star trek biggest ships

Invincible class

Invincible-class

The Invincible -class was the single largest multi-mission combat-equipped starship ever constructed by Starfleet . She was designed as the ultimate in front line explorers. She was classified as a Fleet Carrier - Command Battleship . Invincible -class ships combine the roles of battleship and fighter carrier, having a massive offensive capability in terms of on-board weapons and huge complement of tactical fighters.

At 1,607.2 meters in length, 764.4 meters across, and 305.76 meters high, it was the largest starship class ever built by Starfleet .

The Invincible class Command Battleship-Fleet Carrier.

• 2 Special features and capabilities
• 3 Vanguard Command
• 4.1 Offensive capabilities
• 4.2 Defensive capabilities
• 5.1 Tactical flyer group
• 5.2 Embarked escort ships
• 5.3 Standard auxiliary craft complement
• 6 Task force flagship role
• 7 Command and senior staff
• 8.1 Navigation Bridge
• 8.2 Flag Bridge
• 8.3 Flight Operations Bridge
• 9.1 Impulse drive
• 9.2 Warp drive
• 9.3 Quantum slipstream drive
• 10.1 Redundant bio-neural / isolinear Circuitry
• 10.2 Communications array
• 11 Emergency holographic complement
• 12.1 Astrometrics & stellar cartography
• 12.2 Science labs
• 13 Medical facilities
• 14.1 Accommodations
• 14.2 Mess lounges
• 14.3 Recreational facilities
• 15 Related links

Overview [ ]

Combining the abilities of a fully armed battleship, a full-fledged fleet carrier, and a mobile base of operations all in one massive platform, the Invincible -class of starship was the new flagship class of Starfleet . Designed as part of Starfleet's advanced technology starship program, the Invincible -class emerged from the dockyards in 2384 as the most sophisticated, most comprehensively armed, most impressive and the most advanced starship in Starfleet. This class of vessel was no doubt designed because of the Borg threat.

The hull configuration of the Invincible -class was comparable to other established Starfleet vessels, incorporating design characteristics of battle-proven designs. Her carrier features were considered to be the next step in carrier technology, as she was capable of carrying four (4) whole wings (four squadrons per wing, nine fighters per squadron) of tactical fighters into combat scenarios.

She was also capable of overpowering heavily armed enemy starships in one-on-one combat. The Invincible -class was currently one of very few Starfleet vessels that has enough firepower for any combat role, yet also carries the full capabilities of an exploratory starship.

She incorporates every weapons system known to Starfleet , supports triple computer cores and a twin type-D trelinium/dilithium hybrid reactor. With her 60 Decks on the primary and secondary hulls, 1,607.2 meter length, and full crew complement of 4,000, she was virtually a city in space. Only three ships of this class have been built.

Special features and capabilities [ ]

The Invincible -class was designed to provide military superiority in unstable regions. As such, it was well armed and self reliant, capable of handling all types of military situation, including fleet battle. The Invincible -class was equipped with Starfleet 's most advanced and most extensive weapons and defense systems. Constructed to explore uncharted space and to be able to stand toe-to-toe against any threat, it was a hard-hitting starship that was much more powerful than the Sovereign -class . Starfleet Engineering specified a long-range, multi-purpose fleet carrier-battleship that can capably function as a fleet command ship, as well as one that could penetrate enemy defenses and strike strategic installations with little or no escort. While fairly effective flying solo, the Invincible -class was devastating when operating as the center of a starship formation or a fleet. However, as Starfleet appears to be taking on the role of galactic police officer, it was also fitted for diplomatic purposes to hopefully stop conflict as it starts.

The Invincible -class merges the catamaran hull design of the Akira -class with the features of the fleet carrier-classes. It has three main hulls or sections: the primary hull, the secondary hull, and the tertiary hull . The Carrier Section was found in the secondary hull and was connected directly to the Saucer Section. The tertiary hull was composed of the ship's Catamaran and the wide roll bar carrying the sensor array and Catamaran superstructure.

The ship combines the maneuverability (both physically and mission-wise) of the Sovereign -class , the overwhelming firepower of the Achilles -class and Katana -class with their quantum mini-torpedo phalanx arrays and thick shielding, the ablative hull armor of the Defiant -class , the technological advancements and speed of the Prometheus -class , the bio-neural circuitry and borrowed regenerative and multiphasic shielding , and ablative armor plating technology found on the future Intrepid -class .

Vanguard Command [ ]

Only three vessels of the Invincible -class have been built by the Federation . All three were deployed as primary platforms of the three major fleets of Starfleet to "hot spots" where Starfleet Command was expecting a fight.

There was only one staship of this class assigned to the Vanguard Fleet and was its flagship. The Invincible -class Fleet Carrier - Command Battleship USS Invincible was the flagship of Task Force Invincible , the primary task force of the Vanguard Fleet .

Onboard tactical systems [ ]

The Invincible -class carried an extremely heavy torpedo complement. The phaser and torpedo firepower of the Invincible -class Fleet Carrier - Command Battleship makes it a powerful force in ship-to-ship combat. The ship’s weaponry systems consist of the most advanced phaser and torpedo systems available.

Offensive capabilities [ ]

The Invincible -class features 18 torpedo launchers . It has a total payload complement of 50 transphasic torpedoes , 750 quantum torpedoes and 1,500 high-yield photon torpedoes . It was also outfitted with 18 mini-torpedo phalanx arrays that face directly out, at 9 launchers each to port and starboard, with a complement of 3,600 quantum mini-torpedoes . Arranged this way, the phalanx arrays allow for an astoundingly high rate of fire that was able to cripple starships and ward off wings of fighters, while letting the ship keep its eye on its primary target.

The Invincible -class was also armed with 24 Type-XII phaser arrays , scattered in strips about the vessel to insure optimum firing arcs. These weapons have been improved since their debut on the Sovereign -class , including a 75% increase in beam output, a shorter firing time of .65 seconds, and a shorter recharge time of .2 seconds. The firing time was reduced to concentrate all beam energy to when the beam hits shield or hull, which exponentially increases overall efficiency and nearly doubles damage to shields. 12 forward triple-mounted Type-XII pulse phaser cannons and 12 rotary triple-mounted Type-XII pulse phaser cannons were also mounted, which have been similarly upgraded since their debut on the Defiant -class .

Defensive capabilities [ ]

The shield system of the Invincible -class was, quite simply, among the most powerful on any Starfleet ship. The design of the quadruple-redundant emitters provide regenerative features and to increase effectiveness against both high energy tractor beams and phased anti-muon (polaron) particles, measures clearly aimed at the Borg and Dominion respectively. Under normal operation, the shield modulation frequencies were controlled by the ship's computer system, which continually evaluates incoming weapons fire and automatically remodulates the shields to provide the most effective defense possible. It was thought that this system can also prevent beam-through by Borg transporter technology.

The Invincible -class utilizes a series of interlocking duranium - tritanium - tetraburnium poly-alloy truss frames for its space frame construction and hull. Instead of gamma wave welding, all ships of its class use transporter welding to create stronger joints. Its hull was also made of overlapping and regenerative ablative hull armor that allows it to take many direct hits from enemy fire even with minimal shields.

In addition, the class has been equipped with two armor generators that can deploy a thick layer made of ablative armor plating along the contours of the entire ship when activated. This can be done through the armor emitters that were installed at different points on the ship's hulls. Phaser arrays were covered by this coating, but torpedo systems remain uncovered.

This triple redundancy feature of shields and armor on the Invincible -class gives it a high degree of resistance to Borg and Dominion firepower. However, due to the huge amounts of energy needed to activate both the shields and the generated armor coating at the same time, the Invincible -class can only use all three simultaneously for several hours.

The Invincible -class 's hull was coated in microdiffracted carbon to absorb all visible radiation that fell upon it, making it as black as the space it moved through.

Carrier features [ ]

A primary feature of the Invincible -class was the arrangement of her flight decks. The ship has three flight decks. Aside from the flight decks, the secondary hull also houses equipment, locker rooms, offices, and other various services which the flight crews may need.

The two large full fly-through flight decks of the Carrier Section house the Invincible's Tactical Fighter Group composed of four wings, or a total of 16 squadrons. They run the width of the Carrier Section and have multiple bay doors at starboard and port sides, allowing for large numbers of simultaneous launch and landing operations.

Two wings of four squadrons each were housed in each of the flight decks. This was where all the fighters and equipment were kept. All fighter launchings and dockings take place here. These large hangars were capable of supporting and maintaining almost 144 tactical fighters, as well as several combat-equipped runabouts and shuttlecraft, including support facilities for all.

Tactical flyer group [ ]

The Invincible -class boasts of a complement of 144 Valkyrie -class advanced tactical flyers, divided into 16 squadrons of 9 fighters each. The vessel also has flyer and shuttlecraft construction and repair facilities onboard to keep support craft numbers at a constantly optimum level.

Embarked escort ships [ ]

Invincible -class capital ships are large enough to carry six escort ships, namely:

• Two Defiant -class Tactical Frigates docked in the underside of the ship's dorsal superstructure on recessed docking ports
• Four Valiant -class Tactical Corvettes housed in the hangar bay located aft of the saucer section, above the third flight deck of the ship and between the two large impulse engines.

These ships were deployed on the occasions when the Invincible -class was required to travel on solitary missions and without its permanent escort complement or attached task force. They served as permanent escort ships. Each had an assigned detail from the parent ship's main crew.

The Invincible class with its companion ships.

Standard auxiliary craft complement [ ]

The third flight deck located dorsal aft of the Saucer Section, below the ship’s superstructure, was where all auxiliary runabouts, non-tactical flyers and shuttles were kept. The Invincible -class was equipped with a complement of 48 auxiliary crafts of varying types, with support facilities for all:

• 8 Venture -class scout ships
• 8 Yellowstone -class runabouts,
• 8 Flyer -class heavy shuttlecrafts
• 12 Type-11 medium shuttlecrafts
• 12 Type-9 light shuttlecrafts .

Task force flagship role [ ]

Invincible -class starships were designed to serve as flagships of the largest task force formations of Starfleet . As such, she was accompanied by about 70 other combat-oriented starships during task force formations. Invincible -class starships were also one of only three ship classes in Starfleet with permanently attached companion ships.

Command and senior staff [ ]

Owing to their being task force flagships, Invincible -class starships have Commanding Officers that have the rank of Rear Admiral , while Executive Officers hold the rank of Commodore . Second Officers , Fighter Group Command Officers , and on occasions Chief Medical Officers hold the rank of Captain .

Flag facilities / Command Center [ ]

Another special feature of the Invincible -class were the full flag facilities with which it was equipped. Invincible -class starships serve as the flagships of the largest fleets of Starfleet. A primary flag facility onboard was the Flag Bridge , which was found in the middle portion of the Command Center .

Primary operational control of the task force, the ship and the tactical wings of the ship was provided by the Command Center , located at the top of the primary hull. The Command Center was ovoid in shape from aft to forward and was divided into three parts: the Navigation Bridge, the Flight Operations Bridge, and the Flag Bridge.

Navigation Bridge [ ]

The Navigation Bridge was primarily where the ship can be commanded. It directly supervises all primary mission operations and coordinates all departmental activities. It was located at the front most portion of the Command Center

• At the Navigation Bridge’s aft section was a large bank of control consoles that were programmable for a multitude of functions and data readout screens. Center of that area was the Master Systems Display . All relevant ship information (such as damage, power distribution, etc.) could be displayed on this cutaway image of the vessel. Above this whole section was the forward handrail of the Flag Bridge, separating the latter from the Navigation Bridge.
• The central area of the Navigation Bridge provides seating and information displays for the ship’s Commanding Officer and two command level officers. The command chair was slightly raised from the rest of the bridge officers to the height of the surrounding level. At the end of the armrests of the command chair were control panels with miniaturized status displays which could be used to override the basic operation of the starship. The two officer seats were also equipped with retractable and fully programmable consoles for a variety of uses.
• Directly aft of this area, integrated in the handrail encircling the aft section of the central command area were the three consoles of the tactical and security station.
• Directly fore of the central command area was the Conn Station and the seat of the Conn Officer , which face the main viewer. To the port side of the Conn Officer , also facing the main view screen, was the Operations Officer 's console, which was identical in size and design to the Conn Station.
• At the very front of the bridge chamber was a large view screen. When the screen was not active, a standard bulkhead was present. On the floor between the view screen and the helm control station was a holo communicator.
• Aft and to the port-side of the command area was an elevated platform on which the three consoles of the Engineering Station were located. This has a smaller cutaway diagram of the vessel, which shows all engineering-relevant data and shows warp fields and engine output.
• Aft and to the starboard of the Command Area was another elevated platform on which the three consoles of the Science Station were located.
• To the aft of both Science and Engineering Stations were two identical command consoles that could be operated to perform more bridge duties. Aft of these were the passageways that lead to the Flag Bridge and the Flight Operations Bridge beyond.

Flag Bridge [ ]

The Flag Bridge was the nerve center of the task force led by the Invincible -class . It was where coordination between task force elements and planning for task force movements were done, whether in squadron formation, in mission group formation or in strike group formation. It was located in the middle of the Command Center , separated from the Navigation Bridge in front and Flight Operations Bridge in the rear by port and aft doors. As the sector command hub whenever the flag officer was onboard, it was a combination briefing room, operations center and workplace from which the flag officer could keep a weather eye on the ships of the task force and on the situation over dozens of star systems under the flag officer's command. It was dominated by a large, oval holotable, with virtual panes hanging suspended in the air above it and a gesture-sensitive interface.

• At the aft wall of the Flag Bridge was the Master Systems Display of the whole task force and the whole sector.
• The central area of the Flag Bridge provide space for the Fleet Operations Table, a large oval-shaped console which can display above it a three-dimensional image of any region in space where ships of the task force were located. It can also serve as a holo-communicator.
• Directly on the aft side of the Fleet Operations Table was the seat of the ship’s flag officer .
• Directly on the fore side of the Fleet or Sector Operations Table was the seat of the Fleet Operations Officer who was responsible for monitoring and working the fleet operations table.
• To the portside of the central area were two fleet control consoles, one intelligence console, and one mission ops console. Fleet control consoles convey the flag officer ’s orders to the ships of the task force and receive messages intended for the flag officer.
• To the starboard of the central area were two more fleet control consoles, one long-range sensor console, and one mission ops console.

Flight Operations Bridge [ ]

The Flight Operations Bridge was where the ship’s complement of flyers and auxiliary crafts were directed from. It directly coordinates the movement of the ship’s flyers and support crafts in mission. It was located aft of the Command Center . The Flight Operations Bridge was supported by at least two Flight Deck Control Centers located at the flight decks.

• At the aft wall of the Flight Operations Bridge was the flight deck and hangar bay systems displays. On either side were control consoles for hangar bay operations.
• The central area of the Flight Operations Bridge provide seating and a console for the ship’s Fighter Group Command Officer , the Flight Operations Command Chair.
• Directly fore of the central area were the four mission control consoles facing the flight ops viewer, at two to portside and two to starboard.
• Aft and to the portside were two of four flight deck control consoles.
• Aft and to the starboard were the other two flight deck control consoles.
• At the forward wall of the Flight Operations Bridge was a holographic wall screen which could display fighter and support craft locations and movements within a given stellar region in three dimension.

The three bridges of the Command Center were connected to each other by doorways on the port and starboard side to allow for easy access between the three parts of the Center. On the portside of the Command Center were three glass-walled ready rooms: one for the flag officer , one for the ship's commanding officer and one for the fighter operations command officer. On the starboard side of the Command Center was the long briefing lounge which features a long table and seating for the senior staff of the three bridges. This can be separated by glass walls if the senor staff of each bridge neede privacy.

Propulsion systems [ ]

The propulsion system onboard ships of this class were state-of-the-art. The class boasts of the best navigational sensors and among the highest rated top speed of any Starfleet vessel.

