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{{spoiler ST}}
 
{{sidebar starship
 
{{sidebar starship
| image = USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), ENT.jpg
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|image = USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), ENT.jpg
| Name = USS ''Enterprise''
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|caption = The USS ''Enterprise''
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|name = USS ''Enterprise''
| Class = {{ShipClass|Constitution}}
 
| Registry = NCC-1701
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|dt = USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)
| owner = {{Federation}}
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|class = {{class|Constitution}} (later [[refit]])
| operator = [[Starfleet]]
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|registry = [[NCC]]-1701
| Status = Destroyed
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|owner = {{Federation}}
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|operator = [[Starfleet]]<br />[[United Earth Space Probe Agency]]
| Datestatus = 2285
 
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|status = Destroyed
| Logo = USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) assignment patch.png
 
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|datestatus = 2285
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|logo = USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) assignment patch.png
 
}}
 
}}
{{Disambiguate|the Gideon replica|USS Enterprise (replica){{!}}USS ''Enterprise'' (replica)}}
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{{alt disambiguation|USS Enterprise (NCC-1701 alternate reality)|USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701 alternate reality)}}
{{mirror disambiguation|fullname=ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)||ISS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)}}
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{{mirror disambiguation|ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|ISS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)}}
{{alt disambiguation|USS Enterprise|USS ''Enterprise'' (alternate reality)}}
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{{Disambiguation|the Gideon replica|USS Enterprise (replica)|USS ''Enterprise'' (replica)}}
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{{aquote|All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.|[[James T. Kirk]]|2268|The Ultimate Computer}}
   
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The '''USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)''' was a [[23rd century]] [[Federation]] {{class|Constitution}} [[starship]] operated by [[Starfleet]]. In the course of her career, the ''Enterprise'' became the most celebrated [[starship]] of her time.
"''All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.''"
 
:- '''[[James T. Kirk]]''', [[The Ultimate Computer (episode)|2268]]
 
   
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In her forty years of service and discovery, through upgrades and at least two [[refit]]s, she took part in numerous [[first contact]]s, [[conflicts|military engagements]], and [[temporal mechanics|time-travel]]s. She achieved her most lasting fame from a [[five-year mission]] ([[2265]]-[[2270]]) under the [[commanding officer|command]] of Captain [[James T. Kirk]]. ({{s|TOS}}; {{film|1}}; {{VOY|Q2}})
The '''USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)''' was a [[Federation]] {{ShipClass|Constitution}} [[heavy cruiser]] that was in service with [[Starfleet]] in the mid-to-late [[23rd century]]. In the course of her career, the ''Enterprise'' became the most celebrated [[starship]] of her time.
 
   
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The ''Enterprise'' was destroyed over the {{dis|Genesis|planet|Genesis Planet}} in [[2285]], when Kirk activated the ship's [[auto-destruct|auto-destruct sequence]] to prevent the ''Enterprise'' from falling into the hands of the [[Klingon]]s. ({{film|3}}) It was soon replaced by the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-A|-A}}. ({{film|4}})
In her thirty years of service and discovery, through upgrades and at least two [[refit]]s, she took part in numerous [[first contact]]s, [[conflicts|military engagements]], and [[temporal mechanics|time-travel]]s. She achieved her most lasting fame from the [[five-year mission]] ([[2265]]-[[2270]]) under the [[commanding officer|command]] of [[James T. Kirk]].
 
 
The ''Enterprise'' was destroyed over the [[Genesis (planet)|Genesis Planet]] in [[2285]] when Kirk activated the ship's [[auto-destruct|auto-destruct sequence]] to prevent the ''Enterprise'' from falling into the hands of the [[Klingon]]s. ({{film|3}})
 
   
 
==Lineage==
 
==Lineage==
 
:''See [[Enterprise history|''Enterprise'' history]]''
 
:''See [[Enterprise history|''Enterprise'' history]]''
   
==Early history==
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==Service history==
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=== Construction ===
In the early to mid-23rd century, at least twelve heavy [[cruiser]]-type [[starship]]s, the ''Constitution''-class, were commissioned by the Federation Starfleet. ({{TOS|Tomorrow is Yesterday}}) The vessel [[Registry|registered]] NCC-1701, which was constructed in [[San Francisco]], was christened the ''Enterprise''. [[Larry Marvick]] was stated to be one of the designers of the ''Enterprise'', ({{TOS|Is There in Truth No Beauty?}}) [[Doctor|Dr.]] [[Richard Daystrom]] designed her computer systems, ({{TOS|The Ultimate Computer}}) and [[Captain]] [[Robert April]] oversaw construction of her components, then commanded her during her trial runs and early missions. [[Sarah April]] served as the [[chief medical officer]] and designed several tools for the ship's [[sickbay]]. ({{TAS|The Counter-Clock Incident}})
 
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In the early to mid-[[23rd century]], at least twelve heavy [[cruiser]]-type [[starship]]s, the {{class|Constitution}}, were commissioned by the [[Federation]] [[Starfleet]]. ({{TOS|Tomorrow is Yesterday}}) Constructed at the [[San Francisco Fleet Yards]] in [[San Francisco]], [[California]], the Federation vessel [[registry|registered]] [[NCC]]-1701 was christened the ''Enterprise'' in [[Enterprise history|a long line of ships of the same name]]. ({{DIS|Brother}}; {{TAS|The Counter-Clock Incident}}) {{Captain}} [[Robert April]] oversaw construction of the ship's components as well as its initial trial runs. His wife, [[Sarah April]], designed several tools for the ship's [[sickbay]]. ({{TAS|The Counter-Clock Incident}}) [[Larry Marvick]] was stated to be one of the designers of the ''Enterprise'' itself ({{TOS|Is There in Truth No Beauty?}}), while [[Doctor]] [[Richard Daystrom]] designed its computer systems. ({{TOS|The Ultimate Computer}})
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{{bginfo|According to ''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', the ''Enterprise'' was built on Earth but assembled in space.}}
   
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=== Robert April's command ===
Captain [[Christopher Pike]] commanded the ''Enterprise'' from the early [[2250s]] into the [[2260s]]. His missions included voyages to the [[Rigel VII|Rigel]], [[Vega colony|Vega]], and [[Talos IV|Talos]] [[star system|systems]]. Pike's [[hybrid|half]]-[[Vulcan]] [[science officer]], [[Spock]], who served under him for over eleven years, would become the starship's longest-serving [[officer]]. ({{TOS|The Menagerie, Part I}})
 
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[[File:Enterprise's file.jpg|thumb|Early specifications, including launch date, and duration of April's command]]
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The ''Enterprise'' was launched in [[2245]], under the command of Captain Robert April. ({{DIS|Brother}}) Sarah April served as the ship's first [[chief medical officer]], with [[Christopher Pike]] serving as Captain April's [[first officer]]. ({{TAS|The Counter-Clock Incident}}; {{DIS|Brother}})
   
{{bginfo|Multiple production sources, including an unseen display screen intended for use in {{e|In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II}}, the ''[[Star Trek Encyclopedia]]'', and ''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', give the ''Enterprise'' launch date as [[2245]]. Since this date dovetails nicely with Gene Roddenberry's apparent beliefs as well as the conjectural dates of Robert April's captaincy and Larry Marvick's design timeline, fans generally accept it, despite the absence of concrete canonical evidence for it.|According to ''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', the ''Enterprise'' was built on Earth but assembled in space. According to a computer display that was created by production staff of ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' but never used on screen, [[Jonathan Archer]] was present at the launch and died the next day. This information remains non-[[canon]], because it was never photographed on film.|In {{TAS|The Counter-Clock Incident}}, it is stated that Sarah April's service on the ''Enterprise'' was the first time a medical officer served on a starship equipped with [[warp drive]]. However, it is established in ''Star Trek: Enterprise'' that warp-capable starships had medical personnel prior to the time of her service.}}
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{{bginfo|Prior to the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s launch date of 2245 eventually being made [[canon]] in the DIS episode "Brother", multiple production sources, including an unseen display screen intended for use in {{e|In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II}}, the {{ste}}, and ''[[The Making of Star Trek]]'', gave the same launch date.|According to a computer display that was created by production staff of {{s|ENT}} but never used on screen, [[Jonathan Archer]] was present at the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s launch and died the next day. This information remains non-canon, because it was never photographed on film.|In {{TAS|The Counter-Clock Incident}}, it is stated that Sarah April's service on the ''Enterprise'' was the first time a medical officer served on a starship equipped with [[warp drive]]. However, it is established in ''Star Trek: Enterprise'' that [[warp-capable]] starships had medical personnel prior to the time of her service.}}
   
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{{bginfo|According to the ''[[Star Trek: Federation - The First 150 Years]]'', the ''Enterprise'' was launched on [[April|April 11]], 2245.|In the {{s|DIS}} novel ''[[Drastic Measures]]'', the ''Enterprise'' aided the [[Tarsus IV]] colony in the aftermath of [[Kodos the Executioner]]'s infamous massacre in [[2246]].}}
==Kirk's five-year mission==
 
[[File:USS Enterprise orbiting Omicron Ceti III, remastered.jpg|left|thumb|In orbit, [[2267]]]]
 
In [[2265]], the ''Enterprise'' was assigned to a five-year mission of [[space|deep-space]] exploration, and command passed to [[James T. Kirk]]. The ship's primary goal during this mission was to seek out and contact alien life. Captain Kirk's standing orders also included the investigation of all [[quasar]]s and quasar-like phenomena.
 
   
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=== Christopher Pike's command ===
Beyond her primary mission, the ''Enterprise'' defended [[Federation]] territories from aggression, aided [[Federation members|member]] [[planet|worlds]] in crisis, and provided [[science|scientific]] expeditions and [[colony|colonies]] in her patrol area with annual examinations and support. ({{TOS|Balance of Terror|The Man Trap|The Cloud Minders|Journey to Babel|The Galileo Seven|The Deadly Years}})
 
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[[File:USS Enterprise, The Cage (remastered).jpg|thumb|left|The ''Enterprise'' in 2254]]
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As captain, Christopher Pike commanded the ''Enterprise'' from [[2250]] to [[2265]]. ({{DIS|Brother}}; {{TOS|The Menagerie, Part I}}) His missions included voyages to the [[Rigel VII|Rigel]], [[Vega colony|Vega]], and [[Talos IV|Talos]] [[star system|systems]]. ({{TOS|The Cage}}; {{TOS|The Menagerie, Part I}}) One deep space cruise took it within half a light year of [[99 Pegasi]]. ({{ST|Q&A}})
   
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At one point the ''Enterprise'' visited [[Pragine 63]], where science officer [[Lynne Lucero]] was transferred to the {{USS|Cabot}} to serve as its new captain. ({{ST|The Trouble with Edward}})
{{bginfo|Despite [[2270]] being given as the year Kirk's first five-year mission in command of the ''Enterprise'' came to an end (in the ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'' episode {{e|Q2}}), many production resources &ndash; including the booklet for the [[TOS Season 1 DVD]] set &ndash; continue to use the ''[[Star Trek Chronology]]''{{'}}s date of [[2264]] as the starting point of the mission. It is possible, however, that the mission ran from 2264 through 2269 and that the ''Enterprise'' did not return to Earth until 2270.}}
 
   
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Pike's [[hybrid|half]]-[[Vulcan]] [[science officer]], [[Spock]], who served under him for over eleven years, ultimately became the starship's longest-serving [[officer]]. ({{TOS|The Menagerie, Part I}})
===Discoveries===
 
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From [[2265]] to [[2270]], the ''Enterprise'' visited over seventy different worlds and encountered representatives of over sixty different [[species]]. More than twenty of those were [[first contact]]s with [[lifeform|beings]] previously unknown to the Federation, including stellar neighbors like the [[First Federation]] and [[Gorn]], voyagers from the [[Kelvan Empire]] in distant [[Andromeda Galaxy|Andromeda]], and powerful [[non-corporeal]] entities like the [[Thasian]]s, [[Trelane]], and the [[Organian]]s. Two discovered species were the first known examples of [[silicon]]-based lifeforms, the [[Horta]] and the [[Excalbian]]s. ({{TOS|The Corbomite Maneuver|Arena|By Any Other Name|The Devil in the Dark|The Savage Curtain}})
 
