Apr 4 2012
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A as a submarine?
Check out this incredible model of the Enterprise!
Apr 4 2012
Check out this incredible model of the Enterprise!
By Admiral Stones Petty • News • • Tags: Enterprise
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Oct 13 2012
NCC or USS – Test your Trek Knowledge
In the first in our series of Trek Trivia, we’ll try to answer a few of your Trek questions.
Using “USS Enterprise NCC 1701” as an example, what does “USS”, and “NCC” stand for?
Let’s not forget that the original Star Trek series was produced in the 1960’s, during the time of very limited budgets, and limited technology compared to the 23rd century which the series was attempting to depict. Some might believe that the series’ designations and processes were conceived by the scriptwriters without thought of having to actually explain them logically or scientifically at any time during the run of the series. After all, they were depicting the future, and those marvels of technology were simply self-evident, and thus not subject to question. But as we know, the future of the original series at that time was rather uncertain, and their “Five Year Mission” was actually curtailed at three and a half years. Who knew at the time that it would become iconically popular? Who knew that these designations and processes, as a vital aspect of the lore and myth of Star Trek would thus be scrutinized and wondered about by hordes of fans?
Certain facts and ideas in Star Trek became “canonized” when sufficient proof of their authenticity could be established via definitive mention in one or more episodes, or, for example, through the words of a recognized authority, such as the originator, Gene Roddenberry himself. Thus, when so “canonized”, these facts became universally established and accepted by the vast majority of the Star Trek community of fans.
So then what about USS and NCC? Alas! These two terms have not been canonized per se, with the required universal acceptance. There is no definitive consensus of opinion on their usage or origin. Could it be true, as speculated above, that perhaps the scriptwriters didn’t give adequate consideration to the logic and background of such designations? Perish the thought. We are certain that they merely kept the reasoning to themselves, which of course, has been lost in the mists of 20th century antiquity. However…there is speculation, which persists to this day, which we now reveal here.
“Star Trek art director Matt Jefferies designed the original Enterprise, which was originally named Yorktown in series creator Gene Roddenberry’s first outline drafts of the series. Jeffries’ experience with aviation led to his Enterprise designs being imbued with what he called “aircraft logic”. The ship’s “NCC-1701” registry number stemmed from “NC” being one of the international aircraft registration codes assigned to aircraft registered in the United States; the second “C” was added for differentiation. The “1701” was chosen in order to avoid any possible ambiguity; according to Jefferies, the numbers 3, 6, 8 and 9 are “too easily confused”. Other sources cite it as a reference to the house across the street from where Roddenberry grew up… Jefferies’ own sketches provide the explanation that it was his 17th cruiser design with the first serial number of that series: 1701. The Making of Star Trek explains that “USS” should mean “United Space Ship” [not United STAR ship?] and that “the Enterprise is a member of the Starship Class”. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise_%28NCC-1701%29)
“NCC doesn’t stand for anything. It was devised by Matt Jefferies, art director of the first Star Trek series. Jefferies, who is a pilot, based NCC on 20th century aircraft registration codes. In such 20th century usage, an “N” first letter refers to an aircraft registered in the USA. A “C” second letter refers to a civil aircraft. Jefferies added a second “C”, just because he thought it looked better.”
“In plate #3 of the Original Franz Joseph Designs Star Trek Blueprints, NCC-1700 is clearly labeled as the “Naval Construction Contract Number” for the USS Constitution.”
“NCC does in fact mean Naval Construction Contract. Not everything in star trek is completely made up out of thin air. NCC [designations] go way back with the American and British navies, all the way back to the first diesel engine powered warships in WW1.”
…and lastly: “According to both “The Making of Star Trek”, and the second season writers guide update, NCC officially stands for “Navy-Curtis Craft”, referring to the fact that the design and construction of the cruisers was a combination of the Navy’s and Curtis Industries inputs. Curtis Industries is (will be) an industrial ship-builder located in San Francisco that has fulfilled many Starfleet-bid projects. The Navy was responsible for transporting the components into low Earth orbit, and assembling the ship in space.”
Portions of text adapted from http://en.memory-alpha.org under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License, and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise_%28NCC-1701%29 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.
By Kevin Ballard • Trek Trivia • • Tags: Enterprise