Impulse drive [ ]

The impulse drive system of the Invincible -class was the most sophisticated model in production. Her oversized impulse engines were equipped with impulse thrusters that provide superb sublight maneuvering speed, especially considering her size. With this design, along with the new retro-thrusters, and uprated structural integrity fields give the ship maneuverability equal to the size of a Steamrunner -class vessel.

Warp drive [ ]

The ship’s matter-antimatter reaction assembly warp core was the most powerful in Starfleet . The warp core spanned 20 decks just behind the center line of the primary hull. Its warp drive featured a quadri-cyclic input manifold and was designed to operate for up to 5 years before refueling. The ship's warp engines were based on a new concept in warp drive design, one which eliminates subspace distortion effects inherent to standard warp drives . The reaction chamber was equipped with a compositor, which allowed recrystallization of dilithium . The deuterium tanks were above the core, while antimatter storage pods surrounded the base of the core.

A Class-9 warp core was located aft of the primary warp core and spans 7 decks and brought online when the primary warp core was offline. This allows the ship to travel at a cruising speed of warp 6 while the primary warp core was offline.

Equipped with the enhanced warp drive system of the Khronnians , the Invincible -class can now safely attain and indefinitely sustain a normal cruise speed of Warp 8.5, a maximum cruise speed of Warp 9.5 and a top speed of Warp 9.99 sustainable for up to twelve (12) hours.

Quantum slipstream drive [ ]

The Invincible -class was equipped with a quantum slipstream drive in addition to its primary and secondary warp drives , located adjacent to the warp drive . This allows the ships to travel 300 light years in an hour. The systems installed as part of the slipstream drive included a quantum field focus controller at the front of the ship's main deflector and a chroniton integrator; the latter of which could be used to take sensor readings several seconds into the future when the ship was using its slipstream drive.

Computer systems [ ]

The Invincible -class starship was equipped with some of the most advanced computer systems of the time. The ship carries four independent computer cores. These multiple cores provided redundancy in case one of the cores was damaged or destroyed. The main computer processor was capable of simultaneous access to 47 million data channels, of transluminal processing at 575 trillion calculations per nanosecond, and having operational temperature margins from 10 ° to 1790 ° Kelvin. The bio-neural circuitry sped up the computer's data functions and improved overall performance.

Redundant bio-neural / isolinear Circuitry [ ]

The ship’s size allow it to be fitted with both bio-neural gel pack and isolinear computer interfaces and circuitry. The bio-neural circuitry enables high-speed information transfers and the newest sensor equipment with efficiency levels that exceed that of the Galaxy -class by 100%. The isolinear circuitry provides for redundancy, allowing the ship’s computer systems to continue operating in the event that the bio-neural circuitry were affected by viruses and infectious agents encountered in deep space.

Communications array [ ]

In its role as a command ship, the Invincible -class 's advanced communications array allows the embarked flag officer to relay battle-critical information instantaneously.

Emergency holographic complement [ ]

This class was equipped with holo-emitters on every deck to allow emergency holographic programs a higher level of access and free movement around the ship. The ship’s computer systems can simultaneously bring online an extended Long-term Holographic Program Package composed of:

• 3 Mark-III Long-term Command and Navigation Holograms (LCNH)
• 4 Mark-III Long-term Security and Tactical Holograms (LSTH); 1 Gorn , 1 Pahkwa-thanh , 1 Hirogen , 1 Brikar .
• 6 Mark-III Long-term Engineering Holograms (LEH)
• 3 Mark-IX Long-term Medical Holograms (LMH)
• 3 Mark-III Long-term Health Care Holograms (LHCH)
• 3 Mark-III Long-term Science Holograms (LSH)

Science features [ ]

Also designed to go for extensive periods on deep space exploratory duties, the Invincible -class was equipped with cutting-edge scientific equipment.

It also serves as a testbed for experimental science technology not yet available in most other classes. State of the art computers give it unprecedented storage capacity, access speed, and rigorous conditioning. Combined with a wide array of sensors on the dorsal superstructure and covering a large amount of the exposed surface, makes the Invincible -class a premier ship of the line for Starfleet ’s scientific endeavors.

Astrometrics & stellar cartography [ ]

The Invincible -class also boasts of four large Astrometrics labs and one Stellar Cartography Department, which was not only dedicated to the science and practice of charting space, but could also be used for long-range communications purposes or even, as a workplace for easy access to sensor information. It features a holotank which allows a person to gain a 360° panoramic view of an area using holographic technology. There were a series of control panels to manipulate the screen. The area below the screen and in front of the control panels could be used as a stage during presentations. Astrometrics also include 8 additional workstations on the side walls.

Science labs [ ]

There were 35 science labs on the Invincible -class . 20 were non-specific labs were easily modified for various scientific endeavors including Bio/Chem, and Physics tests and/or experiments. 15 were specific labs on Planetary Development, Geologic Studies, Languages/Archaeology, XT (extra-terrestrial) analysis, Eugenics, Biologics Laboratories, Atmospheric Physics experiments, and High-Energy Physics. There were also 5 smaller labs which can be configured for astrophysics/astrometrics and stellar cartography studies. Science Department crews rotate often among these laboratories. The Chief Science Officer's office was attached to this bank of labs.

Medical facilities [ ]

There were 3 large sickbay facilities located onboard the Invincible -class : Command Sickbay, Main Sickbay and Flight Deck Sickbay.

Command Sickbay has 3 intensive-care biobeds, 3 medical laboratories, 10 standard biobeds and the Chief Medical Officer's office.

Main Sickbay has 3 dedicated surgery suites, 2 medical laboratories, a physical therapy facility, a null-gravy therapy ward, and 16 standard biobeds.

Flight Deck Sickbay also has 3 dedicated surgery suites, 2 medical laboratories, a physical therapy facility, a null-gravy therapy ward, and 16 standard biobeds.

Also pursuant to new Medical Protocols, all Primary Medical Facilities were equipped with holo-emitters for the usage of the Emergency Medical Hologram System.

Crew facilities [ ]

The Invincible -class boasts standard crew quarters and recreation facilities for its 4,000 crrew complement.

Accommodations [ ]

Because of its combat oriented features, crew berthing facilities on this ship class were comparable to that of an Intrepid -class . Quarters in general were smaller than those of other large Federation vessels, such as the Sovereign -class . With emphasis towards the tactical and fighter carrier systems being the priority in the vessel designers' minds, ensigns , non-commissioned officers and crewmen had to share their quarters with at least one other crewmate during normal times of operation. Each shared cabin for crewmen had four stacked bunks, one replicator port, a small living area, and a twin bathroom. Each shared cabin for ensigns and non-commissioned officers had two small bedrooms, one replicator port, a living area, and a twin bathroom.

Officers of the rank lieutenant junior grade and lieutenant were given their own quarters, which included a living area with work station, a small bedroom and a bathroom. Senior officers’ quarters were larger than junior officers’ quarters and lined the edge of the saucer section and usually have windows.

Meanwhile, the quarters of the embarked flag officer , the executive officer and the fighter group command officer were equivalent to the captain ’s quarters onboard an Intrepid -class starship.

Mess lounges [ ]

There were 10 large mess halls and 5 smaller mess lounges onboard that were equipped with full bar and kitchen facilities, each managed by a Mess officer , with a private captain's dining room just behind the mess lounge , all served by windows that offered a spectacular view of space outside. Eating accommodations were provided by a slew of tables and chairs. The larger mess halls can occupy 100 diners at a time, while the mess lounges can occupy 32 diners at a time. Each mess area has a very relaxed and congenial air about it. At the head of the hall were open slots that served as dispensers for the replicators . The mass-use replicators were able to produce other food and non-alcoholic beverages with an extensive recipe listing from over two hundred worlds for the crew to enjoy in this relaxed social setting. The most notable accessory to the lounge was a modest-sized bar area, offering a wide selection of synthetic and alcoholic. To conserve replicator rations, the mess halls ’ menu was supplemented with food stocks of vegetables cooked by the mess officers from the airponics bay and hydroponics bay, along with food obtained from trading and scouting missions. In addition, the mess lounges can double as large meeting areas that could be used to conduct crew briefings and mission profiles. A tall screen panel located on one of the walls can be used as a visual aid to display graphics.

Recreational facilities [ ]

16 standard holodeck facilities and 32 holosuites were scattered all over the ship. The facilities of 8 gyms on the Invincible -class were not only spacious, but were also well outfitted. The facilities include variable weight machines, isometric machines, and calisthenic machines and a sparring ring configured for Anbo-Jytsu but easily modified and/or expanded for other practices. All equipment was equipped with the ability to variate gravity for those species that were physically biased toward higher or lower than standard gravity.

Related links [ ]

• List of Vanguard Command starship classes
• List of Invincible class starships
• 1 Invincible class
• 2 Diligent class (Vanguard)
• 3 William V of the United Kingdom

I have been a fan of science fiction for more than thirty years, since my parents introduced me to Star Wars some time in 1991. Since then, I’ve become obsessed to varying degrees with many shows including Star Trek , Babylon 5 , Battlestar Galactica , The Expanse , and many others. Generally, I don’t buy into most of the incessant crossover debates that frequently rage on certain sci-fi message boards. Rather than waste time proving that the Imperial Star Destroyer can blast Kirk’s Enterprise into molten slag, I prefer to enjoy each story based on the merits of its own setting and plot. Since the entire technological background is fictional anyway, the writers can simply make up any quasi-scientific principles that they wish for the sake of the plot.

Although I’m not that interested in the technological comparisons between series, I’ve occasionally wondered about how a certain starship would compare in size to those of another series. When Farscape ’s John Crichton first saw Moya , he exclaimed, “That’s big.... really big.” The question is, just how big is “big”? So I started to gather a list of the sizes of various science fiction ships. There are plenty of fans out there who have worked up all kinds of comparison charts on their own. But the one thing that very few of those charts has ever done is to include non-canon fan designs alongside the original canon starships. I decided to create one all-encompassing chart that would include many (if not quite all) of the Star Trek ships that are out there. The charts available below include those created by the Advanced Starship Design Bureau , Masao Okazaki at the Starfleet Museum , and Star Trek: Renaissance , the fan fiction series of which I was once a part.

I originally started these charts as a side project , to fulfill my own curiosity for how the ships stacked up. But they’ve become one of the most popular resources on Star Trek Minutiae, and I’ve even found copies of them floating around elsewhere on the web. So, here’s the original cross-sci-fi starship reference!

Star Trek Comparison Charts

General Sci-Fi Comparison Charts

Frequently Asked Questions

Idle Stats as of 2022-06-17: 945 ships and space stations total, 607 from Star Trek (including 86 non-canon designs)

External Links

• Ex Astris Scientia: Fleet Charts
• Daystrom Institute Technical Library: Size Charts
• Park My Spaceship
• Dirk Loechel’s Size Comparison
• Jeff Russell’s Starship Comparison (no longer updated)

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Most Powerful Star Trek Ships, Ranked

What is the most feared ship in the entire galaxy?

How do you quantify starship power in the Star Trek universe ?

Is it the armament? The speed? The shields? The sheer size of a vessel? Or perhaps it’s the captain and crew at the helm?

We believe it’s all of those things and more, so we took 46 of the most noteworthy Star Trek starships and placed them in a head-to-head battle.

Which iconic ship came out on top? Find out below.

Warp ahead for our rankings of the most powerful Star Trek ships ever.

• Entertainment

From TOS to Picard: 40 most powerful Star Trek spacecraft, ranked

It's Enterprise vs. Borg cube time. From the Captain Kirk days to Deep Space Nine, Enterprise to Picard, we've ranked all the greatest ships. Resistance is futile!

This is what we call Enterprise reporting ...

Belt up: We've ranked 40 iconic Star Trek ships, probes and shuttles from the (relatively) least powerful to the (overwhelmingly) most powerful. 

Our rankings are based on specs culled from StarTrek.com and Memory Alpha. The crafts have been assessed for their speed, size and ability to assert their will via either weaponry or overall world-destroying power. Craft from both the prime and Kelvin timelines were eligible for consideration, provided they belong to the Star Trek canon, which extends from the original Star Trek TV series to CBS All Access' Star Trek: Picard .

Warp speed ahead for the rankings! 

(Disclosure: CBS is CNET's parent company.)   

40. SS Botany Bay

Viewed on the screen of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) from the prime timeline of Star Trek  the original series, the fun-sized Botany Bay is a pre-warp, 20th-century DY-100 class vessel from Earth. It's most famous for its de-facto captain, the genetically modified strongman Khan Noonien Singh, better known in Captain Kirk-speak as " KHAAAAN! "  

39. Phoenix

The Phoenix may be a primitive ship, but it's über - important. Per the Star Trek canon, and as seen in Star Trek: First Contact , Zefram Cochrane's and Lily Sloane's refashioned nuclear missile is the first Earthling craft to use warp drive -- and achieve  first contact  with an E.T. species, the Vulcans.    

38. Friendship 1

As we learn in a Star Trek: Voyager  episode, this deep-space probe is launched in 2067 -- or, four years after the Phoenix's game-changing flight. It represents Earth's early desires to seek out new worlds and new civilizations. 

37. USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-J)

This 26th-century, Universe-class Federation starship, called a "distant relative" of the Enterprise (NX-01), is glimpsed in the Star Trek: Enterprise  episode, "Azati Prime." 

Owing to its presumed advanced tech, it should vie for a top spot on this list. But it's at the back of the pack because, one, it is only briefly glimpsed, and, two, a time-traveling Captain Jonathan Archer is told the Enterprise-J exists in a possible future timeline.   

36. Galileo (NCC-1701-7)

What this Class F shuttlecraft of the prime-timeline's Enterprise lacks in photon torpedoes, it makes up in significance: It is the focal point of the beloved Star Trek original-series episode, " The Galileo Seven ," the original prop from which was on display at the official visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center. 

35. USS Raven (NAR-32450)

The remains of this Federation starship are seen in the Star Trek: Voyager  episode, "The Raven." In better days, the exploration vessel was the home -- and workplace -- of the Borg-studying scientists Magnus and Erin Hansen. Per StarTrek.com, the couple and their young daughter, Annika, the future Seven of Nine , are considered "perhaps the first [humans] to be assimilated" by the Borg.

34. Deep Space Nine

On one hand, Deep Space Nine, the setting for the same-titled TV series, is just an old Cardassian mining station. On the other hand, it's an old Cardassian mining station that, by Season 4 of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , is retrofitted with 5,000 photon torpedoes. Klingons beware.

33. USS Defiant (NX-74205)

Don't let its waffle-iron looks fool you. This Federation ship is tricked out with a Romulan cloaking device, and is built for Borg battles. The Defiant is adept at taking out Jem'Hadar warships, and, from a storyline perspective, opening up Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . It also adds spunk to Star Trek: First Contact .   

32. La Sirena

This is the lone entry from Star Trek: Picard . According to Memory Alpha, this newcomer, captained on the show by Cristóbal Rios, is a Kaplan F17 Speed Freighter, a class of civilian ships equipped with shields, phasers -- and a whole lot of hologram capabilities. 

31. USS Franklin (NX-326)

Like other Freedom-class starships, the Franklin is small, but tough. The 22nd-century craft is equipped with cannons, torpedoes, stealth technology, and, in the Kelvin timeline of  Star Trek: Beyond , seat belts. In the flick, Captain Kirk and crew salvage the rusted-up, long-lost Franklin, and use its warp 4 power to get from the planet Altamid to the Starbase Yorktown.   

30. Enterprise (NX-01)

In much of the Star Trek universe, warp 5 power and a cargo-only transporter bay won't get you far. But in the 22nd century setting of Star Trek: Enterprise , this Starfleet ship, capable of carrying a crew of nearly 100, is a triumph of Zefram Cochrane's theories of space travel.

