USS Voyager (Star Trek)

Rick Sternbach, who designed the Borg cube for The Next Generation, and Richard James collaborated over several months to design the USS Voyager.{{cite web | url=http://www.startrek.com/article/illustrator-designer-rick-sternbach-recalls-his-trek-days-part-1 | title=Illustrator/Designer Rick Sternbach Recalls His Trek Days, Part 1 |publisher=Viacom | access-date=November 12, 2011 | date=October 28, 2011}} Sternbach started work on the new design in the fall of 1993 when the new series was announced. By the spring of 1994, the design had started to mature, and was smaller than The Next Generation{{'s}} Enterprise-D with features like the ability to land on a planet's surface. The interior design focused on the bridge, which set the tone for the rest of ship. Throughout the design process, the main goal was to make it new and appealing while still holding in part to the same familiar design.{{cite web | url=https://disqus.com/home/discussion/channel-thefinalfrontier/designing_the_uss_voyager/ | title=Disqus - Designing the USS Voyager | access-date=2017-05-02 | archive-date=2018-09-16 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916164027/https://disqus.com/home/discussion/channel-thefinalfrontier/designing_the_uss_voyager/ | url-status=dead }}

Voyager special effect shots were done with both miniatures and CGI. The miniature shots of the Voyager model were used as a benchmark to improve the CGI shots. Two different computer models were developed from the physical model by two different companies that scanned it, Amblin Imaging and Foundation Imaging.{{cite web | url=http://www.thetrekcollective.com/2013/07/voyager-another-fine-looking-starship.html | title=Voyager, another fine looking starship | website=www.thetrekcollective.com}} Amblin won an Emmy for Voyager{{'s}} opening CGI title visuals featuring USS Voyager passing through space, but the weekly episode exteriors were captured with hand-built miniatures of Voyager. By late 1996 (midway through season three), certain exterior shots were fully CGI.{{cite web | url=http://www.thelogbook.com/jcc/q3-04/voyager3/ | title=DVD Reviews – Star Trek Voyager Season 3 | website=Thelogbook.com | date=June 10, 2009 | access-date=December 19, 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822193016/http://www.thelogbook.com/jcc/q3-04/voyager3/ | archive-date=August 22, 2009 }} Another challenge of the design was coordinating the interior set design with exterior shots, in particular the location of key rooms and the design of windows. These were important, for example, in shots that crossed over from outside the spacecraft to inside the spacecraft in one filming shot.

The principal model of Voyager used for filming sold at a Christie's auction in 2006 for 132,000 USD.{{cite web | url=http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/starship-voyager-miniature-model-and-power-supply-4779921-details.aspx | title=STARSHIP VOYAGER MINIATURE MODEL AND POWER SUPPLY | publisher=Christie's | access-date=December 10, 2017}}

Voyager was launched in 2371. The crew's first mission was to track down a Maquis ship in the Badlands. An alien force called the Caretaker transported both Voyager and the Maquis vessel across 70,000 light-years to the Delta Quadrant, damaging Voyager and killing several crewmembers including the medical staff, helm officer, first officer and the chief engineer. Voyager and the Maquis ship are ultimately stranded in the Delta Quadrant to prevent a genocide of the Ocampans, a species on a nearby planet under the Caretaker's protection from the Kazon, an antagonistic race native to the Delta Quadrant who seek the resources of the Ocampa. Captain Janeway orders the destruction of the device that could transport Voyager and the Maquis vessel home, thereby protecting the Ocampa. Stranded, and with the Maquis ship also destroyed, both crews integrate and work together for the anticipated 75-year journey home.{{cite episode | episode-link=Caretaker (Star Trek: Voyager) | title=Caretaker | series=Star Trek: Voyager}}

The intended crew complement was 141 Starfleet personnel, though it held 153 for its inaugural mission.{{cite episode | episode-link=Shattered (Star Trek: Voyager) | title=Shattered | series=Star Trek: Voyager |quote=I started off with a crew of 153}} This figure fluctuated during its time in the Delta Quadrant, gaining or losing count due to mishaps, adopted crew, births, and voluntary departures; they start the second year of their journey with 152 people on board,{{cite episode | episode-link=The 37's | title=The 37's | series=Star Trek: Voyager}} at one point during the fifth year of its journey, there were 150 people on board.{{cite episode | episode-link=Bride of Chaotica! | title=Bride of Chaotica! | series=Star Trek: Voyager}}

