USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)

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USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D

The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) (commissioned 2363) is the name of the Galaxy class Federation starship in the series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the film Star Trek: Generations. During the eight years the ship existed, it was the flagship of the Federation. Throughout its mission, its captain was Jean-Luc Picard, although on certain occasions other people, such as William Riker, commanded the ship.

Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.

The Enterprise, the third ship of the Galaxy class, was launched in 2363. It was built at the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards orbiting Mars. The ship was heavily damaged during the Battle of Wolf 359 in 2367 and subsequently underwent extensive repairs.

In 2371 (Star Trek: Generations), the Klingon Duras sisters were able to render the Enterprise's shields useless by finding the shield modulation. Though the Enterprise succeeded in destroying the sisters' ship, the warp core's coolant system failed as a result of damage sustained during the battle. The ejection systems—which had been shown to be unreliable—failed. The saucer section managed to separate, but didn't clear the explosion radius fast enough, and its impulse engines were knocked out as a result. The out of control saucer was pulled into the gravity well of Veridian III, crash-landed on the nearby planet, and was damaged beyond repair. Shortly after, all of its crew (except for Captain Jean-Luc Picard) were killed by the power of the Nexus of Joy.

When Picard entered the Nexus, he also entered an alternate paradoxical universe which he could manipulate at will. Picard chose to go back in time to prevent the events on Veridian III, thus in the alternate universe the surviving Enterprise-D crew was rescued (though the saucer itself was still damaged).

One of the reasons that the destruction of the Enterprise-D was written into Generations was because the studio had begun to tire of the Enterprise-D. Rick Berman was quoted as feeling that the franchise was ready for a new Enterprise.

See Starship Enterprise for the starships with the same name, before and after her launch.