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STARSHIP
Name:	USS Grissom
Registry:	NCC-638
Class:	Oberth
Type:	Science vessel
Affiliation:	Federation Starfleet
Status:	Destroyed (2285)

USS Grissom (NCC-638) was a Oberth-class science scout on active duty in Starfleet until 2285. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock) Grissom was launched ca. 2270. (TOS novel: The Lost Years)

Different continuities have the Oberth-class — first used in aired Trek for the Tsiolkovsky in TNG: "The Naked Now" — as the class of Grissom.

Commanded by Captain J.T. Esteban on what would be its last mission, Grissom was tasked with surveying the Mutara sector and the Genesis Planet. David Marcus and Lieutenant Saavik beamed down to the planet after ship's sensors indicated lifesigns within the torpedo casing that had been used as Spock's coffin. A Klingon bird-of-prey, commanded by Kruge, destroyed Grissom and all aboard.

Fanon continuityEdit

Orion Press continuityEdit

The executive officer/helm officer of Grissom was named Justine Smythe.

Star Trek: Grissom continuityEdit

HistoryEdit

The Grissom launched in 2270 from the Copernicus Fleet Yards and had an illustrious history as of 2282. Then-Commander Spock was intended to be her commanding officer at some point. (Star Trek: Grissom: "One Small Step")

J.T. Esteban took command of the Grissom in 2280. His close friend Lawrence Styles stated Oberth-class starships were "beneath him". (Star Trek: Grissom: "One Small Step")

Over the Christmas/New Year period of 2282 and 2283, the Grissom ferried Ambassador Robert Fox to Elas for a "courtesy call" before rotating some crew. The USS Enterprise had been predisposed and unable to take Fox to Elas, so the Grissom was assigned instead. (Star Trek: Grissom: "One Small Step")

Some crew members, including Paul Hewson, felt uneasy about the Grissom straying from science-based missions, especially so close to the Klingon Empire, as the Grissom was built "for the study of astronomical phenomenon and data gathering on stars and planets". (Star Trek: Grissom: "One Small Step")

Sometime in the future, Starfleet planned to add a stellar cartography suite aboard the Grissom. (Star Trek: Grissom: "One Small Step")

CrewEdit

The crew of the USS Grissom included:

• Captain J.T. Esteban (commanding officer)
• Lieutenant Commander Christopher Chattman (communications officer)
• Lieutenant Saavik
• Lieutenant Junior Grade Rebecca Sato (helm officer)
• Petty Officer First Class Bacari Jata (navigator)
• Doctor Carol Marcus
• Dr David Marcus

Background informationEdit

Grissom was named for the American astronaut Virgil Grissom.

External linksEdit

• USS Grissom (NCC-638) article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.
• USS Grissom (NCC-638) article at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki.