Spinner on front of TOS nacelle

As a kid in the early 70s, I noticed the difference. But being a big picture guy even then, it didn't matter. I was in for the whole experience.

 

When I first noticed the difference (and new to Trek), I wondered if the lit globs were meant to represent some sort of high energy thrust coming out of the grills we saw in other shots.

A fellow Trekkie then explained to me that "warp engines don't work that way!"

 

I never noticed that the globes were lit.

 

That's because they weren't. They were solid wood and not illuminated. However, a memo from Gene Roddenberry dated April 1966 indicates he originally wanted the globes to have a lighting effect.

Link to source: When and Why Did the Enterprise Get Balls?

 

I don't think the rear balls added after the second pilot were solid wood, rather a plastic partial dome.

Here's the April 1966 Roddenberry memo reproduced in its entirety, along with the Anderson Co. price list mentioned within:

 

That's an interesting concept... glowing, swirling red at both ends of the nacelles.

Kor

 

Well, whatever. Maybe I was getting the "balls" confused with the original hemispheres on the nacelle fronts (before the spinner lighting effects were added), which IIRC were solid wood painted red.

 

I might split the difference. Production nacelle domes up front but keep the vents from the second pilots behind

 

Oh you beat me to it....

 

The way I currently understand it (in universe) is that the visible portion of the Bussard ram scoops are the vents or louvers behind the front domes. Here, interstellar/interplanetary atomic hydrogen is funneled inside the nacelles via magnetic fields. Then it is accumulated in the front dome/pods where it exists initially in a hot plasma state while it is slowly cooled and condensed (with the help of “spinners”) for delivery to the “atomic matter piles” before being converted to deuterium for fuel use.

 

Sorry for being silly.
I had to do a double take of the OP Title I thought it read: Spiner on Front of TOS Nacelle. LOL
Maybe a commentary by the legendary actor?
Perhaps an EV shot of Data on the ramscoop?
Smile.

 

I always thought the warp core belonged in the guts of the nacelles (lengthwise).
TOS canon did touch lightly on discarding nacelles and breaking away with the main section...
Not to derail the thread.

Was Finney jettisoned in a pod or a portion of the nacelle?

 

Brent Spiner collecting buzzards?

The term "warp core" was never used in Trek TOS.

In "Court Martial," the location of the "ion pod" was never specified. The TOS-R digital effects show it on the starboard side of the engineering hull just below the shuttlebay, with a "hole" and apparent scorch marks where the pod was jettisoned (presumably using explosive charges).

However, according to the fan-produced U.S.S. Enterprise Officer's Manual, the ion pod is the "nipple" in the middle of the lower sensor dome on the saucer.

 

Brent Spinner?
JB

 

In the episode itself, dialogue is suggestive (to my mind) of the ion pod being at the leading edge of the ship, so as best to collect the essential ion readings (whatever they are). Therefore, my money is being on the pod being one of those 3 round lights at the front edge of the saucer.