29. Sh'Raan

The Vulcans may be better known for logic than combat ships, but the pre-Federation years are a salty time, and Spock's forerunners are ready to throw down in this Star Trek: Enterprise -era craft with warp 7 power.

28. USS Shenzhou (NCC-1227)

Introduced in Star Trek: Discovery , the Philippa Georgiou-captained Shenzhou is a Walker-class Federation starship of the 23rd century. It's possessed of cannons, phasers, torpedoes -- and bad luck. Following a mutiny, it's destroyed in 2256's Battle of the Binary Stars. 

27. Sarcophagus

The Sarcophagus is a 23rd-century Klingon ship. It's larger than the Shenzhou, which it encounters in the Star Trek: Discovery  pilot. Its most impressive feature is its most unique feature: Its armor is a patchwork of caskets containing the remains of Kilngon warriors. 

26. Jem'Hadar warship

You can't tell the story of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  without the Dominion, and you can't tell the story of the Dominion without its military branch, the Jem'Hadar, whose battleships can defy tractor beams and compromise an opponent's shields.

25. USS Prometheus (NCC-71201)

As seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , this Nebula-class Federation ship is a floating science experiment. Its lofty goal: to reignite a dead sun. It gets the job done.

24. USS Excelsior (NX-2000)

The vessel that ably serves Captain Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country  is the first Federation craft to feature transwarp drive. It would rank higher here, save for the apparent ease with which Scotty disables its bells and whistles in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock .

23. D7-class battle cruiser

At 748 feet long (228 meters), and with the capacity for a crew of 430, this Klingon ship is the largest of its era. Per StarTrek.com, it is also the "pinnacle of combat warships in the 23rd century." It'd rank higher here, except, well, even cooler stuff came along in the 24th century. 

22. Scimitar

This Reman-made ship from Star Trek: Nemesis   is stocked with enough disruptor banks (52) and photon-torpedo bays (27) to impress, but its real power lies in its ability to convert itself into a thalaron weapon , similar to a nuclear weapon but far more devastating.

21. Vor'Cha-class attack cruiser

A mainstay of the Star Trek universe, this powerful, heavily armed Klingon craft is nearly as long as a Galaxy-class Federation starship, a la the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) of Star Trek: The Next Generation .  

20. USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)

This Constitution-class starship is essentially a replica of the original, iconic Enterprise. 

First seen blasting off in the prime timeline of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , the Enterprise-A also appears in the Kelvin timeline of the J.J. Abrams-era Star Trek films. There is no known distinction between the Enterprise-As of the two timelines.  

19. USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-B)

This 23rd-century, Excelsior-class Federation starship is a sleeker version of the Constitution-class Enterprise of the prime timeline. In Star Trek: Generations , Captain Kirk is aboard the Enterprise-B when it's damaged by the Nexus ribbon -- and Kirk is swept away (and presumed dead). 

18. USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), prime timeline

So, sure, the Enterprise of the original Star Trek series (of the original Star Trek timeline, natch) would lose a drag race with, say, the USS Voyager (NCC-74656), but speed isn't everything. The Constitution-class vessel is part warship, part science lab -- and all kinds of iconic. 

17. USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), Kelvin timeline

According to Gizmodo, the Kelvin timeline's Enterprise is more than twice the size of the prime timeline's Enterprise. Storyline-wise, however, the craft is still the product of the 23rd century, so it can't really kick it at more than warp 8.

16. Romulan warbird

In Star Trek: The Next Generation , Captain Jean-Luc Picard and crew, no strangers to swank and size, are in awe of this baby -- and for good reason. Per StarTrek.com, the Romulan warbird is "the largest and most powerful of Romulan spacecraft." 

15. Negh'Var warship

In the 24th century, this Klingon craft is the flagship of its fleet. It runs more than 2,250 massive feet long.

14. USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)

This 24th-century, Galaxy-class Federation starship is the star of Star Trek: The Next Generation , Captain Jean-Luc Picard's ride is bigger and faster than the Constitution-class Enterprise of the prime timeline. With 250 photon-torpedo bays, it's also better equipped to battle the Borg than its 23rd-century counterpart. 

13. USS Voyager (NCC-74656)

Captain Kathryn Janeway's relatively puny ship from Star Trek: Voyager  gets the edge over the Enterprise iterations we've covered so far, because it's smarter and faster. Powered in part by Borg technology, Voyager can cruise at warp 9.975.

12. USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)

This Sovereign-class craft, captained by Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: First Contact , Star Trek: Insurrection  and  Star Trek: Nemesis , was voted the best-engineered Federation ship (prime timeline) in a StarTrek.com fan poll. With quantum torpedoes and the ability to quickly dispatch a Borg cube, it's easy to see why.

11. USS Vengeance

This is a scary-powerful vessel from Star Trek's Kelvin timeline. As related in  " Star Trek: Into Darkness ," the Vengeance was developed off the Federation grid -- and with the help of Khan. The Vengeance is the one-and-only member of the Federation's Dreadnought battleship class.

10. The whale probe

There is no defeating this massive, cylindrical, power-sucking, starship-disabling, ocean-vaporizing threat from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home . There is only placating it with what it wants to hear: whales.

9. USS Discovery (NCC-1031)

There is nothing else quite like the namesake ship of Star Trek: Discovery . The Federation Crossfield-class starship is distinguished by a propulsion drive that allows it to jump (or, spore jump, if you prefer the technical term) from realm to realm. When last seen in the Season 2 finale, the ship had time-jumped nearly 1,000 years into the future . 

8. Xindi probe

This Xindi-dispatched probe from Star Trek: Enterprise  is a pure beam of destructive force. In a 22nd century attack on Earth, it wipes out more than 7 million people from Florida to Venezuela.

After this 20th century Earth probe melds with the E.T. probe, Tan Ru, it turns into a judgmental little bugger that wipes out at least 4 billion people across four planets. Captain Kirk and company encounter it in the Star Trek  original-series episode, The Changeling . 

6. "The Doomsday Machine"

In " The Doomsday Machine ," the Star Trek  original-series episode from which this nameless alien ship/lifeform sprang, we learn that "that thing" literally eats planets and everything else it finds, fueling itself with the resulting rubble.

5. Krenim temporal weapon ship

The promise -- or, rather, threat -- of this Star Trek: Voyager  craft is awesome: Possessed of timeline-changing power, the ship, we're told in the episode, "Year of Hell," can "erase [an] entire species from time." 

4. Species 8472 bioship

This craft is organic -- heavily armed and fortified organic. In Star Trek: Voyager , a Federation-Borg team-up is the only thing that can stop hundreds of these vessels from destroying pretty much everything they encounter. .

3. The Narada

This time-traveling Romulan mining ship is arguably the most significant ship in the Star Trek universe. 

In the 2009 Star Trek  film, the Narada launches an attack on the USS Kelvin, and prompts Captain Kirk's father, First Officer George Kirk, to take his dying ship on a suicide mission. The resulting collision with the Narada is so massive it creates a whole new timeline -- the Kelvin timeline.

In the new timeline, the devastating Narada destroys the planet Vulcan. 

2. The Borg cube

Such is the dark legend of this inscrutable spacecraft that fans routinely debate which is more powerful: Star Wars' vaunted Death Star ... or Star Trek's Borg cube . 

Before your next debate, consider this: The Death Star just wants to blow you up. The Borg cube, like the Borg itself, can blow you up, but it may just slice you up in bits instead -- the better to steal your technological soul.

1. V'Ger

As seen in Star Trek: The Motion Picture , V'Ger is a force-field cloud of destruction driven by an old Earth probe, Voyager 6.

That it wipes out Klingon Bird-of-Prey ships and a Federation space station without any apparent effort is one impressive thing. That it spans 7.6 billion miles (or 82 astronomical units) in diameter is another. Craft like this are not defeated; they can merely be managed. Hopefully.

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Ranking All the STAR TREK Hero Ships from Best to Worst

Over the past five decades, the Star Trek franchise has showcased some of the coolest starships in all of sci-fi TV and film history. But which one is the best? We’ve ranked the greatest “Hero Ships” from the series, from the classic ‘sixties ’60s show to more modern Treks like Picard , Discovery , and Strange New Worlds. And for clarity’s sake, we define “Hero Ship” as any starship where the main action takes place in a particular show or movie. Or that a principal character commanded in a pivotal way.

1. The Enterprise NCC-1701 (Refit) and the Enterprise NCC-1701-A, Constitution -class, seen in Star Trek films I-VI (1979-1991)

When Star Trek made the jump from the small screen to the big screen , the starship Enterprise got an upgrade to go with it. Undergoing a two-year refit, the remodeled Enterprise made its debut in Star Trek: The Motion Picture . They took the basic design concept from the sixties show, and upgraded it with more detail and sleeker warp nacelles. They destroyed that Enterprise in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , but in the next film we got a new Enterprise of the exact same type— Constitution -class refit. And since they’re the exact same model, we’re counting them as one. Still the ship we think of when someone says “ Star Trek. “

2. The Enterprise NCC-1701-D, Galaxy -class, seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Generations (1987-1994)

In a recent episode of Picard ‘s third season, a random person referred to the Enterprise -D as “the fat one.” Well, the saucer section was indeed very large , as a way of accommodating over 1,000 crew members and their families. But this design is the most organic looking of all the Starfleet vessels, and there was just something graceful and sleek about its design. Sure, it had pastel carpets on the floor and walls, and even wood paneling. Truly, a choice. But overall, the Enterprise -D just felt like a true home in space. And one we wouldn’t mind living in. We miss her still.

3. Voyager NCC-74656, Intrepid -class, seen in Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001)

The U.S.S. Voyager was a brand new ship when we were introduced to it, under the command of Captain Kathryn Janeway in the first episode of Star Trek: Voyager . The Intrepid -class ship was one of the late 24th-century successors of the Galaxy -class ships like the Enterprise -D. Yet it was much smaller, and could actually land on a planet. Her design kind of looked like a serving spoon with two nacelles sticking out, but there was something undeniably cool about this one. And it definitely had the coolest class of shuttlecraft on board.

4. Enterprise NCC-1701-E, Sovereign -class, seen in Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, Star Trek: Nemesis (1996-2002)

After they crashed the Enterprise -D onto a planet in Generations , a year later Starfleet introduced the next Federation flagship, the Enterprise -E. It was a Sovereign -class ship, longer than the Enterprise -D, but not wider. Its saucer section was more elongated, and the warp nacelles were larger. Something about this ship, designed with fighting Borg and Dominion in mind, made it look meaner and more militant than the Enterprise- D. Which was perfect, as she saw many battles in First Contact and in subsequent films.

5. The H.M.S. Bounty /Klingon Bird of Prey, seen in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1984-1986)

This entry is kind of cheating, we admit. However, the H.M.S. Bounty , a commandeered Klingon Bird of Prey, was under the command of Captain Kirk in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home . He and the displaced Enterprise crew saved the whales, and the entire future, with this ship. So we say it counts. It was jokingly renamed after the same 18th-century British vessel famous for its mutineers. Besides, it was the first Klingon Bird of Prey we ever saw, introduced in The Search for Spock . And that ship was one of the coolest in all of sci-fi history. It was so cool in fact, they used the model in TNG, DS9 , and several more films for years.

6. The Enterprise NCC-1701, Constitution -class, seen in Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969), Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973-1975), Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022-Present)

The original starship, commanded first by Christopher Pike and later by James T. Kirk. It was designed by Matt Jefferies in 1964 for the pilot episode of Star Trek. The basic design is as pure Trek as it gets, and remains iconic throughout the world . The only reason it ranks at this mid-tier level is that the feature films took this same design and greatly improved on it. We still see a version of the classic NCC-1701 Enterprise on Strange New Worlds , although with added details for a 4K HD world. But it’s still the same basic design, and you just can’t go wrong with it.

7. The Excelsior NCC-2000, prototype, seen in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

Introduced in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock as “the great experiment,” we count the Excelsior as a “hero ship” because her Captain was none other than Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . And she saw plenty of action in that film. She kind of looks like a version of the refit Enterprise , only one that hit the gym and got very swole. The Excelsior led to a whole class of ships named for her, of which the Enterprise -B was one. The Excelsior -class was in service for nearly 75 years.

8. The Defiant NX-74205, prototype class, seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , (1994-1999) , Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

It’s tiny compared to the other ships on this list, and kind of looks like a waffle skillet with a vacuum cleaner nozzle. A prototype vessel designed to fight the Borg , the Defiant was an overpowered ship that packed a lot of heat. She was the main starship assigned to Deep Space Nine, appearing in DS9 seasons 3-7. Her first appearance remains a visual indicator of when the show got really good. Riker called her “a tough little ship” in the movie First Contact, and we think that’s a fair description. She was the angry chihuahua of the Star Trek franchise. And for that, we love her.

9. The Enterprise NCC-1701 Constitution -class (Kelvin Timeline), seen in Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) and Star Trek Beyond (2016)

We generally like the alt-timeline Enterprise , introduced in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek 2009 reboot film . But, it had some weird design choices. The saucer section was aces, but the warp nacelles were too big, a bit too muscle-car-looking. The placement of the deflector dish section jetting out in a weird way made the ship look unharmonious in design. We don’t dislike it, but the new Enterprise didn’t have to go so deeply Fast and the Furious for this redesign. Maybe if we ever see the Kelvin-verse crew again, they’ll be in a newer and cooler-looking ship.

10. The Titan NCC-80102-A, Neo-Constitution -class, seen in Star Trek: Picard season 3 (2023)

The main hero ship of Star Trek: Picard , the Titan is a new Neo- Constitution -class, meant to evoke the original Constitution -class ships like Kirk’s Enterprise . Only with a lot more detail. The Titan feels like a true update of both the classic and the 24th-century Starfleet vessels seen throughout TNG, DS9, and Voyager . Although commanded by Captain Liam Shaw, Will Riker took command when Shaw was injured. The previous Titan , a Luna -class ship , was under the command of Riker years before. We saw him in command of that Titan on Lower Decks . The current Titan has components of the old Luna -class ship. So it qualifies as both a refit and also as a new ship, hence keeping the registry number.

11. The Discovery NCC-1031 and NCC-1031-A, Crossfield -class, seen in Star Trek: Discovery (2017-2024)

The 23rd Century U.S.S. Discovery had a lot of cool design features, especially once it got a 32nd-century upgrade in Discovery’s third season . It was actually based on old illustrations by Star Wars concept artist Ralph McQuarrie for a never-produced Trek movie. But Discovery was too weirdly flat looking, and with boxy warp nacelles, for us to ever really feel like something from Starfleet. It sort of looks like a pizza cutter, which is why they eventually made a Discovery pizza cutter . We just never really fell in love with the design for Discovery the way we wanted to.

12. The Protostar , NX-76884, prototype class, seen in Star Trek: Prodigy (2021-Present)

A relatively new ship to Star Trek canon, the Protostar is the hero ship of Star Trek: Prodigy. The experimental prototype ship harnessed the power of a young star. This energy helped it travel at incredible speeds, much faster than the average Federation starship. It had similar design elements to both Voyager and the Enterprise -E. And that makes sense, as it would have been built around the same time as those iconic ships.

13. The Cerritos NCC-75567, California -class, seen in Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020-Present)

The U.S.S. Cerritos , a California -class 24th-century ship (named for a real California city near Los Angeles), is the main ship on Star Trek: Lower Decks . The animated comedy series is about a crew stationed aboard the least important ship in Starfleet . Since it is a show filled with awkward main characters, the Cerrito s is appropriately awkward looking. It sort of looked like a frisbee with handlebars. We kind of like it, but majestic she ain’t.

14. The Enterprise NX-01, prototype class, seen in Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005)

To be fair, the 22nd-century NX-01 Enterprise was a prototype ship designed by Starfleet before there was ever even a Federation. It was the first Earth vessel to hit the Warp 5 mark, allowing them to explore far more of the galaxy. They meant it to look very “first draft,” if you get our meaning. But it all just looked a little too much like a first attempt. It’s not hideous, it’s just that the NX-01 looks very unassuming and slightly underwhelming. Kind of like the Enterprise series itself in the end.

