Re: "Enterprise" to honor the Columbia crew with season 4's 3rd episode

From: Mike Dicenso (mdicenso_at_seds.org)
Date: 07/30/04 

Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2004 22:29:33 -0700

On Thu, 29 Jul 2004, Brian Thorn wrote:

> On Thu, 29 Jul 2004 15:41:07 GMT, "J HALL" <hershey65@verizon.net>
> wrote:
>
> >As usual, the ST idiots got it wrong: A class is named after the first ship
> >in its class: HMS Titanic, for example was in the Cunard's Olympic Class.
> >Therefore, Enterprise (NX-01) would be in the Enterprise Class.
>
> What they got wrong was calling Enterprise "NX-01". It was made clear
> in the episode "First Flight" that there were earlier ships in the NX
> project.

Actually those early prototypes were designated "NX-Alpha", and "NX-Beta".
So I can see that the first actual starship would bear the hull number
"01" instead of "Delta" or "Gamma". Even still, I'd have prefered a less
clunky numbering system.

My guess is that the intent was to try and have something like the
"OV-101" airframe numbering system ala the space shuttle, but it doesn't
quite work out as well (the STS airframe numbering system is kinda
confusing to the average layperson as is!).
-Mike