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Started with the help of 'Star Trek' creator Gene Roddenberry, The Federation was designed to be the real-world version of the Federation as seen in the 'Star Trek' mythos.  Our primary mission:  "Do what the crew of the Enterprise does in every episode:  Go places and help people."

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Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

• Memory Beta pages needing citation
• Memory Beta articles sourced from RPGs
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• Memory Beta articles sourced from reference works
• Memory Beta articles sourced from comics
• Alpha Quadrant states
• Beta Quadrant states
• Alpha and Beta Quadrant states
• Federation government

United Federation of Planets

• 1.1 History
• 1.2 Politics
• 1.3.1 Groups
• 1.4 Members of the Federation
• 1.5 Presidents of the Federation
• 1.6 Federation Council
• 1.7.1 Diplomatic treaties
• 1.8 Symbols
• 1.10 Culture
• 1.11 Economy
• 1.12 Language
• 1.13.1 Planets
• 1.13.2 Stars and systems
• 1.13.3 Borders
• 1.14 Conflicts
• 1.15 Alternate timelines and realities
• 2.1 Connections
• 2.2 External links

History and specifics [ ]

History [ ].

The Signing of the Articles of the Federation on 12 August 2161.

The Federation was formed on 12 August 2161 , the successor to the Coalition of Planets . ( ENT novel : Last Full Measure , TNG episode : " The Outcast ", ENT episode : " Zero Hour ", ENT episode : " Demons ")

The founding Member States of United Earth , the Confederacy of Vulcan , the Andorian Empire , the United Planets of Tellar , and the Alpha Centauri Concordium were subsequently joined by numerous other worlds to form one of the largest states in the galaxy. ( ENT episode : " Zero Hour ", ST novel : Articles of the Federation )

By 2380 , the Federation consisted of 155 Member States. ( ST novel : Articles of the Federation )

Alongside periods of peaceful relations and expansion, the Federation was also involved with numerous conflicts, some of the largest and most prolonged being with the Klingons in the 23rd century , and the Borg and the Dominion in the 24th century .

Around 12,250 , a Galaxy wide Mega-Federation was founded, consisting of the vast majority of civilizations in the whole of the Milky Way Galaxy. It is speculated that the Federation loosely united a chunk of the universe later on. (ST Short Story: “Our One-Million Year Mission”)

Politics [ ]

See also: Federation Government

The Federation is a representative republic, with an elected president as the head of the entire interstellar state. An election is held every four years, and a president may serve for an unlimited number of terms.

Political and direct administrative power is held within the Federation Council , which is composed of one councillor from every Member World. There is no limit as to how many terms a person may serve as councillor. T'Latrek of Vulcan, for instance, served on the Federation Council for nearly a century. Each individual Member determines how its councillors will be determined; the First Minister of Bajor , for instance, nominates that world's councillor and the Chamber of Ministers ratifies him or her, while the electorates of many other Members elect their councillors directly.

The Federation government has several executive departments whose heads form the Presidential Cabinet , who advise the president on their issues of jurisdiction and run their departments on a day-to-day basis. Cabinet members can have strong influence on Federation policy based upon their work with the president and the appropriate members of the Federation Council.

By the late 23rd and 24th century , the capital city of the Federation is Paris , and the capital planet is Earth . The seat of government is the Palais de la Concorde . [ citation needed ]

Earlier in the 23rd century the Federation government was based out of Geneva , Switzerland . ( TOS novel : Crisis on Centaurus )

Still earlier, a Federation capital was Federa-Terra , Florida . ( TOS novel : The Final Reflection )

Departments [ ]

• Federation Bureau of Colonization
• Federation Bureau of Interplanetary Affairs
• Federation Council
• Federation Diplomatic Corps
• Federation Grand Jury
• Federation Medical Council
• Federation Naval Patrol
• Federation Planetary Development Council
• Federation Science Council
• Federation Security
• Federation Supreme Court
• First Contact Division ( Director of Exosocial Relations )

Members of the Federation [ ]

Presidents of the federation [ ], federation council [ ], relations with other states [ ], diplomatic treaties [ ].

• Cheron Accords
• Khitomer Accords
• Frontier Accord
• Neutral Zone Treaty
• Treaty of Algeron
• Treaty of Alliance
• Treaty of Ectair

Symbols [ ]

Symbols of Federation patriotism include the Great Seal of the United Federation of Planets , which serves as the official emblem of the UFP. The Flag of the United Federation of Planets is also a prominent Federation symbol, often displayed at government buildings, official events, and at state and Starfleet funerals. The Anthem of the United Federation of Planets is the official musical composition of the UFP.

As a government body, the Federation issues awards and medals for beneficial military , medical or exploratory service. While many of these are generally given to members of Starfleet, there are some that are for citizens in general. The constituent nation-states of the Federation also sometimes have their own similar awards. One such award that is given to members of Starfleet for victories in battle is the Andorian Battle Star which recognizes command officers who demonstrate superior tactical abilities. ( FASA RPG module : Star Trek: The Next Generation Officer's Manual )

Culture [ ]

There is no official Federation religion, although members are free to practice their own religious and philosophical beliefs, as protected by the Guarantees contained in the Articles of the United Federation of Planets .

Every August 12, Federation citizens observe Federation Day , a patriotic holiday established in remembrance of the founding of the Federation.

Economy [ ]

The credit became the Federation's standard currency unit in 2227 . ( Last Unicorn RPG module : All Our Yesterdays: The Time Travel Sourcebook ) Poverty was eliminated though a policy of Guaranteed personal income and public housing. ( TOS novel : Best Defense )

Language [ ]

Territory [ ], planets [ ].

• Beta Nirobi II
• Europa Nova

Stars and systems [ ]

Borders [ ].

• Romulan Neutral Zone
• Klingon Neutral Zone
• Federation-Cardassian border

Conflicts [ ]

• Earth-Romulan War
• Earth-Kzin Wars
• Tholian expansionist programs
• Four Years War
• Galen border conflicts
• Federation-Cardassian War
• Battle of the Border ( alternate timeline )
• Tzenkethi War
• Dominion War
• Federation-Klingon War of 2405-2410
• Iconian War

Alternate timelines and realities [ ]

In an alternate timeline created by the death of Gabriel Bell prior to the Bell Riots in 2024 , Earth remained a pre-warp civilization , which had never expanded beyond the Sol system by the 24th century . Consequently, neither the Federation nor Starfleet ever existed. The USS Defiant , having been protected from the changes in the timeline by a subspace bubble , detected Romulan transmissions emanating from Alpha Centauri . This would indicate that the Romulan Star Empire was able to expand considerably further in this timeline due to the lack of Federation interference. ( DS9 episode : " Past Tense, Part I ")

In 2269 , the Romulans implemented their Second History project, briefly creating a timeline in which the Federation never existed. ( TOS novel : Killing Time )

In another alternate timeline, Captain James T. Kirk was unable to prevent the assassination of Federation President Ra-ghoratreii at the Khitomer Conference in 2293 , leading to war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. The Klingons eventually emerged victorious and controlled most of the Federation's former territory by the 2360s . ( TNG - Myriad Universes comic : " Do Not Close Your Eyes ")