Starfleet Command eventually becomes aware of the ship's presence in the Delta Quadrant and is later able to establish regular communication.{{cite episode | episode-link=Message in a Bottle (Star Trek: Voyager) | title=Message in a Bottle|series=Star Trek: Voyager}} After a seven-year journey, during which the acquisition of new technologies and assistance from various allies had already enabled the ship to travel a distance that otherwise would have taken over thirty years, the ship returned to the Alpha Quadrant via a Borg transwarp conduit.{{cite episode | episode-link=Endgame (Star Trek: Voyager) | title=Endgame | series=Star Trek: Voyager}}

In the Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 premiere "Twovix," Voyager is being converted into a museum when a dormant marcovirus wreaks havoc on the ship. After the incident is concluded, Voyager is retired to a museum with the episode's events being added to its exhibits.

In Star Trek: Prodigy season 2, Voyager is replaced by the USS Voyager-A which is described by the Doctor as being a Lamarr-class science vessel retrofitted with technologies that Voyager brought back from the Delta Quadrant. Commanded by now-Vice Admiral Janeway on its maiden voyage. There are several references made to the original Voyager with Janeway having a model of the ship in her ready room. During this time, Janeway also celebrates the 14th anniversary of her command of Voyager which was Janeway's first command.

Voyager is seen briefly in the Star Trek: Picard third-season episode "The Bounty", now decommissioned and part of Starfleet's Fleet Museum.{{Cite web |last=Baugher |first=Lacy |date=2023-03-23 |title=Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Episode 6 Review - The Bounty |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-trek-picard-season-3-episode-6-review/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US}}

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The 15-deck (257 rooms), {{convert|700000|MT|adj=on}} Voyager was built at the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards and launched from Earth Station McKinley.{{cite episode | episode-link= Relativity (Star Trek: Voyager) | title=Relativity | series=Star Trek: Voyager}}

Voyager was equipped with 47 bio-neural gel packs and two holodecks.{{cite episode | episode-link=The Killing Game (Star Trek: Voyager) | title=The Killing Game | series=Star Trek: Voyager}} It was equipped with a class-9 warp drive, allowing for a maximum sustainable speed of Warp 9.975. Variable geometry pylons allowed Voyager and other Intrepid-class ships to exceed warp 5 without damaging subspace. Like the Galaxy class, Voyager{{'s}} warp nacelles were below the primary hull. The ship also was capable of planetary landings.{{cite web | url=http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/library/ships/article/70517.html | title=Star Trek | website=StarTrek.com | access-date=April 5, 2015 | archive-date=July 8, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100708072338/http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/library/ships/article/70517.html | url-status=dead }}

Voyager also had an Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH) programmed with a library of more than five million different medical treatments from 2,000 medical references and 47 physicians.{{cite episode | episode-link=Parallax (Star Trek: Voyager) | title=Parallax | series=Star Trek: Voyager}}

The ship was initially equipped with 40 photon torpedoes with type VI warheads, two of which were equipped with tricobalt devices. Both tricobalt devices were used to destroy the Caretaker's array. Quantum torpedoes were also compatible with Voyager{{'s}} launchers, with some modifications. Voyager housed five standard torpedo launchers (two fore, two aft, one ventral) and was able to fire up to four torpedoes per launcher at once.{{cite episode | episode-link=Resolutions (Star Trek: Voyager) | title=Resolutions | series=Star Trek: Voyager}} In the final episode, an alternate future Kathryn Janeway equipped the ship with transphasic torpedoes and ablative hull armor.

During the years in the Delta Quadrant, the ship is augmented with custom, non-spec upgrades and modifications, some of which are modified from technology of other cultures, an example being Seven of Nine's alcoves and the Delta Flyer which both utilize modified Borg technology. Several pieces of technology from the future were also installed in the final episode, courtesy of Admiral Janeway who went back in time to bring Voyager home. Some of the adaptive solutions are to compensate for the disadvantages of being {{convert|70000|ly}} from port, such as the airponics bay and the transformation of the Captain's dining room to a galley, and the acquisition of enhancements from aliens in the Void that massively increases replicator efficiency.{{cite episode|episode-link=The Void (Star Trek: Voyager)|title=The Void|series=Star Trek: Voyager}}

