Star Trek and Real-Life Space Exploration
These Starfleet Officers Want You to Join the Planetary Society!
Join Brent Spiner (Data), Jonathan Frakes (Lt. Riker), Robert Picardo (the Doctor), and William Shatner (Captain Kirk) are all enthusiastic supporters of the real-world space exploration advanced by the Planetary Society.
- 55 Years of NASA and Star Trek Connections – For the almost 60 years now, the science fiction franchise Star Trek has influenced scientists, engineers, astronomers, and astronauts as a very real inspiration for their desire to be involved in astronomy and space exploration.
- NASA on the Edge of Forever: Science in Space,” (YouTube) – in this 5-minute documentary, host NASA astronaut Victor Glover stated, “Science and Star Trek go hand-in-hand.” While the International Space Station doesn’t speed through the galaxy like the Starship Enterprise, much of the research conducted aboard the orbiting facility is making the fiction of Star Trek come a little closer to reality.
- NASA and Star Trek: A Shared Journey of Inspiration – (link to 13 min. Google Notebook LM audio) – The relationship between NASA and Star Trek has evolved significantly over the past fifty years, growing from a cultural phenomenon that paralleled NASA’s early space exploration efforts to a deeply intertwined partnership characterized by mutual inspiration, direct collaboration, and the incorporation of “Star Trek” themes into NASA culture.
- Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot – A special reading of an excerpt from Star Trek star Robert Picardo (Voyager, Starfleet Academy) shows how a perspective of Earth from a viewpoint outside our solar system reveals our true circumstances.
- Star Trek Memory Alpha – Since its beginning, the science fiction franchise Star Trek has been an inspiration for peaceful space exploration, with the United Federation of Planet’s “Starfleet” having its main goal to explore the universe for scientific reasons. Thus, Star Trek provides an inspirational, positive look at the future, in contrast to the dystopian future contemplated by much other contemporary science fiction. This Memory Alpha website is a collaborative project to create the most definitive, accurate, and accessible encyclopedia and reference for everything related to Star Trek.
- The Trek BBS – Perhaps the major forum to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans, including some of the franchise authors and other experts.
Star Trek Day – A Planet Patriot Holiday: the release date of the original Star Trek series on September 8, 1966, is celebrated annually as Star Trek Day. Also, many celebrate “Live Long and Prosper Day,” on the date of actor Leonard Nimoy’s birthday (March 26.)
- For a more imaginative holiday, but no less valuable, see below for First Contact Day (April 5), based on Star Trek canon.
First Contact Day is observed annually on April 5 to celebrate the Star Trek media franchise. It was created by Ronald D. Moore, screenwriter of the 1996 film Star Trek: First Contact. He chose the day based on his eldest son’s birthday. The day is based on the fictional future history of events set to take place on April 5, 2063. This is the day that Vulcans first made their presence known to humans. This event paved the way to the formation of the fictional United Federation of Planets, which remain a hopeful symbol that transcends the ideals of even the United Nations. Learn more at the official Star Trek website.
It should be noted that the phrase “First Contact” is also known as a sub-genre within the larger genre of science fiction. As a concept, it should help us transcend the petty human concerns that memorize so many of us, to the detriment of all other life on Earth and our own spiritual enrichment.
Star Trek Inspires a Better Future
The creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, envisioned in the series a future where people of diverse races – in fact different species – could live in harmony. Of course, he imagined we would go through a period even worse than today, with a World War III wreaking havoc on our planet before we “grew up” enough to explore the universe without harm, and the Federation of Planets would sometimes encounter alien species who could not ever become part of the Federation. But the point Roddenberry was making was that the human race could survive and mature.
To Roddenberry, having belief in what humanity can be didn’t mean being naïve about what humanity often is, and imagining a better future means addressing the wrongs of the present.
He really wasn’t that much into science fiction per se. He just needed a platform to portray a better future world. He saw Star Trek as an opportunity to address the sociopolitical issues of the time. He believed that by putting these issues into a futuristic setting, he could explore them in ways that other media at the time could not. The allegories included in “The Original Series” are evident throughout the show.
So, many episodes dealt with current issues relating to social justice, racism, and dealing with modern technology, often addressing some of the same issues we are today, not only racial issues, but conflicts with advances in technology, such as whether Artificial Intelligence is a boon to humanity or is an existential threat.
Star Trek Museums
Museums across the USA and around the world feature Star Trek memorabilia. There was once a traveling exhibition which has toured around the world and around the USA, which as far as I can tell has been mothballed. But other sites remain:
Museums that have Star Trek exhibits include:
- Star Trek ‘s Starship Enterprise Studio Model – restored and visible at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.