15. The S.S . La Sirena , NAR-93131, Freighter-class, seen in Star Trek: Picard (2020-2023)

Introduced as Captain Cristobal Rios’ private vessel in the first season of Picard , the S.S. La Sirena has changed hands many times. Rios gave it to Seven of Nine in season two, who later turned it over to Raffi in season three. This red-hued speed freighter looked like a random ship from Star Wars , more than anything worthy of a main series Star Trek ship. It’s not that it’s awful, it just feels the most un- Trek of every ship on this list. And let’s face it, it looks like a space crab. Hopefully, by the end of Picard season three, someone will put this hand-me-down ship out of its misery.

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10 Highly Anticipated Book Adaptations We're Still Waiting For

The acolyte's cancellation speaks to how troubled the star wars brand is, adam sandler is homer simpson in the simpsons live-action movie concept trailer.

There are many reasons that fans keep coming back to Star Trek . For some people, it’s the great characters; compelling figures like Kirk and Picard show us what the best of humanity can be and serve as truly inspirational figures. For other fans, it’s all about the complex stories. Star Trek has spent decades using sci-fi as a kind of lens to help us exam big topics such as racism and nationalism. The fun never ends when an episode ends because fans have a ton of things to discuss and debate among themselves. However, there are some fans that are all about the starships that populate the franchise. The original Enterprise , for instance, is a thing of beauty: we could hardly fault fans that tuned in every week simply to see this sleek ship boldly go where no man had gone before.

In fact, fans love these ships so much that debates sometimes get pretty intense. What’s the subject of debate? Simple: fans try to determine what the most powerful ships in the franchise are, and with a show that regularly involves time travelers, dimensional visitors, and ancient alien races, it can be tough to figure this out. How can this debate be settled? Well, it’s tough to get hardcore fans to agree to much of anything. But we’re throwing our hats in the ring with our definitive guide to powerful ships in Trek . Ready to end the nerd debates once and for all? Keep reading to discover which ships in the Star Trek Universe are the most powerful.

Arguably, the most powerful threat Kirk ever faced (aside from a thing that may or may not have been God) was V’Ger. Once upon a time, this was the humble Voyager space probe. However, a planet full of machines (which some fans speculate may have been a Borg planet) made V’Ger into something mighty.

In fact, we never see the outer limits of this thing’s power. We know it can vaporize ships at will, and it’s also capable of creating perfect copies of Kirk’s crew. And it seems highly likely that if Kirk and Spock hadn’t managed to help it evolve, this thing could have wiped out all life on Earth!

19 BORG CUBE

Over the years, we’ve seen many different variants of Borg vessels. However, the most iconic and powerful of these vessels remains the Borg Cube. What makes this ship so dangerous? It’s the perfect combination of power and adaptability that makes them feared throughout the galaxy.

The Borg Cube’s power is undeniable -- a single ship wiped out 39 Starfleet vessels at Wolf 359 without breaking a sweat. And their ability to adapt to any form of attack means that even when someone does create an innovative solution, it won’t work for long. Is it too much to hope we might see these foes again in a future movie or TV show?

18 ENTERPRISE-J

For some of the ships on this list, we don’t have much information. Nonetheless, we can determine that the ship is packing a lot of power, and that’s the case with this big hitter from the far future: the Enterprise-J .

This is a ship far into the future of the Trek timeline. Captain Archer is transported to this ship briefly by a Temporal Agent. Since we know how advanced ships like the Enterprise-D and Enterprise-E are, we can only assume that this iteration of the famous vessel is packing a lot of power. Here’s hoping we see more of it in action some day!

17 WHALE PROBE

On a list of “most powerful” ships, there is an obvious question to ask: how do you define powerful? It’s not always a matter of a strong hull or scary phasers. Sometimes, what makes a ship powerful is that, as nearly as anyone can tell, is that it cannot truly be stopped!

That’s the case with the alien probe ship in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (also known as “the one with the whales”). This ship was not malicious, but its sheer proximity to Earth threatened all life on the planet. And seemingly the only way to stop it was to go back in time and bring back the one thing it wanted: whales!

Part of what makes Star Trek: The Next Generation so cool is that it helped to redefine what we considered life. For instance, one episode introduced us to Tin Man (more properly known as Gomtuu). And this creature blurred the line between “ship” and “life form.”

At first, this ship just seems big and mysterious. However, when it wants to, it’s capable of destroying powerful Romulan warbirds with a single thought. While we never see the upper range of this strange ship’s powers, it seems like it could be a major threat to the galaxy if it so chose to be.

15 THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE

We don’t see too many ships on this list from Captain Kirk’s era. That makes sense, after all: the ships only got bigger and stronger after The Original Series was over. However, one ship definitely makes the list: the so-called “Doomsday Machine.”

This ship kept things nice and simple. It destroys planets and uses them as fuel for its journey through space. And for any ships that get in the way? They become just another cosmic snack! It took the self detonation of a starship’s warp engines to finally stop this menace; otherwise, it may have devoured the galaxy!

14 VOTH CITY SHIP

Is it a ship? Is it a planet? Well... why not both? The next ship on our list is the Voth City Ship. As the name implies, though, this is far more than just another vessel. Instead, this is a ship large and powerful enough to house an entire civilization!

We don’t see this ship do anything crazy with phasers or photon torpedoes. However, it is powerful and advanced enough to instantly cut off Voyager’s communications and even cut its main power. Plus, the sheer size of this ship is amazing: Voyager looks like an ant compared to this giant vessel.

In some ways, time-traveling ships have the “cheat codes” for inclusion on this list. After all, your most modest modern automobile would seem like a powerhouse to someone living a hundred years ago. And that’s why ships like The Aeon, hailing from the 29th century, seem so powerful!

This ship’s conventional weapons are not necessarily that impressive. However, the sheer fact that it is a time vessel makes it dangerously powerful. Going back to the right place at the right time (so to speak) would allow the pilot to completely alter all of reality in order to benefit their own future selves.

In many ways, The Defiant was Star Trek ’s version of the Millennium Falcon. In fact, the Falcon’s description fits this other ship nicely: “she may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts.” And many of this ship’s best assets are hidden away.

For instance, it has special ablative armor to help it last longer in combat. And its phaser cannons, combined with speed and maneuverability, help it to take on both big ships and smaller fighters. And it is the only Starfleet vessel allowed to rock a cloaking device, making it a supreme “hit and run” threat to the Dominion and other enemies.

11 FUTURE ENTERPRISE-D

Fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation were likely looking for the Enterprise-D on this list. Well, it’s here, but not quite as you expected it: we’re giving the nod to the future ship as seen in the episode "All Good Things". And while we only have hints as to its power, they are very strong hints.

The ship has a third nacelle, possible indicating how powerful the engines are (remember, this baby can somehow go past warp 10). And we see the ship cut right through a powerful Klingon vessel with a single phaser beam -- it seems like Admiral Riker spent his twilight years turning this thing into a powerhouse.

In the Star Trek reboot movies, everything is bigger and tougher than in The Original Series . The Enterprise itself is huge (its size rivals the Enterprise-D ), so the threats had to get even scarier. The first big threat our rebooted heroes face is the Narada, also known as “Nero’s really big ship.”

From various scenes (including deleted scenes), we see that this ship is strong enough to take on fleets of Starfleet ships as well as a fleet of Klingon ships, and the quasi-canonical Star Trek comics established that this giant vessel had some scary future tech, including Borg weaponry! In the hands of someone like Nero, this was a huge threat to galactic peace.

For better or for worse, Star Trek: Nemesis did its best to channel Wrath of Khan . That meant having a cool ship for the Enterprise-E to go to- to-toe with. The ship we got was quite impressive: the Scimitar, a Reman ship design used by everyone’s favorite evil Picard clone Shinzon.

This ship was absolutely massive. Its raw firepower and sturdy hull was made to fight off Federation and Romulan ships alike, and that’s exactly what it did. Furthermore, the ship had a special biogenic pulse weapon that was capable of destroying entire planets’ populations in a quick and efficient fashion.

8 BREEN WARSHIPS

Some of the ships on this list are more like one-trick ponies. However, that doesn’t matter much when the trick is really good! And that’s exactly what the Federation, Klingons, and Romulans discovered when they faced the Breen warships in combat for the first time.

The main claim to fame for the Breen is that their ships have special energy dissipators. This means that with a single shot, they can disable a ship’s shields, weapons, and engines. Only Klingon ships were unaffected, and this eventually let the Federation figure out a workaround. Until then, though, the Breen were basically unstoppable!

7 SPECIES 8472

In some cases, we mostly understand how powerful a ship is when we see it go head to head with other powerful ships. That’s the case with the ships of Species 8472 -- they may look unimpressive at first glance. However, they were able to present one of the only real threats to the Borg!

These ships are fully organic and were able to fight off both Borg assimilation and the Borg’s ability to adapt. The result? These ships can destroy a Borg cube in under a minute. Considering that cubes completely completely wreck entire fleets, this accomplishment speaks for itself.

6 KRENIM TEMPORAL WEAPON

Many of the ships on this list weren’t necessarily designed for battle or to be used as weapons. Nonetheless, they have enough power (along with technical bells and whistles) to pose a major threat. This next ship, though, is pure weapon: in fact, it’s the Krenim Temporal Weapon!

This ship has enough conventional weapons to fight off small fleets of attackers. However, its primary purpose is to make adjustments to the timeline. This was used to deadly effect, and the ship helped to wipe several civilizations from the galaxy completely! If Captain Janeway wasn’t able to destroy this ship, it may have eventually destroyed the Federation.

When you’re thinking about powerful Federation ships, Voyager is probably not the first ship you imagine. After all, it’s not the biggest, nor the fastest. And it doesn’t have the most power. Nonetheless, we simply cannot ignore its track record.

This ship and her crew survived for seven years in the Delta Quadrant without any kind of real assistance from Starfleet. They survived encounters with primitive races like the Kazon as well as heavy hitters like the Borg and Species 8472. In fact, Voyager’s triumphs over the Borg mean that this ship on its own was able to do more than a fleet of Starfleet ships could against this powerful enemy.

4 RELATIVITY

The Relativity is a close cousin to another ship on this list: The Aeon. Both ships hail from the 29th century, which is basically half a millennium into the future from the time of Captain Janeway and like the smaller Aeon, The Relativity is a timeship.

This ship is presumably packing some serious conventional weaponry. However, its main weapon is its ability to beam people to and from basically any moment in temporal history. In the right hands, this is a powerful tool for scientific discovery. In the wrong hands, though, it’s a completely ominous weapon that could alter galactic history.

3 PROMETHEUS

For the most part, Starfleet isn’t known for its combat ships. Sure, they have powerful vessels that can throw down, but most of them are designed to explore first and shoot later. That isn’t the case for the next ship on our list, though: the Prometheus.

This top-secret ship is stronger and faster than most Starfleet ships. However, its real strength comes from two factors: its ability to separate into three parts (the “multi-vector assault mode”) and its high degree of automation. This means that a relatively small crew can take on just about any threat to the Federation, all without breaking a sweat.

2 VENGEANCE

There are many ships that are on this list for subtle reasons: they have special abilities and tricks up their sleeves to help them stand out from the pack. That’s not the case with the USS Vengeance, though -- this ship is simply pure power!

It was built in secret by Admiral Marcus, who himself was involved in Section 31. This secret division had the right to sanction any enemies of the Federation, and the Vengeance has enough firepower and shielding to make good on that threat. Fortunately, the Enterprise crew was able to defeat the giant ship through some creative strategies. And bombs. Lots of bombs.

1 SWARM SHIPS

Is bigger always better? Not really: it depends on how you use it! Get your mind out of the gutter, cadet, as we are still talking about ships in Star Trek . And as the swarm of enemy ships in Star Trek Beyond shows us, even a tiny vessel is capable of posing an enormous threat.

It was this same swarm of ships that destroyed the Enterprise ; Kirk’s mighty vessel never stood a chance. And these tiny ships very nearly destroyed the massive starbase Yorktown as well. It’s good for the galaxy that Captain Kirk found their one weakness: The Beastie Boys.

Star Trek: The 12 Most Important Ships In Federation History, Ranked

The "Star Trek" franchise, for more than 55 years, has defined mainstream science fiction in the United States with its utopian vision of the future. Created by Gene Roddenberry, "Star Trek" — which spans numerous television series and feature films — follows the United Federation of Planets and its spacefaring force Starfleet as they explore the galaxy. Boasting a wide armada of unique vessels to keep the peace and invite other civilizations into its ranks, Starfleet's starships have taken on a fan-favorite legacy of their own. Capable of traveling faster than the speed of light, these starships also are equipped with weaponry to take on the most fearsome threats in the cosmos.

Check out this comprehensive ranking of the 12 most important starships in Federation history throughout the "Star Trek" franchise. The ranking — not based on the quality of the shows or movies, and certainly not their penchant for action  – addresses their place in making the Federation what it is in-universe. 

12. USS Cerritos NCC-5567

The animated series "Star Trek: Lower Decks" centers on the low-ranked Starfleet personnel who handle the organization's more menial tasks. Their duties include carrying out routine maintenance, cosmic clerical work, and other thankless jobs. Such assignments tend to fall to the crew members aboard California-class starships, including the overlooked men, women, and aliens who serve on the USS Cerritos NCC-5567, the main vessel on "Lower Decks." Fortunately, in addition to poking fun at "Star Trek" tropes , "Lower Decks" explores the notion of overcoming expectations, with the Cerritos' ensigns rising above their assumed stations — along with their ship. 

Because of all its wacky hijinks, among them foiling a terrorist plot targeting the Federation, the Cerritos has reached legendary status among California-class starships by Season 3. The Cerritos' impressive reputation plays a pivotal role in the third season finale, rallying other California-class starships to stop a rogue artificial intelligence from attacking Starfleet. "Lower Decks" is all about the ideas that no task is too small or unimportant and that the little guys deserve respect too. And as the California-class ship leading the charge, the Cerritos earns the right to stand among its more nominally elite counterparts.

11. USS Enterprise NCC-1071-A

The Klingons destroyed the original Constitution-class Enterprise during a showdown in "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock." It seems only fitting that its replacement, the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A finally facilitates an armistice between the Federation and Klingon Empire. The swan song for the "Original Series" crew, "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" finds Captain Kirk leading a diplomatic mission to broker peace with the Klingons. However, a conspiracy poised to plunge Starfleet and the Klingon Empire back into an active war threatens this unprecedented cooperation between the two rival governments.

The Klingons rank as one of the bitterest enemies the Federation has ever faced, nearly conquering them outright during "Star Trek: Discovery." Peace between the two seemed inconceivable but, despite everything the Klingons cost him personally, including his only son, Kirk makes an armistice possible. This alliance not only brings the two governments together but saves them from the Dominion during "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." The Enterprise-A also confronts a powerful entity masquerading as God in "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" but the less perhaps said about that adventure, the better.

10. USS Protostar NX-76884

The USS Protostar NX-76884, the main starship from the CG-animated series " Star Trek: Prodigy ," has already left its mark on the Federation, though certainly not as intended. A spacefaring prototype, the Protostar's warp drive is complemented by the inclusion of an experimental proto-drive, powered by an actual, small protostar. When fully powered, the proto-drive allows the starship to travel to different quadrants around the galaxy in an instant, exponentially faster than warp drive-propelled starships. Chakotay initially captained the Protostar, doing so until before he and the starship were captured by the villainous Diviner, with a ragtag crew of refugee children reclaiming it.

The scientific breakthroughs behind the Protostar alone warrant its appearance on this list but its role in Prodigy's first season finale makes it an infamous inclusion. While under the Diviner's control, the Protostar is infected with an advanced computer virus acting as a Trojan horse for any Federation systems with which it interfaces. Once infected, defensive systems go out of control and attack any other Federation targets in the immediate area. While the Protostar crew stops the virus' spread, it infects and devastates a significant portion of Starfleet's armada, transforming the Protostar into the fleet's deadliest vessel.

