Washington, D.C. – Star Trek debuted 54 years ago on September 8th, 1966. Fans of the television science fiction series Star Trek were saddened when the show’s final episode aired on June 3rd, 1969. It seemed like the end of a very short era, as the program had only been on the air for three seasons. But, the show and its influence continue.
In the documentary “NASA on the Edge of Forever: Science in Space,” host NASA astronaut Victor Glover states, “Science and Star Trek go hand-in-hand.”
The film explores how for the past 50 years, Star Trek has influenced scientists, engineers, and even astronauts to reach beyond their potential.
While the ISS doesn’t speed through the galaxy like the Starship Enterprise, much of the research conducted aboard the orbiting facility can make the fiction of Star Trek come a little closer to reality.
In this image, the then Dryden Flight Research Center (now Armstrong) hosted the Star Trek crew in 1976 for the rollout of Space Shuttle Enterprise posing with the cast is then NASA Administrator James Fletcher and show creator, Gene Roddenberry.
Learn more: 50 Years of NASA and Star Trek Connections