- New Mexico Museum of Space History, Alamagordo, New Mexico – Has an extensive display of Trek memoribilia, including a transporter room photo op, and a tribute to Gene Roddenberry as an inductee in the International Space Hall of Fame.
- Star Trek Voyage Home Museum, Riverside, Iowa – a blend of historical city displays and Star Trek memorabilia to celebrate its official designation as the Future Birthplace of Captain James T Kirk!
- Star Trek Original Series Set Tour, Ticonderoga, New York – A lovingly restored copy of the original series set including the Bridge, Transporter Room, Sick bay, and connecting corridors (reconstructed from original materials and blueprints).
- Original Enterprise “Galileo” Shuttle, Houston, Texas – completely restored from the original, on display at Space Center Houston.
- Star Trek props, models costumes, and sets will one day be on display at Sci-Fi World, Santa Monica, California – This museum is not yet open.
- Star Trek Stamps – an online exhibit of hundreds of Star Trek stickers and stamps from countries all over the world. Note: this site does not distinguish between real postage stamps usable as postage vs. stickers or what are sometimes called “cinderella stamps” – which look like postage stamps but are not usable as real postage. Confusingly, he also calls stamps approved by Paramount as “official” rather than using that designation for officially governmentally-issued stamps.
Nichelle Nichols as Star Trek's "Lt. Uhura" and as NASA Ambassador and Recruiter
In 1984, Nichelle Nichols received the Distinguished Public Service Medal from NASA.
In 2022, when Nichelle Nichols died at the age of 89, then NASA Adminstrator Bill Nelson remembered Nichols in a statement:
“Nichelle Nichols was a trailblazing actress, advocate and dear friend to NASA. At a time when Black women were seldom seen on screen, Nichelle’s portrayal as Nyota Uhura on Star Trek held a mirror up to America that strengthened civil rights. Nichelle’s advocacy transcended television and transformed NASA. After Apollo 11, Nichelle made it her mission to inspire women and people of color to join this agency, change the face of STEM and explore the cosmos. Nichelle’s mission is NASA’s mission. Today, as we work to send the first woman and first person of color to the Moon under Artemis, NASA is guided by the legacy of Nichelle Nichols.”
Nichols and NASA crossed paths many times over the years. Not only did she film a promotional video, but traveled the country giving talks to students and encouraging a more diverse group of people to apply.
Her legacy continues today, with the 2026 establishment of the “Nichelle Nichols Space Camp” to inspire young women to aim for the stars, sponsored by the Nichelle Nichols Foundation.
Astronauts, scientists, engineers, and other space explorers have frequently cited Nichols’ performance as Uhura as one of the reasons they wanted to join the agency. Star Trek has been cited as an inspiration by astronauts, enginers, and scientists, such as
- NASA Astronaut Sally Ride (who wore a Starfleet Communicator Badge on the Space Shuttle)
- European Space Agency Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti (who wore a Starfleet uniform on the Inernational Space Station and gave the Vulcan salute on the passing of Leondard Nimoy)
- NASA Astronaut Mae Jemison cites Nichelle Nichols for making her believe it was possible to become an astronaut, who after flying on the Space Shuttle actually performed on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
- NASA astronaut Victor Glover has stated, “Science and Star Trek go hand-in-hand.”
- NASA astronaut, Frederick Gregory, a former NASA Deputy Administrator, and one of the first three Black men to launch to space, specifically cited a TV advertisement featuring actress Nichelle Nichols, who played Lt. Nyota Uhura on “Star Trek: “She pointed at me, and she said, ‘I want you to apply for the astronaut program,’ and she was talking to me. She was the reason why I and a lot of people applied for the program.”
- European Space Agency Astronaut Frank De Winne, the first non-American and non-Russian person to serve as captain on the International Space Shuttle, appeared in a NASA poster along with 5 other astronauts dressed in Star Trek uniforms. Since then, he often gives talks at Star Trek conventions in UK.
- NASA Engineer Tracy Drain, a systems engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (who actually met Nichelle Nichols in 2016) specifically cited Nichelle Nichols as an important inspiration.
- Aerospace Engineer Misty Snopkowski, the launch site integrator for the Commercial Crew Program, working with Nasa and Space X, confirms the influence of Star Trek, saing: “Even in high school I knew I wanted to be an engineer. I like Star Trek: The Next Generation, I was a total nerd in high school, it just kind of seemed that would be the way to go.”