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{{bginfo|According to the [[novels|novel]] ''[[Desperate Hours]]'', the ''Enterprise'' fell under [[Admiral]] [[Brett Anderson]]'s jurisdiction, along with the {{USS|Shenzhou}}.}}
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In late [[2256]], [[Michael Burnham]] encouraged [[Cadet]] [[Sylvia Tilly]] to improve her physical conditioning so that she would stand out amongst her peers, and be assigned to the ''Enterprise'' or one of its sister ships. ({{DIS|Lethe}}) At that time, the ''Enterprise'' was on a [[five-year mission]] under Pike. With the {{dis|Federation-Klingon War|2256-57}} underway, Starfleet elected not to recall the starship and leave her as an instrument of last resort, so ordered Pike and his crew to remain out of the fighting. ({{DIS|Brother}})
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[[File:USS Discovery rendezvousing with USS Enterprise.jpg|thumb|The ''Enterprise'' rendezvouses with the ''Discovery'', 2257.]]
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====The red bursts====
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Following the conclusion of the war in [[2257]], the ''Enterprise'' was dispatched by Starfleet to investigate one of a series of unidentified signals detected throughout [[Milky Way Galaxy|the galaxy]]. ({{DIS|Brother}}) En route, the ship suffered multiple catastrophic systems failures, leading Pike to issue a [[priority 1 distress call]].
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The call was received by the {{USS|Discovery}}, en route to {{dis|Vulcan|planet}}. ({{DIS|Will You Take My Hand?|Brother}}) Pike and two senior officers transferred to ''Discovery'' to continue their mission, while a team was dispatched to tow the ''Enterprise'' back to [[Spacedock]] for a [[diagnostic]], where the damage was assessed as severe, with no estimate for repair. ({{DIS|Brother}})
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[[File:Federation tug 23rd century.jpg|thumb|left|The ''Enterprise'' being towed to Spacedock]]
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A week later, Pike's [[first officer]], [[Una]], had reported to Pike that the [[Holo-communicator|holographic comm system]] was the source of the failures, which had compromised primary systems. Pike ordered Una to tell [[Chief Engineer]] [[Louvier]] to strip the system from the ship in favor of [[viewscreen]] communication. ({{DIS|An Obol for Charon}})
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==== Battling control ====
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[[File:Discovery deploys evacuation corridors.jpg|thumb|The ''Enterprise'' taking on ''Discovery''{{'}}s crew]]
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Following the ''Discovery''{{'}}s acquisition of data from the [[Sphere (lifeform)|Sphere]] that would ultimately lead to the evolution of the [[Section 31]] [[Artificial intelligence|artificial intelligence]] [[Control]] which would threaten all sentient life in the [[Milky Way Galaxy]], Pike was left with no other option but to set the ''Discovery''{{'}}s [[auto-destruct|auto-destruct system]] and call the ''Enterprise'' for immediate evacuation of the ship's crew. ({{DIS|Through the Valley of Shadows}})
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On [[stardate]] 1051.8, the ''Enterprise'' finally rendezvoused with the ''Discovery'' and began taking on the ship's crew. When all personnel were fully evacuated, Captain Pike ordered ''Discovery''{{'}}s destruction. However the {{dis|Sphere|lifeform}} intelligence utilized ''Discovery''{{'}}s defensive systems to block the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s torpedo volley. Unable to eliminate ''Discovery'', the crew determined that sending the ''Discovery'' into the future was the only method to secure the Sphere data from Control.
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[[File:Enterprise and Discovery Battle Section 31.jpg|thumb|left|The ''Enterprise'' and ''Discovery'' engage Section 31 vessels.]]
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With the appearance of a fifth red burst, both ships traveled to the planet [[Xahea]], which was ultimately the position Cornwell and Pike decided to fight Leland/Control's armada. ({{DIS|Such Sweet Sorrow}})
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After the decision was made to destroy ''Discovery'' to prevent its capture by Control, the ship deployed [[evacuation corridor]]s to transfer its crew to ''Enterprise''. ({{DIS|Such Sweet Sorrow}})
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[[File:USS Enterprise in Spacedock.jpg|thumb|right|The ''Enterprise'' undergoes repairs in 2258.]]
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Following the decisive battle with Control, and the loss of a significant portion of the saucer section, the ''Enterprise'' under went extensive repairs in orbit of Earth. ({{DIS|Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2}})
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==== New Voyages ====
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Following the repairs to the ''Enterprise'', the ''Enterprise'' resumed her mission of exploration once again under the command of Christopher Pike. Their first stop was to a new [[moon]] that was discovered at [[Edrin II]]. ({{DIS|Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2}})
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=== James T. Kirk's command ===
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[[File:USS Enterprise orbiting Omicron Ceti III, remastered.jpg|left|thumb|The ''Enterprise'' in orbit, 2267]]
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In 2265, the ''Enterprise'' was assigned to another five-year mission of [[space|deep-space]] exploration, and command passed to [[James T. Kirk]]. The ship's primary goal during this mission was to seek out and contact alien life. Captain Kirk's standing orders also included the investigation of all [[quasar]]s and quasar-like phenomena.
  +
  +
Beyond its primary mission, the ''Enterprise'' defended Federation territories from aggression, aided [[Federation members|member]] [[planet|worlds]] in crisis, and provided [[science|scientific]] expeditions and [[colony|colonies]] in her patrol area with annual examinations and support. ({{TOS|Balance of Terror|The Man Trap|The Cloud Minders|Journey to Babel|The Galileo Seven}}, {{e|The Deadly Years}})
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{{bginfo|Despite [[2270]] being given as the year Kirk's first five-year mission in command of the ''Enterprise'' came to an end (in the {{s|VOY}} episode {{e|Q2}}), many production resources &ndash; including the booklet for the [[TOS Season 1 DVD]] set &ndash; continue to use the {{ste|c}}{{'}}s date of [[2264]] as the starting point of the mission. It is possible, however, that the mission ran from 2264 through 2269 and that the ''Enterprise'' did not return to Earth until 2270.|According to a line from the script of {{film|11}} but removed from the final draft, the crew of the ''Enterprise'' came together in a time of "ultimate crisis", much like their [[alternate reality]] counterparts did. ''[http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Star-Trek.html]''|According to a line of dialogue from the final draft script of {{e|Mudd's Women}}, the ''Enterprise'' was located two years, five months, twenty-two days, and seven hours from a [[starbase]] at impulse speed in that episode.}}
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==== Discoveries ====
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From 2265 to [[2270]], the ''Enterprise'' visited over seventy different worlds and encountered representatives of over sixty different [[species]]. More than twenty of those were [[first contact]]s with [[lifeform|beings]] previously unknown to the Federation, including stellar neighbors like the [[First Federation]] and [[Gorn]], voyagers from the [[Kelvan Empire]] in distant [[Andromeda Galaxy|Andromeda]], and powerful [[non-corporeal]] entities like the [[Thasian]]s, [[Trelane]], and the [[Organian]]s. Two discovered species were the first known examples of [[silicon]]-based lifeforms: the [[Horta]] and the [[Excalbian]]s. ({{TOS|The Corbomite Maneuver|Arena|By Any Other Name|The Devil in the Dark|The Savage Curtain}})
   
 
[[File:USS Enterprise leaving galactic barrier, remastered.jpg|thumb|In the barrier void in 2265]]
 
[[File:USS Enterprise leaving galactic barrier, remastered.jpg|thumb|In the barrier void in 2265]]
The ''Enterprise'' was the first [[United Federation of Planets|Federation]] vessel to survive an encounter with the [[galactic barrier]]. The ship's warp drive and other systems, however, were critically damaged and casualties totaled twelve [[crew|crewmembers]] and [[officer]]s. By [[Stardate]] 4657.5, the ''Enterprise'' was traveling through space in a region of space hundreds of light years further than any Earth starship has explored. ({{TOS|Where No Man Has Gone Before|Return to Tomorrow}})
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The ''Enterprise'' was the first Federation vessel to survive an encounter with the [[galactic barrier]]. The ship's warp drive and other systems, however, were critically damaged and casualties totaled twelve [[crew|crewmembers]] and [[officer]]s. By [[stardate]] 4657.5, the ''Enterprise'' was traveling through space in a region hundreds of light years further than any Earth starship had explored. ({{TOS|Where No Man Has Gone Before|Return to Tomorrow}})
   
The reality of [[time]] travel, externally influenced, had been known for over a [[century]], but following two accidental [[temporal displacement]]s, the ''Enterprise'' became the Federation's first deliberately-controlled [[timeship]]. Observing the death-throes of [[Psi 2000]], the crew suffered from [[Psi 2000 intoxication|polywater intoxication]] and the ''Enterprise'' nearly lost [[orbit]] after an engine shutdown. A previously untested "[[cold start]]", via controlled [[matter-antimatter reaction|matter-antimatter implosion]], saved the ship, but the high-speed escape from the planet's [[gravity well]] caused the ship to travel three [[day]]s into the past. ({{TOS|The Naked Time}})
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The reality of [[time travel]], externally influenced, had been known for over a [[century]], but following two accidental [[temporal displacement]]s, the ''Enterprise'' became the Federation's first deliberately-controlled [[timeship]]. Observing the death-throes of [[Psi 2000]], the crew suffered from [[Psi 2000 intoxication|polywater intoxication]] and the ''Enterprise'' nearly lost [[orbit]] after an engine shutdown. A previously untested "[[cold start]]", via controlled [[matter-antimatter reaction|matter-antimatter implosion]], saved the ship, but the high-speed escape from the planet's [[gravity well]] caused the ship to travel three [[day]]s into the past. ({{TOS|The Naked Time}})
   
 
[[File:USS Enterprise in orbit of Earth.jpg|left|thumb|Orbiting [[1960s]] Earth]]
 
[[File:USS Enterprise in orbit of Earth.jpg|left|thumb|Orbiting [[1960s]] Earth]]
In [[2267]], while escaping the gravitational pull of a [[black star]], the ''Enterprise'' was hurled through space and time to Earth of [[1969]]. The crew developed and executed a method to return to their own time, by [[warp]]ing around [[Sol|the sun]]'s [[gravity well]] in a [[slingshot effect|slingshot maneuver]]. A year later, the ''Enterprise'' was ordered to repeat the recently-proven slingshot effect, and returned to Earth's past on a mission of [[history|historical]] observation. ({{TOS|Tomorrow is Yesterday|Assignment: Earth}})
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In [[2267]], while escaping the gravitational pull of a [[black star]], the ''Enterprise'' was hurled through space and time to Earth of [[1969]]. The crew developed and executed a method to return to their own time, by [[warp]]ing around [[Sol|the sun]]'s [[gravity well]] in a [[slingshot effect|slingshot maneuver]]. A year later, the ''Enterprise'' was ordered to repeat the recently proven slingshot effect, and returned to Earth's past on a mission of [[history|historical]] observation. ({{TOS|Tomorrow is Yesterday|Assignment: Earth}})
   
 
{{bginfo|Originally, "The Naked Time" and "Tomorrow is Yesterday" were planned to be back-to-back stories, with the events in "Tomorrow is Yesterday" happening as a result of the "cold start" of the warp drive in "The Naked Time". A change in production plans resulted in the two stories being de-linked and slightly reworked to stand alone.}}
 
{{bginfo|Originally, "The Naked Time" and "Tomorrow is Yesterday" were planned to be back-to-back stories, with the events in "Tomorrow is Yesterday" happening as a result of the "cold start" of the warp drive in "The Naked Time". A change in production plans resulted in the two stories being de-linked and slightly reworked to stand alone.}}
   
[[File:USS Enterprise approaches space amoeba, remastered.jpg|thumb|left|The [[space amoeba]] in 2268]]
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[[File:USS Enterprise approaches space amoeba, remastered.jpg|thumb|left|The space amoeba in 2268]]
 
Some missions of discovery confronted ''Enterprise'' with entities and mechanisms that threatened great swaths of Federation and neighboring space.
 
Some missions of discovery confronted ''Enterprise'' with entities and mechanisms that threatened great swaths of Federation and neighboring space.
   
 
An ancient "[[planet killer]]", fueled by the consumption of planets it destroyed with its [[antiproton]] [[weapon]], approached Federation population centers in 2267. It required the combined efforts of the ''Enterprise'' and her sister ship, {{USS|Constellation|NCC-1017}}, to destroy it. ({{TOS|The Doomsday Machine}})
 
An ancient "[[planet killer]]", fueled by the consumption of planets it destroyed with its [[antiproton]] [[weapon]], approached Federation population centers in 2267. It required the combined efforts of the ''Enterprise'' and her sister ship, {{USS|Constellation|NCC-1017}}, to destroy it. ({{TOS|The Doomsday Machine}})
   
One year later, a [[space amoeba|single-cell organism]] of colossal scale emitted [[negative energy]], toxic to [[humanoid]] life, killing the entire [[Vulcan]] crew of the {{USS|Intrepid|NCC-1631}}. The ''Enterprise'' penetrated the [[cell]] interior and destroyed the organism before its imminent cell division threatened to overwhelm the rest of the galaxy. ({{TOS|The Immunity Syndrome}})
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One year later, in [[2268]], a [[space amoeba|single-cell organism]] of colossal scale emitted [[negative energy]], toxic to [[humanoid]] life, killing the entire [[Vulcan]] crew of the {{USS|Intrepid|NCC-1631}}. The ''Enterprise'' penetrated the {{dis|cell|biology}} interior and destroyed the organism before its imminent cell division threatened to overwhelm the rest of the galaxy. ({{TOS|The Immunity Syndrome}})
   
===Battles===
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==== Battles ====
[[File:Enterprise firing phaser proximity blast.jpg|thumb|The ''Enterprise'' fires a [[proximity blast]]]]
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[[File:USS Enterprise firing phaser proximity blast.jpg|thumb|The ''Enterprise'' fires a [[proximity blast]]]]
The nature of her mission of exploration meant that the ''Enterprise'' was frequently the only Federation [[military]] asset in a little-known, otherwise undefended frontier. When she was called into harm's way, she regularly did so with little chance of immediate support against previously unknown enemies and threats.
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The nature of its mission of exploration meant the ''Enterprise'' was frequently the only Federation [[military]] asset in a little-known, otherwise undefended frontier. When called into harm's way, the ship regularly did so with little chance of immediate support against previously unknown enemies and threats.
   
