USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

The **USS *Enterprise* (NCC-1701)** is the central starship in the fictional *Star Trek*universe, depicted in 6 network television series, 12 feature films, and countless books and fan-created media. The original *Star Trek* series features a voice-over by *Enterprise* captain, James T. Kirk (William Shatner), which describes the mission of *Enterprise* as "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before". The ship's design "formed the basis for one of sci-fi's most iconic images".[2] A refit version of NCC-1701 appears in the first three *Star Trek*films. The 2009 *Star Trek* film, which takes place in an alternate timeline,[3] features a re-conceptualization of the original *Enterprise*. The original (though refitted) starship was destroyed in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

## Origin and design

*Star Trek* art director Matt Jefferies  was the primary designer of the original *Enterprise*, which was originally named *Yorktown* in series creator Gene Roddenberry 's first outline drafts of the series. Jefferies' experience with [[1]] led to his *Enterprise* designs being imbued with what he called "aircraft logic". However, Jefferies years later confessed to have taken some inspiration and [license|artistic license] from [stove|electric stove] coils.

The ship's "NCC-1701" registry number stemmed from "NC" being one of the international [registration|aircraft registration] codes assigned to the United States; the second "C" was added for differentiation.Template:Citation needed According to *The Making of Star Trek*, "NCC" is the Starfleet abbreviation for "Naval Construction Contract", comparable to what the U.S. Navy would call a hull number. The "1701" was chosen to avoid any possible ambiguity; according to Jefferies, the numbers 3, 6, 8, and 9 are "too easily confused". Other sources cite it as a reference to the house across the street from where Roddenberry grew up, while another account gives it as the street address of [Dunn|Linwood Dunn]. Jefferies' own sketches provide the explanation that it was his 17th cruiser design with the first serial number of that series: 1701. *The Making of Star Trek* explains that "USS" should mean "United Space Ship" and that "the *Enterprise* is a member of the Starship Class".

## Decipitation

Built between 2243 and 2245 in the Star Trek timeline, Starfleet commissioned the USS *Enterprise* in 2245.[21] In *Star Trek*, the ship's dedication plaque lists it as "Starship Class"; later Expanded Universe and episode dialogue in "Relics", a *Next Generation* episode, establish the vessel as a *Constitution*-class starship. But according to Stephen Whitfield's *The Making of Star Trek*, "the *Enterprise*-class starships have been in existence for about forty years" at the time of the original series. The ship's components were built at the Starfleet Division of the San Francisco Navy Yards and assembled in orbit.[7]

*Star Trek: The Animated Series* states that Robert April is the *Enterprise* '​s first commanding officer. After April, Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) commands the *Enterprise* for about a decade, and Pike is the commanding officer in the (originally un-aired) pilot "The Cage". Throughout the first *Star Trek* television series, Captain James T. Kirk commands the ship on a five-year mission of exploration. Before the events of *Star Trek: The Motion Picture* (1979), the *Enterprise*undergoes an 18-month refit overseen by its new commanding officer, Willard Decker (Stephen Collins). In early scenes of the film, Decker describes the refit to Admiral Kirk as "an almost totally new *Enterprise*". Star Trek novels and the semi-official fan-produced internet series *Star Trek: New Voyages* (and the abortive planned TV series *Star Trek: Phase II*) depict a second five year exploratory mission under Kirk's command between the events of the first and second films.

Spock (Leonard Nimoy) commands the *Enterprise*, serving as a training ship, at the beginning of *Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan* (1982), but Kirk assumes command when the ship investigates problems with Project Genesis. The USS *Reliant*, hijacked by Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán), inflicts substantial damage to the *Enterprise*; Spock sacrifices his life to save the ship. Shortly after returning to spacedock at the beginning of *Star Trek III: The Search for Spock* (1984), the *Enterprise* is marked for decommissioning. Kirk leads his officers in stealing the ship in an attempt to restore Spock's life. In the process, they are attacked by Klingons inflicting mortal damage on the ship; to even the odds and gain a tactical advantage, Kirk is forced to destroy the *Enterprise* by activating its self destruct system.

*Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home* (1986) opens with Kirk and his officers agreeing to return to Earth to face judgment for their actions in the previous film. En route (in the Klingon vessel had they commandeered), they travel back in time to stop a probe threatening to destroy Earth. Upon the success of their mission and return to the 23rd century, the charges against the crew are dismissed. Admiral Kirk is "punished" with a demotion in rank to captain and is given command of the *Enterprise*'s successor, the USS *Enterprise*, NCC-1701-A.

## 2009 Re-imagining

1. ↑ Template:Cite book
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3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Template:Cite book
4. ↑ Template:Cite web
5. ↑ Fine Scale Modeler, May 1998, page 8.
6. ↑ Magid, Ron. "ILM creates new universe of Effects for 'Star Trek Generations'". American Cinematographer, April 1995, p. 78.
7. ↑ Template:Cite web
8. ↑ Template:Cite web
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10. ↑ Template:Cite book
11. ↑ Template:Cite journal
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13. ↑ Template:Cite web
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Template:Cite web
15. ↑ Template:Cite web