The upside-down Enterprise

[ZapBrannigan]

anh165 wrote:

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Something discomforting about an upside down image of the Enterprise. I think I will need to lay down.

In theory, the Enterprise's markings/decals should be the only thing that looks out of place when the model is upside down, because it's an entirely fictional spacecraft architecture. But we're so conditioned to see it one way, and so invested in the beauty of that way, that it looks crazy upside down.

[scotpens]

ZapBrannigan wrote:

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In theory, the Enterprise's markings/decals should be the only thing that looks out of place when the model is upside down, because it's an entirely fictional spacecraft architecture. But we're so conditioned to see it one way, and so invested in the beauty of that way, that it looks crazy upside down.

The TOS Enterprise was designed to look uniquely futuristic while creating a subliminal impression of a majestic 18th-century sailing ship. Upside down, it looks like something some kid put together with Tinkertoys.

[Maurice]

Regarding "planes" it's easy to "proceed from a false assumption." No one's saying a ship has to approach on a particular plane. For all we know "standard orbit" is a polar one that lets the ship eventually pass over the entire surface of the planet.