Happily, her earliest engagement of the five-year mission, against the deceptively powerful starship ''[[Fesarius]]'', ended with an amicable first contact with the First Federation in [[2266]]. Following the destruction of the colony on [[Cestus III]], a surprise attack from a previously unknown species led to the battle and pursuit of an evenly-matched Gorn starship in 2267. ({{TOS|The Corbomite Maneuver|Arena}})
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Happily, the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s earliest engagement of its five-year mission, against a deceptively powerful starship called the ''[[Fesarius]]'', ended with an amicable first contact with the First Federation in [[2266]]. Following the destruction of a colony on [[Cestus III]], a surprise attack &ndash; from a previously unknown species &ndash; led the ''Enterprise'' to battle and pursue an evenly matched [[Gorn starship]] in 2267. ({{TOS|The Corbomite Maneuver|Arena}})
   
The ''Enterprise'' played [[fox]] to the [[dog|hounds]] of her four sister starships in a [[war game]] exercise on stardate 4729.4. Equipped with the new [[M-5]] [[computer]] and stripped of most of her crew, the ''Enterprise'' became a killing machine &ndash; crippling the {{USS|Excalibur|NCC-1664}} and killing her entire crew &ndash; before Kirk could re-assert control. ({{TOS|The Ultimate Computer}})
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The ''Enterprise'' played the [[fox]] for four of her [[sister ship]]s in a [[war games problem]] on stardate 4729.4, as part of the [[M-5 drill]]s. Equipped with the new [[M-5 multitronic unit]] [[computer]] and stripped of most of its crew, the ''Enterprise'' became a killing machine &ndash; crippling the {{USS|Excalibur|NCC-1664}} and killing its entire crew &ndash; before Kirk could re-assert control. ({{TOS|The Ultimate Computer}})
   
====Klingon engagements====
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===== Klingon engagements =====
[[File:USS_Enterprise-D7_face_off.jpg|left|thumb|The Battle of Organia in 2267]]
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[[File:USS Enterprise-D7 face off.jpg|left|thumb|The Battle of Organia in 2267]]
The warships of the [[Imperial Klingon Fleet]] were frequent opponents of the ''Enterprise''. [[Commander]] [[Kor]] held the ''Enterprise'' and Kirk in high professional regard, and relished the prospect of battle. Lower [[rank]]s chose to mock the starship; on one such occasion, [[Korax]] compared her to a "[[garbage scow]]" before he corrected himself, adding, "''It should be hauled away as garbage.''" ({{TOS|Errand of Mercy|The Trouble with Tribbles}})
+
Warships of the [[Imperial Klingon Fleet]] were frequent opponents of the ''Enterprise''. [[Commander]] [[Kor]] held the ''Enterprise'' and Kirk in high professional regard, and relished the prospect of battle. Lower [[rank]]s chose to mock the starship; on one such occasion, [[Korax]] compared the vessel to a "[[garbage scow]]" before he corrected himself, adding, "''It should be hauled away as garbage.''" ({{TOS|Errand of Mercy|The Trouble with Tribbles}})
   
While Starfleet rallied its forces at the outbreak of the [[Federation-Klingon War (2267)|Federation-Klingon war]] in 2267, the ''Enterprise'' was sent forward to secure a border region anchored by the planet [[Organia]]. She destroyed a [[Klingon attack ship]] and prepared to engage an approaching Klingon fleet, before the [[Organian Peace Treaty]] precluded a full-scale [[war]]. ({{TOS|Errand of Mercy}})
+
While Starfleet rallied its forces at the outbreak of a {{dis|Federation-Klingon War|2267}} in 2267, the ''Enterprise'' was sent forward to secure a border region anchored by the planet [[Organia]]. The vessel destroyed a [[Klingon D7 ship 001|Klingon ship]] and prepared to engage an approaching [[Klingon D7 fleet 001|Klingon fleet]], before the [[Organian Peace Treaty]] precluded a full-scale [[war]]. ({{TOS|Errand of Mercy}})
   
The ''Enterprise'' sporadically engaged Klingons throughout her voyage. A [[Unnamed D7 class starships|warship]] failed in an attempt to [[blockade]] the ''Enterprise'' from [[Capella IV]] in 2267. [[Sabotage]]d during a [[diplomacy|diplomatic]] mission to the [[Tellun system]] in 2268, the ship successfully fought off the assault of an harassing [[D7 class|D-7]]. In 2269, the ''Enterprise'' was forced to destroy [[Kang]]'s abandoned [[battle cruiser]] and the rescued Klingons (influenced by the [[Beta XII-A entity]]) subsequently attempted to wrest control of the ''Enterprise'' from Kirk. ({{TOS|Friday's Child|Elaan of Troyius|Day of the Dove}})
+
The ''Enterprise'' sporadically engaged Klingons throughout its voyage. [[Klingon D7 warship 001|A warship]] failed in an attempt to [[blockade]] the ''Enterprise'' from [[Capella IV]] in 2267. [[Sabotage]]d during a [[diplomacy|diplomatic]] mission to the [[Tellun system]] in 2268, the ship successfully fought off the assault of a harassing [[D7 class|D7]]. The same year, the ''Enterprise'' was forced to destroy a [[battle cruiser]] that [[Kang]] had commanded but had recently abandoned, and the rescued Klingons (influenced by the [[Beta XII-A entity]]) subsequently made an unsuccessful attempt to wrest control of the ''Enterprise'' from Kirk. ({{TOS|Friday's Child|Elaan of Troyius|Day of the Dove}})
   
====Romulan engagements====
+
===== Romulan engagements =====
[[File:Romulan bird-of-prey, CG TOS-aft.jpg|thumb|Ventral view of a [[Romulan Star Empire|Romulan]] [[Romulan Bird-of-Prey (23rd century)|Bird-of-Prey]] during the [[Neutral Zone Incursion]] of [[2266]]]]
+
[[File:Romulan bird-of-prey, CG TOS-aft.jpg|thumb|Ventral view of a Romulan Bird-of-Prey during the Neutral Zone Incursion of 2266]]
The [[Romulan Star Empire]] reemerged from a century of isolation to antagonize the Federation with the [[Neutral Zone Incursion]] of 2266. The ''Enterprise'' responded and was victorious against a new [[Romulan]] [[Romulan Bird-of-Prey (23rd century)|Bird-of-Prey]] equipped with a [[cloaking device]] and [[plasma torpedo]] system. ({{TOS|Balance of Terror}})
+
The [[Romulan Star Empire]] reemerged from a century of isolation to antagonize the Federation with the [[Neutral Zone Incursion]] of 2266. The ''Enterprise'' responded and was victorious against a new {{dis|Romulan Bird-of-Prey|23rd century}} equipped with a [[cloaking device]] and [[plasma torpedo]] system. ({{TOS|Balance of Terror}})
   
In later encounters, the Romulan fleet used strength of numbers in their efforts to overwhelm the ''Enterprise''. When [[Commodore]] [[Stocker]] took temporary command and violated the [[Neutral Zone]] in 2267, up to ten Birds-of-Prey swarmed and pummeled the starship until Kirk's "[[corbomite]]" [[Maneuvers and tactics|bluff]] inspired their withdrawal. ({{TOS|The Deadly Years}})
+
In later encounters, the [[Romulan]] fleet used strength of numbers in their efforts to overwhelm the ''Enterprise''. When [[Commodore]] [[Stocker]] took temporary command and violated the [[Neutral Zone]] in 2267, up to ten [[Bird-of-Prey]] swarmed and pummeled the starship until Kirk's "[[corbomite]]" [[maneuver|bluff]] inspired their withdrawal. ({{TOS|The Deadly Years}})
   
In 2268, the ''Enterprise'' again violated the Neutral Zone &ndash; for the purpose of [[espionage]] &ndash; and was quickly surrounded by three [[Romulan]] [[D7 class|battle cruiser]]s. She escaped by becoming the first Federation vessel to install and successfully utilize a (stolen) Romulan cloaking device. ({{TOS|The Enterprise Incident}})
+
In 2268, the ''Enterprise'' again violated the Neutral Zone &ndash; for the purpose of [[espionage]] &ndash; and was quickly surrounded by three Romulan [[D7 class]] battle cruisers. She escaped by becoming the first Federation vessel to install and successfully utilize a (stolen) Romulan cloaking device. ({{TOS|The Enterprise Incident}})
   
Near [[Tau Ceti]] in the following year, Kirk employed the [[Cochrane deceleration maneuver]], allowing the ''Enterprise'' to defeat Romulan forces. ({{TOS|Whom Gods Destroy}})
+
Near [[Tau Ceti]] in the following year, Kirk employed the [[Cochrane deceleration maneuver]], allowing the ''Enterprise'' to defeat a [[Romulan vessel 001|Romulan vessel]]. ({{TOS|Whom Gods Destroy}})
   
 
In the final year of Kirk's original mission, the ship was ambushed by a trio of Romulan battle cruisers while on a routine survey. The ''Enterprise'' managed to escape through an [[energy field]] that adversely affected the ship's main computer. The malfunctioning systems were corrected by another pass through the field, this time with the Romulan ships in pursuit. The attackers then became incapacitated by the same computer malfunctions, and the ''Enterprise'' was able to escape. ({{TAS|The Practical Joker}})
 
In the final year of Kirk's original mission, the ship was ambushed by a trio of Romulan battle cruisers while on a routine survey. The ''Enterprise'' managed to escape through an [[energy field]] that adversely affected the ship's main computer. The malfunctioning systems were corrected by another pass through the field, this time with the Romulan ships in pursuit. The attackers then became incapacitated by the same computer malfunctions, and the ''Enterprise'' was able to escape. ({{TAS|The Practical Joker}})
   
===Casualties===
+
==== Casualties ====
  +
Service aboard the ''Enterprise'' proved to be hazardous duty. Between 2265 and 2269, [[Starfleet casualties (23rd century)#USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|individuals who were killed while assigned to the ship]] included at least fifty-eight officers and crew &ndash; thirteen-point-five percent of the standard complement of 430. Nine crew members were killed when the ''Enterprise'' encountered the [[galactic barrier]] in 2265. [[Gary Mitchell]], [[Lee Kelso]], and [[Elizabeth Dehner]] later died on [[Delta Vega]]. ({{TOS|Where No Man Has Gone Before}})
{{pna-inaccurate}}
 
   
  +
Two of the seven crewmembers assigned to study [[Murasaki 312]] on the [[Class F shuttlecraft|shuttlecraft]] ''{{dis|Galileo|2267}}'' &ndash; [[Latimer]] and [[Gaetano]] &ndash; both met an unfortunate end by the hand of [[Taurus II anthropoid|a large creature]] on the planet [[Taurus II]]. ({{TOS|The Galileo Seven}})
Service aboard the ''Enterprise'' proved to be hazardous duty. At least [[Starfleet casualties (23rd century)#USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) casualties|fifty-eight officers and crew]] were killed between 2265 and 2269 &ndash; 13.5% of the standard complement of 430. Incidents with multiple fatalities included five [[security guard]]s killed by the [[dikironium cloud creature]] on [[Argus X]] in 2267 as well as four security guards and two [[engineering]] [[technician]]s killed by ''[[Nomad]]'' in 2268. An outbreak of [[Rigelian fever]], in 2269, killed three crewmen and imperiled the rest until a source of [[ryetalyn]] could be obtained. ({{TOS|Obsession|The Changeling|Requiem for Methuselah}})
 
   
  +
In 2267, ''Enterprise'' security officers [[Hendorff]], {{dis|Kaplan|Lieutenant}}, [[Mallory]], and [[Marple]] were killed on the planet [[Gamma Trianguli VI]]. ({{TOS|The Apple}}) Further incidents with multiple fatalities included four security guards killed by ''[[Nomad]]'' in 2267 as well as five [[security guard]]s killed by the [[dikironium cloud creature]] on [[Argus X]] in 2268. An outbreak of [[Rigelian fever]], in 2269, killed three crewmen and imperiled the rest until a source of [[ryetalyn]] could be obtained. ({{TOS|The Changeling|Obsession|Requiem for Methuselah}})
'''See also:''' [[Redshirt]]
 
   
  +
As well, two ''Enterprise'' security officers were beamed out into open space while the ship was under the control of [[Gorgan]]. ({{TOS|And the Children Shall Lead}}) Lieutenant [[Galloway]] was vaporized by Captain [[Ronald Tracey|Tracey]] on [[Omega IV]], ({{TOS|The Omega Glory}}) but later was somehow resurrected. ({{TOS|Turnabout Intruder}}) [[Yeoman]] [[Leslie Thompson|Thompson]] was reduced to a dry cuboctahedron solid. She was killed when the [[Kelvan]] [[Rojan]] crushed the object in his hand. ({{TOS|By Any Other Name}})
==Refits and further service==
 
[[File:USS Enterprise, The Cage (remastered).jpg|thumb|USS ''Enterprise'' in 2254]]
 
The ''Enterprise''{{'}}s first documented refit occurred sometime between 2254 and 2265. Minor changes were made to the ship's exterior (most notably the impulse engines, warp nacelles, running lights, and hull markings). More substantial changes were made to the interior color scheme and layout of the ship.
 
   
  +
In the mid-[[2270s]], Commander [[Sonak]] and [[USS Enterprise transporter accident victim|an ''Enterprise'' officer]] were killed in a [[transporter accident]] while beaming to the ship. ({{film|1}})
A second, more extensive refit occurred at some point after her encounter with the "galactic barrier" in 2265. It involved replacing the bridge module, a newer, smaller deflector dish, and refinements to her warp nacelles. The ship's interior was also upgraded. The new bridge module included consoles with triangular and circular resin buttons as well as white-colored rocker flip switches. There was another small refit sometime in early 2266 too. The white-colored rocker flip switches seen on bridge consoles and on various places on the ship were replaced with multi-colored rocker flip switches.
 
   
  +
'''See also:''' [[Redshirt]]
In the late [[2260s]], a new bridge module added a second turbolift, and the design moved toward a completely smooth circular configuration, both standard features on future starships. At the same time the translucent overhead dome was obscured, not to return until the [[Galaxy class#Main bridge|''Galaxy''-class bridge]]. ({{TAS|Beyond the Farthest Star}})
 
   
  +
=== Later years===
At the end of her five-year mission, the ''Enterprise'' returned to Earth in [[2270]]. Following her success, the ship had become a recognized symbol of Starfleet and the Federation. Starfleet's array of unique [[assignment patch]]es were abandoned for the universal adoption of the ''Enterprise'' delta symbol, previously used on the assignment patch for the {{USS|Kelvin}}. ({{film|11}})
 
  +
====Refits====
  +
In the late [[2260s]] to early [[2270s]], the ''Constitution''-class starships underwent a major [[refit]] program. The actual refitting took eighteen months of work and essentially a new vessel was built onto the bones of the old, replacing virtually every major system, ensuring their continued service for the next several years, with the USS ''Enterprise'' continuing to serve in its prominent role. In the early 2270's, the ''Enterprise'' was critical in defending the Federation from several external threats, including the [[V'Ger]] probe, and [[Khan Noonien Singh]]. ({{Film|1}}, {{Film|2}})
   
  +
[[File:USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) in spacedock.jpg|thumb|The refitted ''Enterprise'' in spacedock, 2270s]]
The stalwart vessel herself was by then twenty-five years old and returning from a deployment that included an unprecedented number of warp-speed records, [[hull]]-pounding battles, and frame-stressing maneuvers.
 
  +
System upgrades with new [[technology|technologies]] after long deployments were far from unusual in the ship's history. However, the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s overhaul of the early [[2270s]] became a nearly keel-up redesign and reconstruction project.
   
  +
The very [[heart]] of the ship was replaced with a radically different vertical [[warp core]] assembly, linked to new, and heavier, [[warp engine]] nacelles atop swept-back [[nacelle pylon|pylons]] and integrated with the [[impulse]] engines. The new drive system allowed for an expanded [[cargo bay|cargo hold]] in the [[secondary hull]], linked to the [[shuttlebay]].
[[File:USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) in spacedock.jpg|thumb|In [[spacedock]], [[2272]]]]
 
System upgrades with new [[technology|technologies]] after long deployments were far from unusual in her history, but the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s overhaul of the early [[2270s]] became a nearly keel-up redesign and reconstruction project.
 
