Star Trek: 10 Secrets Of The Enterprise A You Need To Know

If you've read any of these "10 Secrets of" articles, you're probably very aware that Star Trek loves to reuse sets. Like, a lot.

The sets that were used for the USS Enterprise refit and the Enterprise-A were, of course, constructed for the aborted spinoff, Phase II, and repurposed for every TOS movie AND used for the interiors of the Enterprise-D in Star Trek: The Next Generation, for the USS Voyager in Star Trek: Voyager, and for sections of the Enterprise-E in First Contact and Insurrection.

However, the bridge of the refit Enterprise and the Enterprise-A went through numerous revisions, appearing in a different form in every single appearance.

While the set itself was the same structure from Star Trek: The Motion Picture through Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, the bridge receive updates between each film. Minor revisions like new paint, graphics, and signage were made to the bridge between TMP and The Wrath of Khan. Major revisions like the placement of consoles were made between The Wrath of Khan and The Search for Spock, despite the fact that those two movies are set only days apart.

The most significant change was made to the bridge of the Enterprise-A, however. While the TMP bridge was dusted off yet again for the brief appearance at the end of The Voyage Home, an all new set was utilized for Star Treks V and VI. This new set (designed by Herman Zimmerman) was constructed for The Final Frontier after Star Trek: The Next Generation coopted the old bridge as a swing set (it was used as the battle bridge and Data's science lab aboard the Enterprise-D).

Zimmerman's new Enterprise-A bridge was designed to bridge (forgive the pun) the gap between the Enterprise-A and the Enterprise-D, appearing more comfortable and elaborate than the previous set had been. This comfy look only last one film before it was yet again modified to appear more militaristic and lived-in for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Despite Star Trek VI being the final appearance of the Enterprise-A, it was not the final appearance of the ship's bridge. The set would go on to serve as the bridge of the Enterprise-B and the Amargosa Observatory in Star Trek Generations and various other ships of the week throughout Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Voyager.