9. USS Titan NCC-80102-A/USS Enterprise NCC-1701-G

The Protostar and Cerritos incidents are far from the only times Starfleet has nearly been destroyed from within. The final season of "Star Trek: Picard" reveals the remnants of the Borg Collective and the Dominion have formed an alliance to infiltrate and annihilate the Federation. Using Borg technology, Changelings modify Starfleet transporters to secretly assimilate younger personnel, creating sleeper agents across the armada. The ship that uncovers this far-reaching conspiracy? The USS Titan NCC-80102-A, with nominal Captain Liam Shaw led by Admiral Jean-Luc Picard.

The Titan plays a pivotal role in distracting the assimilated armada from bombarding Earth's planetary defenses, giving Picard and the Enterprise-D valuable time to disrupt Borg communications. Though the Titan is disabled by the opposition, without its diversion, the fleet would have proceeded to bomb Earth's major cities before spreading their devastation across the galaxy. The Enterprise-D may get the glory for ultimately defeating the Borg and saving the day, but Titan merits recognition for playing good defense single-handedly. In the "Picard" series finale, the powers that be  rechristen the Titan-A as the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-G , cementing its importance and heroic legacy.

8. USS Discovery NCC-1031

Across the Federation's entire history, the USS Discovery NCC-1031 rates as the most unique starship, thanks to its Spore Drive. A sentient set of spores within the Discovery's engineering section interface with Chief Engineer Paul Stamets, allowing the ship to leap through subspace. More than simply traversing great distances in an instant, the Spore Drive gives the Discovery limited access to the Mirror Universe.

The Discovery not only assumes a pivotal role in stopping the bloody war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire but saves it from an enemy within its ranks. In the Season 2 finale, the Discovery teams up with the Enterprise to destroy Control, a rogue artificial intelligence poised to wipe out all organic life in the galaxy. And just as Discovery preserves the Federation's existence in the relative present, it also restarts its legacy in the far future. Transported more than 900 years into the future, the Discovery inspires the Federation to rebuild itself from a massive catastrophe, restoring its ideals across the stars.

7. USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E

Just as Kirk commanded two starships with the Enterprise moniker, Picard gets his second Enterprise in the 1996 film "Star Trek: First Contact." Commander Will Riker describes the Enterprise-E as the most advanced in the entire fleet and one better outfitted for combat than its predecessor. While not as prolific as the Enterprise-D, the ship spares the Federation total defeat on at least two separate occasions. The Enterprise-E also uncovers a conspiracy within Starfleet Command in "Star Trek: Insurrection," exposing a group undermining the Federation's principles.

The Enterprise-E's superior weaponry and Picard's intimate knowledge of the Borg save Earth and the defending Starfleet armada from the Borg Queen. This timely intervention also involves the Enterprise-E following the Borg into the 21st century to defeat them and ensure the preservation of humanity's history. Later, the Enterprise-E takes point in brokering a landmark peace agreement with the Romulan Empire in "Star Trek: Nemesis." With no armistice achieved without significant complications, the Enterprise-E takes down a rogue Romulan warship targeting Earth, proving itself as capable in a fight as diplomatically.

6. USS Voyager NCC-74656

The USS Voyager's most famous mission strands it on the far side of the galaxy, approximately 70 years from home and without Starfleet support. Captained by Kathryn Janeway, it took the starship seven seasons to return to the Alpha Quadrant, exploring the true undiscovered expanse within the Delta Quadrant along the way. Encountering new species and phenomena, the Voyager upgrades itself during its long journey to accelerate its trip significantly. While the sheer amount of exploratory information and technological enhancements are enough to make the Voyager stand out in Starfleet, its final act remains its noteworthiest.

In the last leg of the ship's voyage, Janeway teams up with an alternate future version of herself to destroy the Borg Collective seemingly for good. The older Janeway allows herself to be captured by the Borg Queen, infecting her with a terminal virus that spreads across the Collective. Though the Borg are revealed to survive in a diminished capacity decades later, the incident represents a major victory for the Federation. Voyager not only returned to the Federation with a wealth of new information, but the ship vanquished its greatest foe to deliver an interstellar mic drop.

5. USS Defiant NX-74205

" Star Trek: Deep Space Nine " marks a departure from the franchise's established formula, with its characters not on an exploratory mission but maintaining a strategically located space station. In the third season, the crew welcomes the USS Defiant NX-74205 in order to engage in away missions around the cosmos. As "Deep Space Nine" evolves into a show depicting Starfleet at war, here comes a primary vessel designed specifically for combat. And it boasts not only remarkable maneuverability and a formidable weapons system, but the Defiant is one of the few Starfleet vessels with a functional cloaking device.

The Defiant figures prominently in the Dominion War, outmaneuvering and concealing itself from even the deadliest Jem'Hadar vessels, and playing a major role in Starfleet's eventual victory. After Starfleet temporarily loses control of Deep Space Nine, the Defiant embarks on a series of strikes on vital Dominion targets in the quadrant. Beyond its seek-and-destroy function, the Defiant heads the armada that retakes the station. The original Defiant is destroyed by the Breen in the show's final episodes, with Captain Benjamin Sisko receiving an identical replacement shortly thereafter to finish the fight.

Zefram Cochrane, the most revered figure in 21st-century human history, became the first person from Earth to achieve lightspeed spaceflight. Aboard his makeshift starship, the Phoenix — fashioned from a repurposed Titan II nuclear missile in Montana — Cochrane makes his fateful voyage in 2063, aided by the time-traveling Enterprise-E crew. Vulcans immediately take notice of humans emerging as a warp-capable civilization, prompting them to make first contact with Earth and lay the groundwork for what will become the Federation. After the successful flight, Cochrane continues to improve upon his warp drive designs, with his innovations informing the development of subsequent generations of starships.

Though the flight of the Phoenix occurs well before the Federation's founding, its influence cannot be overstated as it's felt for centuries to follow. The Borg Collective identify the Phoenix's landmark flight as a turning point in the galaxy's narrative, attempting to disrupt it to ensure their domination. More than 300 years later, Beckett Mariner hijacks the Phoenix to gain access to the Cerritos in the "Lower Decks" Season 3 premiere, proving the ship is still mission-ready. Even centuries after Cochrane's disappearance while exploring the cosmos, the Phoenix continues to make history.

3. USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D

The Enterprise-D may be the fifth NCC-1701 starship to carry the name but it belongs among the most vital in the Federation. Captained by Jean-Luc Picard, the Enterprise-D soars as the main ship in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and the 1994 film "Star Trek Generations." The final season of "Star Trek: Picard" reveals Chief Engineer Geordi LaForge salvaged the Enterprise-D, quietly repairing it over time to make it fully operational again. This repair job proves instrumental in the Enterprise saving the galaxy once again, adding to its vaunted status within Starfleet.

The Enterprise-D crew are the first ones to rescue the Federation from the Borg, while Picard himself convinces the omnipotent Q that humanity deserves to exist. Much like the original Enterprise NCC-1701 goes out with an anticlimactic bang, so too does the Enterprise-D, scuttled stopping the terrorist Soran from manipulating the Nexus anomaly. Fortunately, the Enterprise-D gets a better, if delayed, swan song in saving the Federation from the resurgent Borg in "Picard." Even decades after its initial service, the Enterprise-D holds a legendary place for the Federation, more than worthy of the value that comes with its name.

2. USS Enterprise NCC-1701

The first Constitution-class Enterprise enjoys a storied history that surpasses that of any other starship in the franchise to date. The original USS Enterprise NCC-1701 appeared as the main ship in "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," "The Original Series," and the franchise's first three films. Helmed by iconic captains like Christopher Pike and Jim Kirk, the Enterprise is the most important starship of its era. As a testament to the Enterprise's importance being recognized in-universe, no less than seven starships carry the moniker so far.

In "The Original Series" alone, the Enterprise saves the Federation from dozens of enemies and dangerous phenomena that endanger it. From thwarting the Romulan effort to restart their war against humanity to deactivating ancient doomsday machines, the Enterprise stops threats before they grow out of control. This tradition continues on the big screen, with Kirk returning to the Enterprise to save the Federation from an entity barreling toward Earth. This Enterprise is self-destructed in an unauthorized mission at the Genesis Planet to prevent it from falling into Klingon hands, an anticlimactic end to its legendary run.

1. USS Enterprise NX-01

The USS Enterprise NX-01, commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer, leads the way in the decade building to the creation of the Federation. This Enterprise spearheads several technological innovations for Starfleet, including the transporter, universal translator, photonic torpedoes, and phase weapons. The NX-01 plays a crucial role in defending Starfleet in its initial skirmishes with the Romulans and Xindi, revealing that humanity can hold its own in the cosmos.

The impressive exploits of Captain Archer and his crew aside, the NX-01 actually helps facilitate the Federation's formation. It not only brings together a human and Vulcan joint crew for the first time, but the Enterprise draws the Tellarites into the fledgling alliance. These three civilizations form the foundation of what becomes the Federation in 2161, as the NX-01 stands front and center in battles against mutual enemies. A strong argument can be made that without the NX-01, the Federation never exists — and that explains why this starship tops the list.

20 Best and Most Interesting Star Trek Ships

Star Trek  is considered a most-watched and followed sci-fi TV. The Federation Starfleet, and other planets in Star Trek boasts many powerful and strong ships.

Star Trek: Motion Picture has been alluring and thrilling fans for many years. The show has returned with retribution in current years, as CBS returned the  Prime timeline  against the  Kelvin timeline  of the recent Star Trek movies to secure the streaming service. Kelvin Timeline refers to an alternative quantum Star Trek universe made when Romulan Nero traveled to the year 2233 and wiped out the starship  USS Kelvin .  The Kelvin timeline  doesn’t become visible in canon material. However, it’s CBS Television’s inner name for the changed timeline made by Nero’s assault on USS Kelvin.

Star Trek TV and movies alike feature a lot of spaceships or spacecraft. Different space vessels make the primary setting of the TV series, films as well as the expanded Star Trek universe. They also help advance franchise stories. All through the production of the franchise, spaceships have been portrayed and showed by many physical and computer-generated models. Producers worked to balance often limited budgets with the need to show convincing, futuristic vessels. 

Beyond the media appearances, Star Trek spaceships have been markets as models, books as well as rides. Filming models have sold for a huge amount at public auction. 

Getting to Know the Best Star Trek Spacecraft  

It is very likely that most of us, adults and children, are familiar with Star Trek, both the movies and the TV shows. And what makes this very popular? Maybe because of spaceships! Since ancient times, people have been looking at the sky and dreaming of traveling to the stars. 

While this is renowned for its huge sci-fi concept, it still Star Trek has many great and remarkable space fights and battles for fanatics of that kind of thing. Without a doubt, Star Trek ships are some of the most distinctive and powerful in the worlds of science fiction, equipped with a remarkable weapon as well as amazing designs. Follow us as we give you the 20 most popular and interesting spaceships of this franchise. Some of them are also the most powerful Star Trek ships.

1. The Probe 

First on the list is the Whale Probe. Probe considered the most powerful and strongest Star Trek spaceships, debilitated and laid up the Federation with no launch of an assault- it was just attempting to communicate. Popular called The Probe, a colossal cylindrical object, which appeared in an early episode of the popular  Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , this managed to exhaust the control as well as life sustain from starbases, ships as well as Starfleet command. 

This was the outcome of the dampening field made by its sleeting frequencies- and effort to contact as well as keep in touch with the vanished humpback. Gratefully, a well-times intrusion by Captain Kirk as well as his squad managed to save the day. It has amazing warp speed.

2. USS Enterprise NCC 1701    (Features in Original Film)

USS Enterprise NCC 1701  was launched in the year 2245 and considered the illustrious as well as original starship made in the San Francisco Yards. Enterprise NCC 1701  features in the original Star Trek. This starship was formerly captained by  Christopher Pike  as well as Robert April prior to coming under the supervision of  James T. Kirk . This Enterprise vessel was considered one of the most popular Star Trek starships. Enterprise NCC 1701 was gained its name as the best-renowned spaceship ever seen in Star Trek.

The popularity of this starship is because of its five-year mission. Other USS Enterprise vessels are the NCC 1701-A, NCC 1701-B also features in the first or original series. The Next Generation era featured three ships named USS Enterprise: NCC 1701-C, NCC 1701-D, and NCC 1701-E. We also have Enterprise vessels featured in alternate timelines: NCC 1701-D, NCC 1701-J, and NCC 1701-F.

3. V-Ger Voyager

Without a doubt,  V-Ger  is the strongest and powerful threat Kirk encountered apart from a thing that might or might not have been God. Some time ago, this was the meek space probe that NASA had launched. That was at the end of the 20th century. On the other hand, a planet pack of machines that some fanatics think might have been a Borg planet made this spacecraft into something mighty. 

As a matter of fact, we never witness the outer limits of Voyager’s power. Yes, this ship is able to vaporize ships at will as well as able to create ideal and perfect copies of the team of Kirk. And it seems very likely that, if Kirk and Spock had not handled to assist Voyager to evolve, this could have wiped out all living things on Earth.

4. Jem’Hadar Fighters  

Jem’Hadar Fighters is also considered the best and popular Star Trek spaceships in the new series with remarkable warp speed. These were the line spaceship of Dominion Fleet. The very tough and sturdy craft, able to survive hurtle landing and can still fly with just a few repairs. Those fighters, equipped with phased disruptors, could easily pierce the protection or shield of the Starfleet spaceships in the early times after the first fight or confrontation. 

On the other hand, in due course, the vessel weapons’ efficiency and the shields subside as Starfleet, and the supporters managed to learn how to cope with them. However, a group of Jem’Hadar fighters was still perilous to any battleship in the allies’ range. 

5. Negh’Var-Class (Klingon Warship)    

This is one of the popular starships that were considered the biggest warship in the Klingon Defense Force. This was often utilized as a flagship for high-ranking troupes of the Klingon hierarchy. Like most Klingon warships, this one was also armed with many cloaking devices.

As mentioned above, this is considered the most powerful vessel in the fleet of Klingon, and this could stay in one area and destroy enemy starships all around it and worry little about retaliatory strikes. However, in spite of being powerful, this ship also has a weakness, which is when a small and easy to maneuver craft could get in close. However, that is rare to happen.

6. D’deridex-Class (Romulan Warbird)

D’deridex-Class Warbird is considered the main spaceship of the Romulan Star Empire’s fleet. These were gigantic ships that dwarfed the biggest vessels of the Federation in Star Trek space. With high warp speed and cloaking technology, these vessels are also enforced by “ forced quantum singularity ” as a power source. These were battlecruisers equipped with new and state-of-the-art weapons, including many disruptor arrays and torpedo tubes.

Akin to many Romulan spaceships, the D’deridex-Class Warbird was armed with powerful cloaking tools, which was a relatively scary and creepy fact – a spaceship with the control and size of a D’deridex being capable of sneaking behind the lines of the enemy unnoticed and wreak chaos is something good chief would fear.

7. Borg Cube Vessel

Over the decades, we have witnessed diverse types of Borg ships. On the other hand, the most powerful and perhaps the most iconic of these ships stay the Borg Cube . Perhaps, you are asking what makes this very threatening and dangerous; well, it is the best combination of adaptability and power that makes this feared all through the galaxy. 

This scary and frightening cube annihilated a group of Federation vessels in every fight. Worse, although you manage to do a lot of damage to the Borg cube, redundant technologies would take it over, and it would keep on working, which makes this a hard and tough vessel to pound.  

Basically, this can trap an assailant in a tractor beam and drain the adversary shields prior to the assailant could do much damage. Few teams who got inside the ship beheld another frightening sight: all the diverse alien species being absorbed or took into a collective, which could adapt its style of fighting very quickly in hand to hand fight, given its hive mind. 

