Origin and design USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

1 origin , design

1.1 original configuration
1.2 refit configuration
1.3 2009 reboot

origin , design
original configuration

the 11-foot (3.4 m) model donated paramount smithsonian in 1974

star trek art director matt jefferies primary designer of original starship enterprise. jefferies experience aviation led enterprise designs being imbued called aircraft logic . final interior plans of enterprise designed franz joseph in 1974, approval both gene roddenberry , paramount pictures, 6 years after star trek had been cancelled. plans heavily referenced both episodes of star trek , matt jefferies design.

the ship s ncc-1701 registry number stemmed nc being 1 of international aircraft registration codes assigned united states; second c added soviet aircraft used cccc , matt jeffries combined 2 believed venture space joint operation united states , russia. according making of star trek, ncc starfleet abbreviation naval construction contract , comparable u.s. navy call hull number. 1701 chosen avoid possible ambiguity; according jefferies, numbers 3, 6, 8, , 9 confused . other sources cite reference house across street roddenberry grew up, while account gives street address of linwood dunn. jefferies own sketches provide explanation 17th cruiser design first serial number of series: 1701. making of star trek explains uss should mean united space ship , enterprise member of starship class . ship s class officially changed constitution class release of franz joseph s star fleet technical manual in 1975, though previous references identify starship class.

the first miniature built pilot episode cage (1965) unlit , approximately 33 inches (0.8 m) long, commonly referred 3 foot model . model constructed entirely of wood , made richard c. datin in shop. modified during course of series match changes made larger model before , after shooting of second pilot, , appears on-set in requiem methuselah (1969) after damage sustained in storage had been partially repaired. second miniature built original pilot measures 11 feet 2 inches (3.4 m) long , built small crew of model makers (volmer jensen, mel keys , vernon sion) supervised richard c. datin, working out of jensen s model shop in burbank, california (although larger base components subcontracted shop large lathe). filmed both howard a. anderson , linwood g. dunn @ dunn s film effects of hollywood facility, re-filmed later more-elaborate models of ship, generating variety of stock footage used in later episodes.

initially, models static , had no electronics. second pilot, no man has gone before (1966), various details of 11-foot model altered, , starboard window ports , running lights internally illuminated. when series picked , went production, model altered yet again. these alterations included addition of translucent domes , blinking lights @ forward ends of engine nacelles, smaller domes @ stern end of engine nacelles, shorter bridge dome, , smaller deflector/sensor dish. save re-used footage 2 pilot episodes, appearance of ship throughout series, except detail added nacelles shots used in trouble tribbles .

two small (3 ) models made episode catspaw , 1 embedded in block of lucite, bringing total number of models used represent enterprise during original series four.

while three-foot model lost during construction of new model (the refurbished version seen in first movie), 11 feet (3.4 m) model has undergone historic restoration, having been displayed in gift shop downstairs @ smithsonian institution s national air , space museum in washington, d.c., , unveiled in new display position in lobby of milestones of flight hall @ nasm s 40th anniversary celebration on july 1, 2016, coincides star trek s 50th anniversary.

greg jein created model of original enterprise star trek: deep space 9 episode trials , tribble-ations (1996). jein s model built half size of larger of 2 original models, , later appeared in 1998 star trek wall calendar. in addition, cgi model of ship makes brief cameo appearance @ end of final episode of star trek: enterprise, these voyages... (2005), , cgi version created remastered episodes of original star trek, based on model in smithsonian.

refit configuration

the refitted enterprise appears in first 3 star trek films designed matt jefferies, based on design had made of hypothetical enterprise refit original star trek, , reworked scrapped star trek: phase ii tv series. while andrew probert , richard taylor take credit design, changes made compared jefferies original designs largely amount minor detail alterations.

michael minor, gene roddenberry, joe jennings, douglas trumbull, harold michaelson, , jim dow contributed in part final of enterprise, while jim dow in charge of building model , created molds , structural processes. paul olsen painted distinct aztec paint scheme provide additional level of detail film screen, , suggest notion of interlocking panels providing tensile strength hull. 8-foot (2.4 m) model re-used uss enterprise-a in fourth, fifth, , sixth star trek films. foundation imaging created cgi model of ship director s edition release of star trek: motion picture add footage envisioned never shot director robert wise.

2009 reboot

enterprise redesigned 2009 star trek film. director j. j. abrams wanted enterprise have hot rod while retaining traditional shape, otherwise afforded industrial light & magic (ilm) tremendous leeway in creating ship. perhaps notable change in large engine nacelles, seen attached main body. change applied sleeker finish , shape otherwise simple nacelles of previous ship. concept artist ryan church s initial designs modeled , refined set designer joseph hiura. design given ilm further refinement , developed photo-realistic models alex jaeger s team. ilm s roger guyett recalled original enterprise being static , , added moving components film s model. ilm retained subtle geometric forms , patterns allude original enterprise. computer model s digital paint recreates appearance of interference paint , contains small particles of mica alter apparent color, used on first 3 films model. initial redesign of enterprise notably larger original enterprise , projected 367 meters length , between 170 , 180 meters wide final version used in films upscaled @ least 700 meters length , 330–350 meters wide.