In another alternate timeline created when the USS Enterprise -C was accidentally sent through a temporal rift from 2344 to 2366 , the Federation had been at war with the Klingon Empire for almost 20 years as the Enterprise -C's disappearance resulted in the destruction of the Klingon colony Narendra III . By 2366, 40 billion people had died in the war and, although it was not generally known, Starfleet believed that surrender would be inevitable within six months. ( TNG episode : " Yesterday's Enterprise ")

In an alternate reality , the Borg Collective had succeeded in conquering the Federation and much of the Alpha Quadrant by 2370 . The USS Enterprise -D was one of the last surviving Federation starships by this time. ( TNG episode : " Parallels ")

In another alternate reality, the Federation had absorbed many of its former enemies including the Klingons, the Romulans, the Cardassians , the Tzenkethi and the Breen by 2377 . ( DS9 novel : Fearful Symmetry )

In another alternate reality, the Federation had fallen to the Borg by 2377. ( DS9 novel : Fearful Symmetry )

In another alternate reality, the Klingon Empire had conquered the Federation and most of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants by 2380 . ( TNG novel : Q & A )

Appendices [ ]

Connections [ ], external links [ ].

• United Federation of Planets article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• United Federation of Planets article at Wikipedia , the free encyclopedia.
• Federation article at Star Fleet Universe wiki , the wiki for Star Fleet Universe / Star Fleet Battles .
• 1 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 2 USS Voyager (NCC-74656-A)
• 3 Intrepid class

Den of Geek

Star Trek: The Difference Between the Federation and Starfleet

We know that Captains Kirk and Picard work for Starfleet. Or do they work for the United Federation of Planets? Which is it? What's the difference?

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After a long wait, the U.S.S. Enterprise has received a response from the planet Eminiar VII. They had hoped to contact the planet and establish diplomatic relations with the inhabitants in the star cluster. But the message they receive in return is simple: stay away.

When Kirk gets that reply, he intends to respects their wishes. But no sooner does he order the Enterprise to change course than a man arrives on the bridge and overrides Kirk. This moment must have shocked the first viewers of “A Taste of Armageddon” from the first season of The Original Series of Star Trek . After all, who could override the Captain on his own ship?

The answer is the United Federation of Planets, for whom the man, Ambassador Robert Fox (Gene Lyons), works. Although “A Taste of Armageddon” aired in 1967, the distinction between Starfleet and the Federation still confuses viewers today. So what is the difference between the Federation and Starfleet?

The simple answer is this: the United Federation of Planets is a galactic government founded by humans, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites. By the time of Star Trek: The Next Generation , the Federation contained over 150 member worlds. Starfleet is a branch of the Federation, devoted to exploration and defense. But the two organizations have a long and fascinating history that reveals a much more complex working relationship.

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How Starfleet Took Flight

In the earliest episodes of TOS , Kirk identified several different organizations as the source of his authority, including United Earth Space Probe Agency, Space Central, Star Service, and Spacefleet Command. The term Starfleet doesn’t show up until “Court Martial” in season one.

Starfleet’s primary mission is the one that Captains Kirk, Picard, and Pike describe at the start of their respective TV shows. Starfleet searches the galaxy for new forms of life and new civilizations, in the name of peace and the gaining of knowledge.

At least, that’s the idea. However, the various Star Trek shows and movies also feature a lot of shooting. That’s because Starfleet is responsible for the Federation’s military actions as well. The balance between peaceful exploration and military function has always been blurry in Star Trek history, as demonstrated in the franchise’s first two movies.

In Star Trek: The Motion Picture , the Enterprise spends all of its time investigating the V’Ger probe, a contemplative mission performed by a crew wearing pastel pajamas. For the sequel, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was pushed to the background and the studio brought in director Nicholas Meyer. Meyer saw Starfleet as a military organization, and thus shot the film like a submarine warfare movie and gave the crew more military-like uniforms.

The tonal differences between these two movies capture the tension at the heart of Star Trek . As much as the characters describe their mission in terms of peaceful exploration, the writers and directors haven’t always succeeded in making that look exciting. It’s much easier to give the characters standard adventures, in which they shoot laser guns and do two-handed chops onto the backs of aliens.

The prequel series Star Trek: Enterprise does a nice job working that tension into the show’s overall plot. Set 100 years before TOS , Enterprise follows Starfleet’s first deep space mission, aboard the Enterprise NX-01 , under the command of Captain Jonathan Archer. Although the mission began focused on exploration, starting with returning a waylaid Klingon back to Qo’noS, it soon became enmeshed in larger conflicts, especially the Xindi War. During that conflict, Starfleet served as Earth’s defense against the Xindi, which necessitated putting combat before exploration.

Founding the United Federation of Planets

While “A Taste of Armageddon” first introduced the world to the Federation, Star Trek: Enterprise traces the actual in-universe founding of the Federation. Initially, Earth learned about life on other planets after Vulcans noticed Zefram Cochrane take humanity’s first Warp-driven flight, as depicted in Star Trek: First Contact . From that event, dubbed First Contact Day, the Vulcans guided humanity’s first steps into deep space. But not every human liked that Vulcan oversight, especially not Captain Archer, who held the Vulcans responsible for problems in his father’s career.

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Things only grew worse when the NX-01 got involved in a conflict between the Vulcans and the Andorians, one that led humanity to meet Andoria’s other rival, the Tellarites. While the four species squabbled regularly, they came together during the Babel Crisis. The Romulan Star Empire used a drone disguised as an Andorian ship, hoping to put the four worlds at war with one another. Instead, Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar worked together to dispel the Romulan threat, a project that led to talks of a Coalition of Planets.

The first Coalition conference included the four primary planets, as well as dignitaries from Denobula, Coridan, Ktaris, Rigel V, and others. An attack from the human terrorist group Terra Prime disrupted the Coalition conference, but the actions of Archer and his crew convinced the other planets to continue the talks. Six years later, the four primary planets formed the United Federation of Planets.

The Federation tends to be an aspirational organization. However, it must also be recognized as a political organization, which makes it attractive to schemers. Where Starfleet gets some terrible Admirals, the Federation can get weak leaders such as President Jaresh-Inyo, who is immediately overwhelmed by the Dominion war in Deep Space Nine . However, we have seen evidence of more competent Presidents, such as Laira Rillak on Discovery , whose work rebuilding the Federation has left her with no patience for Michael Burnham’s shenanigans.

To Boldly Imagine

So, the Federation and Starfleet aren’t exactly separate institutions. Rather, their mission and functions bleed into one another on a regular basis. It’s easy to see why newcomers get confused and longtime fans seem to use the terms interchangeably.

However, the Federation and Starfleet also represent Star Trek ‘s fundamentally optimistic worldview. Star Trek believes that humanity is fundamentally good, and that we can overcome racism, capitalism, sexism, homophobia, and all other forms of division to work together. And when we work together, we can go farther than we ever dreamed.

Simply put, the Federation shows us how we can come together, and Starfleet shows what we can accomplish, boldly going where no one has gone before.