- Professor David Williams, a planetary geologist and Research Professor at Arizona State University, School Of Earth and Space Exploration, specifically stated: “Star Trek” is what really led me to my career.” Beyond that, he says that Star Trek’s representation of an ideal, cooperative approach to solutions has been an inspiration for him to lead an ethical life. He has taught university classes on “Star Trek and Humanity’s Future in Space.” The classes center around the question, “How can we create or improve the human future in space, informed by the ‘Star Trek’ media franchise?”
NASA Astrophysicist Ken Carpenter is Operations Project Scientist for Hubble Space Telescope; Ground System Scientist for Roman Space Telescope; and a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Fellow and
Principal Investigator for the Artemis-Enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI) NIAC Study. When asked what inspired him to become an astronomer, he stated: “The original Star Trek series greatly inspired me.”He explained further:
“What got me into the library to pick up an astronomy book for the first time was a particular Star Trek episode during their second season called “Who Mourns for Adonais.” It included a reference to a star named Beta Gem (Pollux) and I wanted to see if it was a real star. In the process of going to the library and confirming the name was real, I also picked up an astronomy book, which hooked me immediately. From that point on, I wanted to be an astronomer. I was around 13.”
His interest in Star Trek continues to this day.
He says:
“As a Trekkie, I attend sci-fi and pop culture conventions, and now I give science talks at them too. I know the science adviser to the modern Star Trek series, and we talk constantly about the synergies between Trek and NASA. I have met over the years a fair number of the stars from all of the series. After 50 years of fandom, this is very neat. Star Trek has always inspired me!”
A recent book by Nana Visitor (Open a Channel: A Woman’s Trek, 2024) shows that even today Star Trek is an inspiration especially for many women in aerospace and science careers.
Real Astronaut and Fictional Starfleet Officer Dr. Mae Jemison
Several prominent astronauts, including Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African American woman astronaut, directly credited Star Trek star Nichelle Nichols – later serving as a recruiter for NASA, with getting them to consider becoming an astronaut.
Dr. Jemison became the first black woman in space when she flew aboard the shuttle Endeavour in 1992. She later portrayed Starfleet officer Lt. Palmer, in the “Star Trek: The Next Generation” episode “Second Chances” in 1993. She is the only real astronaut to have portrayed a Star Trek character.
Dr. Jemison is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and has been inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame, the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and the National Medical Association Hall of Fame, and continues to work to advance space exploration.
In an AP interview before her flight on the SpaceShuttle, Jemison said she watched Nichols on “Star Trek” all the time, adding she loved the show. Jemison eventually got to meet Nichelle Nichols on the studio set.
Dr. Jemison is but one example of dozens of authentic space professionals who acknowledge their debt to Star Trek for inspiration.
Star Trek Postage Stamps and Covers
Star Trek has inspired postage stamps issued by countries around the world.
In 1991, during the 25th Anniversary of Star Trek, the U.S. Postal Service issued a special set of 10 “Space Exploration” commemorative postage stamps depicting real-world NASA missions to the Moon and all the planets, accompanied by a set of stickers (not usable as real postage) featuring 7 characters from The Original Series of Star Trek, along with the starship Enterprise. The postage stamps were marketed with posters and cardboard cut-outs featuring Mr. Spock.
Only a few years later, the United States issued a 33 cent Star Trek stamp in 1999 as part of its “Celebrate the Century” series depicting the starship “Enterprise,” Scott number 3188e. While the 14 year campaign for that stamp proposed a stamp honoring both the Star Trek Enterprise together with the real Space Shuttle test vehicle, Enterprise, named for the fictional one, the final stamp represented only Star Trek’s Enterprise, along with the Starfleet badge standing in the for Sun.
For the 50th anniversary of the franchise in 2016, the U.S. Postal Service issued 4 new Forever stamps in several configurations, a block of 4, a vertical strip of 4, or a whole page of 20 stamps:
Scott™ Catalogue Number:
5133 Crewman in transporter – Red background
5134 Starship Enterprise and planet – Green background
5135 Starship Enterprise, planet and Vulcan hand salute – Blue background
There are many interesting “First Day Covers” ” featuring these stamps or containing Star Trek – themed cachets using these, labeled and postmarked on the official First Day of Issue. In addition many cachet makers have created Star Trek themed “Event Covers,” using these and sometimes unrelated postage stamps, and with dates relating in some way to Star Trek, its anniversaries, or its cast members.
