Since its launch in 2017, the Star Trek Discovery show has taken the world by storm. For many fans, the obsession also includes the fantastic Star Trek Discovery ship.
The Star Trek Discovery ship has a befitting name given its significant role in the show. It’s the main instrument that carries the characters into the beckoning future.
The ship was operated by the Federation Starfleet and was characterized as a Cross-field class ship. All this took place in the 23rd century when the first in command was Captain Gabriel Lorca. Its leadership would later shift to Christopher Pike.
It so happened that the ship time traveled from the 23rd century into the 32nd, where it went through a retrofit lasting three weeks. After that, it changed missions with a new registry under the leadership of Captain Saru.
You can get cool replicas of the magnificent Star Trek Discovery ship online. An example is Star Trek Discovery NC-1031 Ship Replica. (before the refit)
Red Alert Warning: Spoilers Ahead
Ship History: Manufacting
Earth was the origin of the Star Trek Discovery ship from the San Francisco Fleet Yards, to be precise. It had a motto borrowed from Galileo stating, “All things can be understood once they’re discovered; the point is to discover them.” This also inspired its name.
The year was 2256 when this was the most exquisite ship to come from the Fleet Yards equipped with the latest technology. Everyone was in awe about all its features, and it outshone other ships existing at the same time.
Nonetheless, this was a designated mission vessel from the start due to its Crossfield-class starship. It had 136 crew members on board, but the following year the numbers shot to 200. The increase came about because of the war between the Federation and Klingon in 2257.
The change in crew numbers took place at this volatile time, especially during the Red Angel investigation. The ship’s discrete nature ensured about 300 top-secret scientific missions that hadn’t been done before.
Besides, the ship had all it needed for these missions, including field testing capabilities due to the experimental spore drive. Even though not all scientific missions were done by the end of 2256, the Star Trek: Discovery ship has set a new pace. Also, it set a precedent for perfecting the ability to traverse galaxies in a flash.
Nonetheless, the ship kept testing this ability slowly in a bid to perfect it into a drive system. That they could rely on at any moment in time.
Additionally, the USS Discovery stuck to its purpose since it was built from nothing to become a testing spore drive for scientific missions. However, all the sensitive and top-secret missions it undertook had to be backed by high-security measures on board. It used a more compartmentalized system for security, which wasn’t the norm with other ships at the time.
To top off security, the ship has a detailed security team with guards standing at all restricted points where only those authorized could access.
The Star Trek Discovery Ship During the Federation-Klingon War
Captain Gabriella Loca took charge of the “Discovery” ship during the war between Klingon and the Federation. Despite the need for more weaponry, the ship stuck to its scientific mission though they now became top secret
Under Captain Loca, the Discovery performed black ops research, which would supply the Federation with quality technologies and weapons. However, it went on a prisoner rescue mission half a year after the war broke out. The mission was to rescue the over-run shuttle SPT21 under attack from Species GS54, which occurred during an interstellar storm.
In the rescued shuttle were prisoners who were being transported. A notable figure was Commander Michael Burnham. His rescue benefited the Discovery when Captain Loca brought the commander on board and gave him a role as a specialist on the ship.
Later on, episode, Corvan 2 sent a distress call to the Discovery, stating it was under attack from the Klingons. It was time to test out the spore jump that the ship had been trying out, but the mission almost went sideways.
The jump brought the “Discovery” ship too close to a star, but it eventually made it to Corvan 2. This achievement was thanks to the crew’s willingness to use the tardigrade as a conduit to make the jump and save the colony from the Klingon.
The next mission was when the ship was under the command of Saru (first officer) after Lorca was captured. Saru was up to rescue the Captain from the Klingons using the tardigrade as a live computer to navigate. The jump put Discovery smack in the middle of the Klingon world, but it hurt the tardigrade, which couldn’t jump back without risking serious injuries.
To save the mission and not harm the creature, Lieutenant Stamets took part in the tardigrade DNA and injected himself. The move saw the Discovery rescue Captain Lorca together with other captured grew then return to space.
