Phoenix (warp ship)
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| SMALL CRAFT | |
| |
| Name: | Phoenix |
| Affiliation: | United States None |
| Type: | Prototype |
| Flight crew: | 3 (1 pilot, 2 crew) |
| Length: | 20 m |
| |
The Phoenix was a human spaceship launched in the 21st century. Constructed from an old Titan V nuclear missile, the Phoenix was the brainchild of Zefram Cochrane, and the first known vessel in Earth history to travel at warp velocity. The ship's configuration was a simple three-man space capsule design with a long attached section containing the nuclear reactor and warp nacelles.
The first and only flight of the Phoenix took place on April 5, 2063. Just before 11 A.M., the Phoenix lifted off from Montana, North America, carrying three crewmembers – Cochrane himself, William Riker and Geordi La Forge (both of the USS Enterprise-E, from 2373). After separating from its launch vehicle, the Phoenix extended its nacelles and engaged the warp drive, crossing the warp threshold, which attracted the attention of a passing Vulcan ship, the T'Plana-Hath. This encounter led to the event known as "First Contact". The Phoenix remained at warp for approximately one minute before returning to sublight speeds and heading back to Earth. (Star Trek: First Contact)
Travis Mayweather kept a model of the Phoenix in his old quarters aboard the ECS Horizon. (ENT: "Horizon")
By the 24th century, the Phoenix was an exhibit in the Smithsonian Institution. Jean-Luc Picard saw the exhibit many times as a boy, but was never allowed to touch it. (Star Trek: First Contact)
[edit] Background
The missile type the Phoenix launch vehicle is constructed from comes from the Star Trek Fact Files, and as such, should not be treated as canonical. Although not clear on the attached image, "United States Air Force" and the USAF "roundel" are visible on the skin of the missile.
The actual "launch vehicle" seen in the silo was an old, deactivated, Titan II missile, with a custom capsule fitted over the original nose cone.
An early design of the Phoenix could be seen several years before the premiere of First Contact in Michael and Denise Okuda's first edition of the Star Trek Chronology, though later editions included the revised movie version.
The Phoenix is also seen in the title sequence for Star Trek: Enterprise.
[edit] External link
Phoenix article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.