In addition to “smart” weapons that adapt, the ship can also analyze the opponent’s weapons system and adapt the defense within seconds.

The power of this is undeniable- a single craft wiped out 39 Starfleet ships at Wolf 359 quickly and without breaking a sweat. The capability of this ship to adapt to any kind of attack means that although someone does make an innovative solution, it wouldn’t work for long. 

8. Defiant–Class

This class is also the most common and popular ship in the Star Trek universe. This was originally made to combat the  Borg . Brought out to fight the threat of Dominion, this was equipped with 4 phaser cannons, 4 forward and 2 aft torpedo launchers, as well as three phaser banks. The Defiant-class ships pack a remarkable punch for a craft of its size. 

These are considered powerful and strong deflectors. The integrated ablative armor makes the Defiant-class very hard to harm. On the other hand, it is hard to operate or maneuver despite its power, and this is not fast compared to the  Akira class . However, this is capable of wrecking smaller ships with some shots using phaser cannons. 

9. Bioship (The Species 8472)

Since the introduction of this ship into the franchise canon, the Borg have literally trampled the galaxy and spread unseen terror by assimilating all the civilizations they encounter and proving that it can destroy an entire Federation armada with just one spacecraft. That is until they opened a gateway into fluidic space where they met Species 8472. The alien race has proven to be a danger to the cybernetic collective more than any other species because they can destroy and wiped out Borg starships instantly and without too much effort.

The Species 8472 ships were basically biogenetic and, as such, were resistant to any technological attack, making conventional weapons and force fields useless against them. Individual members of their species also had such an ability. Moreover, they were capable of emitting incredible energies in tandem, wiping out Borg vessels as fast as the Borg wiped out other ships.  

10. USS Voyager

This is a Starfleet ship whose unplanned voyage to the Delta Quadrant is the main story in  Star Trek: Voyager . The  USS Voyager  is known not only for researching the little-known Delta Quadrant but also for various innovative techniques it has adopted from alien species to shorten its 75-year journey back home to the Alpha Quadrant. One of these adopted techniques and also the most famous is Borg technology for transwarp travel, which shortened the trip by several years. 

11. Tin Man

Many of us found  Star Trek: The Next Generation  very cool but unknown. That ‘unknown’ that was shrouded in mystery attracted us. Maybe one good reason is that it assists in redefining what human being considered life. For example, in one episode of the third season of  The Next Generation , a space probe detects something that appears to be a “living” starship that has some unknown source of energy. This spacecraft was named  Tin Man  by the Starfleet, and we later discover that its name is  Gomtuu . 

Initially, this spaceship just seems mysterious and big. On the other hand, when it likes to, it is capable of eliminating even the most powerful and stronger vessels like the Romulan Warbirds in just a single shot. While we never witness the upper range of Tin Man powers, it looks like it could be a threat to the whole galaxy when it so opts to be. This spaceship is rarely seen in Star Trek.

12. Galaxy Class 

This is another famous spaceship. The strongest and most powerful vessel in Starfleet for a time, this spacecraft was regarded as a phenomenon or vision of current engineering due to its amazing warp speed. This starship, equipped with 14 phaser strips as well as a fore and aft torpedo launcher, is able to bring a great number of weapons to bear at any direction of the ship’s superstructure.

Like many Starfleet vessels, Galaxy-class was intended to fill an extensive array of roles and responsibilities; therefore, it was not straight-up warships. On the other hand, it could protect and guard itself very well. Later iteration would have more devastating firepower and make this craft better in battle.

13. Jem’Hadar Battle Cruiser

This ship was considered the bigger cousin of the previous Jem Hadar Fighter. This is also a frightening ship. Not seen subsequent to the Cardassian-Dominion coalition, this big cruiser was equipped with the typical polaron beam disruptor batteries, which made Dominion vessels very powerful and with many torpedo tubes.

Very durable ships, even one of them was regarded as a great threat to  Deep Space Nine’s  spaceships after its huge upgrades of the weapon such as cloaking device. They often secured the Dominion line in the fight and could destroy even the strongest and powerful allied ships single-handedly.

14. Akira Class 

Also, very popular spaceships, state-of-the-art Star Trek, were bespoke in the 2370s. This ship was also considered part of the Federation’s plan to field lots of vessels with the key object – combating. The Akira-class was a torpedo boat that has a dorsal weapons pod equipped with vast numbers of fore and aft torpedo tubes. Like other vessels of Starfleet, this is also integrated with phasers. 

This also comes with fore and aft launch bars, which makes the Akira class a perfect launch platform for the attack ships of Starfleet. Easy to maneuver or operate and fly faster, this battle craft could bring an uneven amount of control and supremacy to stand for its range. 

15. Relativity 

This ship is a close cousin to  Aeon . Both vessels come from the 29th century that is essentially half a millennium in the future from the era of Captain Janeway. Akin to the miniature Aeon, Relativity is a time ship. 

This spacecraft is presumably packing serious traditional weaponry. On the other hand, its major weapon is the capability of the ship to beam people to and from any time in temporal history. This is a remarkable tool or equipment for scientific discovery. But, it is a totally destructive weapon that can change galactic history when in the wrong hand. 

16. Enterprise – J

This is also one of the most popular spaceships, but we don’t have enough information about Enterprise –J . Nonetheless, we can determine that this craft is packed with powers, which is the case with this gigantic hitter from the far future. 

This starship is far in the future of the Trek timeline. Captain Archer is moved to this spacecraft briefly by a Temporal Agent. The fact that we know how modern as well as groundbreaking vessels akin to the Enterprise-E and Enterprise –D are, we are able to just presume that this iteration of the renowned ship is packing lots of power. Here’s hoping we see a lot of it in action in the future. 

17. Sovereign Class

This is also considered the most powerful ship in Starfleet, and at the same time takes all of the experiences Starfleet experienced and puts them into practice. This Sovereign Class is stronger and more powerful after a class-wide repair. This craft boasted 16 phaser arrays. It is also equipped with a forward quantum torpedo launcher as well as six aft photo launchers, which makes this really powerful and a threat to enemies.

This ship was made for an extensive array of expeditions, such as the  Galaxy  before it. On the other hand, Starfleet assured to equip this ship with state-of-the-art weaponry, which allows it to hold its own against the strongest and most powerful enemy ships without asking and requesting reinforcements. 

18. Reman Warbird (from Star Trek: The Next Generation)

The Nemesis  was a discordant movie to the  Star Trek: The Next Generation  fanatics. However, one vital thing that was unquestionably grand and overwhelming was the power of this ship. With very heavy weapons, this craft has 52 disruptor bands as well as 27 photon torpedo bays that permitted it to lay waste to many other ships such as  Enterprise-E  without too much effort. 

Also, this ship is very heavily armored and is capable of withstanding severe damage that could be fatal to most other ships. It also has a very good cloaking device. The ability to disguise delighted Geordi LaForge and he rated it as ‘perfect.’ Thalaron radiation weapons are capable of destroying all life on the planet with just one blow.  Reman Warbird  is indeed considered one of the most powerful ships in Star Trek. 

19. Jem’Hadar Battleship

This was the largest ship in the fleet of Dominion, a very frightening ship that everyone was afraid of, which tells us how great the power of Jem’Hadar warships is. It’s equipped with many polaron disruptor batteries as well as torpedo launchers. This warship was not only the most powerful craft of Dominion but also considered the strongest and most powerful ships in the entire galaxy. 

What makes this ship apart from the others is that it so hard to damage. When this battleship arrives on the battlefield, it encounters fear and apprehension among its opponents. Double the size of a  Galaxy-class  craft, as well as three times more powerful, no spaceship that any of the allies fielded could harm it in single combat. This is truly a very powerful battleship in the history of Star Trek. 

20. Voth City Ship

The last but not the least interesting ship is the  Voth City Ship . Given the enormous size of this object, at first glance, we might ask whether this is a spaceship or a planet. Well, the answer is both. This is one of the renowned ships in Star Trek. This tremendous city-ship appeared in  Star Trek: Voyager  in the episode  “Distant Origin.”   As the name suggests, even if this is far more than a ship, this is big and strong enough to accommodate the whole civilization. Yes, you heard it right; it can accommodate the entire civilization as this looks like a planet.

We do not see this spaceship do anything crazy with photon torpedoes and phasers; on the other hand, it is strong, powerful, and advanced enough to immediately interrupt the rival ship’s communication system as well as the main power. What is more, the gigantic size of this spaceship is remarkable. When  USS Voyager  is close to this ship, it looks like a dot or an ant as opposed to this huge vessel. 

It is safe to say that all of us love the vessels in Star Trek, not just to the reason that they fly fast or as they are often utilized outside of the design parameters, but due to the fact that these vessels challenge the concepts of design as a whole. How strange is it to witness a big ball or a gigantic cube flying in space? Or encounter a warp 5 speed- a capable vessel that looks like a natural object? Above are the top 20 best, most renowned, and interesting vessels of Star Trek, which audiences, as well as fanatics, have witnessed so far.

However, there are other popular ships no included in the list, such as the Klingon  Bird of Prey , which appears in  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  and  Star Trek: The Next Generation , the popular constitution class  Enterprise B , and  Enterprise  ship  NX-01 . Also, there are more ships in the  Star Trek: Discovery  series , like the  USS Nog  and the  USS Voyager-J , whose capabilities and specifications we don’t know much about yet. We only know that they exist because they were seen in the spaceport of the Federation Fleet of the 32nd century. We are expecting more ships to come in the new episodes of Star Trek.

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10 Coolest Starships From Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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Star Trek: Worst Things Done By The Federation, Ranked

Star trek: when did vulcan become ni'var, 8 coolest starships in star trek: voyager, key takeaways.

• Jem'Hadar Battleship: Big, bold, brutish. More powerful and unique among tough competition.
• Prakesh (Galor Class): Small, charming, unique design with an unusual look that stands out.
• Romulan D'Deridex Class: Fear-inspiring, unique design, powerful and feared in battles.

One of the things that makes any sci-fi series memorable is its starships. These often vast constructions are iconic, having pride of place in the hearts and minds of many fans. Whether it's the titular Battlestar Galactica, the USS Voyager from Star Trek: Voyager , or one of any number of other truly iconic ships from many other franchises, starships have the power to inspire awe and love in fans.

The Federation certainly doesn't have clean hands in the Star Trek franchise. These examples demonstrate them at their worst.

The Star Trek franchise is no different, with many of its most important and emblematic settings being the starships themselves. These are some of the coolest starships or classes of ship from Star Trek: Deep Space 9 .

1 Jem'Hadar Battleship

Big, bold, brutish.

• Appearances in DS9: 3
• Weapons: 10+ torpedo launchers

More powerful than the Jem'Hadar Fighters, the Jem'Hadar Battleship was a masterpiece in Jem'Hadar military engineering. These large battleships were said to be at least twice the size of the Federation's Galaxy -class starships, and three times as powerful.

With its bold purple design features and its incredibly different design philosophy compared with Federation or even Klingon ships, the Jem'Hadar Battleships stand out among a very tough competition. And despite only being featured three times in DS9 - in comparison to the Jem'Hadar Fighters' 32 - the Jem'Hadar Battleship is an impressive ship well worth its place in the Star Trek canon.

2 Prakesh (Galor Class)

Very cool, unique design.

• Appearances in DS9: 20 (Galor class)
• Weapons: 4 phaser banks, disruptor

The Prakesh, a member of the Cardassian Union's Galor class of starships, isn't as immediately visually impressive as some of the other ships featured in the expansive Star Trek franchise. But it's a small, charming ship that looks similar to a mudfish or a skate from certain angles.

In a universe like Star Trek's , where there are many massive ships of the line with all sorts of cool features; sometimes it pays to stand out by looking a little goofy. The Galor class of ships, while smaller and less powerful than some of the series' harder-hitting warships, was no pushover. There's definitely a reason the Cardassian Union kept producing them.

3 Romulan D'Deridex Class

Romulan star empire engineering at its finest.

• Appearances in DS9: 10
• Weapons: Phaser arrays, disruptors, photon torpedo launchers

The Romulan D'Deridex Class Warbird, also known as the B-type Warbird, was one of the largest and most powerful starship classes in use by the Romulan Star Empire. This was a ship that inspired fear, so it's no surprise they were used to great effect against the Dominion during the Dominion War - and even against the Borg .

Partnerships of convenience can often yield powerful allegiances in Star Trek - like Vulcans and Romulans sharing the homeworld of Ni'Var.

With an unusual design compared with Federation or Klingon ships, the Romulan D'Deridex Class ships stand out. The unusual shape paired with the green lighting effects makes the Romulan ship easily recognizable to fans even during chaotic space battles, while its technical specs ensure it ranks very well against the other ships of its day.

4 Negh'Var Battleship

Biggest klingon empire ship.

• Appearances in DS9: 5
• Weapons: Disruptors, torpedos

The Negh'Var Battleship is the largest type of Klingon Empire ship fielded during the period in which Deep Space Nine is set. This is a ship designed to be intimidating, whether due to its massive size or its armaments.

The Negh'Var has a more standard Klingon-type design, looking vaguely and abstractly bird-like. It doesn't have as interesting a design as some other ships, which have funkier or more unique features, but the design is one of a no-nonsense warship designed purely for combat. Although it was only used sparingly in DS9 , with a small five appearances, the Negh'Var Battleship was said to be powerful and fast, and a real terror to fight - once even breaching Deep Space Nine's shields long enough to land a boarding party.

5 K'T'inga Class Battle Cruiser

Stalwart defender of the klingon empire.

• Appearances in DS9: 9
• Weapons: Disruptor cannons, concussive charge launchers, torpedo launchers

The K'T'inga Class Battle Cruiser was considered to be one of the Klingon Defense Force's most powerful ships - and for very good reason, as it has disruptor cannons, torpedo launchers, and even a concussive charge launcher.

Not as fast as some ships - capable of only Warp 5 - the K'T'inga class nevertheless can take hits and dish them out in return. It's also got a funky, unique design - head-on, it looks like it's wearing a hat. What's cool about the K'T'inga is that it's unique while also following the overall Klingon design aesthetic, giving the ship its own identity that fits nicely within the larger grouping. And it packs a powerful punch, too.

6 Jem'Hadar Fighters

Small and effective.

• Appearances in DS9: 32
• Weapons: Phased polaron beams, torpedos, disruptors, energy dissipator

The Jem'Hadar Fighters are the workhorse of the Dominion forces: small and agile, these ships pack a serious punch and are deployed very often in combat against the Federation. Jem'Hadar Fighters have a sleek, almost firefly-like design complete with glowing parts, features that set them apart from most other ships in the Star Trek canon.

This gives Jem'Hadar Fighters their own identity and makes them instantly recognizable, which is massively important when they play such a large role in space fights around DS9 's space station setting - with thirty-two appearances in episodes, these fighters really put the work in.

7 Galaxy Class

Power without compare.

• Appearances in DS9: 14
• Weapons: 14 Phaser Arrays, 2 torpedo launchers (250 photon torpedo launchers)

The Galaxy-class of starships ranks among the most powerful and the best ships that Starfleet Command and its engineers have ever put into service . These gigantic capital ships boast massive firepower and a crew complement to match - capable of hosting up to 15,000 crew/passengers within its huge hull.

This is an impressive ship by any definition, and it saw prolonged and extensive use during the Dominion War. A Galaxy-class ship was even pressed into service against the Borg. Taking its design cues from the Federation design aesthetic, the Galaxy class has everything about Starfleet ships that make them iconic: smooth lines, a big disk, and almost unmatched power.

8 Intrepid-Class Ships

Simply iconic.

• Appearances in DS9: 1
• Weapons: Phaser arrays, phaser banks, spatial charges, torpedo tubes, photon torpedos, quantum torpedos, tricobalt devices

The USS Voyager was the face of its own series, Star Trek: Voyager , where the ship and its crew of intrepid explorers charted locations entirely new to the people of the Federation.

