70s Trek: Star Trek In The 1970s

When Paramount decided to make Star Trek The Motion Picture, executives wanted to make sure that everything got updated from the 60s show. That included the Enterprise.  This week we tell you about how the starship was redesigned. The Origins The legendary Matt Jeffries designed the original Enterprise. And when Star Trek Phase II was in pre-production, Jeffries was asked to update his design. Jeffries began his work using a drawing he made back in 1964.  This was an alternate version of the ship that he created as a back up.  He wanted to make sure he had something ready just in case Gene Roddenberry didn’t like the Enterprise design that Jeffries pitched for the show. He also thought that if Star Trek lasted for several seasons, the Enterprise might need updating. So he saved these designs.  Jeffries thought that if anything would change on the ship, it would be the warp engines.  In those early drawings you can see the flatter engines and the swept back support pylons that would eventually show up on the E