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

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Published Oct 23, 2020

How the United Nations Helped Shape the Federation

On UN Day we’re looking at how the United Nations influenced Star Trek and how Trek fans can return the favor

StarTrek.com

Today (October 24) is UN Day, an annual celebration of the aims and achievements of the United Nations. It’s a date that many Trek fans likely overlook. Coming as close as it does to Halloween, we’re often too busy perfecting our Khan Noonien Singh and Borg Queen costumes.

But it’s a date that’s important for all of us to observe. Particularly this year, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the UN.

Over these last 75 years, the UN has been the world’s leading organization for the promotion of peace, security, and human rights on Earth. It has helped to fight disease and famine, and has brought peacekeeping missions to areas of conflict around the world.

But the UN has also had an intergalactic influence, inspiring the fictional history and ethos of the United Federation of Planets in the Star Trek universe.

Although the UN officially came into being 75 years ago, it had a long history before that. It was preceded by the League of Nations – the first worldwide intergovernmental organization – which was founded in the aftermath of the First World War.

Two decades later, at the height of the Second World War, the allied forces saw the need for a new coalition of nations. The name “United Nations” was coined by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was formalized by 26 nations in the Declaration By United Nations in 1942. From there it would take three more years before the organization would officially come into existence, with the signing of the UN Charter in San Francisco by 50 nations, followed by the official birth of the organization on October 24, 1945.

United Nations

For fans of Star Trek: Enterprise , this brief overview may sound somewhat familiar, mirroring similar events in the show’s fourth season arc, which sees Captain Archer and his crew play an instrumental role in the foundation of the United Federation of Planets.

For instance, just as the UN had a precursor in the League of Nations, the Federation is preceded by the Coalition of Planets. And, just as the League Nations was formed in the aftermath of World War I, the Coalition of Planets is born out of the Babel Crisis – a conflict with the Romulan Star Empire, which draws together several planetary forces as allies for the first time.

The final episode of Star Trek: Enterprise jumps forward six years from this point, when the Coalition of Planets has evolved into the United Federation of Planets, following another conflict with the Romulans. The episode memorably concludes with Captain Archer signing the Federation Charter in San Francisco in 2161, just as the UN Charter was signed in the same city 216 years earlier.

But the influence of the UN on Star Trek extends far beyond this Enterprise season four storyline. For example, the Federation emblem – one of the most recognizable designs in the Star Trek universe – looks very inspired by the UN emblem. Both feature the olive branch of peace, but the Federation design expands on the globe of the UN with a cluster of planets.

For those with a quick finger over the pause button, an even more subtle sign of UN influence can be seen in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "The Void." In this episode, Captain Janeway consults the Federation Charter and a glimpse of the text can briefly be seen onscreen. The words are taken directly from the UN Charter, with only small changes made to expand it from a human-centered viewpoint to an interplanetary one. Comparing these two passages gives an idea of the similarities between the charters, which aim to:

“reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small” (Charter of the United Nations) “reaffirm faith in the fundamental rights of sentient beings, in the dignity and worth of all lifeforms, in the equal rights of members of planetary systems large and small” (Charter of the United Federation of Planets)

With its origins in unification during times of crisis, alongside the olive branch of peace of its emblem, and the rights-based approach of its founding charter, it is clear that the UN has offered significant inspiration to Star Trek ’s Federation and its vision of a more peaceful and equal future.

But now, on this 75th anniversary, perhaps Star Trek fans can return the favor.

This year’s UN Day is themed around ‘Shaping Our Future Together’ and hopes to inspire “a large and inclusive global conversation on the role of global cooperation in building the future we want.” So far this year, the UN has consulted over one million people on their hopes for the future. Some of the main hopes that have been highlighted are for greater international solidarity and an end to poverty and inequality.

But there is still time to have your views heard if you want to take part. By visiting the official UN75 website, you can take part in a one-minute survey to help shape the future priorities of the UN and its member states.

Star Trek fans have always had a particularly optimistic vision of the future. This UN Day we have a chance to help shape that vision into a reality. Just as the United Nations has inspired Star Trek , Star Trek can in turn inspire the United Nations – by helping to direct our global priorities towards creating a more unified, peaceful, and equal world.

A Timeline Through the Star Trek Universe

Christian Kriticos is a freelance writer with degrees in English from Durham University (UK) and Northwestern University. He is currently based in London, England and has previously lived in Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Scotland.

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Star Trek: How the United Federation of Planets Was Formed

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Why Does Kathryn Janeway Outrank Jean-Luc Picard?

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Star Trek revolves around the United Federation of Planets, an interstellar government comprising hundreds of worlds and sentient races. Starfleet is their exploration and defensive arm, and every Star Trek series thus far has centered around its members. The Federation was a part of Gene Roddenberry ’s original vision for a diverse and pluralistic society consisting of many species with wildly differing viewpoints joined in common cause.

Roddenberry spoke of the Federation as an idealized version of the United Nations, dedicated to propositions of liberty, equality, enlightenment and civilized resolution of conflict. That itself was personified in the crew of the Enterprise, which included humans from all over the world (and in the case of Uhura and Sulu, helped shatter representative norms at the time). Star Trek further stressed the Federation’s ideals by presenting Starfleet as primarily scientists and explorers first and military forces only as a last resort. But despite it being a focal point of the franchise, the Federation's origins didn't get explored until Star Trek: Enterprise.

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The formal canonical history was more hinted at than expressed throughout many of the earlier Star Trek shows. It took Star Trek: Enterprise to spell out the specifics, and its plans were unfortunately truncated by the untimely cancellation of the show. Now, Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery  -- which depicts the reforging of a shattered Federation in the 32 nd century -- has sparked a renewed interest among fans around the founding of the fictional government.

The four founding members of the Federation are the Humans, Vulcans, Andorians and Tellarites. The first two overcame deep-set internal divisions and near self-destruction to unite and become more advanced, and it’s strongly implied that the latter two experienced similar catastrophes in their history. Humanity's inherent self-destructiveness changed with the events of Star Trek: First Contact . Upon detecting Zephram Cochrane’s warp drive, a Vulcan expedition landed and extended peaceful relations to Earth, planting the seeds of the alliance to come.

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Enterprise covers the key period leading from that moment to the formal founding of the Federation in 2161. The era was marked by humanity’s first steps into space, and coming into contact with all manner of hostile forces. The show portrayed the era as wild and chaotic, with the Vulcans less than ideal guides for humanity and other forces like the Andorians with legitimate grievances. Captain Archer played an instrumental role in finding a path through those early conflicts, turning the Andorians from enemies to reluctant allies and aiding the Vulcans in reforming their compromised government.

External threats required a unified front from these nascent allies, including the Xindi, the Klingons and most notably, the Romulans. 2154 was marked by a concentrated effort by the Romulan Star Empire to turn the other forces of the quadrant against each other. Again, Captain Archer prevented their plots from succeeding, which resulted in a Coalition of Planets forming in 2155. The Romulans went to war with the newly forged alliance but were defeated in 2161, leading to the creation of the infamous Neutral Zone and transforming the Coalition of Planets into the United Federation.