At some point, the Discovery launched an attack on a Terran flagship. This was done by flying through the flagship’s superstructure, which destroyed the super-mycelial reactor. It was the primary power source for the flagship, and its destruction produced enough energy to power the spore drive for the Discovery.
The energy caused the Discovery to overshoot its destination, and it came back later after staying away for nine months. At that time, the Federation was under the mercy of the Klingon, who had captured plenty of its territory. It came back to Earth under the temporary command of Admiral Cornwell but had to warp away after finding it under the command of Klingons.
Now was the time to use the Discovery as a weapon to attack the Klingon home planet, Qo’nos, since they were now encroaching around Earth. After a Starfleet election on the matter, the mission was set. The Federation sought Emperor Philippa Georgiou’s partnership.
The plans were in motion, and the Discovery became the next ship to visit this Klingon world since Captain Jonathan Archer’s time. Jumping to Qo’nos wasn’t an easy fit as the planet has heavy security measures to detect any enemy approaching or encroach in its territory.
This forced the Discovery to jump into a dead volcanic cavern that had the right size to hide the massive ship under the planet’s surface. A landing party went ahead with the planned attack and finally defeated the Klingon in their home turf, concluding the mission.
Now the war was over, and the Discovery returned to Earth where its crew was honored and then ordered to head to Vulcan.
Another example of a cool collector’s replica of the Discovery ship is Polar Lights Star Trek USS Discovery.
Mystery Signals Due to Red Bursts
While the Star Trek Discovery ship was on its way to Vulcan, it got a distress call from the USS Enterprise, which couldn’t complete its mission. Captain Pike of the Enterprise assumed command of the Discovery from acting Captain Saru to continue with the mission. The mission was to investigate one of the seven red bursts witnessed across the galaxy.
After receiving the orders to continue with the mission, the Discovery warped to the red burst location. However, the Discovery was in for a surprise, which turned the mission into a rescue once it came upon the USS Hiawatha next to an interstellar asteroid.
The changes to a rescue mission came with challenges after the Discovery could not maintain shields while moving the rescued victims from the damaged starship. The asteroid was fragmenting and caused lots of harm to the Discovery.
After this mission, the Star Trek Discovery ship command went to Captain Pike with a mission to discover the source of the seven signals. Also, he needed to discover the signals’ intent and report back to the Starfleet.
Another signal led the Discovery to make another warp, which landed them into the Terralysum orbit. The colony had remained unknown for a long time and was a refuge to WW3 humans. There was no sign of the red burst in sight, but the planet was in serious jeopardy. It was in the crosshairs of the asteroids that emitted radioactive materials.
To help save this human planet from destruction, the Star Trek Discovery ship undertook a doughnut maneuver using dark matter to drag away all the debris from the asteroid from the planet’s orbit. All this took place under the command of Helmsman Keyla Detmer.
On another mission searching for the Spock, the Discovery found itself pulled from its warp by a living thing shaped like a sphere. This act was brutal to the Discovery because it overloaded of all its computer systems.
The crew believed this was the work of a supercomputer virus, but this wasn’t the case after learning the sphere’s intentions. It fed the Discovery system with over 100,000 years of knowledge and memories.
Still in search of more red busts, one that appeared over Kaminar brought it into the crosshairs of Ba’ul, causing conflict. This led to the Star Trek Discovery ship using the sphere’s knowledge to help the oppressed Kelpien race. With the new knowledge, the Ba’ul had to accept to exist side by side with the Kelpien.
Also, check out this replica version of the Discovery ship that makes a perfect addition to your Star Trek memorabilia Polar Lights Star Trek Discovery 2T.
Uncovering the Red Bursts
More research by the Discovery revealed that the red bursts and the Red Angel crew let it to Lieutenant Spock. He was from the Enterprise and foster brother to Michael Burnham. With this information, section 31 now had a target and set about to capture him.
Section 31 thought it had caught up with the two brothers on Talos 4, but these were illusions by the Talosians. Meanwhile, the two brothers had escaped to the Discovery, and it was now declared a renegade ship.
Catching up to the Discovery meant it was destroyed, but that wasn’t the case since the sphere data wouldn’t permit this action by section 31. Instead, changes were made to the original plans that would see the Discovery brought into the future together with all its current data.
