Though it’s a military that’s also NASA. Which in no way stops it from being the military.
What are your controversial Star Trek opinions?
- Thread starter Amasov
- Start date
OH yes... LOTS of big dark MilSpec & FedGov missions handled through NASA. Been that way since its inception.
I do see a slight difference: a classic military is there to project power, period. Starfleet is there to explore AND project power. That doesn’t make it a hybrid service or not a military, but it does make it more than just a military.
While that’s probably true, my point is that Starfleet does both, as opposed to our Armed Forces and NASA being separate.
Historically, the military was out front in exploration efforts. The only difference is we’ve ran out of things to really explore. Beyond the deep ocean, and we’re working our way that way.
As our adventures in space expand, I imagine NASA will eventually be under the control of Space Force.
Much like UESPA was eventually merged with Starfleet.
Exactly. Most of the exploration of the oceans (least above sea) was done by the Royal navy, French, Spanish and Dutch navys. Knowledge of what was out there, how it all worked ect was vital to keeping the European empires together and ensuring that trade flowed freely.
Darwin made his discovery's on a royal navy ship.
since the age of submarines. USA, UK and French have now poured significant resources into exploring below sea. Sure not every navy ship carries a science team but why would it? Since the above seas have been charted they don't need them, it would be a waste of resources. however if our militaries started building starships I'm pretty sure they would come with a comprehensive science team due to the new unknown dangers.
And our navy ships still carry full medical, search and rescue and disaster relief facilities. Navies are very versatile things.
NASA's entire existance to some degree hinges on the military's inability to beat the Russians to orbit. Prior to this the DOD was running competing programs to orbit, Navy's Vanguard and Army's Explorer.
NASA allowed the Government to concentrate coordinate science efforts where needed by a civilian agency that could still work with the military, building on the experience and infrastructure of the preexisting NACA, while also allowing it to merge with existing entities like Jet Propulsion Lab. This also freed up the DoD to continue work on its own projects that were far out of the purview of NASA. The arrangement has worked very well.
My friend who served on HMS Ocean spent pretty much the majority of its last mission in the Caribbean first as disaster relief after hurricane Irma and then doing diplomatic and RESEACH missions in conjunction with the US navy testing out new technologies. Same thing pretty much on his last deployment on HMS Queen Elizbeth.
I'm happy for you.
Until that merger happens, why has NASA been largely independent and the Space Force was a recent creation and used to be under the control of the USAF.
There's a serious divide between the two.
Last edited:
But we're Trek Nerds, we don't forget.
You and the others say it's "Military Only".
Others and I have claimed it's "Military + Other Stuff" combined.
This divide won't change, it won't be the first or last time it's come up in the fandom.
It's the same argument that is StarFleet a Military or a Civilian organization on StackExchange.
There's arguments for both ways, but there is no consensus on the fandom.
Last edited:
Well, you can't forget what you haven't seen...
Science fact for Friday:
If you starve a fire of fuel, it stops burning. Try at home and see if it works. Then don’t post about it here.
If you starve a fire of fuel, it stops burning. Try at home and see if it works. Then don’t post about it here.
I've had quite a bit of fun. Haven't talked about Trek this way in ages.
But you can't deny what other parts of the Trek Franchise have claimed it to be as well.
Spock claimed cloaking devices where theoretical in 2266 ("Balance of Terror"). Discovery changed it. DC Fontana said Spock had no siblings, both Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and the before mentioned Discovery ignored it. The Enterprise covered a thousand light years in under 12 hours ("That Which Survives"), Voyager can only cover a thousand light years per year ("Caretaker").
I'm perfectly fine ascribing Picard's comments to what he ultimately wanted Starfleet to be, not what it is.
Last edited:
Indeed it is like that episode of Whose the boss in Season 1 when Tony saw Angela getting out of the bathtub. Could he unsee it? No. Did he want to unsee it? No. He's Tony.
And yet in season 2 the bathtub in Angela's bathroom is not where it had been before. Why? Is it the same bathroom? One must assume. Are Tony's thoughts about the entire incident blurred? Is he an unreliable narrator or is the audience as guilty of violating Angela's privacy voyeuristically that even we are no longer sure of reality. It is better to not know, perhaps.
It would be more accurate to describe Starfleet as an exploration and scientific organization that also does military stuff.
Yes, Starfleet is a military.
No, it is not its primary function.
If it isn't its primary function, why do they drop everything when war comes a callin'? That to me points to its primary function. Its ships are built for war. Even the Galaxy-class.
Similar threads
- Locked