Star Trek often presented the fallout of the formation of the Federation as argumentative, and that was the point. Nearby empires like the Romulans and Klingons are dominated by a single species who maintain control via some form of dictatorship. The Cardassians and Dominion operate the same way, while the Borg quite erase all individual characteristics of the species they enslave. The Federation is alone in treating its members as equals, and its founding principles reflect a respect for every culture and point of view beneath them. Its contentious periods are in keeping with that notion, as is the idea that, collectively, they can face far greater threats than any individual planet would by itself. Infinite diversity in infinite combinations has its price, and  Star Trek took pains to show that in its signature organization.

KEEP READING:  Star Trek: Every Season of The Original Series, Ranked

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Star Trek: How Big Is The Federation?

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Star Trek fans, traversing the boundless cosmic expanse of this iconic sci-fi saga, grapple with a lingering question that burrows into the depths of their insatiably inquisitive minds: just how colossal is the Federation? Known as Federation space, this sprawling domain represents the territory occupied or claimed by the United Federation of Planets. Space lying beyond its borders is categorically deemed as non-Federation space.

However, despite the limitless potential of the Federation, the truth behind its expanse proves more elusive than fans might assume. Throughout the ever-evolving landscape of Star Trek shows and movies, but inconsistencies persist, creating a perplexing web of contradictions. For fans seeking certainty, navigating through a labyrinth of interpretations becomes necessary.

RELATED: Star Trek: The Founding Members Of The Federation

Star Trek: The Original Series

In the classic episode "Balance of Terror," a poignant exchange takes place between Kirk and McCoy, resonating through the vastness of the cosmos. As Kirk carries the burden of battling a Romulan vessel that has invaded Federation territory, he retreats to his quarters in a somber mood. It is in this moment that McCoy, the wise and compassionate doctor, seeks to console his friend and captain:

"In this galaxy, there's a mathematical probability of three million Earth-type planets [...] And in all of the universe, three million galaxies like this. And in all of that, and perhaps more, only one of each of us. Don't destroy the one named Kirk."

Initially, the significance of McCoy's words may elude viewers. However their true import will be unveiled, connecting the dots between the number of worlds in the Federation and the sanctity of individual existence.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

In the first season episode "Where No One Has Gone Before," the Enterprise-D embarks on a mind-bending journey propelled by the mysterious Traveler. Amidst this bewildering ordeal, Starfleet's alleged warp expert, Kozinski, attempts to save face, proclaiming:

" In three centuries of space travel, we've charted just 11% of our galaxy. And then...we accomplish this! "

The magnitude of this statement speaks volumes. It hints at a galaxy teeming with uncharted wonders, awaiting the intrepid explorers of the Federation. In a later episode titled "The Dauphin," the ever-enthusiastic Wesley Crusher captivates a young companion with a remarkable truth:

" This is all just beginning; we've only charted 19% of our galaxy. The rest is out there, just waiting! "

Such an assertion suggests a remarkable feat of exploration during the early days of The Next Generation . The mere sixteen-month span between these episodes hints at the Federation charting an additional 8% of the galaxy — a venture nearly equal to all previous mapping endeavors combined.

Could it be that the Federation had recently developed groundbreaking methods for surveying vast expanses of space? The deployment of subspace telescopes, such as the renowned Argus Array, could explain this rapid progress. If Kozinski's statement coincided with the deployment of such facilities, the potential for swift charting of expansive regions becomes conceivable, unveiling the secrets that lie beyond the frontiers of the known.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

In the episode "Battlelines," Sisko's fate becomes entwined with the perpetual conflict between the Ennis and the Nol-Ennis on a desolate moon. These warring factions, exiled and cursed with an immortality-granting technology, wage an unending battle that transcends death itself. Amidst the grim backdrop, the leader of one faction sheds some light on the Federation, revealing its essence:

"The Federation is made up of over a hundred planets who have allied themselves for mutual scientific, cultural, and defensive benefits ."

This statement provides a glimpse into the scale of the Federation , albeit modestly compared to the broader canvases painted in both The Original Series and T he Next Generation . The reference to "over a hundred planets" in Sisko's encounter with the warring factions might seem comparatively modest. However, this specific statement does not provide a comprehensive assessment of the Federation's true scale. It merely touches upon the alliances forged among a subset of member planets, highlighting the cooperative nature of the Federation.

Star Trek: First Contact

In this cinematic adventure, Picard encounters the resourceful Lily, a visitor from the year 2063. Their harrowing flight from the relentless Borg on the USS Enterprise-E leads to a conversation about the Federation. During this pivotal moment, Picard imparts an intriguing tidbit, stating that the Federation spans "over one hundred and fifty" planets, dispersed across a staggering expanse of "eight thousand light years."

While this quote provides valuable information about the Federation's reach, it also introduces a layer of contradiction when compared to previous depictions. In this instance, Picard's statement about over one hundred and fifty planets aligns with the earlier reference to "over a hundred planets" from the encounter in "Battlelines." The numbers fall within the same general range, suggesting consistency in terms of the scale of the Federation. However, the mention of the Federation's spread across eight thousand light years introduces an intriguing contrast.

Previous references, such as the exploration progress revealed in TNG , imply a much larger scale for the Federation. For instance, the notion that 19% of the galaxy had been charted hints at an astronomical expanse beyond what could be encapsulated within an eight-thousand-light-year radius. The most likely explanation here is simply that not all charted space is Federation space. After all, Starfleet does not seek to conquer, but to explore.

The question of the Federation's size remains shrouded in ambiguity. From the era of TOS to TNG and beyond, glimpses into its scale provide hints, while contradictions cast a veil of uncertainty. Whether it be numbers mentioned in passing or contradictory statements made by characters, the true expanse of the Federation remains elusive.

Yet, perhaps therein lies the allure and beauty of the Federation. It's an entity that transcends physical boundaries and numerical quantifications. It represents a vision of unity, cooperation, and exploration. The sum of its parts, however many they may be, is greater than any singular count. It symbolizes a tapestry of diverse cultures, shared values, and the unyielding spirit of humanity's quest for knowledge and understanding.

MORE: Star Trek: Unethical Tech Used By The Federation

• Movies & TV

Star Trek: What Is An Ensign?

As the quasi-military arm of the United Federation of Planets in the "Star Trek" franchise, Starfleet uses a military ranking system for its officers. And as with most organizations, everyone has to start somewhere. In the world of Starfleet, the lowest rung in the chain of command of commissioned officers is that of an ensign, identifiable by the single solid gold pip on these officers' uniform collars.

Aboard a Federation ship, only the cadets or recent Starfleet Academy graduates serving in active duty as midshipmen rank lower among the commissioned officers. Although this lowest rank doesn't come up in later series, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) references his history as a midshipman in the "Star Trek: The Original Series" episode "Court Martial," when he testifies that he was good friends with Starfleet Academy instructor Benjamin Finney back when Kirk was a midshipman. In "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," the appearance of Scotty's (James Doohan) nephew and engineer's mate Midshipman First Class Peter Preston (Ike Eisenmann) implies there are at least two classes of midshipmen.

