It's been a busy September. First, on the 8th arrived the 35th anniversary of Star Trek, strong and vibrant as ever. Next, on the 26th should arrive our favorite new television series, inaugurating another fine era into Trek history. Both of these dates have met with alot of splash and many fans have noticed.
But this past Monday, the 17th of September, I saw little to recall another, perhaps more significant achievement: The 25th anniversary of the roll-out of a star ship, "Enterprise."
Back in 1976 the United States was celebrating its Bicentennial. In April of that year final assembly was completed on its new "space shuttle," Constitution. Though it would never kiss the stars, or launch under its own power, it would successfully prove the concept for subsequent trips.
The record shows that, overwhelming the tide of birthday pride like a mighty challenger, Star Trek fans in joint effort once again employed the "letter-deluge" to petition the nation to rename the new vessel, "Enterprise." There at Palmdale California, on 17 September 1976, before many honored guests (including the starship Enterprise's crew), and to the strains of Alexander Courage's famous theme song, the Enterprise was wheeled out to her place in destiny.
For whatever it's worth, series creator Gene Roddenberry did not approve. "I didn't like the idea and I still don't," he said in an interview at the time. "I would have preferred to have a non-military name and be representative of all the earth rather than a military history of the United States."
Talk about missing the galaxy for the stars. By force of will he had created just such a representative on the small screen, named Enterprise. Then reality itself, spurred by the spirit of fans, resonated by producing just such an actual representation, named Enterprise!
It would be another five years before the shuttle Columbia, symbolizing the US far more to Roddenberry's concern, made the maiden flight of the young fleet into space. However, it's also clear that "Enterprise" has come to pre-eminently symbolize the extraterrestrial excursion of the human species.
Yes, these are the voyages of the Enterprise. Next week, insh'Allah, we will begin a new trek to the stars using Series V as a blueprint. And even if that vision should sink like Atlantis, still will our endeavour proceed. Though a thousand times different in size, the space shuttle Enterprise and the NX-01 Enterprise alike represent bright points on the continuous line of our ongoing, common discovery.
I for one am ready. "Let's go!"