Nova Squadron
Nova Squadron was an elite flight team at Starfleet Academy. Each cadet flew a single-pilot spacecraft performing various formations and maneuvers as a demonstration of flight prowess and ability.

In 2368, Nova Squadron consisted of Cadet First Class Nicholas Locarno, Cadet Second Class Jean Hajar, Cadet Second Class Sito Jaxa, Cadet Third Class Wesley Crusher, and Cadet Joshua Albert. It was this team which won the Rigel Cup.

Shortly before commencement that year (on Stardate 45703), the Nova Squadron flight team suffered an accidental collision on the Academy Flight Range, near Saturn's moons of Titan; they had been practicing maneuvers for their upcoming graduation ceremony. Cadet Albert was killed in the crash; while the other four team members successfully activated their emergency transporters to escape their doomed ships.

Upon investigation, it was determined that Nova Squadron – despite claiming to have done a Yeager loop – was in fact attempting an unauthorized Kolvoord Starburst, a dangerous maneuver long prohibited by the Academy. The maneuver was banned due to a similar accident that occurred in the 2260s involving another group of five cadets, all of whom who died in the mishap. When said discovery was made, the Board of inquiry came close to expelling all four surviving cadets … until Locarno made an impassioned plea to assume full responsibility for the mishap and cover-up. Sure enough, he alone was expelled. The three remaining cadets were issued a formal reprimand: their flight privileges were revoked, their service records were permanently tainted, and their academic credits for that year were canceled. ()

Two years after the incident, Sito – now an Ensign aboard the Enterprise-D – was killed on a mission in Cardassian space. ()

Another elite cadet unit, Red Squad, was created in the 2370s. ()

Fates
Jean Hajar – active
Nicholas Locarno – expelled
Wesley Crusher – resigned from Starfleet ()
Sito Jaxa – deceased (KIA) when the Cardassian military destroyed her ship ()
Joshua Albert – deceased

External link

de:Nova-Staffel
it:Squadriglia Nova
Military units