According to the non-canonical "Star Trek: The Next Generation Officer's Manual," Starfleet cadets, the subject of Paramount's latest series, generally become midshipmen post-graduation once they have finished their final cadet cruises and spend between six and 18 months working in this rank before their promotion to ensign, with common positions for this rank including serving as scientific or technical line officers' junior aides. Midshipmen are promoted to the rank of ensign junior grade, designated with a single hollow pip, where they typically work in assistant roles. From there, they are promoted to the junior officer role of ensign, allowing them to begin work in their chosen occupational track under the mentorship of officers working above them in the Starfleet hierarchy.

A Starfleet officer's career path

Although every Starfleet officer's career track can vary, many spend years working as a midshipman and then an ensign before their promotion to lieutenant junior grade. In the "Star Trek: Voyager" episode "Flashback," Lieutenant Commander Janice Rand (Grace Lee Whitney), a "Star Trek" actor who has since passed away, reveals to then-Ensign Tuvok (Tim Russ) that it took her three years to make ensign. And, as Lieutenant Commander Data (Brent Spiner) notes in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Datalore," three years is a typical time frame for officers to spend as an ensign before getting promoted to lieutenant. 

However, for most Starfleet personnel, it's time well spent — a journey young Naomi Wildman (Scarlett Pomers) is looking forward to in the "Voyager" episode "Infinite Regress" when she tells Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) she plans to begin at bridge assistant and then work her way up to the rank of ship's captain someday.

Once they've made lieutenant junior grade — identifiable by two pips, one solid and one open — the next rank up is lieutenant, a role recognized by officers wearing two solid pips. From there, the next promotion is lieutenant commander, which is designated with three pips, two solid and one open. Officers who plan to move up from there can follow the chain of command to commander (three solid pips), captain (four solid pips), commodore, admiral, and finally, fleet admiral.

Unlike the 21st-century United States military, Starfleet has a fairly high percentage of commissioned personnel who went to school specifically to pursue a career as an officer. But although they don't get much screen time, there are also plenty of enlisted and non-commissioned officers in the world of "Star Trek," including yeomen, petty officers, specialists, analysts, and technicians.

'Star Trek: Prodigy' warps into Season 2 with new Netflix trailer (video)

R esurrected by Netflix and zooming onto their streaming platform starting on July 1, 2024, the award-winning animated children's series, " Star Trek: Prodigy ," is cleared for launch and CBS Studios has just revealed the thrilling first trailer and key art for its next 20-episode mission.

This highly underrated project was developed by Emmy Award winners Kevin and Dan Hageman ("Trollhunters," "Ninjago") in collaboration with Alex Kurtzman to be the first all-ages "Star Trek" show out of spacedock, " Star Trek: Prodigy " premiered on Paramount+ in the fall of 2021 hauling a 20-episode split season that ended in December of 2022. 

The colorful kids' show centered around a rowdy gang of alien teenagers on the mining colony of Tars Lamora outside Federation space who discover an abandoned Starfleet ship, the USS Protostar, and must band together to escape from the Delta Quadrant all while learning about Starfleet during their cosmic misadventures.

Following its cancellation at its original home at Paramount+, Trekkies demanded that the series live long and prosper and mounted a serious online campaign to keep the show traveling at warp speed. Netflix thankfully came to the rescue and re-released the premiere season last Christmas to prep fans for the new adventures.

Here's the official Season 2 synopsis:

"In Season 2, these six young outcasts who make up the 'Prodigy' crew are assigned a new mission aboard the USS Voyager-A to rescue Captain Chakotay (voiced by Robert Beltran) and bring peace to Gwyn’s (voiced by Ella Purnell) home world. However, when their plan goes astray, it creates a time paradox that jeopardizes both their future and past."

"Prodigy's" stellar vocal cast includes Kate Mulgrew (Hologram Kathryn Janeway), Brett Gray (Dal), Ella Purnell (Gwyn), Rylee Alazraqui (Rok-Tahk), Angus Imrie (Zero), Jason Mantzoukas (Jankom Pog), Dee Bradley Baker (Murf), John Noble (The Diviner) and Jimmi Simpson (Drednok).

Season 2's additional voice co-stars are Robert Picardo (The Doctor), Jason Alexander (Doctor Noum), Daveed Diggs (Commander Tysess), Jameela Jamil (Ensign Asencia), Ronny Cox (Admiral Jellico) and Michaela Dietz (Maj’el).

"We deeply appreciate our fans who have stood by us and our passionate crew who made this all possible. The work speaks for itself, but it's the heart that will endure," said co-showrunners Kevin and Dan Hageman in a statement regarding the sophomore season's debut.

Landing July 1, 2024, "Star Trek: Prodigy" hails from CBS' Eye Animation Productions, Nickelodeon Animation, Secret Hideout, and Roddenberry Entertainment. Alex Kurtzman, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth act as executive producers with co-showrunners Kevin and Dan Hageman. Ben Hibon multitasks as a main director, executive producer, and series lead creator.

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30 Years Ago Today, Deep Space Nine Made Star Trek’s Deadliest Threat Clear

While the opening volleys of that conflict are some of its most famous, for good reason, the actual turning point that sees DS9 begin to pivot to a war footing happened 30 years ago today with the broadcast of the season two finale, “The Jem’Hadar,” and the start of a Cold War that would soon turn hot, and present Star Trek the most radical challenge to its ideals thus far. For the most part, it’s a Trek episode like many before it. Thinking he was getting a quiet vacation to the Gamma Quadrant with his son Jake, Commander Sisko finds himself dealing with the complicated annoyance of Jake’s best friend Nog tagging along, and then Nog’s uncle Quark, hoping to get the Commander’s ear, joining uninvited, only for them all suddenly to find themselves prisoners of a strange, hostile new race they’ve never encountered before the first night they make camp.

Little in the way of resources—Deep Space Nine didn’t have a ship at this point, so our heroes just have their runabout shuttle, and what camping gear they bought with them—and facing an unknown enemy with all the power, this is the kind of episode we’ve seen many times before in Star Trek, as Sisko, Quark, and a potential new ally in a psychic alien woman named Eris who was likewise caught fleeing the titular Jem’Hadar, try and fail to either escape the clutches of their new foes or even connect and understand them diplomatically. It’s perhaps otherwise the kind of episode that ends with our heroes getting rescued, or breaking out, and proving that Starfleet’s finest and their allies, even caught unawares and without their usual resources, can work together, save the day, and make it out of harm’s way. They’re Star Trek heroes! That is what they do. But “The Jem’Hadar” is not a typical Star Trek episode in what was already not a typical Star Trek show, and while we get that in part, it’s the climactic twist that makes Deep Space Nine’s boldest gambit crystal clear.

In the climax of the episode, after Sisko has failed to check in with the station, Kira and Odo work with the Federation to send the USSOdyssey, and another runabout to the Gamma Quadrant in search of the Commander. They meet up, Jake and Nog rescue Quark, Sisko, and Eris, and a fight breaks out between the Jem’Hadar and the Odyssey. A fight the Odyssey very quickly starts losing. This too is perhaps expected sometimes—Star Trek has plenty of firefights break out where our heroes can seemingly not land a shot, but their foes can find ways to lance through their shields, usually before some clever techno babble and problem-solving finds a way to turn the odds in Starfleet’s favor. That doesn’t happen here, and then the other shoe drops: as the Odyssey and the runabouts begin to retreat back to DS9, the Jem’Hadar ship—unharmed by what little the Odyssey could throw at it despite it being the overwhelmingly larger ship—performs a kamikaze charge directly at the cruiser, blowing itself and the Odyssey up instantly. In stunned silence, the remaining shuttles are left to hobble back home.