Cargo bay 2 is equipped with several Borg alcoves when Captain Janeway forms an alliance with the Borg and several Borg are forced to work aboard Voyager during the alliance.{{cite episode|episode-link=Scorpion (Star Trek: Voyager)|title=Scorpion|series=Star Trek: Voyager}} Seven of Nine and Harry Kim construct an astrometrics lab from scratch with Borg-enhanced sensors, knowledge of which Seven of Nine retained from the Borg.{{cite episode|episode-link=Year of Hell|title=Year of Hell|series=Star Trek: Voyager}}

An important shuttlecraft in many episodes, and operated from the USS Voyager, was a spacecraft called the Delta Flyer.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cbYf2l7gczUC&q=Delta+Flyer+extreme+risk&pg=PT2365|title=The Star Trek Encyclopedia|last1=Okuda|first1=Michael|last2=Okuda|first2=Denise|last3=Mirek|first3=Debbie|date=2011-05-17|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=9781451646887|language=en}} The Delta Flyer was introduced in the Season 5 episode "Extreme Risk", and was designed and constructed by the crew in the context of the show. The design of the fictional spacecraft by the production staff and how it was presented in special effects has been written about in books about the franchise.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DvUftgEACAAJ&q=%22Delta+Flyer%22+sternbach|title=U.S.S. Voyager and Beyond|last1=Robinson|first1=Ben|last2=Reily|first2=Marcus|date=2019-01-02|publisher=Eaglemoss Publications Limited|isbn=9781858755328|language=en}} The Delta Flyer was designed by illustrator Rich Sternbach, and exterior views were rendered by computer graphics by Foundation Imaging.{{Cite web|last=Sternbach|first=Rick|title=Designing the Delta Flyer OCTOBER 2000 ISSUE 18 STAR TREK: THE MAGAZINE|url=http://fsd.trekships.org/art/deltaflyer.html}}

One of Voyager{{'}}s shuttles, the Aeroshuttle, was integrated with the hull in the saucer section and although it was never used in an episode, the production team did develop special effects test footage of it disembarking.{{cite web|url=http://www.thetrekcollective.com/2014/09/aeroshuttle-test-footage-and-more.html|title=Aeroshuttle test footage, and more Voyager behind the scenes goodies|website=www.thetrekcollective.com}} Voyager{{'s}} Aeroshuttle was intended as a warp-capable vessel that could also fly in atmospheres; the footage was made by CGI team leaders Rob Bonchune and Adam Lebowitz, along with the VFX producer Dan Curry. Two other craft, the Manta and Cochrane were also developed but the Manta was not used. Cochrane was used in Threshold for the purpose of reaching warp 10.

In addition to its namesake television show, the spacecraft appeared in the computer game Star Trek: Voyager Elite Force (2000). The spacecraft design was also used for Star Trek: The Experience, a theme park in Las Vegas from 1998 to 2008, and as album art. The designs was shown on cover art for LaserDisc releases also.{{Cite web|title=Star Trek: Voyager - Parallax / Time and Again|url=http://www.blam1.com/startrek/PLTGB-34961.htm|access-date=2021-02-25|website=www.blam1.com}}

The Voyager design appeared in Star Trek: Voyager which originally aired on UPN network from 1995 to 2001, but was also used in a number of computer and video games in that period in various capacities. One was Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force which came out in 2000.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/star-trek-voyager-elite-force-review/1900-2630022/|title=Star Trek: Voyager Elite Force Review}} This was a computer game style known as a first-person shooter and received a positive reception by the gaming community at that time.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/games/star-trek-voyager-elite-force/pc-11735|title=Star Trek: Voyager: Elite Force (PC)|website=IGN}} Voyager Elite Force was ranked second out of ten of the best Star Trek games up to 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.tekrevue.com/10-best-star-trek-games/10/|title=Make It So: The 10 Best Star Trek Games in the Quadrant - Page 10 of 11 - TekRevue|date=17 January 2015}} Its sequel was published in 2003. One game based on the show, Voyager (circa 1995), was cancelled but has been an influence on other games since.{{cite web | last=Chey | first=Jonathan | title=Postmortem: Irrational Games' System Shock 2 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324222421/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3406/postmortem_irrational_games_.php | archive-date=March 24, 2008 | url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3406/postmortem_irrational_games_.php | work=Gamasutra | access-date=February 23, 2014 }}{{cite web | date=January 12, 2012 | last=Scimeca | first=Dennis | url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134953/ken_levine_on_the_storytelling_.php | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104110216/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134953/ken_levine_on_the_storytelling_.php | archive-date=January 4, 2014 | title=Ken Levine on the Storytelling Craft of BioShock Infinite | work=Gamasutra | access-date=February 23, 2014 }}