   
  +
Weapons system upgrades included nine dual-[[phaser|phaser banks]] with [[energy|power]] channeled directly from the warp engines. A double [[photon torpedo]]/probe launcher was installed atop the secondary hull.
The very [[heart]] of the ship was replaced with a radically different vertical [[warp core]] assembly, linked to new, and heavier, [[warp engine]] [[nacelle]]s atop swept-back [[nacelle pylon|pylons]] and integrated with the [[impulse]] engines. The new drive system allowed for an expanded [[cargo bay|cargo hold]] in the [[secondary hull]], linked to the [[shuttlebay]].
 
   
  +
Multiple egress points now included a [[port]]-side [[spacedock]] hatch, dual [[ventral]] [[space walk]] bays, four [[dorsal]] service hatches, and a standardized [[docking ring]] port [[aft]] of the [[bridge]] on the [[primary hull]], four more docking ring ports, paired on the port and [[starboard]] sides of the launcher and secondary hulls respectively, and service hatch [[airlock]]s on the port and starboard sides of the hangar bay's main clam-shell doors.
Weapons system upgrades included nine dual-[[phaser|phaser banks]] with [[energy|power]] channeled directly from the warp engines. A double [[photon torpedo|photon torpedo/probe]] launcher was installed atop the secondary hull.
 
   
  +
A new bridge module reflected the modern computer systems, operating interfaces, and ergonomics that ran throughout the ship.
Multiple egress points now included a [[port]]-side [[spacedock]] hatch, dual [[ventral]] [[space walk]] bays, four [[dorsal]] service hatches, and a standardized [[docking ring]] port [[aft]] of the [[bridge]] on the [[primary hull]]; four more docking ring ports, paired on the port and [[starboard]] sides of the launcher and secondary hulls respectively, and service hatch [[airlock]]s on the port and starboard sides of the hangar bay's main clam-shell doors.
 
   
  +
Following Kirk's promotion to [[rear admiral]] and posting as [[Chief of Starfleet Operations]], his successor, Captain [[Will Decker]] (whom Kirk himself picked to succeed him), oversaw the refit, assisted by [[chief engineer]] Commander [[Montgomery Scott]].
A new bridge module reflected the modern computer systems, operating interfaces, and ergonomics that ran throughout the ship.
 
  +
====V'ger====
  +
After 18 months in spacedock for refit, the ''Enterprise'' was pressed into service, [[week]]s ahead of schedule, in response to the ''[[V'ger]]'' crisis, once again under Kirk's command.
   
  +
[[File:USS Enterprise approaches V'ger's cloud.jpg|thumb|Making contact with ''V'ger'']]
Following Kirk's promotion to [[rear admiral]] and posting as [[Chief of Starfleet Operations]], his hand-picked successor, Captain [[Willard Decker]] oversaw the refit, assisted by [[Chief engineer]] Commander [[Montgomery Scott]].
 
  +
Decker was temporarily demoted to commander and posted as an executive officer because of his familiarity with the new design. Incomplete systems had to be serviced during the vessel's [[shakedown cruise]] ''en route'' to ''V'ger'', including the first test of the new warp engines.
   
  +
Shortly after launch, a matter/[[antimatter]] intermix malfunction ruptured the warp field and led to the ''Enterprise'' entering into an unstable [[wormhole]]. Commander Decker belayed an order from Admiral Kirk to destroy an asteroid in their path, which had been dragged into the ruptured warp field along with them, with phasers. The refitted phasers now channeled power directly from the main engines at a point beyond the dilithium/magnatomic-initiator stage.
After two-and-a-half years in spacedock for refit, the ''Enterprise'' was pressed into service, [[week]]s ahead of schedule, in response to the ''[[V'Ger]]'' crisis, once again under Kirk's command.
 
   
  +
Because of this refitted function, the intermix malfunction, and the antimatter imbalance within the warp nacelles that had resulted caused automatic cutoff of the phasers, a design change of which Kirk had not been aware. Decker ordered the use of [[photon torpedo]]es instead; as a backup, they had been designed to draw power from a separate system in case of a major phaser loss. The timely arrival of Commander [[Spock]] brought correction to the intermix problem. ({{film|1}})
[[File:USS Enterprise approaches V'Ger's cloud.jpg|thumb|Making contact with ''V'Ger'']]
 
Decker was temporarily demoted to commander and posted as executive officer because of his familiarity with the new design. Incomplete systems had to be serviced during her [[shakedown cruise]] ''en route'' to ''V'Ger,'' including the first test of the new warp engines.
 
   
  +
Once the ''V'ger'' threat was averted, Captain Decker was listed as "missing in action" and the ''Enterprise'' remained under [[Admiral]] Kirk's command for an interim period. At some point, Kirk passed command on to the newly-promoted Captain Spock.
A [[antimatter|matter/antimatter]] intermix malfunction ruptured the warp field and led to the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s entry into an unstable [[wormhole]]. Commander Decker belayed an order from Admiral Kirk to destroy an asteroid in their path, which had been dragged into the ruptured warp field along with them, with phasers. The refitted phasers now channeled power directly from the main engines at a point beyond the dilithium/magnatomic-initiator stage. Because of this, the intermix malfunction, and the antimatter imbalance within the warp nacelles that had resulted, caused automatic cutoff of the phasers, a design change of which Kirk had not been aware. Decker ordered the use of [[photon torpedo]]es instead; as a backup, they had been designed to draw power from a separate system in case of a major phaser loss. The timely arrival of Commander [[Spock]] brought correction to the intermix problem. ({{film|1}})
 
   
  +
The new designs and components tested and proven aboard the ''Enterprise'' influenced a generation of starship design, from the {{class|Miranda}} to the {{class|Constellation}}, as well as other retro-fitted ''Constitution''s. ({{film|2}})
Once the ''V'Ger'' threat was averted, Captain Decker was listed as "missing in action" and the ''Enterprise'' remained under [[Admiral]] Kirk's command for an interim period. At some point, Kirk passed command on to Captain Spock.
 
  +
====Khan's return====
  +
In [[2285]], the ''Enterprise'' was in a low-tempo [[training ship|training cycle]], based in the [[Sol system]]. Admiral Kirk boarded his old command to observe a [[cadet]] [[training cruise]].
   
  +
Meanwhile, [[Khan Noonien Singh]] had escaped from his exile on [[Ceti Alpha V]] and [[piracy|hijacked]] the {{USS|Reliant}}, leading to his theft of the [[Genesis Device]] from the [[Regula I]] [[space station]].
The new designs and components tested and proven aboard the ''Enterprise'' influenced a generation of starship design, from the {{ShipClass|Miranda}} to the {{ShipClass|Constellation}}, as well as other retro-fitted ''Constitution''s. ({{film|2}})
 
   
  +
[[File:USS Enterprise exiting the Earth Spacedock.jpg|thumb|The ''Enterprise'', heavily damaged]]
===Final days===
 
  +
The ''Enterprise'' was tasked to investigate, and Spock deferred his command to Admiral Kirk. Subsequent [[Battle of the Mutara Nebula|engagements with ''Reliant'']] left the ship badly damaged with cadet and crew deaths, including Captain Spock. ({{film|2}})
In [[2285]], the ''Enterprise'' was in a low-tempo training cycle, based in the [[Sol system]]. Admiral Kirk boarded his old command to observe a [[cadet]] [[training cruise]].
 
   
  +
====Return to Genesis and destruction====
Meanwhile, [[Khan Noonien Singh]] had escaped from his exile on [[Ceti Alpha V]] and [[piracy|hijacked]] the {{USS|Reliant}}, leading to his theft of the [[Genesis Device]] from the [[Regula I]] [[space station]].
 
  +
[[File:USS Enterprise self destructs.jpg|thumb|left|"''My God, Bones&hellip; what have I done?''" &ndash; Admiral James T. Kirk]]
  +
Upon the ''Enterprise'' returning to Earth, Starfleet [[Commander, Starfleet]] [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Morrow]] announced that the starship, at that point forty years old, would be decommissioned. When Morrow denied Kirk requesting permission to return to the [[Mutara sector]], Kirk conspired with his [[senior officer]]s and stole the ''Enterprise'' from [[Earth Spacedock]], in order to recover Spock's body from the [[Genesis Planet]] &ndash; to bring it and Spock's ''[[katra]]'', the latter possessed by [[Leonard McCoy]], to [[Mount Seleya]] on {{dis|Vulcan|planet}}. As part of the plan, Kirk had Scott rig up an automation system to run the ''Enterprise'' so easily that "a chimpanzee and two trainees" could have handled the craft.
   
  +
[[File:Enterprise streaking in Genesis sky.jpg|thumb|The ''Enterprise'' burning in Genesis' atmosphere]]
The ''Enterprise'' was tasked to investigate, and Spock deferred his command to Admiral Kirk. The subsequent [[Battle of the Mutara Nebula|engagements]] with ''Reliant'' left the ship badly damaged with cadet and crew deaths, including Captain Spock. ({{film|2}})
 
  +
At the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s destination, the ship was [[Battle of Genesis|attacked]] by [[HMS Bounty|a Klingon Bird-of-Prey]] operated by Klingon Commander [[Kruge]], an assault that left the ''Enterprise'' disabled; Scotty's automation system was not designed for combat and overloaded when the ship was attacked. After setting the [[auto-destruct]] sequence, Kirk and his crew abandoned the ship for the surface of the Genesis Planet. [[bomb|Demolition charges]] in place in the bridge and elsewhere throughout the ship's saucer section exploded, killing a Klingon [[boarding party]]. The secondary hull (with what was left of the saucer) fell from orbit and blazingly streaked across the planet's [[atmosphere]]. ({{film|3}})
   
  +
Being forty years old at the time of its destruction, ''Enterprise'' had surpassed its designer's original projected eighteen year endurance by twenty-two years, when the ship was launched back in 2245. ({{DIS|Brother}}&ndash;[[:File:Enterprise's file.jpg|graphic display]]) The next USS ''Enterprise'', a [[refit]] {{class|Constitution}} [[heavy cruiser]] {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-A|-A}} was launched [[2286|a year later]]. ({{film|4}})
[[File:Uss enterprise self destruct.jpg|thumb|"''My God, Bones... what have I done?''" - Admiral James T. Kirk]]
 
Upon her return to Earth, Starfleet [[Commander in Chief]] Admiral [[Harry Morrow]] announced that the starship, now forty years old (although Morrow mistakenly claimed it was twenty years old), would be decommissioned. When Morrow denied Kirk's wish to return to the [[Mutara sector]], Kirk conspired with his [[senior officer]]s and stole the ''Enterprise'' from [[Earth Spacedock]], in order to recover Spock's body from the [[Genesis Planet]]; to bring it, and his ''[[katra]]'', possessed by [[Leonard McCoy]], to [[Vulcan (planet)|Vulcan]]. As part of the plan, Kirk had Scott rig up an automation system to run the ''Enterprise'' so easily that "a chimpanzee and two trainees" could have handled her.
 
   
  +
{{bginfo|Film writer [[Harve Bennett]] justified the destruction of the ''Enterprise'' via an analogy to the {{USS|Niagara}}. According to Bennett, "''{{w|Oliver Hazard Perry}} of the U.S. Navy scuttled the Niagra [sic] at the {{w|battle of Lake Erie}} and won the battle as a result and took command.''" He added, "''Perry happens to be one of James T. Kirk's great heroes. So, the scuttling of the ship to achieve the greater good is a [[:Category:Maneuvers|tactic]].''" ''([[Great Birds of the Galaxy: Gene Roddenberry and the Creators of Trek]])'' A supporter of the decision to blow up the ''Enterprise'' was [[Nicholas Meyer]], who commended Bennett for the idea in a letter between them (dated {{d|24|September|1982}}).|There is a difference in the appearance of the ''Enterprise'' between ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'' and ''Star Trek III: The Search for Spock''; in ''Star Trek III'', the ship's external appearance appeared to have deteriorated around some areas damaged by Khan's attacks (and repaired in others), while other areas of the ship that had not been damaged by Khan's attack had battle damage, including the starboard secondary hull, both nacelles, and the top of the saucer. This extra damage was explained in non-canon ''Star Trek'' literature as having occurred in spars with Klingon warships between the second and third movies. The aggressive move to attack the ''Enterprise'' was explained by the secrecy of the Genesis Planet and the overall uneasiness it created. This could also explain the Klingon aggressiveness displayed throughout the third movie. ''{{eas|inconsistencies/inconsistencies-movies1.htm#the_search_for_spock}}''|In Scene 43 of ''The Search for Spock'' Morrow justified the mothballing of the ''Enterprise'' by stating that "the Enterprise is twenty years old. We think her day is over". At that point in time this constituted a continuity error as it did not line up with either the then generally assumed launch year 2245 or the refit in the early 2270s. However, with the information much later provided in "Brother" (which included the launch year) it can in retrospect be argued that Morrow was referring to the time-span ''Enterprise'' had exceeded its life expectancy.}}
At her destination Klingon Commander [[Kruge]]'s [[Klingon Bird-of-Prey|Bird of Prey]]'s attack left the ''Enterprise'' disabled; Scotty's automation system was not designed for combat and overloaded when the ship was attacked. After setting the [[auto-destruct]] sequence, Kirk and his crew abandoned the ship for the surface. [[bomb|Demolition charges]] in place in the bridge and elsewhere throughout the ship's saucer section exploded, killing the [[Klingon]] [[boarding party]]. The secondary hull (with what was left of the saucer) fell from orbit and streaked across the planet's [[atmosphere]], to the unknown. ({{film|3}})
 
   
  +
== List of first contacts ==
{{bginfo|There is a difference in the appearance of the ''Enterprise'' between ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'' and ''Star Trek III: The Search for Spock''<nowiki>:</nowiki> in ''Star Trek III''<nowiki>;</nowiki> the ship's external appearance appeared to have deteriorated around the areas damaged by Khan's attacks, while other areas of the ship that had not been damaged by Khan's attack had battle damage, including the starboard secondary hull, both nacelles, and the top of the saucer. This extra damage was explained in non-canon ''Star Trek'' literature as having occurred in spars with Klingon warships between the second and third movies. The aggressive move to attack the ''Enterprise'' was explained by the secrecy of the Genesis Planet and the overall uneasiness it created. This could also explain the Klingon aggressiveness displayed throughout the third movie. ''[http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/inconsistencies-movies1.htm#the_search_for_spock]}}
 