With one final twist—that Eris was in fact working with the Jem’Hadar, and is a representative of their shared masters in the Dominion, who do not want the Federation encroaching on their territory; she teleports away to parts unknown before she can be detained—the season ends in this uneasy space. This one fight is over , and was arguably over before it even began, but the Dominion will inevitably return… and Starfleet is clearly not ready for what it is capable of.

It is the moment everything changes on Deep Space Nine. The show had dire threats before this—the station had been boarded and occupied in a hostile coup d’etat, Sisko had already dealt with the emergence of a new guerrilla front in the Maquis, opening up old wounds with the Cardassians. But there is a weight in seeing a ship like the Odyssey not just unable to touch the Jem’Hadar, but be taken out like nothing, just to send a message that the Federation has no idea what it’s dealing with. It’s an especially potent message, because the Odyssey is not just any Federation ship, it’s a Galaxy-class cruiser, at that point the idealized apex of Starfleet shipcraft, the vision of its scientific expansionary aims. It’s not just the best of Starfleet, it’s the best of Star Trek: the Galaxy-class was the Enterprise. It was The Next Generation. And here was its successor show, having already danced with the complicated legacy of its predecessor, blowing that symbol up: what the Federation is, what Star Trek was before this, is not prepared for what is to come.

The impact was made clear when Deep Space Nine returned. We’re immediately introduced to the Defiant in “The Search,” the first Starfleet vessel we’ve seen on-screen explicitly designed for combat, a two-part premiere that shows even with Starfleet baring its teeth like this, Deep Space Nine’s heroes are still not ready for what the Dominion represents. The next few seasons of the show represent a slow and certain splintering of the Alpha Quadrant powers as we’d come to know them over TNG and the opening seasons of DS9, as the Dominion’s agents sowed paranoia and distrust—the seeming destruction of the Cardassian and Romulan intelligence agencies, a return to hostility between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, brewing military coups at the heart of Starfleet itself.

By the time the Dominion War turns hot at the climax of season five, Deep Space Nine has all but completed its transition into the show it is now always lauded for being. But even as it went on to those great heights, there are still few more potent images in the entire series than the Odyssey wreathed in flames as its hull splinters into pieces—a warning, and a promise that Star Trek would never be the same.

Star Trek: Federation

Star Trek: Federation logo by Michael Okuda

Star Trek: Federation was an undeveloped Star Trek spin-off to be produced by Bryan Singer . Set in the year 3000 , the show was to chronicle a period of decline and rebirth for the United Federation of Planets , spearheaded by a crew on a new USS Enterprise .

Premise [ ]

" Utopia as a goal is like the fire in a nuclear engine. Utopia in practice is stagnation; it's dry rot; eventually it's death. Which is precisely where we find the United Federation of Planets a few centuries after the last Age of Discovery. "

Humanity has become complacent, and many worlds have left the Federation because of its Human -centric nature. Starfleet is stretched thin and many of its ships are outdated. A new enemy called the Scourge attack and destroy the USS Sojourner and two colony worlds. The only survivor is Lieutenant Commander Alexander Kirk. The authorities refuse to believe his story, a state of affairs that causes Vulcan , Bajor , and Betazed to leave in disgust at the corruption of the UFP, leaving it with only twenty systems under its control.

The Ferengi become the dominant power in the galaxy, and make money by spreading the Bajoran religion and making Bajor into a major place of pilgrimage. The Vulcans reunify with the Romulans . The Cardassian and Klingon societies have evolved into more mystical and less warlike cultures, though the Klingon Empire is expanding once more (but they are still on good terms with the Federation).

Admiral Nelscott commissions a new USS Enterprise to return the Federation to its goal of going boldly, but with the ulterior objective of finding the Scourge. After its captain and first officer are killed, Commander Kirk ( third-in-command ) is promoted to captain of a crew of four hundred.

Development [ ]

After the cancellation of Star Trek: Enterprise in 2005 , Singer, writer Christopher McQuarrie , and producer Robert Meyer Burnett met in December of that year and discussed their mutual desire to create a new televised iteration of the Star Trek series. [1]

They brought in novelist and screenwriter Geoffrey Thorne , who conceived and wrote a series proposal. " What I tried to do was go back to brass tacks, " he explained, " and asked myself, 'What was Star Trek actually about? What were Gene [Roddenberry] and Dorothy Fontana trying to do when they first started the show? What was going on in the world at the time and what is the job of a good TV show?' " Thorne answered the latter question by concluding that, if the series was to be a "good" TV show, it needed to appeal to its mass audience and not rely on the viewers who would watch it simply because it was Star Trek . " What you want is a show that is competitive with the other networks that are not Star Trek , " he mused. " I considered that to be my job. " Thorne also believed it would be important for the series to deal with the fact that audiences and behind-the-scenes staff had felt Star Trek had become somewhat preachy with its universe lacking internal conflict and need for commerce. " But that's not how Star Trek was when it started; it was very rough and tumble and I wanted to get back to that [....] So I said, 'Utopia has occurred and everything has stagnated' [....] I pictured a Federation that had hit its plateau and stayed there for three hundred years, " Thorne continued. That premise would allow for the new show to feature much of the same technology as had been depicted in Star Trek: The Next Generation , including old Federation ships. Thorne also had the notion of starting every episode with a video letter home from one of the crew; even though that crewman might not necessarily be in the rest of the installment, their correspondence at the start, in each case, would inform the events that followed. ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , pp. 750-751)

Thorne's series pitch document was twenty-five pages in length, detailing the era of the show, the eight primary characters, and outlines of the first four episodes (which resolved the Scourge crisis but led into another one with the Klingons). Appendices were included, discussing the Enterprise 's new technology (including a singularity engine and cloaking device ) and using CG environments for parts of the ship. [2]

McQuarrie and Singer were to write and direct the pilot, with Burnett to produce alongside Singer's Bad Hat Harry Productions , similar to Singer's arrangement on House . The proposal was completed in 2006 and sent to Singer (who was in post-production on Superman Returns ). [3] Noted Thorne, " Everyone seemed very happy with the pitch and were about to present it. " ( The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years , p. 751) While the document was being refined for a pitch later in the year, in April Paramount announced development of Star Trek with J.J. Abrams , and the proposal was never given to the studio. [4]

Incidentally, the underlying theme of the Federation/Starfleet in decline has to some extent been adopted in the 2010s for both Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard , where Starfleet in particular is turned inward on itself and plagued by severe paranoia and fear.

External links [ ]

• The True Story Behind The Bryan Singer 'Pitch' of Star Trek: Federation
• Details and excerpts from the Star Trek: Federation proposal at TrekMovie.com
• Geoffrey Thorne's blog post on the series
• 1 Daniels (Crewman)

Screen Rant

The rookie season 7 bts images reveal first look at returning cast as filming officially begins.

