Gap between the decommissioning of the NX-01 and launch of the NCC-1701

[Captain of the USS Averof]

Kind of a stretch to call the OV-101 Enterprise a "spacecraft."

Hilarious since it actually flew. More than I can say for all the rest of the (fictional) Enterprises.

Spacecraft: a vehicle, or machine designed for travel or operation in space.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/spacecraft

 

[Tenacity]

Spacecraft: a vehicle, or machine designed for travel or operation in space.

Which the OV-101 wasn't.

 

[Captain of the USS Averof]

Which the OV-101 wasn't.

Wrong once again.

"Originally, Enterprise had been intended to be refitted for orbital flight to become the second space-rated orbiter in service".

"NASA originally intended to refit the orbiter for spaceflight at the conclusion of its testing".

"Enterprise was considered for refit to replace Challenger after the latter was destroyed".

"Planned preparations for spaceflight
At the conclusion of this testing, Enterprise was supposed to be taken back to Palmdale for retrofitting as a fully spaceflight capable vehicle. Under this arrangement, Enterprise would be launched on its maiden spaceflight in July 1981 to launch a communications satellite and retrieve the Long Duration Exposure Facility. Afterwards, Enterprise would conduct two Spacelab missions".

"After the Challenger disaster, NASA considered using Enterprise as a replacement. Refitting the shuttle with all of the necessary equipment for it to be used in space was considered".

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Enterprise

 

[Ithekro]

It was designed to fly in space. It could not as it would need a refit to install engines and a heat shield, but the design was for space and was originally intended to do so after its refit. It was cheaper to convert the structure article Challenger, than to refit flight testing prototype Enterprise.

 

[Tenacity]

Wrong once again.

Nope, at no point was the OV-101 capable of being used as a spacecraft.

By your own admission, it would have had to of been extensively changed before it could have been used as a spacecraft ... changes that never happened..

 

[Captain of the USS Averof]

Nope, at no point was the OV-101 capable of being used as a spacecraft.

By your own admission, it would have had to of been extensively changed before it could have been used as a spacecraft ... changes that never happened..

Irrelevant. It was designed and intended to be used as a fully functional spacecraft so by any definition/dictionary used, it was a spacecraft. Case (and thread hijack) closed.

 

[Ithekro]

What about there being an Earth passenger liner Enterprise between the NX-01 and NCC-1701. A ship designed to carry people of all species in comfort around Federation space. Named for the starship that made it possible in the first place. Perhaps it even gets lost due to Klingon aggression and the NCC-1701 is a response to this act.

 

[FlipORican]

Plus, the Galaxy class was already on the books when the C was destroyed, but still years away from the production line, so Starfleet also probably thought it best to save the D until then.

No doubt the naming of a starship might also start with planned production. For example, USS Enterprise was recently retired by the US Navy, but the planned production of the new Gerald Ford Class nuclear aircraft carrier is going to bear the name Enterprise. So far only the USS Gerald Ford has been completed and was recently launched. So when the Enterprise-C was destroyed they probably decided to name one of their planned Galaxy Classes. Thus, this would indicate that if the Enterprise-C was never destroyed and remain in active service after they started launching the Galaxy Class, none of them would of been given the Enterprise name. But in the finale of ENT, Tucker mentions the launching of the new Warp 7 starships rolling out, so if they were retire the NX-Class, then Starfleet would pass on the name to a new Starship that is planned for production.

 

[Nightowl1701]

Only speculation on my part, but... maybe the name Enterprise was retired post-2161 purely as a nod of respect to Jonathan Archer, and it was only resurrected at his own behest decades later when the Constitution class was on the drawing board. He supposedly attended the NCC-1701's launch and died the next day, right?

 

[The Wormhole]

if they were retire the NX-Class, then Starfleet would pass on the name to a new Starship that is planned for production.

They could but clearly didn't.

He supposedly attended the NCC-1701's launch and died the next day, right?