But the Intrepid class of ships did make an appearance in Deep Space Nine as well - although not the USS Voyager itself. The simplicity of the design, and its iconic look, make it one of the coolest starships to make an appearance in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

9 Klingon Bird-Of-Prey

A warrior ship for a warrior people.

• Appearances in DS9: 27

The Klingon Bird-of-Prey isn't necessarily the most elegant-looking ship, missing a lot of the sleek lines and curvature associated with many of the Federation's most iconic ships. But the Klingon Bird-of-Prey has an elegance all its own and is the perfect ship for a war-like empire such as the Klingon Empire .

With twenty-seven different appearances in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , the Klingon Bird-of-Prey has earned its place among the best and the brightest ships to feature in DS9. Small and sleek, the Bird-of-Prey has no space for vast amounts of crew or passengers, being designed for a small crew with an equally small complement of passengers. This is a warship, and it looks and feels like one.

10 USS Defiant (Defiant Class)

So good they made it twice.

• Appearances in DS9: 68
• Weapons: Four phaser cannons, two photon torpedo launchers

The USS Defiant featured in Deep Space Nine was a prototype for the whole Defiant class of ships, and it was a fantastic example of the military, industrial, and scientific might of the Federation. A later Federation ship was even renamed Defiant , so this ship wasn't just a cool piece of tech - it had an important cultural place to the people of the Federation. Featuring a compact, disk-like structure, Defiant -class ships weren't exactly beauties. But they packed a powerful punch.

When it comes to the most interesting starship designs, the following ones stand out as the coolest from Star Trek: Voyager.

The USS Defiant was a marvel of the Star Trek world's futuristic modern industry. Specifically designed for combat, the Defiant and other ships in its class didn't have a massive complement of crew, nor were they designed as spaceborne cities like some ships in the Federation fleet. But the Defiant -class ships and the Defiant itself saw great use against the Klingon Empire, the Borg, and even the Dominion War. There's a reason the Defiant featured heavily in DS9 .

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

• Movies & TV

The Borg cube was a type of starship used by the Borg Collective in the 24th century . Along with the Borg sphere , cubes were among the primary types of vessel for its fleet . ( TNG : " Q Who ", " The Best of Both Worlds "; Star Trek: First Contact )

Described as mighty and omnipotent, Borg cubes were considered one of the most destructive weapons ever known. ( PIC : " Maps and Legends ")

• 1 Encounters
• 2.2 Interior
• 2.3 Propulsion systems
• 2.4 Maintenance and repair
• 2.5 Support vehicles
• 2.6 Tactical systems and Combat performance
• 3 Known vessels
• 4.1 Appearances
• 4.2 Background information
• 4.3 Studio models
• 4.4 Apocrypha
• 4.5 External link

Encounters [ ]

The USS Enterprise -D came into contact with a single cube in System J-25 in 2365 , marking the first official Federation contact with a Borg cube. However, civilian researchers on board the USS Raven had previously tracked a Borg cube in 2347 , twelve years earlier. ( TNG : " Q Who "; VOY : " The Raven ", " Dark Frontier ")

Every Starfleet encounter with a single cube resulted in heavy casualties. At the Battle of Wolf 359 in 2367 , an armada of forty Starfleet ships were assembled to stop a cube; thirty-nine of those ships were lost in a matter of minutes. Dozens more were destroyed stopping another cube in the incursion of 2373 . ( TNG : " The Drumhead "; Star Trek: First Contact ) Normally a single Borg cube was capable of assimilating all elements of civilization from an entire planet . ( TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II "; VOY : " Unity ", " Dark Frontier ", " Child's Play ")

When the Enterprise -D experienced malfunctions due to Wesley Crusher's nanites in 2366 , sensors erroneously detected an approaching cube. ( TNG : " Evolution ")

Millions of cubes were estimated to exist in Borg space in the Delta Quadrant ; ( VOY : " Dragon's Teeth ", " Dark Frontier ", " Unimatrix Zero ", " Unimatrix Zero, Part II ") the largest single grouping of cubes directly observed by Starfleet was fifteen, by the crew of the USS Voyager in late 2373 . ( VOY : " Scorpion ") When describing the assimilation of his world, Arturis said that hundreds of cubes surrounded his homeworld before its destruction. ( VOY : " Hope and Fear ") Seven of Nine stated to Captain Janeway that the nebula concealing the transwarp hub contained at least 47 Borg vessels. ( VOY : " Endgame ")

At some point around 2380 , eleven Romulan D'deridex -class warbirds battled six Borg cubes. The USS Cerritos was present for this conflict, but fled the scene. The Cerritos also fled a similar battle between four Borg cubes, eight D'deridex -class warbirds, two Pakled Clumpships , and several Klingon Birds-of-Prey . ( Star Trek: Lower Decks opening credits )

In 2384 , the USS Protostar encountered a dormant Borg cube in the Beta Quadrant . ( PRO : " Let Sleeping Borg Lie ")

In 2401 , the Borg Queen arrived in the Alpha Quadrant in a unique Borg cube to meet Jack Crusher and begin the assimilation of Starfleet and the Federation. ( PIC : " Võx ") The cube hid in the Great Red Spot of Jupiter where it was found by the Enterprise -D broadcasting the Borg's command signal. The cube was quickly determined to only be 36% operational as most of its resources were being used to broadcast the signal. After detecting the Enterprise -D, the cube lowered its shields and redirected its weapons in an invitation. Deducing that there was a beacon transmitting the signal across the solar system, Picard, Riker and Worf beamed aboard to find Jack and the coordinates for the beacon so that the Enterprise could target it while La Forge, Beverly Crusher , Deanna Troi and Data remained on the ship to help guide them. On the cube, they found only a handful of drones still alive with the rest having been cannibalized by the Borg Queen to survive following the decimation of the Collective by Kathyrn Janeway's neurolytic pathogen . As Picard worked to free Jack from the Queen's control, Riker and Worf located the beacon and transmitted the coordinates to the Enterprise , fighting off a few surviving drones. Dodging the cube's defenses, Data flew the Enterprise through the superstructure to the beacon. On La Forge's orders, Crusher destroyed the beacon with the Enterprise 's phasers and photon torpedoes, setting off a cataclysmic chain reaction that destroyed the Borg cube, the Borg Queen and the last of the Borg Collective, finally ending its threat for good. The Enterprise managed to beam out the away team and Jack and escape from the cube's destruction just in time. The destruction of the Borg cube broke the Borg's control over Starfleet, saving the Federation. ( PIC : " The Last Generation ")

Technical data [ ]

Borg cubes were described as massive in size, measuring over three kilometers along an edge and possessing an internal volume of 28 cubic kilometers . ( VOY : " Dark Frontier ")

The Borg cube was constructed of tritanium , an alloy known for its extreme hardness. ( VOY : " Endgame ")

In 2366 , Commander Elizabeth Shelby estimated that a cube could remain functional even if 78% of it was rendered inoperable due to the decentralized and redundant nature of its key systems. ( TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds ")

Interior [ ]

Borg cubes were highly decentralized in structure with no specific bridge , living quarters or engineering sections. All vital systems were spread throughout the ship, which, along with the presence of a regenerative hull, made it highly resistant to damage and system failures. ( TNG : " Q Who ")

They were typically manned by "thousands of drones," and could vary in complement anywhere from 5,000 to 64,000 to 129,000 drones. ( VOY : " Collective ", " Unimatrix Zero ", " Dark Frontier ")

Information and Collective communication were routed through power waveguide conduits and distribution nodes . Its exterior design consisted of perpendicular and diagonal grids, struts, and weaponry, allowing a characteristic green light to emanate from within. ( TNG : " Q Who ", " The Best of Both Worlds ", " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II ")

Some vessels were equipped with maturation chambers . ( TNG : " Q Who "; VOY : " Collective ")

The internal pressure aboard a Borg cube was two kilopascals above what would be normal on a Federation starship . The humidity was on average 92%, and the temperature was at 39.1 °C . ( Star Trek: First Contact ) The atmosphere contained traces of tetryon particles. ( VOY : " Infinite Regress ")

Propulsion systems [ ]

Depiction of cube entering a transwarp conduit

Borg cubes were capable of both warp and transwarp velocities, thanks partly to the Borg Collective's network of transwarp corridors and hubs . When a Borg cube enters a transwarp conduit , it projects a structural integrity field ahead of itself to compensate for the extreme gravimetric shear . ( VOY : " Inside Man ") To compensate for the extreme temporal stress while traveling through these corridors, and remain in temporal sync, a chroniton field was also projected through specially designed conduits. ( VOY : " Shattered ") Borg cubes did not present with the twin warp nacelle configuration utilized by nearly all warp-capable species, and the technology by which a Borg cube achieves warp speed is unknown. A Borg cube's maximum warp factor appeared to be greater than that of a Galaxy -class starship, as the Enterprise -D, during its first encounter with a Borg cube, was not able to maintain its distance from one such vessel when it attempted to flee. ( TNG : " Q Who ")

Maintenance and repair [ ]

Drones repair damage to a Borg cube

The drones on board a Borg ship, through means not fully understood by the Federation, could essentially will it to repair itself. During the Enterprise -D's first encounter with a Borg cube, it inflicted damage to approximately 20% of the Borg vessel, only for the ship to repair virtually all of that damage within 20 minutes. This process could occur even while the ship was at warp speed or while it was engaged in combat. ( TNG : " Q Who ") In 2399 , the cube known as the Artifact used small, automated robots to repair its hull and internal systems upon activation by Fenris Ranger Seven of Nine . ( PIC : " Broken Pieces ")

Support vehicles [ ]

Borg Sphere emerges from a cube

Ships up to the size of a Borg sphere were able to be docked inside a Borg cube for assimilation, supplies or escape purposes.

At least one Borg cube, and possibly others of its class, contained a Borg sphere . The only known recorded purpose of a sphere disengaged from a Borg cube was for escape. The sphere was the only documented support vehicle a Borg cube possessed. ( Star Trek: First Contact )

Tactical systems and Combat performance [ ]

Though Borg cubes possess a multitude of energy weapon emitters and projectile launchers, initial scans of a Borg cube performed by the Enterprise -D were unable to identify any weapons systems of any design known to the Federation. ( TNG : " Q Who ")

The primary tactic employed by Borg cubes when engaging another vessel was to seize it with a tractor beam that would also drain its shields . Once locked on, the tractor beam of a cube could drain the shields of a Galaxy -class starship within seconds and hold it immobile against the full force of its warp drive . ( TNG : " Q Who ") Once the target ship was defenseless, the cube could perform any action ranging from destruction to assimilation. ( TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds "; DS9 : " Emissary ") The Borg could also use the tractor beam to destroy unshielded enemy vessels without the use of any additional weaponry. ( Star Trek: First Contact ) The standard deflector shields of Starfleet vessels could resist the tractor beam if the crew of the ship in question cycled the shields through different energy frequencies, but only for a short time. ( TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds ")

Following the failure of enemy shields, the cube could engage a high-energy laser cutting beam to slice sections of the ship for assimilation. ( TNG : " Q Who ")

If assimilation was unwarranted, the cutting beam could also be used as a weapon to destroy resisting vessels. During the Battle of Wolf 359 , the Excelsior -class USS Melbourne and the Miranda -class USS Saratoga were annihilated by cutting beams. The cutting beam could either slice into a ship with pinpoint precision, or it could be used to disintegrate large portions of an enemy vessel. Additionally, it could be fired with the tractor beam as a single attack, with the cutting beam manifesting inside the area of effect of the tractor beam. As demonstrated on the USS Melbourne at Wolf 359, combining the weapons in this fashion could destroy even a shielded enemy vessel within seconds. ( DS9 : " Emissary ")

Another tactic that could be used to disable enemy ships was to fire a type of missile weapon, the primary function of which appeared to be to drain a target's shields. These missiles appeared to be reserved for situations in which using the tractor beam was not feasible, such as an enemy vessel being out of range. Three such missiles were capable of disabling a Galaxy -class class vessel's shields. A hit from the weapon at an unshielded target could disable its warp drive without otherwise damaging it. ( TNG : " Q Who ")

The cubes could also use dispersal fields to disrupt the sensor and transporter function of enemy vessels. ( VOY : " Collective ") The Borg were capable of transporting through the active shields of both Galaxy and Intrepid -class starships. ( TNG : " Q Who "; VOY : " Scorpion ")

In addition, a Borg cube's weaponry also included other destructive beam and projectile weapons. During the 2366-2367 incursion, a cube obliterated three ships of the Mars Defense Perimeter with projectiles. ( TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II ") Similar projectiles were used to destroy a Steamrunner -class and a Saber -class starship during the Battle of Sector 001 . ( Star Trek: First Contact ) The concentrated fire of three beam weapons was able to reduce USS Voyager 's ablative generator -deployed armor hull integrity, a highly advanced future Starfleet defense technology, to 40%. ( VOY : " Endgame ")

Borg cubes did not appear to utilize traditional energy shields. Instead, they seemed to employ a subspace electromagnetic field that could be altered to adapt to enemy weaponry. This made destroying Borg vessels exceedingly difficult, as most weapons employed against them tended to either not work at all, or to become completely useless after a few shots. ( TNG : " Q Who ") This problem could be overcome to a degree by varying the frequency and modulation of the energy of the weapons in question, but even this tended to fail after a short time. ( TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds ")

Borg could also adapt to explosives, such as photon torpedoes, with ease. The Borg could similarly adapt their weapons to the technology of their opponent's defenses. During their second encounter with a Borg cube, the crew of the Enterprise -D was able to prevent a Borg tractor beam from locking onto them by rapidly modulating the energy frequency of their shields. However, less than half a minute later, the Borg adapted the energy of the tractor beam to compensate for the rapidly shifting energy of the shields, and all further attempts to use this tactic failed within seconds. ( TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds ")

Starfleet's two engagements with Borg cubes were extremely costly. In the first case, at the Battle of Wolf 359 , the Borg had assimilated Jean-Luc Picard mere hours before and had gained access to his vast knowledge of Starfleet tactics and operations. As such, the battle saw 39 out of 40 ships destroyed with virtually negligible damage to a Borg vessel. The Borg vessel then continued nearly unimpeded to Earth and was stopped only by the ingenuity of the Enterprise -D's crew. ( TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II ")

However, a similar engagement several years later saw a similarly large Federation fleet perform considerably better against another Borg cube. Though it suffered heavy casualties, the fleet managed to inflict heavy damage to the cube's outer hull and cause the vessel's power grid to begin fluctuating. The vessel was eventually destroyed primarily due the intervention of Captain Picard, whose residual telepathic link to the Collective furbished him with knowledge of a (presumably) battle-induced weak spot on the Borg vessel, which was subsequently targeted by the entire fleet. ( Star Trek: First Contact )

Due to the adaptive qualities of the Borg electromagnetic field, the only quasi-reliable way of destroying a Borg cube was to use a weapon so powerful that just one or two shots would destroy it. Such weapons included the modified deflector weapon of a Galaxy -class starship, transphasic torpedoes, and the energy beam weapons of Species 8472 . ( VOY : " Endgame ") However even weapons such as these could be adapted to. Another tactic that appeared to have at least some measure of success in combatting the Borg was to utilize unfamiliar evasive maneuvering sequences in order to keep the Borg tractor beams in particular from draining a ship's shields. ( TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II "; Star Trek: First Contact )

Known vessels [ ]

• Cube 858779
• The Artifact
• Borg Queen's cube (unique, larger variant)
• First's cube
• Locutus' cube

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " The Best of Both Worlds "
• " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II "
• Star Trek: First Contact
• DS9 : " Emissary "
• " Scorpion "
• " Scorpion, Part II "
• " Hope and Fear "
• " Drone " (on astrometrics screen)
• " Dark Frontier "
• " The Voyager Conspiracy " (on astrometrics screen)
• " Collective "
• " Child's Play " (on astrometrics screen)
• " Unimatrix Zero "
• " Unimatrix Zero, Part II "
• " Inside Man " (on astrometrics screen)
• " Endgame "
• " Remembrance "
• " Maps and Legends "
• " The End is the Beginning "
• " Absolute Candor "
• " The Impossible Box "
• " Nepenthe "
• " Broken Pieces "
• " Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1 "
• " Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2 "
• " The Last Generation "
• Opening credits
• " I, Excretus " (holographic recreation)
• " wej Duj "
• PRO : " Let Sleeping Borg Lie "

Background information [ ]

Ronald D. Moore suggested that the vulnerable spots on the Borg cube in Star Trek: First Contact were waste extraction . ( AOL chat , 1998 )

Although no Borg cubes appear in ENT : " Regeneration ", the cube design of Borg vessel was referred to in the final draft script of that episode, which commented that a corridor aboard the transport Arctic One was to be "almost indistinguishable from one on a Borg cube."