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NCIS' Knight & Palmer Relationship Breaks A 16-Year Series Tradition

Dexter cast & where they are now, oh, i get now what ki-adi-mundi meant by "what about the attack on the wookiees", the rookie showrunner seemingly confirms jenna dewan will miss early season 7 episodes.

• The Rookie season 7 has started filming with returning cast members, including Nathan Fillion and Mekia Cox.
• The finale of season 6 saw a major storyline with Monica breaking Oscar out of prison, as well as Jason now coming to find Bailey.
• Behind-the-scenes images reveal the cast, crew, and showrunner preparing for a scene seemingly involving an armored police vehicle.

The Rookie season 7 behind-the-scenes images offer a first look at the returning cast members of the police drama as filming for the next batch of episodes begins. The ongoing procedural continues to follow John Nolan in the LAPD, alongside an ensemble cast of characters working in the major city. However, The Rookie season 6 finale saw Monica break Oscar out of prison, in the process freeing Bailey's ex-husband Jason in the process. This is expected to be a major storyline going into the upcoming episodes.

Now, Mekia Cox , who portrays Detective Nyla Harper, has posted behind-the-scenes images for The Rookie season 7, revealing multiple returning cast members as filming begins for the new episodes.

The images show many of the series' stars, including Nathan Fillion , Melissa O'Neil, Lisseth Chavez, Eric Winter and Richard T. Jones in uniform, preparing to shoot a scene involving an armored police vehicle near a building. Pictured also is creator and showrunner Alexi Hawley, alongside a plethora of crew members setting the stage for filming.

The Rookie Season 7 Will Offer Plenty Of New Stories & Danger

While details on The Rookie season 7 are sparse , the setup from season 6 indicates there will be plenty of new dangers and interesting stories ahead in the next batch of episodes. Alongside Jason's return, the season 6 finale also set the stage for new dynamics between Tim and Lucy, with the sergeant now seeking even more avenues for personal growth in his life. This highlights how important interpersonal relationships are to the series, and how they'll continue to be significant despite the looming threats moving forward.

Beyond its story, though, other changes will be coming to the show during its upcoming season. The biggest alteration is that The Rookie won't come back until early 2025 , a stark difference from its usual starting point in the fall. This decision was made by ABC to accommodate the many new shows on the network, indicating season 7 will still be a full season despite the change in its release schedule. This means the pacing is unlikely to alter from previous years, the only big difference being a longer wait for the season to begin.

Another popular ABC series, Will Trent , also doesn't return until early 2025.

In addition, Jenna Dewan, who portrays Bailey Nune, will be absent for the start of the season because of her pregnancy, her daughter being born on June 14, 2024. This means the storyline involving Jason likely won't begin until after she returns to the show, meaning the start of the season will have a different focus. Although The Rookie season 7's long wait and cast absences will shake things up at the start, the overarching story involving Monica alongside plenty of character plots could make this season one of the most exciting entries so far.

Source: Mekia Cox /Instagram

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The Rookie is a police procedural television series that stars Nathan Fillion as police officer John Nolan. At 45 years old, John becomes the oldest rookie at the Los Angeles Police Department. The show premiered on ABC in 2018.

The Rookie Season 7: Confirmation & Everything We Know

Who is Dr. Kovich in 'Star Trek: Discovery'? The mystery explained

Why Discovery's most enigmatic character has a very long association with Starfleet.

Who is Dr. Kovich?

What's with the suit and tie, but who is kovich really, why is agent daniels important in 'star trek'.

With his trademark suit-and-tie an anomaly among the primary-coloured uniforms of the 32nd century, Dr. Kovich always looked like a man out of time. Played by legendary director David Cronenberg — who, like "Star Trek: Discovery" itself, hails from Toronto — Starfleet's biggest enigma has been an unknowable presence at Starfleet headquarters ever since the Disco crew landed in the distant future.

Now, thanks to a major revelation in series finale "Life, Itself" , Kovich's true identity is no longer a mystery — in fact, we now know where we've seen him before, and that he's had a significant role to play in the history (and future) or Star Trek. Read on to find out about Kovich's history, but be warned — major spoilers lie ahead. (Check out our Star Trek streaming guide for how to watch nearly every series on Paramount Plus -- except Star Trek: Prodigy, which is on Netflix.)

Paramount+ Essential (ads): $5.99 /mo Paramount+ with SHOWTIME (no ads): $11.99 /mo

See the enigmatic Dr Kovich's story unfold in Star Trek: Discovery on Paramount+. As the home of Star Trek, signing up means you'll also get access to an enormous library of other Star Trek shows and movies.

This has always been a mystery, but that appears to be the way he likes it. 

Kovich has been a presence at Federation HQ since the USS Discovery jumped forward to the 32nd century in season 3, yet his exact role in the chain of command has never been clear. So while Admiral Vance is top dog at Starfleet and President Rillak takes responsibility for the Federation as a whole, Kovich appears to follow his own agenda — albeit with the sort of sky-high security clearance that allows him to issue top-secret Red Directives from his very own Infinity Room.

Whatever his actual job description, Kovich's broad skill set takes in medicine, artificial intelligence , interrogation, and a variety of consultancy roles, including helping out at the resurrected Starfleet Academy , and working out how to communicate with the existential threat of Species 10-C. 

The look may have been out of style in the Alpha Quadrant for centuries, but Kovich has always been a big advocate of 20th/21st century formalwear. The "Discovery" finale revealed, however, that his interest in nostalgia stretches way beyond fashion.

His office is stuffed with artefacts from Starfleet's past, including a bottle of wine from Jean-Luc Picard's vineyard , Geordi La Forge's VISOR, and a baseball which (we're assuming) is the one Captain Sisko kept on his desk in the Deep Space Nine ready room. 

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Kovich has also been known to make notes on a 21st century legal pad, and has previously expressed an interest in the history of the Mirror Universe's Terran Empire.

During the series finale, Kovich tells Captain Burnham — in a typically cryptic manner — that "I've lived many years and many lives". It's all the invitation she needs to ask him outright: "Kovich is a codename, isn't it? Who are you really?"

"My real name is a bit of a Red Directive in and of itself," he admits, before the big reveal: " Agent Daniels , USS Enterprise … and other places. Nice to meet you."

Daniels was an important character in " Star Trek: Enterprise ," where he was played by Matt Winston. 

A temporal agent from the 31st century, Daniels went undercover as a crewman on Captain Jonathan Archer's Enterprise, a century or so before Kirk and Spock's famous five-year-mission. 

Daniels was a soldier in the so-called Temporal Cold War, protecting the timeline from sinister forces out to alter history. But, seeing as all time travel has been made illegal by the 32nd century, we're guessing that Kovich/Daniels prefers to keep the events of his past, present and future lives on a need-to-know basis.

Related: Kirk vs Picard: Who is the best Star Trek captain?

Every episode of 'Star Trek: Discovery' is now available to stream on Paramount Plus. To find out where you can watch all the other Trek shows and movies, head over to our Star Trek streaming guide .  

