The Ops Station

[AdmiralSteven]

Hey everyone,

I was wondering, is the Ops Station on the bridge of a starship the main Science station? Memory-Alpha states that the Ops Station is responsible for scheduling resources and hardware with the different departments, as well as being backed up by the Science Station during away missions and emergency situations. This explanation from Memory-Alpha would make it look like a position that, although important, is not a Science position, except for during away missions. However, I see Picard and Janeway asking Data and Ensign Kim questions that, to me at least, should go to someone else. In the case of Voyager it appears that the Ops station is the main Science Station, considering it has a lot more to it than Enterprise's Ops station. Just curious.

Thanks all.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

On the Ent-D at least there are two separate science stations behind tactical along with the engineering station.

 

[AdmiralSteven]

On the Ent-D at least there are two separate science stations behind tactical along with the engineering station.

I know that, and that's why I'm confused. Picard will often ask Data things that I think should go to a Science officer and not Ops.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

But Data often assumes a post at the actual science station. he can probably use OPS at least for the basic stuff and uses Science when he's doing deeper research and analysis.

 

[AdmiralSteven]

But Data often assumes a post at the actual science station. he can probably use OPS at least for the basic stuff and uses Science when he's doing deeper research and analysis.

True.

 

[Shawnster]

From TNG onward the science station tasks got pretty ambiguous. In TOS Spock, the science officer, was ALWAYS at the science station. Starting with TOS it seemed that science and communications duties were shared between Ops and Tactical. Sometimes Data would report on things and othertimes Worf would. Sometimes Data would stay at Ops and take readings and other times he'd move to the science stations at the back.

Same seemed to hold true for communications. Sometimes Worf and other times Data (or whomever was at Ops) acted as communications officer.

Data was definitely the science officer. Worf was definitely tactical/security. Unlike Uhura though no one was specifically assigned as communications officer.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

It's funny, because the TNG Writer's Guide stated specifically that Data "is not the Science Officer." It went on to say that he's "not at all Spock-like." Evidently they were at some pains to emphasize the differences between him and Spock.

 

[flemm]

Evidently they were at some pains to emphasize the differences between him and Spock.

That makes sense. Even now he is often thought of as being the TNG character who corresponds to Spock or is most in line with the Spock tradition. Early on the temptation would have been to write him like Spock. He seems to make very similar contributions in a crisis.

But the general arc of the character is intended to be the opposite of Spock. Where Spock disdains human emotion and impulsiveness, Data aspires to understand and acquire those very qualities. Before there was much precedent you would have to take some pains to emphasize this distinction.

 

[Timo]

From the in-universe point of view, we could argue that Picard's science officers were provided with better facilities downstairs, and even his Chief Science Officer (a coordinator similar to Spock) was down there, onlyh sending up results for Data to review at the Ops console.

We did see our share of high-ranking science officers in Picard's crew, but none of these were bridge officers. Perhaps only the smallest vessels are in such dire straits that they need to burden their science officers with double duty as bridge officers?

Of course, we could also say that automation has replaced the science officer as the starship captain's right hand or pet poodle, and that most tactical situations are best advised by a tactician who consults a scientific expert program on his console...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

From the in-universe point of view, we could argue that Picard's science officers were provided with better facilities downstairs, and even his Chief Science Officer (a coordinator similar to Spock) was down there, onlyh sending up results for Data to review at the Ops console.

We did see our share of high-ranking science officers in Picard's crew, but none of these were bridge officers. Perhaps only the smallest vessels are in such dire straits that they need to burden their science officers with double duty as bridge officers?

Of course, we could also say that automation has replaced the science officer as the starship captain's right hand or pet poodle, and that most tactical situations are best advised by a tactician who consults a scientific expert program on his console...

Timo Saloniemi

It could also be possible that on Galaxy-class starships that the science departments all fall under the purview of the Operations Manager since his/her task is to allocate ship's resources, like long-range sensors.

Then again, Riker was also shown being the one to handle resource management when LCDR Darin asked for more long-range sensor time. So there goes my theory.

 

[AdmiralSteven]

From the in-universe point of view, we could argue that Picard's science officers were provided with better facilities downstairs, and even his Chief Science Officer (a coordinator similar to Spock) was down there, onlyh sending up results for Data to review at the Ops console.

We did see our share of high-ranking science officers in Picard's crew, but none of these were bridge officers. Perhaps only the smallest vessels are in such dire straits that they need to burden their science officers with double duty as bridge officers?

Of course, we could also say that automation has replaced the science officer as the starship captain's right hand or pet poodle, and that most tactical situations are best advised by a tactician who consults a scientific expert program on his console...

Timo Saloniemi

There is that possibility. Data is the one who schedules everything, so that would up him in a position to see what data's been collected.

It could also be possible that on Galaxy-class starships that the science departments all fall under the purview of the Operations Manager since his/her task is to allocate ship's resources, like long-range sensors.

Then again, Riker was also shown being the one to handle resource management when LCDR Darin asked for more long-range sensor time. So there goes my theory.

As to the bolded, this was my initial thought as well, but I had my doubts, and still do. I'm still kind of leaning towards this direction...especially on Voyager.

 

[Timo]

Then again, the Voyager did have a dedicated science station. It's just that it was very seldom manned - Torres used it every now and then, or Ensign Wildman did.

Probably the ship had originally had a proper science officer aboard, but he or she got killed by the Caretaker (several high-ranking casualties are listed in "Ashes to Ashes"), and all that was left of the department was the junior officer Wildman. She didn't stand a chance against Janeway's scientific experience and ambition, so the Chief Science Officer position never got filled - the Captain effectively doubled in that role.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Galactic Alignment]

What I like about the bridge design in Voyager was the larger Ops station. Seemed much more plausible (to me) as a station that could control so many ship functions than the tiny console Data had in TNG.

 

[Amaris]

^ But that was the beauty of LCARS. You could have a science station, operations interface, navigation system, and communications station, all rolled up into one device.

J.

 

[Praetor]

I can see why an Ops station would be logical for a starship, but since I've been old enough to realize it, it's been rather painful to see to what ends TNG went to establish Data was not like Spock, from making him not the science officer right down to deciding that he "looked better in gold than blue."

Suuure.

 

[Amaris]

He does look better in gold than blue.


J.

 

[Praetor]

No he doesn't.

 

[Skywalker]

And I'd just removed this pic from my account...



He looks fine to me.

 

[Amaris]

And I'd just removed this pic from my account...



He looks fine to me.

Wow. I guess after so many years, things just look...wrong.

J.

 

[Praetor]

He looks fine to me, just different than we're used to. Thanks, Skywalker.

I have a personal preference for command red, but I don't think Picard and Riker look bad in gold, either.