Star Trek: Every Starship Enterprise Ranked From WORST To BEST

9. NCC-1701 (Kelvin)

The ship that was introduced in Star Trek took care to honour the overall design that originated with Matt Jefferies' idea, yet Ryan Church updated the ship for the 21st century. The nacelles were given a wider, beefier look, while the size of the Constitution-class vessel was vastly increased.

Advertisement

In universe, this was due to the destruction of the USS Kelvin by the Narada, Nero's advanced mining ship from the future. Like its Prime universe counterpart, this Enterprise was the flagship of Starfleet, though it was captained first by Christopher Pike, not Robert April. 

The increased size (roughly that of a Galaxy-class starship) caused some frustration among long-term fans of the franchise. While William Shatner praised the decision to retain the general shape of the original ship, others decried the decision to enlarge everything for the big screen. 

Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness share the same version of this ship with minimal changes, while Star Trek Beyond saw a refit. Designer Sean Hargreaves reduced the nacelles in size and slimmed the ship down. Arguably, this led to its easy destruction by Krall and his forces, but that's hardly Sean's fault now, is it?

This Enterprise may have survived longer than expected underwater, though it was its bright and shiny interior that may be the most recognisable aspect. When comparing the ship to an Apple store, it's easy to forget the beautifully detailed screens and consoles, as well as the sleek and functional designs put in place.

It's the Enterprise, Jim, but not as we know it.

Advertisement