  +
The ''Enterprise'' made [[first contact]] with numerous species, including:
  +
* [[892-IV native]]s, [[2268]] ({{TOS|Bread and Circuses}})
  +
* [[Aquan]]s, [[2269]], ({{TAS|The Ambergris Element}})
  +
* [[Balok's species]], [[2266]] ({{TOS|The Corbomite Maneuver}})
  +
* [[Beta XII-A entity]], 2268 ({{TOS|Day of the Dove}})
  +
* [[Cheron native]]s, 2268 ({{TOS|Let That Be Your Last Battlefield}})
  +
* [[Delta Theta III aborigines]], [[2270]] ({{TAS|Bem}})
  +
* [[Earth Two native]]s, 2266 ({{TOS|Miri}})
  +
* [[Excalbian]]s, 2269 ({{TOS|The Savage Curtain}})
  +
* [[Fabrini]], 2268 ({{TOS|For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky}})
  +
* [[Gem's species]], 2268 ({{TOS|The Empath}})
  +
* [[Gorgan]], 2268 ({{TOS|And the Children Shall Lead}})
  +
* [[Gorn]], [[2267]] ({{TOS|Arena}})
  +
* [[Greek god]]s, 2267 ({{TOS|Who Mourns for Adonais?}})
  +
* [[Guardian of Forever]], 2267 ({{TOS|The City on the Edge of Forever}}) ''Note: While the Guardian is not necessary a species, the ''Enterprise'' did make first contact with the Guardian of Forever''
  +
* [[Horta]], 2267 ({{TOS|The Devil in the Dark}})
  +
* [[Keeper's species]], 2267 ({{TOS|Shore Leave}})
  +
* [[Kelvan]]s, 2268 ({{TOS|By Any Other Name}})
  +
* [[Kukulkan's species]], 2270 ({{TAS|How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth}})
  +
* [[Lactran]]s, 2269 ({{TAS|The Eye of the Beholder}})
  +
* [[Matter-energy cloud]], 2269 ({{TAS|One of Our Planets Is Missing}})
  +
* [[Megan]]s, 2269 ({{TOS|The Magicks of Megas-Tu}})
  +
* [[Melkot]]s, 2268 ({{TOS|Spectre of the Gun}})
  +
* [[Metron]]s, 2267 ({{TOS|Arena}})
  +
* [[Organian]]s, 2267 ({{TOS|Errand of Mercy}})
  +
* [[Ornithoid]]s, 2267 ({{TOS|Catspaw}})
  +
* [[Phylosian]]s, 2269 ({{TAS|The Infinite Vulcan}})
  +
* [[Platonian]]s, 2268 ({{TOS|Plato's Stepchildren}})
  +
* [[Provider]]s, 2268 ({{TOS|The Gamesters of Triskelion}})
  +
* [[Sargon's species]], 2268 ({{TOS|Return to Tomorrow}})
  +
* [[Sarpeidon native]]s, 2269 ({{TOS|All Our Yesterdays}})
  +
* [[Scalosian]]s, 2268 ({{TOS|Wink of an Eye}})
  +
* [[Sigma Draconis VI native]]s, 2268, ({{TOS|Spock's Brain}})
  +
* [[Talosian]]s, [[2254]] ({{TOS|The Cage}})
  +
* [[Thasian]]s, 2266 ({{TOS|Charlie X}})
  +
* [[Theela's species]], 2269 ({{TAS|The Lorelei Signal}})
  +
* [[Trelane's species]], 2267 ({{TOS|The Squire of Gothos}})
  +
* [[Vaalian]]s, 2267 ({{TOS|The Apple}})
  +
* [[Vian]]s, 2268 ({{TOS|The Empath}})
  +
* [[Zetarian]]s, 2269 ({{TOS|The Lights of Zetar}})
   
==Crew==
+
== Command crew ==
  +
=== Robert April's command crew ===
[[File:There will be no tribble at all.jpg|thumb|The crew of the USS ''Enterprise'' having a joyous moment]]
 
  +
* [[Commanding officer]]
* [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel|List of USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701) personnel]]
 
  +
**[[Robert April]] ([[2245]]&ndash;[[2250]]; briefly in [[2270]])
  +
* [[First officer]]
  +
**[[Christopher Pike]] (2245&ndash;2250)
  +
* [[Chief medical officer]]
  +
**[[Sarah April]] (2245&ndash;2250)
   
  +
=== Christopher Pike's command crew ===
===Commanding officers===
 
  +
[[File:USS Enterprise bridge, 2258.jpg|thumb|The crew of the ''Enterprise'' under the command of Christopher Pike in 2258.]]
*Captain [[Robert April]] ([[2245]])
 
  +
* [[Commanding officer]]
*Captain [[Christopher Pike]] ([[2250s]] through early [[2260s]])
 
  +
**Christopher Pike (2250&ndash;early [[2260s]])
*Captain [[James T. Kirk]] ([[2265]]-[[2270]]; as [[rear admiral]] in early [[2270s]])
 
  +
**[[Katrina Cornwell]] ([[2257]])
*Captain [[Willard Decker]] (during refit and shakedowns in early [[2270]]s)
 
  +
* [[First officer]]
*Captain [[Spock]] (2281 through [[2285]])
 
  +
** [[Una]] ([[2250s]])
*Admiral James T. Kirk (during the Khan crisis of [[2285]])
 
  +
* [[Chief engineer]]
  +
**[[Louvier]] (2257)
  +
* [[Chief medical officer]]
  +
**[[Phil Boyce]] ([[2254]])
  +
* [[Helmsman]]
  +
**Una (2250s)
  +
**[[Mann]] (2257) {{small|(acting)}}
  +
* [[Communications officer]]/[[Operations officer]]
  +
**[[Garison]] (2254)
  +
**[[Nicola]] (2257&ndash;)
  +
* [[Navigator]]
  +
**[[José Tyler]] (2254)
  +
**[[Amin]] (2257&ndash;)
  +
* [[Tactical officer]]
  +
**Mann (2257&ndash;)
  +
* [[Science officer]]
  +
** [[Lynne Lucero]] (Sometime after 2250)
  +
**[[Evan Connolly]] (2250s&ndash;2257)
  +
**[[Kroad]] (2257)
  +
**[[Spock]] (2254&ndash;2257; [[2258]]&ndash;2260s)
   
  +
=== James T. Kirk's command crew ===
In [[2267]], just months apart, two [[commodore]]s also temporarily assumed command of the ''Enterprise'' after the relief of both the captain and first officer. These were:
 
  +
[[File:There will be no tribble at all.jpg|thumb|The crew of the USS ''Enterprise'' enjoy a jovial moment with Captain Kirk]]
 
*Commodore [[Matt Decker]]
+
* [[Commanding officer]]
  +
**Robert April (briefly in [[2270]])
*Commodore [[Stocker]]
 
  +
**[[James T. Kirk]] ([[2265]]&ndash;2270; early [[2270s]], [[2285]])
 
  +
**[[Stocker]] ([[2267]])
===Command crew under Kirk's command===
 
  +
**[[Matt Decker]] (2267)
*[[Commanding officer]]
 
  +
**[[Will Decker]] (2270s)
**Captain/[[Rear Admiral]] [[James T. Kirk]] (2265-2270, 2273-2280s, 2285)
 
**Captain [[Spock]] (during cadet training runs, 2281-2285)
+
**Spock (2285)
  +
* [[First officer]]
**Captain [[Willard Decker]] (recommended by Kirk himself after Spock's Kolinahr retirement, early 2270s)
 
  +
**Spock (2260s&ndash;2270; 2285)
*[[Executive officer|Executive/First Officer]]
 
  +
**Will Decker (2270s)
**[[Lieutenant Commander]]/[[Commander]] [[Spock]]
 
  +
**[[Saavik]] {{small|(as a trainee)}} (2285)
**[[Captain]]/[[Commander]] [[Willard Decker]] (briefly in 2273)
 
*[[Second Officer]]
+
* [[Second officer]]
  +
**Spock (2270s)
**[[Commander]] [[Spock]] (briefly in 2273 when outranked by Decker)
 
**[[Lieutenant Commander]]/[[Commander]] [[Montgomery Scott]] (2266 &ndash; 2273)
+
**[[Montgomery Scott]] ([[2266]]&ndash;2270s)
*[[Chief engineer]]
+
* [[Chief engineer]]
**[[Lieutenant Commander]]/[[Commander]] [[Montgomery Scott]] (2265-2270s, 2285)
+
**Montgomery Scott (2265&ndash;2270s, 2285)
*[[Chief medical officer]]
+
* [[Chief medical officer]]
**[[Doctor]] [[Mark Piper]] (2265)
+
**[[Mark Piper]] (2265)
**[[Doctor]] [[Leonard McCoy]] (2266-70, 2270s, 2285)
+
**[[Leonard McCoy]] (2266&ndash;2270, 2270s, 2285)
**[[Doctor]] [[Christine Chapel]] (after McCoy's retirement and during refit of [[2273]])
+
**[[Christine Chapel]] (2270s)
*[[Helmsman]]
+
* [[Helmsman]]
**Lieutenant Commander [[Gary Mitchell]] (2265)
+
**[[Gary Mitchell]] (2265)
**Lieutenant/Lieutenant Commander/Commander [[Hikaru Sulu]] (2266-2270s, 2285)
+
**[[Hikaru Sulu]] (2266&ndash;2270s, 2285)
**Lieutenant [[Leslie]] (2266-67)
+
**[[Leslie]] (2266-2267)
**Lieutenant [[Hansen (Lieutenant)|Hansen]] (2267)
+
**{{dis|Hansen|Lieutenant}} (2267)
**Lieutenant [[Hadley]] (2267-68)
+
**[[Hadley]] (2267&ndash;2268)
**Lieutenant [[DePaul]] (2267)
+
**[[DePaul]] (2267)
**Lieutenant [[Spinelli]] (2267)
+
**[[Spinelli]] (2267)
**Lieutenant [[Kyle]] (2268)
+
**[[Kyle]] (2268)
**Lieutenant [[Rahda]] (2268)
+
**[[Rahda]] (2268)
**Ensign [[Dawson Walking Bear]] (2270)
+
**[[Walking Bear]] (2270)
*[[Communications officer]]
+
* [[Communications officer]]/[[Operations officer]]
**Lieutenant [[Alden]] (2265)
+
**[[Alden]] (2265)
**Lieutenant/Lieutenant Commander/Commander [[Nyota Uhura|Uhura]] (2266-2270s, 2285)
+
**[[Nyota Uhura|Uhura]] (2266&ndash;2270s, 2285)
**Lieutenant [[John Farrell]] (2266)
+
**[[John Farrell]] (2266)
**Lieutenant [[Palmer (Lieutenant)|Palmer]] (2267-69)
+
**{{dis|Palmer|Lieutenant}} (2267&ndash;2269)
**Lieutenant [[Angela Martine]] (2269)
+
**[[Angela Martine]] (2267)
**Lieutenant [[M'Ress]] (2269-70)
+
**[[M'Ress]] (2269&ndash;2270)
*[[Navigator]]
+
* [[Navigator]]
**[[Lieutenant]] [[Lee Kelso]] (2265)
+
**[[Lee Kelso]] (2265)
**Lieutenant [[Dave Bailey]] (2266)
+
**[[Dave Bailey]] (2266)
**Lieutenant [[John Farrell]] (2266)
+
**[[John Farrell]] (2266)
**Lieutenant [[Kevin Riley]] (2266)
+
**[[Kevin Riley]] (2266)
**Lieutenant [[Stiles (Lieutenant)|Stiles]] (2266)
+
**{{dis|Stiles|Lieutenant}} (2266)
**Lieutenant [[Hadley]] (2267-69)
+
**[[Hadley]] (2267&ndash;2269)
**Lieutenant [[DeSalle]] (2267)
+
**[[DeSalle]] (2267)
**Lieutenant [[DePaul]] (2267)
+
**[[DePaul]] (2267)
**Lieutenant [[Leslie]] (2267)
+
**[[Osborne]] (2267)
**Lieutenant [[Painter]] (2267)
+
**[[Leslie]] (2267)
**[[Ensign]] [[Pavel Chekov]] (2267-69)
+
**{{dis|Painter|Lieutenant}} (2267)
**Ensign [[Jana Haines]] (2268)
+
**[[Pavel Chekov]] (2267&ndash;2269)
**Lieutenant [[Arex]] (2269-70)
+
**[[Jana Haines]] (2268)
**Lieutenant [[Ilia]] (2273)
+
**[[Arex]] (2269&ndash;2270)
**Chief Petty Officer [[DiFalco]] (2273)
+
**[[Ilia]] (2270s)
**Lieutenant [[Saavik]] (2285)
+
**[[DiFalco]] (2270s)
  +
**Saavik (2285)
*[[Security chief]]
 
  +
* [[Security chief]]
**Lieutenant Commander [[Giotto]] (2267)
 
**Lieutenant [[Pavel Chekov]] (2270s, 2285)
+
**[[Giotto]] (2267)
  +
**Pavel Chekov (2270s, 2285)
*[[Tactical Officer]]
 
  +
* [[Tactical officer]]
**Lieutenant Sulu (2266 &ndash; 2270)
 
**Ensign Pavel Chekov (2267 &ndash; 2270)
+
**Hikaru Sulu (2266&ndash;2270)
  +
**Pavel Chekov (2267&ndash;2270)
*[[Science Officer]]
 
  +
* [[Science officer]]
**[[Lieutenant]] [[Hikaru Sulu]] (briefly in 2265)
 
  +
**Hikaru Sulu (2265)
**[[Lieutenant junior grade]]/[[Lieutenant Commander]]/[[Commander]]/[[Captain]] [[Spock]] (2250s &ndash; 2270, 2273 &ndash; 2280s)
 
  +
**Spock (2260s&ndash;2270, 2270s&ndash;2280s)
**[[Captain]]/[[Commander]] [[Willard Decker]] (briefly in 2273)
 
