Star Trek (2009 film), ''Star Trek'' (2009)
A new ''Enterprise'' was designed for the film franchise relaunch, which began with ''Star Trek'' and continued with ''Star Trek Into Darkness'' (2013) and ''Star Trek Beyond'' (2016). The new ''Enterprise'' was conceived as a "hot rod" while retaining elements from the original ''Enterprise'' and ''Motion Picture'' refit. At the end of ''Star Trek Into Darkness'', ''Enterprise'' has started its five-year mission under Captain Kirk. The ship is destroyed in ''Star Trek Beyond'', and a successor ''Enterprise'', with registry NCC-1701-A, is commissioned at the film's conclusion.
Streaming services
Ship: USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)#Redesign for streaming series, USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701Introduction: "Will You Take My Hand?" episode of ''Star Trek: Discovery'' (2018)
''Star Trek: Discovery's'' first-season finale, and several episodes of the second season, depict the USS ''Enterprise'' under the command of Captain Christopher Pike (Star Trek), Christopher Pike. ''Star Trek: Strange New Worlds'' (2022–present) focuses on Pike's command of the ''Enterprise'', whose exterior and interiors were slightly modified from their ''Discovery'' appearance. John Eaves, Scott Schneider, and William Budge redesigned the ''Enterprise'' for its appearance in the streaming series. Ship: USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-F
Introduction: "Võx" episode of ''Star Trek: Picard'' (2023)
This ship appears in penultimate episode ''Star Trek: Picard'' (2023) at the Frontier Day festival. The ship was originally designed by Adam Ihle as part of a fan competition for ''Star Trek Online''. Ihle's design has a "familiar and recognizable" shape while also offering an evolution in design. ''Star Trek Online'' artist Thomas Marrone updated the video game asset, and then sent the model to the series artists to incorporate into the show. Ship: USS ''Enterprise'', NCC-1701-G
Introduction: "The Last Generation" episode of ''Star Trek: Picard'' (2023)
The USS ''Titan'' is the main setting for the third season of ''Star Trek: Picard''. In the series finale, that vessel is renamed USS ''Enterprise'' and placed under the command of Captain Seven of Nine. The ship is based on designs by Bill Krause''.''
Reception and influence
''Time (magazine), Time'' described each iteration of the ''Enterprise'' as "a character in its own right". ''io9'' ranked the original design of the ''Enterprise'' as the best version of the ''Enterprise'' lineage, characterizing the original as still superior to all later versions. By contrast, Syfy, SyFy ranked the refit design of the ''Enterprise'' from ''The Motion Picture'' and its sequels as the franchise's best.
Over many decades, the starship has influenced activities of NASA. This includes a successful letter writing campaign by fans to name the initial flight-test Space Shuttle Space Shuttle Enterprise, ''Enterprise'', and NASA's decision to name its IXS Enterprise, IXS ''Enterprise'' advanced propulsion concept vehicle after the ''Star Trek'' vessel. NetDragon Websoft based the design of its Fuzhou headquarters building on the ''Enterprise''-E under an official license from CBS.
Celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has spoken highly of the influence and legacy of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), original ''Enterprise'' on other fictional spaceships. Drawing a parallel to comparing athletes between eras, he said of spaceship design, "What matters is not what they look like now, but what they looked to others at the time that they prevailed... There is only one spaceship that's earlier than [the original ''Enterprise''], and that's the flying saucer from ''The Day the Earth Stood Still''. So, what matters here is, what did [the ''Enterprise''] look like at the time it came out (1966) compared with anything that had been imagined before? And when you consider that, that is the most astonishing machine that has ever graced the screen." On the ship's influence upon scientists, Tyson wrote, "The ''Enterprise'' was the first ever spaceship represented in storytelling that was not designed to go from one place to another; [it was] only designed to explore. It was revolutionary in terms of what we would think space would, and should, be about."
See also
* VSS Enterprise, VSS ''Enterprise'', proposed first commercial spacecraftReferences
External links
{{Authority control Star Trek spacecraft Star Trek lists