Does Enterpise-A's short tenure make sense?

[Unionized Elf]

Star Trek III: "The Enterprise is 20 years old! We feel her day is over" doesn't fit with 2245 at all.

That line doesn't even allow for The Cage to be a decade prior to TOS S1.

The TNG Technical Manual and Star Trek Encyclopdia gave the 1701's launch date as 2245; the episode DIS: "Brother" finally confirmed this on-screen by outright stating it was April 11, 2245.

Disco took that date from Enterprise's In a Mirror Darkly.

 

[Tosk]

Morrow's line is very easy to explain as far as I'm concerned. The character misspoke, just as real life people do. The words that come out of character's mouths should not always be taken as gospel.

 

[Damian]

Morrow's line is very easy to explain as far as I'm concerned. The character misspoke, just as real life people do. The words that come out of character's mouths should not always be taken as gospel.

In a sense that's what Christopher did in his story for Mere Anarchy. Morrow just messed up his timeframes as it was a weakness of his remembering dates.

At the end of the day there's no real way to reconcile it. 20 years is wrong. 40 years is likely the right answer here and whomever wrote that line got it wrong. We can make up cute explanations in universe to try to explain it away but it's one of those things that at the end of the day we have to accept was a mistake in dialogue.

For what it is worth, here is James Dixon’s service career of the Enterprise

2218
16–Jul–2218
The Enterprise is laid down at UESPA in San Francisco Yards on Earth

2219
July
Robert April is chosen to be first Captain of the Enterprise

2220
March
Free-space assembly starts on the Enterprise

16–Jun–2220
A christening projectile is perfectly aligned and fired to intercept the Enterprise in exactly 2 weeks, 4 days, and 16 hours

4–Jul–2220
The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) is launched from Earth

2221
5–Jan–2221
The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) heavy cruiser is commissioned

2244
2–Oct–2244
Robert April announces he is stepping down as Captain of the Enterprise and names Christopher Pike as his successor

2245
April
The Enterprise is recommissioned with Captain Christopher Pike in command

2247
June
Enterprise begins its first Five–Year–Mission under the command of Captain Christopher Pike with Spock as his Science/Second Officer

2252
June
Enterprise's first Five–Year–Mission under Captain Pike ends. A second Five–Year–Mission under the same commander will begin next year

2258
April
Enterprise returns from its second Five–Year–Mission. Captain Pike is promoted to Fleet Captain. Commander James Kirk is promoted to Captain and given command of the Enterprise

2259
June
Where No Man Has Gone Before

2260
4–Jan–2260
In the Gamma 400 system, in orbit of Starbase 12, Enterprise is drydocked and converted over to a Bonhomme Richard–class heavy cruiser configuration

4–May–2260
Enterprise is relaunched, following Bonhomme Richard–class refitting

YEAR ONE
9–Jun–2260 to 8–Jun–2261
9–Jun–2260
The USS Enterprise is recommissioned after her uprating to the Bonhomme Richard–class specifications. The 3rd Five–Year–Mission of the Enterprise officially begins

YEAR TWO
9–Jun–2261 to 8–Jun–2262

YEAR THREE
9–Jun–2262 to 8–Jun–2263

YEAR FOUR
9–Jun–2263 to 8–Jun–2264

YEAR FIVE
9–Jun–2264 to 8–Jun–2265
16–Jun–2264
The USS Enterprise enters the Arias Mastac Prime Dockyards in orbit of Daran V and is uprated to the Achernar–class configuration

3–Oct–2264
The USS Enterprise is relaunched, now converted to the Achernar configuration

5–Nov–2264
The USS Enterprise is recommissioned as an Achernar–class heavy cruiser and continues her Five–Year–Mission under Captain James Kirk.

2265
March
The Five–Year–Mission of the USS Enterprise finally ends

2266
3–Jan–2266
The USS Enterprise enters Drydock Number One in orbit of Earth and uprating begins to form the new Enterprise (NCC-1701) class starship

2267
23–Aug–2267
THE MOTION PICTURE

2268
17–May–2268
The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) heavy cruiser is recommissioned. The first of two Five–Year–Missions of the new USS Enterprise begins with Admiral James Kirk in command

2273
March
The first Five–Year–Missions of the upgraded USS Enterprise ends. A second Five–Year–Missions, also with Captain James Kirk in command, will soon begin this year

2278
April
The Enterprise returns from her final Five–Year–Mission. The Enterprise is drydocked for damage evaluation and refitting, following her last deep-space mission, and undergoes a refit which will last anywhere from six months to a year. Following the refit, the Enterprise is converted into a training vessel

2287
28–Jan–2287
THE WRATH OF KHAN

1–Feb–2287
THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK
Destruction of the Enterprise

25–Feb–2287
Funding is secured for an additional heavy cruiser of Levant specifications

28–Feb–2287
The Levant–class is rechristened Enterprise (II) class and the Enterprise–A is inserted into the production schedule at Starfleet Division's San Francisco facility.

1–Mar–2287
Construction begins on the Enterprise (II)–A (Ex–Levant NCC–1843) heavy cruiser at Starfleet Division, San Francisco Yards, Earth

APRIL
THE VOYAGE HOME

2288
17–May–2288
At his trial, Admiral Kirk is demoted to Captain rank and is given command of a new Enterprise (NCC–1701–A) which is launched from Spacedock

7–June–2288
THE FINAL FRONTIER

2289
30–Jan–2289
The uprated USS Enterprise (NCC–1701–A) heavy cruiser is commissioned

2291
15–Aug–2291

THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
Enterprise–A decommissioned

2293
6–Jun–2293
GENERATIONS
Enterprise-B commissioned

Under this chronology, Enterprise is forty years old when Kirk assumes command, as per 'The Making of Star Trek'; and twenty years separates 'The Motion Picture' from 'The Search for Spock.' However, Enterprise-A is given a service life of only 2-3 years before being withdrawn from service and Enterprise-B taking its place.