  +
**Will Decker (2270s)
**[[Commander]] [[Pavel Chekov]] (briefly in 2285)
 
  +
**Pavel Chekov (2285) {{small|(acting)}}
*[[Records officer]]
 
  +
* [[Records officer]]
**[[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Benjamin Finney]] (2267)
 
  +
**[[Benjamin Finney]] (2267)
 
* [[A&A officer]]
 
* [[A&A officer]]
**[[Lieutenant]] [[Carolyn Palamas]] (2267)
+
**[[Carolyn Palamas]] (2267)
  +
'''See also:''' [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel|List of USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701) personnel]]
   
{{navbox|{{StarshipEnterprise}}|{{Constitution class starships}}}}
+
{{navbox|{{Starships Enterprise}}|{{Constitution class starships}}}}
   
 
== Appendices ==
 
== Appendices ==
 
=== Appearances ===
 
=== Appearances ===
  +
<div class="appear">
*''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' (every episode, only the exterior appears in {{e|All Our Yesterdays}})
 
*''[[Star Trek: The Animated Series]]'' (every episode, except {{e|The Slaver Weapon}})
+
*{{TOS}} {{small|(every episode, first appearance)}}
  +
*{{TAS}} {{small| (every episode, except {{e|The Slaver Weapon}})}}
*[[Star Trek films|''Star Trek'' films]]:
 
  +
*{{Star Trek films}}:
 
**{{film|1}}
 
**{{film|1}}
 
**{{film|2}}
 
**{{film|2}}
 
**{{film|3}}
 
**{{film|3}}
**{{film|4}} (recording only)
+
**{{film|4}} {{small|(recording only) }}
*{{TNG|Relics}} (bridge shown on holodeck)
+
*{{TNG|Relics}} {{small|(bridge shown on holodeck)}}
*{{DS9|Trials and Tribble-ations}}
+
*{{DS9}}
  +
**{{e|Trials and Tribble-ations}}
*{{DS9|What You Leave Behind}} (corridor shown in montage)
 
*{{ENT|These Are the Voyages...}} (closing montage)
+
**{{e|What You Leave Behind}} {{small|(corridor shown in montage)}}
  +
*{{ENT|These Are the Voyages...}} {{small|(closing montage)}}
  +
*{{DIS}}
  +
**{{e|Will You Take My Hand?}}
  +
**{{e|Brother}}
  +
**{{e|If Memory Serves}} {{small|(archive footage only)}}
  +
**{{e|Such Sweet Sorrow}}
  +
**{{e|Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2}}
  +
*{{ST}}
  +
**{{e|Q&A}}
  +
**{{e|The Trouble with Edward}}
  +
**{{e|Ask Not}}
  +
**{{e|Ephraim and Dot}}
  +
</div>
   
=== Background information===
+
=== References ===
  +
<div class="appear">
[[File:MarsTOSremastered-Intro.jpg|thumb|The CGI ''Enterprise'' from the "remastered" opening credits]]
 
  +
*{{TAS|The Slaver Weapon}}
  +
*{{TNG|The Naked Now}}
  +
*{{VOY|Q2}}
  +
*{{DIS}}
  +
**{{e|Lethe}}
  +
**{{e|New Eden}}
  +
**{{e|Point of Light}}
  +
**{{e|An Obol for Charon}}
  +
**{{e|The Sound of Thunder}}
  +
**{{e|Project Daedalus}}
  +
**{{e|Through the Valley of Shadows}}
  +
</div>
  +
  +
=== Background information ===
  +
[[File:MarsTOSremastered-Intro.jpg|thumb|The CG ''Enterprise'' from the "remastered" opening credits]]
 
[[File:Sickbay painting.jpg|thumb|The ''Enterprise'' on a painting aboard the ''Enterprise''-D]]
 
[[File:Sickbay painting.jpg|thumb|The ''Enterprise'' on a painting aboard the ''Enterprise''-D]]
* The ''Enterprise'' and its interiors were designed primarily by [[Matt Jefferies]]. A three-foot demonstration model was completed in {{m|November|1964}} by the [[Howard Anderson Company]] to show to [[Gene Roddenberry]]. After getting his approval, an eleven-foot model was then constructed by [[Richard C. Datin, Jr.]], [[Mel Keys]], and [[Vern Sion]] at [[Volmer Jensen]]'s model shop, and was finished in {{m|December|1964}}. The eleven-foot model was modified for {{TOS|Where No Man Has Gone Before}} and again for the regular series effect shots. Re-used footage of all three stages of the eleven-foot model's appearance are seen mixed together in TOS.
+
The ''Enterprise'' and its interiors were designed primarily by [[Matt Jefferies]]. A three-foot demonstration model was completed in {{m|November|1964}} by the [[Howard Anderson Company]] to show to [[Gene Roddenberry]]. After getting his approval, an eleven-foot model was then constructed by [[Richard C. Datin, Jr.]], [[Mel Keys]], and [[Vern Sion]] at [[Volmer Jensen]]'s model shop, and was finished in {{m|December|1964}}. The eleven-foot model was modified for {{TOS|Where No Man Has Gone Before}} and again for the regular series effect shots. Re-used footage of all three stages of the eleven-foot model's appearance are seen mixed together in TOS.
  +
* For ''[[Star Trek: The Animated Series]]'', the color of the ''Enterprise'' was limited. [[D.C. Fontana]] commented, "''For the purposes of animation you can't do the light white, silver kinds of colors. So they made the ''Enterprise'' gray and it came off all right.''" (''[[Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 16]]'', p. 68)
 
  +
In the final draft script of {{TOS|The Naked Time}}, the ''Enterprise'' was somewhat poetically described thus; "''Sleek&hellip; efficient&hellip; the look of man in space&hellip; tooled&hellip; equipped&hellip;''"
* Some distinctive effects shots of the ''Enterprise'' from TOS were recreated in animation for ''Star Trek: The Animated Series''. Depicting the ship performing any new, impressive maneuvers would have been too costly for TAS and would have taken the animators too long to show, despite frequent TAS director [[Hal Sutherland]] later implying that a desire to portray the ship doing "barrel rolls and that kind of thing" was quite common. (''[[Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 16]]'', pp. 63 & 64)
 
  +
* The refit was designed by [[Andrew Probert]], based on the designs for the vessel made by Matt Jefferies for ''[[Star Trek: Phase II]]''.
 
  +
For {{s|TAS}}, the color of the ''Enterprise'' was limited. [[D.C. Fontana]] commented, "''For the purposes of animation you can't do the light white, silver kinds of colors. So they made the ''Enterprise'' gray and it came off all right.''" ({{STTM|1|16|68}})
* The design for the ''Enterprise'' refit was the basis of a [[Design patents|design patent]] issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
 
  +
* The ''Enterprise'' was to have appeared in ''[[Star Trek: The First Adventure]]'' that revealed the design on the show was a refit; the original design resembled the {{EnterpriseNX}} created years later.
 
  +
Some distinctive effects shots of the ''Enterprise'' from TOS were recreated in animation for ''Star Trek: The Animated Series''. Depicting the ship performing any new, impressive maneuvers would have been too costly for TAS and would have taken the animators too long to show, despite frequent TAS Director [[Hal Sutherland]] later implying that a desire to portray the ship doing "barrel rolls and that kind of thing" was quite common. ({{STTM|1|16|63 & 64}})
* The ''Enterprise'' was recreated as a new physical [[studio model|model]] for the [[DS9 Season 5]] episode {{e|Trials and Tribble-ations}}. The [[CGI]] model of the {{ShipClass|Constitution}} {{USS|Defiant|NCC-1764}} created for {{e|In a Mirror, Darkly}} was relabeled as the ''Enterprise'' for the final scene of {{e|These Are the Voyages...}}, the last episode of ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]''.
 
  +
* A new CGI model, built from caliper measurements of the original eleven-foot physical model, was created for use in the remastered and recreated version of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' (for a more detailed treatise on the [[Studio model|studio model]]s, see the appropriate article [[Constitution class model]]).
 
  +
The refit of the ''Enterprise'' depicted in the [[Star Trek films|films]] {{film|1}}, {{film|2}}, and {{film|3}} was designed by [[Richard Taylor]] and [[Andrew Probert]], based on designs for the vessel made by Matt Jefferies for undeveloped television series ''[[Star Trek: Phase II]]''. The design for the movie refit was the basis of a [[Design patents|design patent]] issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office.
* Visual effects artist [[Gabriel Koerner]] created a re-imagined version of the pre-refit ''Enterprise''. The design is more contemporary, while keeping the design of the original ship. A video showing the ship from various angles can be seen on YouTube. The model was also featured as the August image for the [[Star Trek: Ships of the Line (2007)|2007 ''Ships of the Line'' calendar]], as well as in the ''[[Ships of the Line]]'' coffee-table book, placed between TOS and TMP images, which included text from [[Michael Okuda]] suggesting it as one of the ideas on how to refit the ship.
 
  +
* The ''Enterprise'' was pictured on three [[painting]]s during the ''Star Trek'' franchise. On a painting in the recreation deck of the refitted vessel in {{film|1}}, on a painting in the waiting area of the [[sickbay]] aboard the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} in the ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' [[TNG Season 5|fifth season]] episode {{e|Ethics}}, and on a painting on the wall of Kirk's kitchen in the [[Nexus]] in {{film|7}}.
 
  +
The ''Enterprise'' was to have appeared in ''[[Star Trek: The First Adventure]]'' that revealed the design of the ship in TOS was actually a refit; the original design resembled {{EnterpriseNX}}, though that vessel was created years later.
  +
  +
The ''Enterprise'' was recreated as a new physical [[studio model|model]] for the [[DS9 Season 5]] episode {{e|Trials and Tribble-ations}}. The ship's interior was represented with sets built on [[Paramount Stage 11]]. (''Information from [[Larry Nemecek]]'') The [[CG model]] of {{class|Constitution}} {{USS|Defiant|NCC-1764}}, created for {{e|In a Mirror, Darkly}}, was relabeled as the ''Enterprise'' for the final scene of {{e|These Are the Voyages...}}, the last episode of {{s|ENT}}.
  +
  +
A new CG model, built from caliper measurements of the original eleven-foot physical model, was created for use in the [[remaster]]ed and recreated version of {{s|TOS}} (for more detailed treatises on the [[studio model]]s used, see the appropriate articles: {{dis|Constitution class model|original|''Constitution''-class model (original)}} and {{dis|Constitution class model|refit|''Constitution''-class model (refit)}}).
  +
  +
Visual effects artist [[Gabriel Koerner]] created a re-imagined version of the pre-refit ''Enterprise''. The design is more contemporary, while keeping the design of the original ship. A video showing the ship from various angles can be seen on YouTube. The model was also featured as the August image for the {{dis|Star Trek: Ships of the Line|2007|2007 ''Ships of the Line'' calendar}}, as well as in the ''[[Ships of the Line]]'' coffee-table book, placed between TOS and TMP images, which included text from [[Michael Okuda]] suggesting it as one of the ideas on how to refit the ship.
  +
  +
The ''Enterprise'' was pictured on three [[painting]]s during the ''Star Trek'' franchise: on a painting in the recreation deck of the refitted vessel in {{film|1}}, on a painting in the waiting area of the [[sickbay]] aboard the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} in the {{s|TNG}} [[TNG Season 5|fifth season]] episode {{e|Ethics}}, and on a painting on the wall of Kirk's kitchen in the [[Nexus]] in {{film|7}}.
  +
  +
Upon preparing to view the bridge of the ''Enterprise'' in the first draft script of {{TNG|Relics}}, [[Montgomery Scott]] specified, "''Show her the way she was before Stardate 5928,''" referencing the stardate on which TOS series finale {{e|Turnabout Intruder}} takes place. Consequently, this line of dialogue would have established that the holographic simulation of the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s bridge in "Relics" was definitely contemporaneous with the exact setting of TOS. Scott did not specify that in the final draft of the script, however. {{st-minutiae|resources/scripts/230.txt}} The line is also not spoken on screen.
  +
  +
The ''Enterprise'' was to have been referenced in the first draft script of {{VOY|Flashback}}, in connection with its near-destruction at [[Eminiar VII]]. However, all mention of the vessel was eliminated from the episode by the time the final draft of the script was written.
  +
  +
A new [[Constitution class model (retcon)|CGI model]] was created for the appearance of the USS ''Enterprise'' in the Season 1 finale of {{s|DIS}}, {{e|Will You Take My Hand?}}. This model updates the appearance of the USS ''Enterprise'' to better match the style of Starfleet ships seen in the show, most noticeably changing the [[nacelle|warp nacelles]] to have visible, glowing blue cutouts on the inner surface. The [[impulse drive|impulse engine]] is also different and the [[Nacelle pylon|nacelle pylons]] are swept back with openings in their centers similar to the [[Constitution class model (refit)|refit configuration]]. The new model also has a longer "runway" before the [[shuttlebay]] doors.
   
===External links===
+
=== External links ===
* {{startrek.com|enterprise|USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)}}
+
*{{startrek.com|enterprise|USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)}}
* {{NCwiki|USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)}}
+
*{{wikipedia|USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)}}
* {{wikipedia|USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)}}
+
*{{mbeta|USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)}}
  +
*{{STOwiki|U.S.S._Enterprise_(NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)}}
   
 
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  +
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  +
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[[Category:Federation starships|Enterprise (NCC-1701)]]
 
[[Category:Federation starships|Enterprise (NCC-1701)]]

Revision as of 19:34, 15 January 2020

Template:Spoiler ST

For the mirror universe counterpart, please see ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701).
For the Gideon replica, please see USS Enterprise (replica).
"All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by."

The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) was a 23rd century Federation Constitution-class starship operated by Starfleet. In the course of her career, the Enterprise became the most celebrated starship of her time.

