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About Star Trek

The txt on this page was taken from the Star Trek Continum. Yet the images were made by me so please do not copy anything off this page.

What is STAR TREK?

STAR TREK began in 1966 as a science fiction television show created by Gene Roddenberry. More than thirty years, four television series, and nine theatrical releases later, STAR TREK is as alive and strong as ever. Although STAR TREK's primary mission has always been to entertain, in the process it has become a phenomenon in and of itself. The combination of STAR TREK and its loyal fans are much more than the sum of the parts; together, they represent a distinctive element in popular culture.
In addition to being terrific entertainment, STAR TREK may attribute its longevity and popularity to its optimistic vision of a future in which humankind not only prospers, but has also fostered a world of peace and equality for all -- certainly a desirable and uplifting outlook.
Achievement of the vision presented in STAR TREK may at times seem unattainable to those of us locked into this century, but as more than one STAR TREK captain has said, "There are always possibilities." Perhaps it is hope for those possibilities that reinforces the appeal of STAR TREK.

THE TELEVISION SERIES

The first step in understanding STAR TREK is learning about the evolution of the television shows.

STAR TREK "These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise... Its five year mission..." (setting -- the 23rd century) This is where it all began. The founding STAR TREK series ran from 1966 through 1969, for a total of three seasons and 79 episodes. Sometimes referred to as "a Wagon Train to the stars," classic STAR TREK features the adventures of the crew of the Constitution-class Starship Enterprise on its five year mission to explore outer space.
On board the starship is a diverse set of shipmates, which include many varieties of human and non-human individuals:
In command of the starship is Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), followed by his half-Vulcan first officer Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and by their side, the opinionated Doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley). To keep the warp engines humming at top speed is the Chief Engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan), to choose a star to steer by is Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) at the helm, and the young Ensign Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) arms phasers and photon torpedoes to protect all in a crunch. Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) is in charge of all the ship's communications. There to aid the ship's doctor is Nurse Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett).
The five year mission lasted only three years in Earth time. But the legacy of those three years of STAR TREK gave the world a phenomenon yet to be matched by any other single television series. While STAR TREK lasted only three seasons on first-run television, in syndication the series spawned a fan following that numbers in the millions. From that first series has sprung an incredible number of spin-offs: an animated series, three television series, numerous feature films, and hundreds of novels and consumer products.
At the present time, the original STAR TREK series is broadcast regularly in over 100 different countries around the world.

STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise... Its continuing mission..." (setting -- the 24th century) From 1987 until 1994, the producers of the second STAR TREK series dared to try in first-run syndication what had only been done once before on the television screen. This time, they produced a weekly series focusing on the adventures of the crew of a newer and bigger starship, the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D. This ship would fly under the command of a new captain, support a larger crew, and feature, on a weekly basis, some of the most technologically advanced special effects.
The series stayed in production for a total of seven seasons, thanks to an ever-increasing populous of loyal STAR TREK fans, and ended with a total of 178 episodes. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION became the highest-rated syndicated dramatic series on television as its run progressed, and is still in high demand today, running in syndication around the world.
The Galaxy-class Starship Enterprise is guided by a leader who is both an intellectual and an explorer, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). The second in command -- often referred to as "Number One" -- is First Officer William Riker (Jonathan Frakes), with their science officer, the android, Lieutenant Commander Data (Brent Spiner). Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) serves as the ship's psychologist, and seeing that all is well with the warp engines is Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton). Overseeing sickbay is Chief Medical Officer Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), who is joined for 3 1/2 seasons by her precocious son Wesley (Wil Wheaton) before his departure for Starfleet Academy. An interesting twist, Chief of Security Lieutenant Worf (Michael Dorn) serves as the only Klingon in Starfleet -- a symbol of detente between the former enemies. Down below, in Ten Forward lounge, Whoopi Goldberg appears in a recurring role as the empathetic hostess Guinan. Frequently taunting the crew is the seemingly omnipotent being known simply as "Q" (John de Lancie).

STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE The adventures near a wormhole on the edge of the final frontier. (setting -- the 24th century) In the third STAR TREK television series, first made for U.S. syndication in 1992 and still in production today, the action moved from a starship to a space station. The series is heading for a climactic seventh season, continuing the tradition of state-of-the-art effects and a top rated cast and crew.
Deep Space Nine is commanded by Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), alongside Science Officer Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell), a "joined" Trill (the host Jadzia and the symbiotic invertebrate Dax); Medical Officer Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig); the shape-shifting Founders expatriate Security Officer Odo (Rene Auberjonois); Chief Operations Officer Miles O'Brien -- formerly of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D -- (Colm Meaney); former Bajoran resistance fighter and now First Officer, Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor), and the Ferengi bartender Quark (Armin Shimerman). Also along for the ride is the widowed Captain's son, aspiring writer Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton), and a host of recurring characters from the many cultures who cross paths at DS9. In the fourth season the crew was joined by a STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION veteran, the Klingon Lieutenant Commander Worf (Michael Dorn), as Strategic Operations Officer. Shortly after Worf's sixth-season marriage to Jadzia Dax, the Jadzia host was killed and the Dax symbiont survived to join with to a new host for the final season.

STAR TREK: VOYAGER The voyages of the Starship U.S.S. Voyager. (setting -- the 24th century) The fourth and newest STAR TREK series, which hit U.S. airwaves in January 1995, is the first to feature a female captain -- Kathryn Janeway. Set aboard the starship U.S.S. Voyager NCC-74656, the ship and crew were marooned over 70,000 light years from Federation space and are struggling to find a way home. The U.S.S. Voyager was carried beyond the explored limits of space while in pursuit of a rebel Maquis vessel, and out of necessity, the two stranded ships combined into a mismatched crew of Starfleet officers and Maquis rebels. The series' fifth season begins this fall.
The main crew members of the U.S.S. Voyager are: Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), Vulcan Starfleet Tactical/Security Officer Tuvok (Tim Russ), a Holographic Doctor (Robert Picardo), and the former rebel leader as Janeway's First Officer Chakotay (Robert Beltran). A native of this region of space takes on the roles of guide/cook/handyman, Neelix (Ethan Philips), originally with his Ocampa companion Kes (Jennifer Lien) alongside. During the series' fourth season, as Kes shed her physical body while outgrowing her telepathic powers, a de-assimilated Borg drone dubbed Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) became a reluctant member of the crew. A half Klingon ex-rebel serves as Chief Engineer, B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Biggs-Dawson), and Ops / Communications Officer Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) is a recent Academy graduate. The ship's pilot is field-commissioned Lieutenant Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill).

DID YOU KNOW...

STAR TREK is seen in more than 100 countries and has been translated into dozens of languages.
Every month, a classic STAR TREK or STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION novel is published by Pocket Books.
More than 63 million STAR TREK books are in print and have been translated into more than 15 languages including Chinese, Norwegian, Hungarian, and Hebrew.
"Trekkies," now called "Trekkers," are the only fans listed by name in the Oxford English Dictionary.
STAR TREK conventions are held every weekend of every year in at least four different U.S. cities, annually attracting more than 300,000 U.S. fans and an estimated one million fans worldwide.
The first U.S. Space Shuttle, the "Enterprise," was given its name in 1976 after NASA received 400,000 requests from STAR TREK fans.
A 1993 study from Purdue University found that children learn more about science from STAR TREK than from any other source.

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