The model-making company Revell released a plastic model of USS Voyager.{{cite web|url=http://iratemodeler.blogspot.com/2014/08/revell-uss-voyager-build.html|title=The Irate Modeler: Revell U.S.S. Voyager Build|first=Tony|last=Mccash|date=2 August 2014}} Another pre-built offering was made of metal, and a reviewer praised the "swooshy" 'arrowhead' style of the design. The form of the design commonly appears in relation to Voyager merchandise, or elsewhere in places that make use of Star Trek franchise content; for example, a view of USS Voyager was shown as album art for a 4-CD music collection from the show released in 2017.{{cite web|url=http://trekmovie.com/2017/02/28/limited-edition-star-trek-voyager-4-cd-collection-out-now/|title=Limited Edition Star Trek: Voyager 4-CD Collection Out Now|first=Rich|last=Schepis|date=1 March 2017|website=TrekMovie.com}}

In late October 1994, the USS Voyager model was delivered to Image G, who did the motion control photography video work with the model for the special effects shots for the upcoming launch of the Star Trek: Voyager television show.{{Cite book|last=Poe|first=Stephen Edward|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MiJTlrdSkpAC&dq=%22Image+G%22+motion+control&pg=PA325|title=A Vision of the Future|date=April 1998|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=978-0-671-53481-3|language=en}} Image G also did the motion control photography for the Caretaker Array, as well as for the Maquis and Kazon vessels.

The main sets for the interior of the spacecraft were located at Stage 8 and Stage 9 at Paramount Studios.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MiJTlrdSkpAC&q=Caretaker+Star%3ATrek+Voyager+Upn|title=A Vision of the Future|last=Poe|first=Stephen Edward|date=April 1998|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=9780671534813}} (Section The Stages Page 73-)

One of the more complex sets for the spacecraft was the bridge of Voyager.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MiJTlrdSkpAC&q=Caretaker+Star%3ATrek+Voyager+Upn|title=A Vision of the Future|last=Poe|first=Stephen Edward|date=1998|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=9780671534813}} (Section The Lot on page 35) The bridge of Voyager had 11 different monitors of three different sizes, that had custom graphics displayed depending on what was being shot for each scene. For a scene with the "red alert" setting, the appropriate video graphics would have to be displayed on cue. These graphics were created a by a team of people, with a need for both static and video graphics. Depending on the episode, custom graphics or video sequences would have to be made by a creative team. The videos were recorded to videocassette to be played at the right time, such as when an actor (e.g. Voyager crew) was looking at a monitor.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MiJTlrdSkpAC&q=Caretaker+Star%3ATrek+Voyager+Upn|title=A Vision of the Future|last=Poe|first=Stephen Edward|date=April 1998|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=9780671534813}}

The ship's design and sets were also used in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges", this time as the Intrepid Class USS Bellerophon,.{{Cite web|url=http://whatculture.com/tv/13-awesome-star-trek-ships|title=13 Awesome Star Trek Ships|last=Sorrells|first=Paul|date=2013-04-02|website=WhatCulture.com|language=en|access-date=2019-06-27}}

• Enterprise (NX-01) (Enterprise 2001–2005)
• USS Enterprise (NCC–1701) (Star Trek 1966–1969)
• USS Defiant (Deep Space Nine 1994–1999)

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Memory Alpha|USS Voyager|USS Voyager}}

• [https://disqus.com/home/discussion/channel-thefinalfrontier/designing_the_uss_voyager/ Designing the USS Voyager] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916164027/https://disqus.com/home/discussion/channel-thefinalfrontier/designing_the_uss_voyager/ |date=2018-09-16 }}
• [http://fsd.trekships.org/art/voyager1.html Designing the USS Voyager - By Rick Sternbach]

{{Star Trek: Voyager}}

{{Star Trek}}

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Category:Star Trek spacecraft

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Category:Star Trek: Voyager

Category:Fictional elements introduced in 1995