In her forty years of service and discovery, through upgrades and at least two refits, she took part in numerous first contacts, military engagements, and time-travels. She achieved her most lasting fame from a five-year mission (2265-2270) under the command of Captain James T. Kirk. (Star Trek: The Original Series; Star Trek: The Motion Picture; VOY: "Q2")

The Enterprise was destroyed over the Genesis Planet in 2285, when Kirk activated the ship's auto-destruct sequence to prevent the Enterprise from falling into the hands of the Klingons. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock) It was soon replaced by the USS Enterprise-A. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

Lineage

See Enterprise history

Service history

Construction

In the early to mid-23rd century, at least twelve heavy cruiser-type starships, the Constitution-class, were commissioned by the Federation Starfleet. (TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday") Constructed at the San Francisco Fleet Yards in San Francisco, California, the Federation vessel registered NCC-1701 was christened the Enterprise in a long line of ships of the same name. (DIS: "Brother"; TAS: "The Counter-Clock Incident") Captain Robert April oversaw construction of the ship's components as well as its initial trial runs. His wife, Sarah April, designed several tools for the ship's sickbay. (TAS: "The Counter-Clock Incident") Larry Marvick was stated to be one of the designers of the Enterprise itself (TOS: "Is There in Truth No Beauty?"), while Doctor Richard Daystrom designed its computer systems. (TOS: "The Ultimate Computer")

According to The Making of Star Trek, the Enterprise was built on Earth but assembled in space.

Robert April's command

File:Enterprise's file.jpg

Early specifications, including launch date, and duration of April's command

The Enterprise was launched in 2245, under the command of Captain Robert April. (DIS: "Brother") Sarah April served as the ship's first chief medical officer, with Christopher Pike serving as Captain April's first officer. (TAS: "The Counter-Clock Incident"; DIS: "Brother")

Prior to the Enterprise's launch date of 2245 eventually being made canon in the DIS episode "Brother", multiple production sources, including an unseen display screen intended for use in "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II", the Star Trek Encyclopedia, and The Making of Star Trek, gave the same launch date.
According to a computer display that was created by production staff of Star Trek: Enterprise but never used on screen, Jonathan Archer was present at the Enterprise's launch and died the next day. This information remains non-canon, because it was never photographed on film.
In TAS: "The Counter-Clock Incident", it is stated that Sarah April's service on the Enterprise was the first time a medical officer served on a starship equipped with warp drive. However, it is established in Star Trek: Enterprise that warp-capable starships had medical personnel prior to the time of her service.
According to the Star Trek: Federation - The First 150 Years, the Enterprise was launched on April 11, 2245.
In the Star Trek: Discovery novel Drastic Measures, the Enterprise aided the Tarsus IV colony in the aftermath of Kodos the Executioner's infamous massacre in 2246.

Christopher Pike's command

File:USS Enterprise, The Cage (remastered).jpg

The Enterprise in 2254

As captain, Christopher Pike commanded the Enterprise from 2250 to 2265. (DIS: "Brother"; TOS: "The Menagerie, Part I") His missions included voyages to the Rigel, Vega, and Talos systems. (TOS: "The Cage"; TOS: "The Menagerie, Part I") One deep space cruise took it within half a light year of 99 Pegasi. (ST: "Q&A")

At one point the Enterprise visited Pragine 63, where science officer Lynne Lucero was transferred to the USS Cabot to serve as its new captain. (ST: "The Trouble with Edward")

Pike's half-Vulcan science officer, Spock, who served under him for over eleven years, ultimately became the starship's longest-serving officer. (TOS: "The Menagerie, Part I")

According to the novel Desperate Hours, the Enterprise fell under Admiral Brett Anderson's jurisdiction, along with the USS Shenzhou.

In late 2256, Michael Burnham encouraged Cadet Sylvia Tilly to improve her physical conditioning so that she would stand out amongst her peers, and be assigned to the Enterprise or one of its sister ships. (DIS: "Lethe") At that time, the Enterprise was on a five-year mission under Pike. With the Federation-Klingon War underway, Starfleet elected not to recall the starship and leave her as an instrument of last resort, so ordered Pike and his crew to remain out of the fighting. (DIS: "Brother")

USS Discovery rendezvousing with USS Enterprise

The Enterprise rendezvouses with the Discovery, 2257.

The red bursts

Following the conclusion of the war in 2257, the Enterprise was dispatched by Starfleet to investigate one of a series of unidentified signals detected throughout the galaxy. (DIS: "Brother") En route, the ship suffered multiple catastrophic systems failures, leading Pike to issue a priority 1 distress call.

The call was received by the USS Discovery, en route to Vulcan. (DIS: "Will You Take My Hand?", "Brother") Pike and two senior officers transferred to Discovery to continue their mission, while a team was dispatched to tow the Enterprise back to Spacedock for a diagnostic, where the damage was assessed as severe, with no estimate for repair. (DIS: "Brother")

Federation tug 23rd century

The Enterprise being towed to Spacedock

A week later, Pike's first officer, Una, had reported to Pike that the holographic comm system was the source of the failures, which had compromised primary systems. Pike ordered Una to tell Chief Engineer Louvier to strip the system from the ship in favor of viewscreen communication. (DIS: "An Obol for Charon")

Battling control

Discovery deploys evacuation corridors

The Enterprise taking on Discovery's crew

Following the Discovery's acquisition of data from the Sphere that would ultimately lead to the evolution of the Section 31 artificial intelligence Control which would threaten all sentient life in the Milky Way Galaxy, Pike was left with no other option but to set the Discovery's auto-destruct system and call the Enterprise for immediate evacuation of the ship's crew. (DIS: "Through the Valley of Shadows")

On stardate 1051.8, the Enterprise finally rendezvoused with the Discovery and began taking on the ship's crew. When all personnel were fully evacuated, Captain Pike ordered Discovery's destruction. However the Sphere intelligence utilized Discovery's defensive systems to block the Enterprise's torpedo volley. Unable to eliminate Discovery, the crew determined that sending the Discovery into the future was the only method to secure the Sphere data from Control.

File:Enterprise and Discovery Battle Section 31.jpg

The Enterprise and Discovery engage Section 31 vessels.

With the appearance of a fifth red burst, both ships traveled to the planet Xahea, which was ultimately the position Cornwell and Pike decided to fight Leland/Control's armada. (DIS: "Such Sweet Sorrow")

After the decision was made to destroy Discovery to prevent its capture by Control, the ship deployed evacuation corridors to transfer its crew to Enterprise. (DIS: "Such Sweet Sorrow")

USS Enterprise in Spacedock

The Enterprise undergoes repairs in 2258.

Following the decisive battle with Control, and the loss of a significant portion of the saucer section, the Enterprise under went extensive repairs in orbit of Earth. (DIS: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2")

New Voyages

Following the repairs to the Enterprise, the Enterprise resumed her mission of exploration once again under the command of Christopher Pike. Their first stop was to a new moon that was discovered at Edrin II. (DIS: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2")

James T. Kirk's command

USS Enterprise orbiting Omicron Ceti III, remastered

The Enterprise in orbit, 2267

In 2265, the Enterprise was assigned to another five-year mission of deep-space exploration, and command passed to James T. Kirk. The ship's primary goal during this mission was to seek out and contact alien life. Captain Kirk's standing orders also included the investigation of all quasars and quasar-like phenomena.

Beyond its primary mission, the Enterprise defended Federation territories from aggression, aided member worlds in crisis, and provided scientific expeditions and colonies in her patrol area with annual examinations and support. (TOS: "Balance of Terror", "The Man Trap", "The Cloud Minders", "Journey to Babel", "The Galileo Seven", "The Deadly Years")

Despite 2270 being given as the year Kirk's first five-year mission in command of the Enterprise came to an end (in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Q2"), many production resources – including the booklet for the TOS Season 1 DVD set – continue to use the Star Trek Chronology's date of 2264 as the starting point of the mission. It is possible, however, that the mission ran from 2264 through 2269 and that the Enterprise did not return to Earth until 2270.
According to a line from the script of Star Trek but removed from the final draft, the crew of the Enterprise came together in a time of "ultimate crisis", much like their alternate reality counterparts did. [1]
According to a line of dialogue from the final draft script of "Mudd's Women", the Enterprise was located two years, five months, twenty-two days, and seven hours from a starbase at impulse speed in that episode.

Discoveries

From 2265 to 2270, the Enterprise visited over seventy different worlds and encountered representatives of over sixty different species. More than twenty of those were first contacts with beings previously unknown to the Federation, including stellar neighbors like the First Federation and Gorn, voyagers from the Kelvan Empire in distant Andromeda, and powerful non-corporeal entities like the Thasians, Trelane, and the Organians. Two discovered species were the first known examples of silicon-based lifeforms: the Horta and the Excalbians. (TOS: "The Corbomite Maneuver", "Arena", "By Any Other Name", "The Devil in the Dark", "The Savage Curtain")

USS Enterprise leaving galactic barrier, remastered

In the barrier void in 2265

The Enterprise was the first Federation vessel to survive an encounter with the galactic barrier. The ship's warp drive and other systems, however, were critically damaged and casualties totaled twelve crewmembers and officers. By stardate 4657.5, the Enterprise was traveling through space in a region hundreds of light years further than any Earth starship had explored. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before", "Return to Tomorrow")

The reality of time travel, externally influenced, had been known for over a century, but following two accidental temporal displacements, the Enterprise became the Federation's first deliberately-controlled timeship. Observing the death-throes of Psi 2000, the crew suffered from polywater intoxication and the Enterprise nearly lost orbit after an engine shutdown. A previously untested "cold start", via controlled matter-antimatter implosion, saved the ship, but the high-speed escape from the planet's gravity well caused the ship to travel three days into the past. (TOS: "The Naked Time")

USS Enterprise in orbit of Earth

Orbiting 1960s Earth

In 2267, while escaping the gravitational pull of a black star, the Enterprise was hurled through space and time to Earth of 1969. The crew developed and executed a method to return to their own time, by warping around the sun's gravity well in a slingshot maneuver. A year later, the Enterprise was ordered to repeat the recently proven slingshot effect, and returned to Earth's past on a mission of historical observation. (TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday", "Assignment: Earth")

Originally, "The Naked Time" and "Tomorrow is Yesterday" were planned to be back-to-back stories, with the events in "Tomorrow is Yesterday" happening as a result of the "cold start" of the warp drive in "The Naked Time". A change in production plans resulted in the two stories being de-linked and slightly reworked to stand alone.
USS Enterprise approaches space amoeba, remastered

The space amoeba in 2268

Some missions of discovery confronted Enterprise with entities and mechanisms that threatened great swaths of Federation and neighboring space.

An ancient "planet killer", fueled by the consumption of planets it destroyed with its antiproton weapon, approached Federation population centers in 2267. It required the combined efforts of the Enterprise and her sister ship, USS Constellation, to destroy it. (TOS: "The Doomsday Machine")

One year later, in 2268, a single-cell organism of colossal scale emitted negative energy, toxic to humanoid life, killing the entire Vulcan crew of the USS Intrepid. The Enterprise penetrated the cell interior and destroyed the organism before its imminent cell division threatened to overwhelm the rest of the galaxy. (TOS: "The Immunity Syndrome")

Battles

USS Enterprise firing phaser proximity blast

The Enterprise fires a proximity blast

The nature of its mission of exploration meant the Enterprise was frequently the only Federation military asset in a little-known, otherwise undefended frontier. When called into harm's way, the ship regularly did so with little chance of immediate support against previously unknown enemies and threats.

Happily, the Enterprise's earliest engagement of its five-year mission, against a deceptively powerful starship called the Fesarius, ended with an amicable first contact with the First Federation in 2266. Following the destruction of a colony on Cestus III, a surprise attack – from a previously unknown species – led the Enterprise to battle and pursue an evenly matched Gorn starship in 2267. (TOS: "The Corbomite Maneuver", "Arena")

The Enterprise played the fox for four of her sister ships in a war games problem on stardate 4729.4, as part of the M-5 drills. Equipped with the new M-5 multitronic unit computer and stripped of most of its crew, the Enterprise became a killing machine – crippling the USS Excalibur and killing its entire crew – before Kirk could re-assert control. (TOS: "The Ultimate Computer")

Klingon engagements
USS Enterprise-D7 face off

The Battle of Organia in 2267

Warships of the Imperial Klingon Fleet were frequent opponents of the Enterprise. Commander Kor held the Enterprise and Kirk in high professional regard, and relished the prospect of battle. Lower ranks chose to mock the starship; on one such occasion, Korax compared the vessel to a "garbage scow" before he corrected himself, adding, "It should be hauled away as garbage." (TOS: "Errand of Mercy", "The Trouble with Tribbles")

While Starfleet rallied its forces at the outbreak of a Federation-Klingon War in 2267, the Enterprise was sent forward to secure a border region anchored by the planet Organia. The vessel destroyed a Klingon ship and prepared to engage an approaching Klingon fleet, before the Organian Peace Treaty precluded a full-scale war. (TOS: "Errand of Mercy")

The Enterprise sporadically engaged Klingons throughout its voyage. A warship failed in an attempt to blockade the Enterprise from Capella IV in 2267. Sabotaged during a diplomatic mission to the Tellun system in 2268, the ship successfully fought off the assault of a harassing D7. The same year, the Enterprise was forced to destroy a battle cruiser that Kang had commanded but had recently abandoned, and the rescued Klingons (influenced by the Beta XII-A entity) subsequently made an unsuccessful attempt to wrest control of the Enterprise from Kirk. (TOS: "Friday's Child", "Elaan of Troyius", "Day of the Dove")

Romulan engagements
Romulan bird-of-prey, CG TOS-aft

Ventral view of a Romulan Bird-of-Prey during the Neutral Zone Incursion of 2266

The Romulan Star Empire reemerged from a century of isolation to antagonize the Federation with the Neutral Zone Incursion of 2266. The Enterprise responded and was victorious against a new Romulan Bird-of-Prey equipped with a cloaking device and plasma torpedo system. (TOS: "Balance of Terror")

In later encounters, the Romulan fleet used strength of numbers in their efforts to overwhelm the Enterprise. When Commodore Stocker took temporary command and violated the Neutral Zone in 2267, up to ten Bird-of-Prey swarmed and pummeled the starship until Kirk's "corbomite" bluff inspired their withdrawal. (TOS: "The Deadly Years")

In 2268, the Enterprise again violated the Neutral Zone – for the purpose of espionage – and was quickly surrounded by three Romulan D7 class battle cruisers. She escaped by becoming the first Federation vessel to install and successfully utilize a (stolen) Romulan cloaking device. (TOS: "The Enterprise Incident")