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Richard's love affair with outer space started when he saw the original "Star Wars" on TV aged four, and he spent much of the ’90s watching "Star Trek”, "Babylon 5” and “The X-Files" with his mum. After studying physics at university, he became a journalist, swapped science fact for science fiction, and hit the jackpot when he joined the team at SFX, the UK's biggest sci-fi and fantasy magazine. He liked it so much he stayed there for 12 years, four of them as editor. 

He's since gone freelance and passes his time writing about "Star Wars", "Star Trek" and superheroes for the likes of SFX, Total Film, TechRadar and GamesRadar+. He has met five Doctors, two Starfleet captains and one Luke Skywalker, and once sat in the cockpit of "Red Dwarf"'s Starbug.  

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Exclusive First Look At September Star Trek Comics From IDW

| June 18, 2024 | By: TrekMovie.com Staff 8 comments so far

This Thursday Publishing releases their catalog for comics coming in September 2024, and TrekMovie has an exclusive first look at the Star Trek comics. This includes the sixth and final issue of the “Pleroma” arc for the ongoing Star Trek series and the third issue of the new “Stars of Home” arc for the Defiant series. There are also a number of collections coming out in the more affordable trade paperback format.

Star Trek #24 – on sale September 18

Writers: Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing / Artist: Megan Levans

Welcome to the Pleroma, a place outside time and space where god-level species have gathered to discuss the fate of the universe! It’s up to Captain Sisko and his valiant crew of the U.S.S. Theseus to persuade the gods to allow them to help repair Kahless’ unraveling of space-time-but will they listen to mere mortals responsible for their prophesied undoing?

Cover A by Megan Levens

Cover B by Malachi Ward

RI Cover by J.J. Lendl

Star Trek: Defiant #19 – on sale September 25

Writer: Christopher Cantwell / Artist: Angel Unzueta

Miles O’Brien and his trusty holo-helm set course for the planet Antara as Romulan forces prepare to besiege the population with Worf, B’Elanna, and Ro among them. A menacing Romulan blockade stands between him and his friends, but as he braces to brave the Romulans alone, matters are further complicated when an old friend—none other than  Dr. Julian Bashir —delivers an urgent message from Section 31. Meanwhile, on Romulus, Commander Sela and Spock uncover a dark secret that General Revo is willing to kill to keep secret…

Cover A by Angel Unzueta

Cover B by Justin Mason

RI cover by Declan Shalvey

NEW COLLECTIONS

Star trek vol. 1: godshock – on sale september 10.

Now In Paperback!  192 pages / Price: $19.99 USD

Deep Space Nine  captain Benjamin Sisko returns in a new ongoing series featuring fan-favorite characters from across the  Star Trek  universe. Now available as a softcover with a new cover! Stardate 2378: A bold new era of  Star Trek  begins! Three years ago, Benjamin Sisko made a courageous sacrifice that left him trapped in the dimension of the mysterious Prophets; now he’s returned to his home universe—with powerful, godlike abilities. But his omnipotence is failing when he needs it most. Someone is killing the gods, and Sisko and the motley crew of the  U.S.S. Theseus  will have to travel to the deepest parts of space to stop them. Star Trek: Year Five  lead writers Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly  (Batman Beyond, Captain America)  and artists Ramon Rosanas, Oleg Chudakov, Joe Eisma, and Erik Tamayo present a new ship, a new mission, and a lot of old friends! Sisko is joined by Commanders Data and Worf, and Dr. Beverly Crusher, of  Star Trek: The Next Generation;  Lt. Tom Paris, of  Star Trek: Voyager;  Captain Montgomery Scott, of  Star Trek;  and Ben’s son, Jake. But there are new faces as well, to surprise established fans while showing new readers the ropes. Collects the prequel short story “A Perfect System” from  Star Trek  #400 and issues #1–6 of the ongoing series.

STAR TREK VOL. 2: THE RED PATH – On sale September 10

Now In Paperback!  152 pages / Price: $19.99 USD

The second arc of the critically acclaimed  Star Trek  flagship comic series continues with Benjamin Sisko’s quest to stop celestial genocide! Now available in gorgeous softcover format with new cover. Sisko returns to Deep Space 9, and it’s the family reunion we’ve all been waiting for—or is it? As Sisko reckons with the sins of his past, the Theseus travels to a mysterious corner of Cardassian space to uncover the secrets of the Prophets…and learn how far the Red Path have infiltrated the galaxy! In the follow up to  Star Trek, Vol. 1: Godshock,  Volume 2 collects  Star Trek  issues #7–10 and the  2023 Star Trek Annual  by writers Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing  (Star Trek: Year Five)  with artists Mike Feehan and Rachael Stott.

STAR TREK LIBRARY COLLECTION VOL. 3 – On sale Oct 1

328 pages / Price: $29.99 USD  

The  Star Trek Library Collection  is a comprehensive line of books that will collect every  Star Trek  miniseries published by IDW! In Volume 3, read a selection of the  Alien Spotlight  one-shots and the entirety of the  Star Trek: Year Four  series. First, two series set during the fourth year of the  U.S.S. Enterprise ’s five-year mission! In  Star Trek: Year Four  the  Enterprise  encounters a strange series of planets, arranged to look like a strand of DNA floating through space. The crew can’t help but explore once Spock realizes that the desolate structure once supported more than 800 billion beings in the past. By  David Tischman, Leonard O’Grady, Steve Conley, Gordon Purcell,  and  Joe & Rob Sharp.  In a sequel to “The Enterprise Incident,”  The Enterprise Experiment  details the Federation’s experiments with a Romulan cloaking device, by  D.C. Fontana, Derek Chester,  and  Gordon Purcell. Also collected are two one-shots featuring Vulcans and the Gorn! A Starfleet starship arrives at a planet on the brink of its own destruction. A once peaceful society is now savage and warlike linking itself to the turmoiled past of the Vulcans, by  James Patrick  and  Josep Maria Beloy.  Then, after their shuttlecraft crash-lands on an uncharted planet, Captain Terrell and Commander Chekov calculate that their odds of survival are somewhat decreased when they find themselves facing off against an army of Gorn warriors, by  Scott & David Tipton  and  David Messina.

Find Star Trek comics at your local comic book store or online at TFAW . Or pick up individual digital editions at Amazon/comiXology .

Keep up with all the Star Trek comics news, previews and reviews in  TrekMovie’s comics category .

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Does IDW have limits on what it can or can’t do with the Star Trek line? I think it might be interesting to see someone do the Next Generation of the Kelvin Universe. I’m guessing with the changes to the original crew…that there would definitely be changes to the TNG Kelvin

IDW has already shown the DS9 crew in the Kelvin timeline, so I would think they could probably do TNG, too.

That picture of Data is BEYOND creepy

Haha, yeah. I keep doing a bit of a jumpscare every time I check the site.

Love it, that’s why I clicked on the article. And I thought maybe is Lore ..

Same! I’ve always been interested in these comics, but haven’t had a good chance to take the leap yet what with life being so busy already. That cover, though, makes me want to dive right in.

I love it. Very anime.

i need them to just collect all of these into one giant volume in story order. I can’t keep up w/ the different threads – though I want to