Model starship 22nd century

A model with two astronauts

Astronaut, also generically called a space traveler, was a term used on Earth during the 20th and 21st centuries to designate early space explorers, primarily those from the United States of America. In particular the exploration of astronauts was limited to intrastellar missions within the Sol system. However in later centuries the term had come to have a generic meaning for any explorers in nascent space-faring societies.

Zefram Cochrane called William T. Riker, Deanna Troi, and Geordi La Forge astronauts "on some kind of star trek" after they told him the truth about his flight in the Phoenix and subsequent First Contact with the Vulcans. (Star Trek: First Contact)

The young Jonathan Archer painted a remote controlled model spaceship model in 2121 which had two removable astronaut figures. (ENT: "Broken Bow")

In 2151, Commander Tucker referred to the risky job astronauts did with the use of rockets: "In the old days, astronauts rode rockets with millions of liters of hydrogen burning under their seats. You think they said, 'Gee, I'd love to go to the moon today but it seems a little risky?'" (ENT: "Silent Enemy")

Apollo, when recalling the planet Earth, described how himself, Zeus, Athena, Aphrodite, and Artemis visited there five thousand years ago, describing the group as "a gallant band of travelers." Later, when James T. Kirk disputed the claim of their host being a "god", he offered alternate explanation, "Say five thousand years ago, a highly sophisticated group of space travelers landed on Earth around the Mediterranean," who Leonard McCoy agreed, adding "To the simple shepherds and tribesmen of early Greece, creatures like that would have been gods." (TOS: "Who Mourns for Adonais?") Kirk decided the same theory when discussing Kukulkan's visit to Earth, and fact there are several similar legends on Earth that support Kukulkan's claim, Kirk theorized that perhaps the being was "A space traveler who visited Earth in primitive times." (TAS: "How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth")

The distress call sent by the Scalosian Rael that was received by the USS Enterprise in 2268 stated: "To any and all space travelers passing within range of the planet Scalos, I send you an urgent appeal for help..." (TOS: "Wink of an Eye")

When Mirasta Yale, a scientist from the pre-warp Malcorians who were about to succeed at achieving warp drive, had been contacted by Captain Jean-Luc Picard in a pre-first contact encounter, she attempted to explain to their intentions to Chancellor Durken and the Minister of Security Krola that those from the Federation were "not hostile". Krola's response was to call her "incredibly naive" before asking "can you be so enraptured with the notion of space travelers that you are blind to the threat they represent?" (TNG: "First Contact")


List of astronauts Edit

Pre-warp Earth Edit

Other pre-warp civilizations Edit

See also Edit

Background information Edit

Several real-life astronauts have appeared in Star Trek. Mae Jemison appeared as Lieutenant Palmer in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Second Chances". She was followed by E. Michael Fincke and Terry Virts, who appeared in the final episode of Star Trek: Enterprise, "These Are the Voyages...". Additionally, footage of NASA astronauts Alan Shepard, Buzz Aldrin and an unknown astronaut using the Manned Maneuvering Unit was used in the opening credits of Star Trek: Enterprise.

Several places and objects in the Star Trek universe were named after Yuri Gagarin, the first Human astronaut in space, including the VK Yuri Gagarin, Yuri Gagarin Hall, Gagarin IV, and the Gagarin Radiation Belt.

In the first draft script of ENT: "Fusion", which had the working title "Equilibrium", Trip Tucker mentioned to Fraht that, for Halloween during Trip's childhood, he had usually dressed up as either an astronaut or an alien.

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