Did ENT have a set plan for exploration?

[Joel_Kirk]

I probably posted a similar question, but what exactly was the Enterprise' mission? Or, did they have a set plan of exploration?

It comes out in an episode (or a novel I read) that the Vulcan's explored a certain part of space, and that ENT was just following the areas that were unexplored.

But was it random exploration, or did they have a set plan of exploration?

Too, Archer mentioned something about their 'next assignment' (in an episode or novel I read) which adds to my question.

Granted, there were distress calls, and random encounters...and even one episode where ENT is exploring a system where a starbase would be built; but, was it ever brought out was ENT assigned certain area or systems to explore?

Especially since there are Klingons, Orions, Tellerites, Andorians (even Tholians and other un-named aliens) who have their own areas of space...and might not take lightly foreign ships in their space...

Too, I'm assuming it was basically the 'Alpha' Quadrant that was being explored; but would the ENT crew know the Alpha Quadrant...and how much they should explore?

I'm beginning to repeat myself...but I think you get the idea of my question(s)...

 

[Admiral Shran]

I haven't read any of the novels, so what I'm about to say is based just on my impressions from what is onscreen....

I think during the first two seasons it was just random exploration. They picked a direction away from Earth and off they went into unexplored space, with many sidetrips along the way. Season Three, of course, had a very specific mission, the Xindi threat. Starting with Season Four I think they went more with assigned missions within known, explored space (similiar to many of the missions from TOS and TNG) that had a dipolmatic or defensive military objective.

 

[Broccoli]

^ What Admiral Shransaid. I remember flipping through Star Charts and they had the NX-01's path for the first year or two. It was very random and moving all over the place in a direction away from Earth.

 

[Skywalker]

Basically Archer just waved at the screen and said, "Thataway."

 

[Joel_Kirk]

I haven't read any of the novels, so what I'm about to say is based just on my impressions from what is onscreen....

I think during the first two seasons it was just random exploration. They picked a direction away from Earth and off they went into unexplored space, with many sidetrips along the way. Season Three, of course, had a very specific mission, the Xindi threat. Starting with Season Four I think they went more with assigned missions within known, explored space (similiar to many of the missions from TOS and TNG) that had a dipolmatic or defensive military objective.

Yeah, that sounds about right....

^ What Admiral Shransaid. I remember flipping through Star Charts and they had the NX-01's path for the first year or two. It was very random and moving all over the place in a direction away from Earth.

Basically Archer just waved at the screen and said, "Thataway."

Thanks for the comments..!

 

[pookha]

they were not always going out..
they seemed to be more going out toward a certain distance and then seemed to be heading inward and then back out.
ie doing their own space mapping.

something the tos enteprise spent a lot more time doing then most suspect.

 

[ALF]

I can't imagine where they could begin... with all that empty space. Would you go in a straight line, or randomly choose spots? Yeah. I think they would go to star systems that looked interesting on sensors... or with planets that may be class M or near class M.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I can't imagine where they could begin... with all that empty space. Would you go in a straight line, or randomly choose spots? Yeah. I think they would go to star systems that looked interesting on sensors... or with planets that may be class M or near class M.

Isn't tht what they did? I seem to recall dialog to that affect.

 

[Guardian Bob]

Yeah, Im sure the plans got thrown out of the window once the Xindi attacked. After that, it was about building the coalition and staying close to home.

 

[ALF]

Yeah, Im sure the plans got thrown out of the window once the Xindi attacked. After that, it was about building the coalition and staying close to home.

Because they were the only ones who could... when ENT ended the Columbia was launched so from then on it wouldn't only be Enterprise doing all the >warp5 missions.

 

[Voyagerian]

As far as the Vulcans' explorational forays and Enterprise, Archer sometimes used the database of charts, etc loaned to Starfleet, with the insistence of T'Pol's presence-thus, the in for her being asked by Jon to stay on...or she was here and there helpful with refs such as mentioning the Tholians at one point prior to their appearance('Future Tense'), etc...

 

[Guardian Bob]

Yeah, Im sure the plans got thrown out of the window once the Xindi attacked. After that, it was about building the coalition and staying close to home.

Because they were the only ones who could... when ENT ended the Columbia was launched so from then on it wouldn't only be Enterprise doing all the >warp5 missions.

Yeah. Although in the novels, they we're both kind-of doing that.

 

[StarshipDefiant]

I think it was more or less random, and exploring what was the unknown to Earth. There's a few episodes that suggest this, one in particular, Archer is looking at the Vulcan starcharts and suggests a place to go, and I think T'Pol, or Tucker made a comment that Vulcans have seen a dozen of such things, but he said "but we (Earth ships/people) haven't". Their random pattern, as the Starmaps suggest would probably align with one of the first episodes and Archer complaining they'd been in space for weeks with nothing happening. That suggested their course might have somewhat been set at first, but then changed for whatever looked interesting.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

^^

Just add to some of the comments:

I guess it was just random.

Their orders seem to be: Find things interesting for the amount of time they were out in space, then come back home with stories to tell...

Hmm...

 

[ALF]

Of course, because it's a TV series, we'd have to assume in between episodes there were boring events happening (A Night in Sickbay notwithstanding).