Earth calling Voyager
Operation Watson was an effort undertaken as part of the Pathfinder Project in the 24th century. It was the first attempt by Starfleet Communications in 2378 to successfully create a communications link between Earth in the Alpha Quadrant and the USS Voyager, thirty thousand light years away in the Delta Quadrant. The project itself was devised by Harry Kim and Seven of Nine, who coordinated with Reginald Barclay.
Voyager's deflector during Operation Watson
It involved bouncing the signal off a quantum singularity using the Mutara Interdimensional Deep Space Array System. In the Delta Quadrant, a phased tachyon beam containing an encoded triaxilating signal was detected. This could sustain a live link for eleven minutes each day.
On stardate 54732.3, Barclay and Admiral Owen Paris from Starfleet Command successfully communicated with Captain Kathryn Janeway for the first time. (VOY: "Author, Author")
On stardate 61945.4, Ilthuran was able to use the Sacagawea's communication system to send a message to the USS Voyager-A in 2385. He was able to use the Operation's subspace relays to reach Admiral Janeway and his daughter Gwyndala before he was captured by Asencia and her forces.(PRO: "Ascension, Part I")
According to the Star Trek Encyclopedia, 4th ed., vol. 2, p. 107, Operation Watson was "presumably named for Thomas Watson, who assisted Alexander Graham Bell in the invention of the telephone."
External link[]
- Operation Watson at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works