Category:USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) is the central and most iconic starship from the Star Trek media franchise. The USS Enterprise serves as the main ship from the original series, the animated series, and first three Trek films.[[File:USS_Enterprise_(NCC-1701).jpg|thumb|center|400px|USS Enterprise

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Overview
The USS Enterprise, Naval Construction Contract (NCC) 1701 is a Constitution-Class Starship built in service for the United Federation of Planets in the 23rd Century.

Replacing the venerable NX-Class Cruisers, these starships were the trailblazers for Starfleet as the first true long duration exploration vessels for the fledgling organization. Capable of operating with minimal support for up to five years at a time and mapping, surveying, and exploring, the Constitutions expanded the Federation's known space by thousands of cubic parsecs as well as making diplomatic contact with hundreds of alien species and races.

These heavy cruisers came to dominate the spaceways from the mid to late 23rd Century as the Federation's premiere multi-role starship capable of deep space exploration, scientific research, planetary defense and extended patrol missions. As a result of it's modularity of it's design, the Constitution-Class Starships enabled it to be upgraded for the next four decades, remaining as a cutting edge of Starfleet technology which led it to effectively became the standard vessel of Starfleet and inspiring over a century of future Federation starship designs.

The most famous and greatest of these vessels was the flagship of the fleet, the USS Enterprise.

Technical Specifications
Overall Length: 288.6 meters  (947 feet)

Overall Beam:  127.1 meters (417 feet)

Overall Draft:  72.6 meters (238 feet)

Mass: 600,000 metric tons

Displacement: 190,000 metric tons

Decks: 21

Crew Complement: 430 persons

Cruising Speed: Warp 2

Maximum Speed:  Warp 6 (Warp 8 for short durations)

History
Designed and commissioned by Starfleet; the Naval Construction Contract NCC-1700 and her sister starship, the NCC-1701 began construction from 2243. The various components were created at the San Francisco Naval Yards before shipped into orbit where they assembled. Captain Robert April oversaw her construction and later commanded the as-of-yet unfinished and unnamed ship on a priority rescue mission which was successfully completed thanks to the distinguished service of a security officer, George Kirk Sr. (and father of James T. Kirk). Subsequently, George Kirk would suggest that the unnamed ship to be named as the Enterprise and in 2245 when she was completed; the NCC-1701 was christened the USS Enterprise while her sister ship, the NCC-1700 was designated the USS Constitution, becoming the lead ship of their class of starships.

April would continue to serve as the ship's captain during its trial runs, shakedown cruise, and several early short-term missions before he was promoted to Commodore, passing command to Captain Christopher Pike.

Captain Christopher Pike commanded the Enterprise in 2251 to 2262 and was responsible for two separate 5-year missions which saw extended scientific explorations in Rigel, Vega, and the Talos Systems. His longest lasting and most dedicated officer who served under him for 11 years was a the half-human and half-Vulcan hybrid Spock who originally served as his Science Officer before he was promoted to First Officer. Following an extensive refit and upgrade, the newly promoted Captain James T. Kirk became the newest and subsequently, the most famous captain of the Enterprise as he commanded the ship of its next 5-year mission of exploration from 2265 to 2270.