That is what's written in the Defiant's database, yes.

 

[dswynne1]

In the (Prime Universe) United Federation of Planets Starfleet there have been 6 ships to bear the name Enterprise:

USS Enterprise NCC-1701 (2245–2285)
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A (2286–2293)
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-B (2293–2329)
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C (2332–2344)
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D (2363–2371)
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E (2372–still active in 2379)

Before the UFP there have been at least 3 Earth spacecraft/spaceships/starships Enterprise:

Enterprise OV-101
Enterprise XCV-330
Enterprise NX-01 (2151–2161)

All this is canon, excluding of course the various Mirror/Kelvin universes/timelines.

Here is a thought. Right now, there is the USS Enterprise (which has only been recently been decommissioned, which is scheduled to have a replacement in ten years), and there is the HMS Enterprise, which is an Echo-class ship. Whose to say that there was not an SS Enterprise or an ESS Enterprise or an UESPA Enterprise or few roaming around before the NCC-1701 was commissioned? It would be fascinating to look at that a series featuring an all-civilian crew, kinda like the SS Prometheus from PROMETHEUS, the movie. Or, if you want something darker, like BLAKE'S SEVEN. FYI.

 

[Paul Weaver]

He supposedly attended the NCC-1701's launch and died the next day, right?

Isn't it ironic - dontcha think?

 

[diankra]

FWIW, the post series Enterprise books include an Andorian vessel, now part of the UFP starfleet, whose name translates as Enterprise, which is one reason for leaving the name 'fallow'.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Here is a thought. Right now, there is the USS Enterprise (which has only been recently been decommissioned, which is scheduled to have a replacement in ten years), and there is the HMS Enterprise, which is an Echo-class ship. Whose to say that there was not an SS Enterprise or an ESS Enterprise or an UESPA Enterprise or few roaming around before the NCC-1701 was commissioned? It would be fascinating to look at that a series featuring an all-civilian crew, kinda like the SS Prometheus from PROMETHEUS, the movie. Or, if you want something darker, like BLAKE'S SEVEN. FYI.

We know there is a "ring ship" Enterprise, but it probably wasn't Starfleet. We also don't know when, specifically, it was in service, although it would have had to be prior to the NX-01.

 

[suarezguy]

Thus, I can only surmise that there would have been 3 to 5 more starship classes to bear the name, depending on how long Starfleet would want to keep a starship class in service and whether of not the starship was destroyed before being placed out of service.

I think it's more likely that there was a combination of mixed feelings about the ship's voyage, leading to not a lot of starships being built, and that the starships that were built had different names and having repeat names was at least very rare (Kirk and the others were certainly surprised at the end of TVH).

One final observation about the final episode of Star Trek Enterprise, over the course years from the last episode 'Terra Prime' to the finale, which was about 6 years, why was Reed still only a Lieutenant and Mayweather and Hoshi still Ensigns? It's hard to believe that with all they have done for Starfleet, Archer would of neglected to promote them. And yeah I know after seven years Harry Kim came back to Earth as only an Ensign, considering that Reed came up with the new Tactical Alert protocol and Hoshi helped further developed the universal translator, they undoubtedly would of earned a promotion. What's your thoughts on that?

I don't like the ideas that in Trek promotions are automatic or that not getting them means a person should be seen as a failure. Especially in Enterprise when Starfleet was so small (and there also didn't seem to be the ranks of Lieutenant junior grade or Lieutenant Commander) being an officer and even just at the ensign level was probably seen as very prestigious and worthy.

 

[Tenacity]

Jonathan Archer ... He supposedly attended the NCC-1701's launch and died the next day, right?

If only that's what happen when the NX Enterprise launched, things would have been so different.

being an officer and even just at the ensign level was probably seen as very prestigious and worthy.

Then how did Reed make Lieutenant? Not advancing beyond the lowest possible commissioned rank after six plus years indicate that you're doing something wrong and your superiors have noticed..