USS Enterprise (XCV 330)
| USS Enterprise | |
|---|---|
.jpg?lang=en) The USS Enterprise XCV 330 | |
| First appearance | Star Trek: The Motion Picture |
| Information | |
| Affiliation | Earth Starfleet |
| Launched | 2123 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class | Declaration |
| Registry | XCV 330 |
| Length | 300m |
The USS Enterprise XCV 330 is a starship (or spaceship) in the Star Trek universe. Its image appears in Star Trek: The Motion Picture among a chronological series of illustrations depicting previous ships named Enterprise.
The Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology, published in 1979, about the time of TMP, gives this ship the class name Declaration, with a launch date of 2123 (which in that original timeline, places it prior to the founding of the Federation, and only six decades before the launch of the Enterprise NCC-1701). It is described as the "first interstellar liner". Its length is given as 300m, and its capacity as 100 crew and 850 passengers.[1] The Spaceflight Chronology has been frequently contradicted by later and more authoritative sources.
The Star Trek Maps by New Eye Photography Editors, also published in 1979, listed this ship as a Fusion drive probe that was Earth's first attempt to explore another solar system.
A painting of a ship from the same class is on the wall of Earth's 602 Club circa 2143 in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "First Flight", suggesting that this Enterprise (or perhaps the Declaration, q.v.) was Earth's first warp two-capable starship.
It is uncertain what the USS prefix in the ship’s name stands for. Although later Star Trek ships use USS for "United Space Ship", this USS Enterprise predates the Federation, and was not a Starfleet ship. (The NX-01 was Starfleet’s first Enterprise.) While the United Earth Space Probe Agency did exist before 2143, they are not known to have used a prefix before their ship names. The United States of America did still exist in 2143,[2] and they are the current users of the USS prefix (United States Ship), although this does not conclusively make the XCV 330 American. In US Navy usage, 'CV' is used to designate aircraft carriers, and 'X' usually stands for experimental, which could make this an experimental fighter carrier.
Design-wise, the XCV 330 differs greatly from all other known Earth starships: it is composed of a long, narrow central shaft surrounded by two large rings, similar to some Vulcan starships.
Starship
The ship was originally designed by Matt Jeffries during the early pre-production stage of Star Trek. After the show was cancelled, the design was considered for use in a planned, but never produced, sci-fi television series by Gene Roddenberry. The show would have been called Starship.
Gene Roddenberry's imagination brings you "Starship". The vessel of the future as only he could picture it. This could be the forerunner of a new TV series, a Starship operated by an enormous computer which is a lifeform itself. Each human on board is a genius, a highly trained science specialist, part of a team of Galactic trouble shooters. A brand-new concept in future space travel. We also have three different views of the Metatransit system, side elevations of the systems analysis unit, and the Metaflier section of the Starship. Imagine yourself on a mission in space aboard this luxury cruiser. You’ll be spellbound!
— from Majel Barrett’s Lincoln Enterprises catalog
References
- ^ Goldstein, Stanley and Fred (1980). Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology. ISBN 0-671-79089-7.
- ^ Star Trek: Enterprise. “Affliction”. This episode—set in 2154—notes that the USA still exists as of that date.