Captain Spike and other crew members went back to the Star Trek: Discovery’s ship to research another red burst on Xahea. The queen of Xahea was welcomed aboard. She was an exceptional being who had developed a way to change time crystals using a dilithium incubator.
The ship began a new purpose of retrofitting its shuttle fleets and pods for landing with advanced weapons. It was also joined with similar ships from the Enterprise in a bid to take on and defeat section 31 once and for all. So far, section 31 was still harboring intent to destroy the Discovery since it was declared a renegade vessel.
The sphere had also delivered crucial data to the Discovery involving AI (Artificial Intelligence). The reason the crew made the connection is an AI from the future had taken charge of Control. Control was an essential part of Section 31 that enabled accurate threat assessment using this unique system. This led to section 31 making the system sentient.
Control, now controlled by the invading AI, developed a gripping obsession with getting all the Sphere data, especially involving AI. This mission’s purpose was so that Control could use the information to evolve into a living thing. Once it achieved that, it would erase all other traces of the sentient.
Control went as far as possessing the Discovery’s Lieutenant Commander Airiam, the spore drive operations officer. It used her cybernetics, forcing her to deliver all the information from the Sphere to the headquarters of section 31. While assimilating the data, Airiam died, and the system shut down before section 31 could get all the information.
Before taking her final death, Airiam made sure to deliver some critical information to her colleagues. There was a project called Daedalus that they needed to look into as soon as possible. It was a project that section 31 used to perfect time traveling and the main component for this was a special suit.
The suit was a perfect match for Red Angel, which had a direct connection to Commander Burnham. After using her to lure the suit to Essof 4, the Red Angel was revealed as Burnham’s mother.
Also, work was progressing for the Daedalus suit, specifically made to be worn by Burnham. The suit had encoding with her mother’s DNA, and she was the closest living relative who could wear it. The revelation came that the trip wasn’t going to be a return one since there wasn’t enough energy to facilitate a return.
While other people left, the senior ones opted to go with Burnham. Now command went back to Saru after Pike opted to return to the USS Enterprise. His goal was to prepare for the coming battle with the section 31 fleets.
Burnham managed to open a wormhole after battling with control forces, which she passed through together with Discovery. Starfleet was informed that the Star Trek Discovery ship was destroyed by Pike Una, Spock, and a section 31 chief.
In a effort to let the matter rest, Spock suggested that Discovery information be forbidden in that no one was allowed to mention the vessel or her crew. Anyone caught doing so would be seen as a treasonous against the Federation.
Commanding Crew of the Star Trek Discovery Ship
Commanding Officer
- 2255- Captain Jonathan von Borne
- 2256-57- Captain Gabriel Lorca
- 2257- Vice Admiral Katrina Cornwell
- 2257- Captain Philippa Georgiou
- 2257, 2435- Acting Commander Saru
- 2257- Captain Christopher Pike
First Officer
- 2256 to 2257- Commander Saru
Chief Engineer
- 2257 to 2257- Lieutenant Commander Paul Stamets
Security Chief
- 2256- Commander Ellen Ladry
- 2256 to 2257- Lieutenant Ash Tyler
- 2257- Commander Nhan
Communication Officer
- 2256 to 2257- Lieutenant Milton Richter
- 2256 to 2257- Lieutenant junior grade R.A Bryce
Operations Officer
- Lieutenant junior grade Joan Owosekun
Quick-Facts:
- The Discovery is a USS Discovery class starship
- The Discovery is commanded by Captain Gabriel Lorca
- First Officer Michael Burnham serves as the ship’s second-in-command
- The Discovery has a crew of over 200
- The Discovery is one of the fastest ships in the fleet, capable of reaching warp 9.9
- The Discovery has a sister ship, the USS Glenn
- The Discovery was launched in 2256
In Summary
The Star Trek: Discovery ship is a work of art that makes the show intriguing. Once the ship acquires the Sphere’s data, it’s transformed into a super one, much to the benefit of the crew and missions. I am excited to see what happens in the new seasons.
Brad Burnie is the founder of Starships.com. He loves all video game genres. In his spare time, he loves reading, watching movies, and gaming