Studio models [ ]

Apocrypha [ ].

Borg cubes make appearances in the Star Trek: Armada and Star Trek: Armada II games. In the second game, a "fusion cube" and "tactical fusion cube" are seen, and used by those playing as the Borg. The first consists of eight regular cubes connected to each other and is the size of a planetoid, such as Pluto . The second is composed of eight tactical cubes connected to each other and is the size of a planet, such as Mars . Both are designated battleships and hold the assimilator beam device and three "captured" special weapons taken from an enemy race.

In Star Trek: Starfleet Command III , Borg cubes are the Borg's battleship-type vessel and the most powerful playable Borg ship.

External link [ ]

• Borg cube at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 2 Bell Riots
• 3 Daniels (Crewman)

Screen Rant

I wonder if kirk ever finds out spock stole uss enterprise first in star trek: strange new worlds.

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Strange New Worlds Season 2 Cast Guide — Every New & Returning Star Trek Character

I want strange new worlds to break star trek canon & save captain pike, 34 years later, star trek's most disappointing tng character exit still hurts.

• Lt. Spock's secret hijacking of the USS Enterprise adds an intriguing twist to his relationship with Lt. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
• Kirk and Spock's Chief Engineers play crucial roles in their respective ship thefts, highlighting the importance of teamwork in their adventures.
• Will Kirk ever find out about Spock's criminal actions? Only time will tell if this revelation will inspire Kirk's own daring heist in Star Trek III.

I wonder if Lt. James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) ever finds out Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) stole the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . One of the most exciting aspects of Strange New Worlds , to me, is getting to watch the younger Kirk and Spock grow into the eternal best friends they are in Star Trek: The Original Series . Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 6, "Lost in Translation," got the ball rolling when Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) introduced Kirk to Spock.

Kirk and Spock's first meeting in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is satisfyingly subtle. Neither man quite knows what to make of the other, although they are both instantly fascinated by the other. Neither Kirk nor Spock are aware of who they will become or of their legendary voyages together aboard the Starship Enterprise that is yet to happen. However, Spock knows Kirk by reputation, as the ambitious new First Officer of the USS Farragut. In turn, Kirk can size up Spock as the overly serious half-Vulcan Science Officer. But Kirk would be surprised to learn Spock hijacked the Enterprise before they ever met.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' cast of USS Enterprise legends grows in season 2, including the additions of Scotty and Lt. James T. Kirk.

Does Kirk Ever Find Out Spock Stole USS Enterprise In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?

Spock actually hijacks the enterprise twice.

As of the end of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, Lt. James T. Kirk doesn't know Lt. Spock stole the USS Enterprise, and I'm curious if he ever finds out. In Strange New Worlds season 2's premiere , "The Broken Circle," Spock hijacked the Enterprise and took it to Cajitar IV to answer a distress call from La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong). Spock's rescue was successful, although there were hostilities with the Klingons who controlled Cajitar IV. Kirk may also be surprised to learn that Spock got drunk with the Klingons over blood wine.

Spock will steal the USS Enterprise again in Star Trek: The Original Series.

It's possible Kirk could learn of Spock's criminal actions at some point in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 or 4, and maybe he'll be impressed as well as surprised. Little does Kirk know at this point in Star Trek 's timeline that Spock will steal the USS Enterprise again in Star Trek: The Original Series ' "The Menagerie." Spock (Leonard Nimoy) commits mutiny by hijacking the Enterprise to deliver the grievously wounded Fleet Captain Christopher Pike (Sean Kenney) to Talos IV. Of course, Kirk commits the most famous (or infamous) act of stealing the Starship Enterprise.

Kirk Steals USS Enterprise To Save Spock In Star Trek III

The starship enterprise's most famous hijacking.

Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) steals the USS Enterprise in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Kirk and his crew risk their Starfleet careers to rescue Spock, who was resurrected by the Genesis Planet, and take him to Vulcan to reunite Spock with his katra, or Vulcan soul. Kirk was explicitly ordered by Admiral Morrow (Robert Hooks), the Commander in Chief of Starfleet, not to attempt to rescue Spock on Genesis, but Kirk decided to go anyway. The Enterprise didn't make it back, however, as Kirk destroyed his beloved starship rather than letting it fall into Klingon hands.

Spock automated the Enterprise to travel to Talos IV in Star Trek: The Original Series ' "The Menagerie" before he was caught.

I really like how neither Spock in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds nor Kirk in Star Trek III could accomplish their theft of the USS Enterprise without the help of their Chief Engineers. Commander Pelia (Carol Kane) bargained the position of Chief Engineer in exchange for guaranteeing Spock could escape Starbase One with the Enterprise. In Star Trek III , Scotty (James Doohan) was key to Kirk's insurrection by automating the Enterprise and disabling the USS Excelsior's transwarp drive . I wouldn't be surprised if, at some point, Kirk does learn Spock stole the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and it inspired him to do the same in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

'Solar Opposites' Creators Pitch a Chaotic 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' Crossover

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The Big Picture

• A big hit since 2020, "Solar Opposites" tackles vengeful ex-boyfriends, time stops, favorite subplots like The Wall.
• Creator Mike McMahan and writer Josh Bycel have considered spin-offs, but want audience surprises always.
• No endgame in mind for "Solar Opposites," with Disney legal giving minor script tweaks for network humor.

Solar Opposites has been a big hit for Hulu since it first debuted on the service back in 2020. Since then, the series has gone through a number of changes, including recasting Korvo , one of the series' main characters, from Season 4 onwards. The animated sitcom recently launched its fifth season, with the new episodes having the makeshift alien family tackle new situations involving vengeful ex-boyfriends, stopping the flow of time for a honeymoon, as well as continuing fan-favorite subplots such as The Wall and Silver Cops.

I was fortunate enough to sit down with the series' creator, Mike McMahan as well as Josh Bycel , one of the writers on the series. We talked about possible spin-offs, whether there's an endgame in mind, and what would it be like if Terry and Korvo met the characters from McMahan's other adult animated series: Star Trek Lower Decks .

Solar Opposites

A family of aliens move to middle America, where they debate whether life is better there or on their home planet.

Why Don't Korvo and Terry Wear Wedding Rings?

"...we definitely talked about it.".

COLLIDER: I wanted some clarification on something. Before watching the new season, I rewatched the Valentine's Special, and I realized that Season 5 begins directly after Season 4.

MIKE MCMAHAN: The Valentine's Special happens between Episodes 1 and 2. We wanted to have them get married in the Valentine's Day Special because we wanted it to be a celebration, but we also wanted to air it near Valentine's Day, so it put it out of order. But we're hoping that people forgive us for the little bit of time dilation that happens because you can tell from Episode 2 on, these bad boys are married as fuck . [Laughs]

JOSH BYCEL: But Nate, we did talk about that and map it out. Technically, it happens in canon between Episodes 1 and 2, but you caught that. Not a lot of people caught it.

MCMAHAN: We even talked about, like, “Should we draw wedding rings on them?” And everybody was like, “Homer [from The Simpsons ] doesn't wear a wedding ring.” You know what I mean? And I was like, “I know. Okay, fine.” I was convinced not to make the artist keep track of a wedding ring, but we definitely talked about it.

I am also a big fan of your work on Lower Decks , and I kept thinking what would Terry and Korvo do if they met the crew of the Cerritos? Have you ever pictured that in your head?

MCMAHAN: Oh, man, I think they'd have to only have them talk to Dr. T’Ana because she understands swearing as much as the Solars do. It's too bad none of the Solars met Tomblr in the SilverCops story this year because they'd be like, “Wow, you sound a lot like Boimler on Lower Decks ,” because it was fun to have Jack Quaid jump over. They know Jerry O'Connell, though. They'd hear Jerry O'Connell's voice coming out of Ransom, and they'd be like, “Wait a minute, we've hung out with you.” [Laughs]

But I think at the end of the day, the Lower Decks team would really like to meet them and get to know about them and respect their culture, and the Solar Opposite s would probably, like, try to steal their stuff and fucking ruin the ship and then have sex on the bridge and stuff like that. I don't know how the mix would work.

Will There Ever Be a 'Solar Opposites' Spin-Off?

We want the audience to always be surprised at all times..

Because you brought up the SilverCops, and it keeps going through my mind because it's probably my favorite part of the show, one of my favorite parts is the Wall and the SilverCops. There's been so much speculation, and I keep seeing people being like, “Oh, they're leading to a spin-off.” Have you ever considered doing either of those as spin-offs or do you always want to keep those attached?

MCMAHAN: What's funny is that there are two guiding lights on the show. [One] is we love TV, so we're constantly pushing to be like, “Let's do holiday specials, let's do big finales, let's do these serialized stories, let's change genres…” There's the whole episode where we do the Looney Tunes kind of Chuck Jones homage. This is a show that loves TV and spin-offs. I love spin-offs. I love backdoor pilots. I love that there's a backdoor pilot, like, almost instantly in Star Trek: The Original Series . I've actually pitched a really funny spin-off of Solar Opposites .

The other guiding light is to never do anything you guys expect. We want the audience to always be surprised at all times. So, if we spun the Wall or SilverCops off, it wouldn't be as weird and fun as they are now. You know what I mean? They would just become more expected. So, the spin-offs that we've talked about are things that you guys out there just can't even imagine , like crazy, funny shit.

I want to go back to that Chuck Jones episode because it was probably my favorite episode of this season. The show has such a knack for pop culture, and I am very curious: Had it ever crossed your mind to do an episode like that before? Was that a new idea, or was it something you always wanted to do from the get-go?

BYCEL: I'm just gonna say this, in story-breaking, when we break episodes, we always try to start from a place of, “What would a sitcom do? What would Modern Family have done? What would a sitcom do?” And so this episode started with, “What if your kids came home and said they were being bullied?” It's a standard story. What we always do, and Mike is great at this, is, “How can we twist that out the first four minutes into something else?” Obviously, Chuck Jones is a lodestar and a hero for animation and all that stuff, but ultimately, I think what it is is we always have these things in the back of our heads, and then when we're breaking our stories, which is so fun to do these stories, it comes up in the moment. Mike was like, “This is the perfect time to do a Chuck Jones thing now.” Not many shows would do it for 10 minutes of the episode.

MCMAHAN: That's the surprise.

BYCEL: Yes, that's the surprise, and that's what makes Solar so much fun. And Hulu and 20th and Disney have been amazing about us running with our passions . I think that most shows would do it for a scene; we decided to do it for the bulk of the episode.

MCMAHAN: That really is like, “Wait, are they really gonna do this?” That moment where the audience is starting to be like, “They're still doing it,” I love that the Wall is like we took Itchy & Scratchy and made it half of the show. The big inspiration for the Looney Tunes episode this season was the invisibility episode the previous season, where we basically were like, “Let's do an episode in which the characters become invisible, and because they're invisible, they can't see because the light isn't hitting anything in their eyes and basically tell a story like a stage play in a cartoon with nobody on screen.” That episode came out so fucking well that my brain was cooking on, “What are other things we can do with these characters that really test the limits of the kind of fun we can have with animation that nobody else can do?” That's where the “what if” episode comes from, too, of like, “Let's do a what if where they never get to do a what if.” That kind of stuff is really special to Solar . Because we've created a show where you can expect the unexpected, then we never get punished when we do that, when we have fun with it.

Is There an Endgame in Sight for ‘Solar Opposites’?

One of my favorite parts of the show is that it's built up like a family sitcom, and it feels like something like The Simpsons or Family Gu y, where it could keep going and going. But I know so many shows always have to have an endgame. Do you guys have an endgame or is the plan just to keep this going until Hulu is like, “No?”

MCMAHAN: We haven't talked about an endgame right now. Animation is so deciduous, anytime something goes away, it seems like, “Take a couple of years off and then regrow,” like mint in a garden where you're like, “I can't get rid of this fucking thing.” But no, we are not telling a big serialized story. We're telling stories about a group, like a family, that is living their lives, and you could just keep telling stories forever. There are elements of it that could resolve, you know what I mean? Like, I have a final SilverCops episode that'll hit, and then you won't see SilverCops after that. That story will resolve. There's some stuff with the Wall, too, that we have in mind, but then something else could grow in those places.

Solar Opposites is a show, but it's also almost a network where movies or other shows can happen within it, and you're always getting these family stories. That's the real joy of it. We don't want to feel like there's a final episode of an animated sitcom about a family because the family is gonna keep going.

I noticed in one of the episodes that Korvo says, “We have a note from Hulu for us to stick together,” and it makes me very curious: Do they give you a lot of freedom, or did they ever say, “Oh, no, you can't say that about Disney,” or things like that?

MCMAHAN: Well, they give us an immense amount of freedom. Disney legal gives us a little less freedom because they're very good at their jobs, but there's never been something on the show that we couldn't do because of a note. We've edged something to be less vulgar but still vulgar. Josh, I don't know about you, but even when we're dealing with legal and stuff, they love the show, too, and they're trying to figure out ways for us to get to do whatever we want without triggering a lawsuit. [Laughs]

BYCEL: This show is the way it is because Hulu very early on, and 20th, gave great notes, but also knew we were trying to do something a little different. They have been great supporters of us the whole time. The Disney legal people are doing their job, and yeah, we probably shouldn't say that about Chewbacca or R2-D2, some of the most popular things in the history of the world. But most of the time, w hen we're goofing on Hulu, it's just because we like goofing on Hulu. They're great, great partners.

MCMAHAN: Nate, you know what the weird thing is? One thing they let us do — which in hindsight, I'm like, “Why do we do that?” but now it's part of the show — is because we love TV, and we always see product placement, we put tons of product placement in the show, but we don't talk to those companies or make any money to do it. We're just doing it to, like, make it look like there's product placement because it makes us laugh. But then I see folks online being like, “These guys are such shills. They must make so much money on product placement.” And I'm like, “Oh no, we don't make shit.” We literally are just doing that because we thought it would be funny for aliens to be eating Taco Bell. That was one of the things they let us get away with because, usually, you can't do that. Usually, they're like, “No, no, no, no, instead of Taco Bell, it's gotta be called Zappo Schmell.” But pulling in real-world brands and real-world properties into a show this ridiculous was funny to me. But now people don't realize that was a joke, and they just think I'm a shill, so maybe I could have pumped the brakes on that. [Laughs] I don't know.

I am a huge fan of the show and cannot wait for the Halloween Special. The Holiday Specials are incredible.

MCMAHAN: Look forward to the Halloween Special. It's a direct sequel of the last one and we kind of play with the structure of The Santa Clause for it, but in the Halloween Special, the Tim Allen movie. Then in Season 6, which we're working on right now, it's fucking bonkers. It's great. And the way the Wall ends in Season 5 leads to an insane Wall story in Season 6 , so I'm really excited for people to see it.

Solar Opposites Season 5 is now streaming on Hulu.

Watch on Hulu