Near Tau Ceti in the following year, Kirk employed the Cochrane deceleration maneuver, allowing the Enterprise to defeat a Romulan vessel. (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")

In the final year of Kirk's original mission, the ship was ambushed by a trio of Romulan battle cruisers while on a routine survey. The Enterprise managed to escape through an energy field that adversely affected the ship's main computer. The malfunctioning systems were corrected by another pass through the field, this time with the Romulan ships in pursuit. The attackers then became incapacitated by the same computer malfunctions, and the Enterprise was able to escape. (TAS: "The Practical Joker")

Casualties

Service aboard the Enterprise proved to be hazardous duty. Between 2265 and 2269, individuals who were killed while assigned to the ship included at least fifty-eight officers and crew – thirteen-point-five percent of the standard complement of 430. Nine crew members were killed when the Enterprise encountered the galactic barrier in 2265. Gary Mitchell, Lee Kelso, and Elizabeth Dehner later died on Delta Vega. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before")

Two of the seven crewmembers assigned to study Murasaki 312 on the shuttlecraft GalileoLatimer and Gaetano – both met an unfortunate end by the hand of a large creature on the planet Taurus II. (TOS: "The Galileo Seven")

In 2267, Enterprise security officers Hendorff, Kaplan, Mallory, and Marple were killed on the planet Gamma Trianguli VI. (TOS: "The Apple") Further incidents with multiple fatalities included four security guards killed by Nomad in 2267 as well as five security guards killed by the dikironium cloud creature on Argus X in 2268. An outbreak of Rigelian fever, in 2269, killed three crewmen and imperiled the rest until a source of ryetalyn could be obtained. (TOS: "The Changeling", "Obsession", "Requiem for Methuselah")

As well, two Enterprise security officers were beamed out into open space while the ship was under the control of Gorgan. (TOS: "And the Children Shall Lead") Lieutenant Galloway was vaporized by Captain Tracey on Omega IV, (TOS: "The Omega Glory") but later was somehow resurrected. (TOS: "Turnabout Intruder") Yeoman Thompson was reduced to a dry cuboctahedron solid. She was killed when the Kelvan Rojan crushed the object in his hand. (TOS: "By Any Other Name")

In the mid-2270s, Commander Sonak and an Enterprise officer were killed in a transporter accident while beaming to the ship. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

See also: Redshirt

Later years

Refits

In the late 2260s to early 2270s, the Constitution-class starships underwent a major refit program. The actual refitting took eighteen months of work and essentially a new vessel was built onto the bones of the old, replacing virtually every major system, ensuring their continued service for the next several years, with the USS Enterprise continuing to serve in its prominent role. In the early 2270's, the Enterprise was critical in defending the Federation from several external threats, including the V'Ger probe, and Khan Noonien Singh. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

File:USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) in spacedock.jpg

The refitted Enterprise in spacedock, 2270s

System upgrades with new technologies after long deployments were far from unusual in the ship's history. However, the Enterprise's overhaul of the early 2270s became a nearly keel-up redesign and reconstruction project.

The very heart of the ship was replaced with a radically different vertical warp core assembly, linked to new, and heavier, warp engine nacelles atop swept-back pylons and integrated with the impulse engines. The new drive system allowed for an expanded cargo hold in the secondary hull, linked to the shuttlebay.

Weapons system upgrades included nine dual-phaser banks with power channeled directly from the warp engines. A double photon torpedo/probe launcher was installed atop the secondary hull.

Multiple egress points now included a port-side spacedock hatch, dual ventral space walk bays, four dorsal service hatches, and a standardized docking ring port aft of the bridge on the primary hull, four more docking ring ports, paired on the port and starboard sides of the launcher and secondary hulls respectively, and service hatch airlocks on the port and starboard sides of the hangar bay's main clam-shell doors.

A new bridge module reflected the modern computer systems, operating interfaces, and ergonomics that ran throughout the ship.

Following Kirk's promotion to rear admiral and posting as Chief of Starfleet Operations, his successor, Captain Will Decker (whom Kirk himself picked to succeed him), oversaw the refit, assisted by chief engineer Commander Montgomery Scott.

V'ger

After 18 months in spacedock for refit, the Enterprise was pressed into service, weeks ahead of schedule, in response to the V'ger crisis, once again under Kirk's command.

USS Enterprise approaches V'ger's cloud

Making contact with V'ger

Decker was temporarily demoted to commander and posted as an executive officer because of his familiarity with the new design. Incomplete systems had to be serviced during the vessel's shakedown cruise en route to V'ger, including the first test of the new warp engines.

Shortly after launch, a matter/antimatter intermix malfunction ruptured the warp field and led to the Enterprise entering into an unstable wormhole. Commander Decker belayed an order from Admiral Kirk to destroy an asteroid in their path, which had been dragged into the ruptured warp field along with them, with phasers. The refitted phasers now channeled power directly from the main engines at a point beyond the dilithium/magnatomic-initiator stage.

Because of this refitted function, the intermix malfunction, and the antimatter imbalance within the warp nacelles that had resulted caused automatic cutoff of the phasers, a design change of which Kirk had not been aware. Decker ordered the use of photon torpedoes instead; as a backup, they had been designed to draw power from a separate system in case of a major phaser loss. The timely arrival of Commander Spock brought correction to the intermix problem. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

Once the V'ger threat was averted, Captain Decker was listed as "missing in action" and the Enterprise remained under Admiral Kirk's command for an interim period. At some point, Kirk passed command on to the newly-promoted Captain Spock.

The new designs and components tested and proven aboard the Enterprise influenced a generation of starship design, from the Miranda-class to the Constellation-class, as well as other retro-fitted Constitutions. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

Khan's return

In 2285, the Enterprise was in a low-tempo training cycle, based in the Sol system. Admiral Kirk boarded his old command to observe a cadet training cruise.

Meanwhile, Khan Noonien Singh had escaped from his exile on Ceti Alpha V and hijacked the USS Reliant, leading to his theft of the Genesis Device from the Regula I space station.

USS Enterprise exiting the Earth Spacedock

The Enterprise, heavily damaged

The Enterprise was tasked to investigate, and Spock deferred his command to Admiral Kirk. Subsequent engagements with Reliant left the ship badly damaged with cadet and crew deaths, including Captain Spock. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

Return to Genesis and destruction

USS Enterprise self destructs

"My God, Bones… what have I done?" – Admiral James T. Kirk

Upon the Enterprise returning to Earth, Starfleet Commander, Starfleet Fleet Admiral Morrow announced that the starship, at that point forty years old, would be decommissioned. When Morrow denied Kirk requesting permission to return to the Mutara sector, Kirk conspired with his senior officers and stole the Enterprise from Earth Spacedock, in order to recover Spock's body from the Genesis Planet – to bring it and Spock's katra, the latter possessed by Leonard McCoy, to Mount Seleya on Vulcan. As part of the plan, Kirk had Scott rig up an automation system to run the Enterprise so easily that "a chimpanzee and two trainees" could have handled the craft.

File:Enterprise streaking in Genesis sky.jpg

The Enterprise burning in Genesis' atmosphere

At the Enterprise's destination, the ship was attacked by a Klingon Bird-of-Prey operated by Klingon Commander Kruge, an assault that left the Enterprise disabled; Scotty's automation system was not designed for combat and overloaded when the ship was attacked. After setting the auto-destruct sequence, Kirk and his crew abandoned the ship for the surface of the Genesis Planet. Demolition charges in place in the bridge and elsewhere throughout the ship's saucer section exploded, killing a Klingon boarding party. The secondary hull (with what was left of the saucer) fell from orbit and blazingly streaked across the planet's atmosphere. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)

Being forty years old at the time of its destruction, Enterprise had surpassed its designer's original projected eighteen year endurance by twenty-two years, when the ship was launched back in 2245. (DIS: "Brother"–graphic display) The next USS Enterprise, a refit Constitution-class heavy cruiser USS Enterprise-A was launched a year later. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

Film writer Harve Bennett justified the destruction of the Enterprise via an analogy to the USS Niagara. According to Bennett, "Oliver Hazard Perry of the U.S. Navy scuttled the Niagra [sic] at the battle of Lake Erie and won the battle as a result and took command." He added, "Perry happens to be one of James T. Kirk's great heroes. So, the scuttling of the ship to achieve the greater good is a tactic." (Great Birds of the Galaxy: Gene Roddenberry and the Creators of Trek) A supporter of the decision to blow up the Enterprise was Nicholas Meyer, who commended Bennett for the idea in a letter between them (dated 24 September 1982).
There is a difference in the appearance of the Enterprise between Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock; in Star Trek III, the ship's external appearance appeared to have deteriorated around some areas damaged by Khan's attacks (and repaired in others), while other areas of the ship that had not been damaged by Khan's attack had battle damage, including the starboard secondary hull, both nacelles, and the top of the saucer. This extra damage was explained in non-canon Star Trek literature as having occurred in spars with Klingon warships between the second and third movies. The aggressive move to attack the Enterprise was explained by the secrecy of the Genesis Planet and the overall uneasiness it created. This could also explain the Klingon aggressiveness displayed throughout the third movie. [2]
In Scene 43 of The Search for Spock Morrow justified the mothballing of the Enterprise by stating that "the Enterprise is twenty years old. We think her day is over". At that point in time this constituted a continuity error as it did not line up with either the then generally assumed launch year 2245 or the refit in the early 2270s. However, with the information much later provided in "Brother" (which included the launch year) it can in retrospect be argued that Morrow was referring to the time-span Enterprise had exceeded its life expectancy.

List of first contacts

The Enterprise made first contact with numerous species, including:

Command crew

Robert April's command crew

Christopher Pike's command crew

USS Enterprise bridge, 2258

The crew of the Enterprise under the command of Christopher Pike in 2258.

James T. Kirk's command crew

There will be no tribble at all

The crew of the USS Enterprise enjoy a jovial moment with Captain Kirk

See also: List of USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) personnel

Appendices

Appearances

References

Background information

MarsTOSremastered-Intro

The CG Enterprise from the "remastered" opening credits

Sickbay painting

The Enterprise on a painting aboard the Enterprise-D

The Enterprise and its interiors were designed primarily by Matt Jefferies. A three-foot demonstration model was completed in November 1964 by the Howard Anderson Company to show to Gene Roddenberry. After getting his approval, an eleven-foot model was then constructed by Richard C. Datin, Jr., Mel Keys, and Vern Sion at Volmer Jensen's model shop, and was finished in December 1964. The eleven-foot model was modified for TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and again for the regular series effect shots. Re-used footage of all three stages of the eleven-foot model's appearance are seen mixed together in TOS.

In the final draft script of TOS: "The Naked Time", the Enterprise was somewhat poetically described thus; "Sleek… efficient… the look of man in space… tooled… equipped…"

For Star Trek: The Animated Series, the color of the Enterprise was limited. D.C. Fontana commented, "For the purposes of animation you can't do the light white, silver kinds of colors. So they made the Enterprise gray and it came off all right." (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 16, p. 68)

Some distinctive effects shots of the Enterprise from TOS were recreated in animation for Star Trek: The Animated Series. Depicting the ship performing any new, impressive maneuvers would have been too costly for TAS and would have taken the animators too long to show, despite frequent TAS Director Hal Sutherland later implying that a desire to portray the ship doing "barrel rolls and that kind of thing" was quite common. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 16, pp. 63 & 64)

The refit of the Enterprise depicted in the films Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock was designed by Richard Taylor and Andrew Probert, based on designs for the vessel made by Matt Jefferies for undeveloped television series Star Trek: Phase II. The design for the movie refit was the basis of a design patent issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

The Enterprise was to have appeared in Star Trek: The First Adventure that revealed the design of the ship in TOS was actually a refit; the original design resembled Enterprise NX-01, though that vessel was created years later.

The Enterprise was recreated as a new physical model for the DS9 Season 5 episode "Trials and Tribble-ations". The ship's interior was represented with sets built on Paramount Stage 11. (Information from Larry Nemecek) The CG model of Constitution-class USS Defiant, created for "In a Mirror, Darkly", was relabeled as the Enterprise for the final scene of "These Are the Voyages...", the last episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.

A new CG model, built from caliper measurements of the original eleven-foot physical model, was created for use in the remastered and recreated version of Star Trek: The Original Series (for more detailed treatises on the studio models used, see the appropriate articles: Constitution-class model (original) and Constitution-class model (refit)).

Visual effects artist Gabriel Koerner created a re-imagined version of the pre-refit Enterprise. The design is more contemporary, while keeping the design of the original ship. A video showing the ship from various angles can be seen on YouTube. The model was also featured as the August image for the 2007 Ships of the Line calendar, as well as in the Ships of the Line coffee-table book, placed between TOS and TMP images, which included text from Michael Okuda suggesting it as one of the ideas on how to refit the ship.

The Enterprise was pictured on three paintings during the Star Trek franchise: on a painting in the recreation deck of the refitted vessel in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, on a painting in the waiting area of the sickbay aboard the USS Enterprise-D in the Star Trek: The Next Generation fifth season episode "Ethics", and on a painting on the wall of Kirk's kitchen in the Nexus in Star Trek Generations.

Upon preparing to view the bridge of the Enterprise in the first draft script of TNG: "Relics", Montgomery Scott specified, "Show her the way she was before Stardate 5928," referencing the stardate on which TOS series finale "Turnabout Intruder" takes place. Consequently, this line of dialogue would have established that the holographic simulation of the Enterprise's bridge in "Relics" was definitely contemporaneous with the exact setting of TOS. Scott did not specify that in the final draft of the script, however. [3] The line is also not spoken on screen.

The Enterprise was to have been referenced in the first draft script of VOY: "Flashback", in connection with its near-destruction at Eminiar VII. However, all mention of the vessel was eliminated from the episode by the time the final draft of the script was written.

A new CGI model was created for the appearance of the USS Enterprise in the Season 1 finale of Star Trek: Discovery, "Will You Take My Hand?". This model updates the appearance of the USS Enterprise to better match the style of Starfleet ships seen in the show, most noticeably changing the warp nacelles to have visible, glowing blue cutouts on the inner surface. The impulse engine is also different and the nacelle pylons are swept back with openings in their centers similar to the refit configuration. The new model also has a longer "runway" before the shuttlebay doors.

External links