With time, somewhere in my notes, I could probably dig up FASA's service life of Enterprise.

I recall FASA had a different timeline as well, though it's not far off from the one you listed.

Of course, with later episodes on different shows such as Voyager, that Kirk's 5 year mission was about 2265 to 2270 and I think using all the information we have it's been figured out that the Enterprise launched in 2245. But I know there was a time when that wasn't all that clear.

IIRC correctly that matches up pretty well with The Making of Star Trek. Didn't that say the original series was supposed to take place in the late 23rd century?

 

[Macintosh]

Disco took that date from Enterprise's In a Mirror Darkly.

The references to the 1701 in Prime Archer's biography were never visible onscreen in ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly", but episode writer Michael Sussman did prepare a full biography that extended off the bottom of the screen which included the line "Archer died at his home in upstate New York in the year 2245, exactly one day after attending the christening ceremony of the first Federation starship Enterprise".

 

[King Bob!]

The references to the 1701 in Prime Archer's biography were never visible onscreen in ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly", but episode writer Michael Sussman did prepare a full biography that extended off the bottom of the screen which included the line "Archer died at his home in upstate New York in the year 2245, exactly one day after attending the christening ceremony of the first Federation starship Enterprise".

These things are usually ignored. Or, you'd have it as canon that the Enterprise-D warp core is a hamster on a treadmill.

 

[Ray Hardgrit]

These things are usually ignored. Or, you'd have it as canon that the Enterprise-D warp core is a hamster on a treadmill.

Lower Decks referenced the rubber ducky room!

 

[fireproof78]

Anything dating the Enterprise


These things are usually ignored. Or, you'd have it as canon that the Enterprise-D warp core is a hamster on a treadmill.

Well, if it's on screen...

 

[Santa Kang]

These things are usually ignored. Or, you'd have it as canon that the Enterprise-D warp core is a hamster on a treadmill.

 

[theenglish]

Kirk's first Enterprise was commissioned for about 40 years (with three captains). But Enterpise-A had seven years of service. To be fair, D had a similar run, but it was destroyed during a mission. My point being, does it really make sense for the Federation to be cool with the TOS Enterpise flying about for almost half a century but then to decommission A before even a decade? Seems like a waste.

Where is that canon?

EDIT: My bad---I just remembered the end of STVI. Getting old.

EDIT 2: And now I am just remember my friend's comment as we walked out of that movie--something to the effect that Starfleet intentionally put the crew out to pasture in STIV by giving them a ship they knew wasn't going to be around long, kind of like its crew. He likened the ending of STVI to being under forced retirement.

 

[Santa Kang]

Where is that canon?

The Enterprise launched in 2245 (DISCO "Brothers" and was destroyed in 2285. (TSFS) Captains: April, Pike and Kirk.

 

[theenglish]

I've always wondered about that. Several headcanons have emerged but none have stuck. It could be another political statement, or just plain wrong. Morrow having an off day, etc

Typically, the Enterprise will be all but destroyed in S5 of SNW, save a damaged saucer. Then we get an answer after all these years

In Star Trek TOS there were supposed to be 12 Constitution Class ships--or were there more Constitution Class ships and only 12 were designated for 5 year missions. The Enterprise was not supposed to return to Earth for five years as that was the assigned mission time to explore new worlds. Not really a long time when you consider that we could have had multi-year missions to Mars already if we'd wanted to. During the original five year mission, I thought most of those ships were lost or destroyed. I know that is contradicted somewhat by The Ultimate Computer, but I'm wondering where I got this idea. Was it from an episode, a novel, or just something in my head?

 

[Phoenix219]

I think at one point it was fanon that the Enterprise and Kirk were special because it was the only one that survived its mission.

 

[Santa Kang]

I think at one point it was fanon that the Enterprise and Kirk were special because it was the only one that survived its mission.

I thought that was from the TMP novel

 

[theenglish]

Leonard Nimoy had the line changed to twenty in keeping with how many years since TOS had first aired on NBC.

He should have remembered that Spock had served under Pike's command before Kirk. I don't know think that April had actually been established in canon as being the first captain of the Enterprise until much later.

 

[Santa Kang]

He should have remembered that Spock had served under Pike's command before Kirk. I don't know think that April had actually been established in canon as being the first captain of the Enterprise until much later.

It was in TAS. Though that was a gray area for a while.

 

[theenglish]

It was in TAS. Though that was a gray area for a while.

That's right. I remember that now. I haven't watched TAS in 40 years so you'll have to forgive my memory.

 

[F. King Daniel]

The Enterprise launched in 2245 (DISCO "Brothers" and was destroyed in 2285. (TSFS) Captains: April, Pike and Kirk.

And Zarlo, from the Gold Key comics.

 

[Santa Kang]

And Zarlo, from the Gold Key comics.

 

[Phoenix219]

I thought that was from the TMP novel

i have no idea where it originated from. i was reading those novels when i was like in elementary and middle school lol. just know the idea came from somewhere.

 

[David cgc]

The Enterprise launched in 2245 (DISCO "Brothers" and was destroyed in 2285. (TSFS) Captains: April, Pike and Kirk.

Plus Decker and Spock.