Enterprise Timeline:

2151

On April 16th, 2151 the Enterprise (NX-01) is launched

2243

Commodore Van Anling placed Captain April in charge of construction of the Constitution-class, U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701), at the San Francisco Fleet Yards (non-canon).

2245 – 2251

Captain Robert April takes the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701), out for her first five-year mission.

2252 – 2264

Captain Christopher Pike assumes command and he takes the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701), out for almost 12 year mission.

2265 – early 2271

At 30 year of age Captain James T. Kirk takes the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701), on a five-year mission.

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Star Trek Star Charts is a guide to the Star Trek universe – the stars and planets of the United Federation of Planets and the other powers of the Milky Way Galaxy.   It includes background information on the classification systems used for identifying stars and planets.

 From the book jacket:

 “… all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.” 

When Humans launched the first ship designed for long-range missions into the deep waters of interstellar space, the Vulcan High Command provided their star charts for the Enterprise NX-01.  But Jonathan Archer was not content with relying on the known. Although he used the Vulcan charts, he also added to them, and greatly expanded Earth Starfleet’s knowledge of the galaxy. Every generation of starship captain that followed has built on Archer’s first steps.

The Milky Way

We learn from the TNG Miniseries: The Q Continuum, that in the Star Trek Universe, the Milky Way is approximately thirteen billion years old and 100,000 light-years across, 15,000 light-years deep at the galactic core and contains approximately 500,000 stars which orbit the galactic core over a period of around 220 million years.   Somewhat unusually the Galaxy is enveloped in an energy field known as the galactic barrier.  A similar field, the Great Barrier encloses much of the Galactic Core. Both fields were created by the to protect the Galaxy from a gang of powerful malicious beings.

The most widely used cartographic system (the science and practice of making maps and projections of space) is based on older Earth and Vulcan systems, and perhaps ones even older than those.  It divides the galaxy into quadrants and sectors, and also uses coordinates to describe specific points in space.  

A Depiction of the Milky Way Galaxy as seen in the Astrometrics Lab aboard USS Voyager

Quadrants

The Star Trek galaxy is divided into four quadrants:

-  Alpha Quadrant

-  Beta Quadrant
-  Gamma Quadrant

-  Delta Quadrant

The United Federation of Planets (UFP) is primarily located in the Alpha Quadrant with a few distant worlds falling just outside into the Beta quadrant.   Earth currently exists in the Alpha quadrant.  Below is a description of some of the more important planets or areas of space for each quadrant.

The Alpha Quadrant

This area of space contains most of  the Federation member planets, including Earth.   Its boundary in the region around the Federation is defined by a meridian passing through the galactic core (central region of the Milky Way Galaxy) and at least near the Sol System (or star system).   In its entirety, the Federation spans over 8,000 light years in both the Alpha and Beta Quadrants.

Deep Space Nine and Bajor existed in this quadrant along with Vulcan.   The Klingon Empire also occupies a few systems in this quadrant, but its largest sphere of influence is the Beta Quadrant.  Some smaller powers in the include the Orions, the Tholian Assembly, the Breen Confederacy, the Gorn Hegemony, the Tzenkethi, and the Ferengi Alliance.  One of the largest political entities is the Cardassian Union.

By the time Kirk and crew set her sails, only about 25% of the quadrant had been sufficiently explored, which means that most of this region remains unexplored!

The Beta Quadrant

Precious little is known about the Beta Quadrant, canon or otherwise.   We do know that this area of space remains mostly unexplored and is the primary home to the Klingon and Romulan Star Empire and part of the Gorn Hegemony.

According to scenic artist Geoffrey Mandel’s book, Star Trek: Star Charts, the Beta Quadrant was also home to the, Andorians, Orions, Bolians, Son’a, Risians, Organians, Coridan, Axanar, Nausicaans, Suliban and a litany of Star Trek’s more recognizable alien species.

The Delta Quadrant

Virtually unexplored, the Delta quadrant is so far from the Federation’s   that no Starships can travel out that far.  Its closest point to Earth is located approximately 30,000 light years away.   An Intrepid-class starship would take 30 years to reach the edges of the quadrant at its maximum warp velocity.  So, due to the immense distance between the Alpha and Delta Quadrant, the Federation knew very little about this region of space.

Brief encounters with this quadrant have occurred due to alien intervention.  In 2371, the Federation’s starship Voyager was catapulted to the quadrant by the Caretaker, a representative of the Nacene.   After becoming stranded, Voyager spent seven years travelling through the Delta Quadrant, before returning to the Alpha Quadrant, through a Borg trans-warp network in 2377.  When Voyager returned to Earth a year later, the Federation’s knowledge of the quadrant was further expanded considerably (VOY: “Endgame”).

The major power in the Delta Quadrant, as previously alluded to, was the Borg Collective.

The Gamma Quadrant

Another area of the Milky Way galaxy which remains for the most part unexplored.    Its closest point to Earth is located approximately 30,000 light years away.  However, the discovery of the stable artificial wormhole in Bajoran space which links the Alpha to the Gamma quadrant has meant that exploration of this part of the galaxy is now possible (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine). 

The Vulcans were at the forefront of the exploration of the Quadrant, beginning only months after the wormhole was discovered by Benjamin Sisko and Jadzia Dax in 2369 (DS9: “A Man Alone”, “Move Along Home”, “Vortex”).  The Klingons also joined in exploring the Quadrant (DS9: “Q-Less”).

The Gamma Quadrant is home to the Dominion, an interstellar empire; which consisted of the Changelings (aka the Founders), Vorta, Jem’Hadar and T-Rogoran.

Commodore Mendez:

You ever met Chris Pike?

Captain Kirk:

We met when he was promoted to Fleet Captain…. I took over the Enterprise from him, and Spock served with him for several years.

Spock:

11years, 4 months, 5 days.

- The Menagerie, Part 1 The Menagerie, Part 1

There is virtually no canon, concerning the early years of Captain Pike or his crew.  Many comic books, short stories and novels are dedicated to this subject.

Canon is basically defined as anything that has made it to the screen – i.e. TV and Film. 

To date, The Menagerie, Part 1 & 2 (TOS) serves as our canon.  In it we learn of Captain Pike’s missions in 2254 on Rigel VII, and their answering of a distress call to Talos IV.   We also learn of Pike’s promotion in the mid-2260’s to Fleet Captain, his disfigurement and return to the Talos IV by Mister Spock.

Captain Pike and his adventure….late 2252 thru early 2264.

The Crew of the Federation -Starfleet, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701):

Commanding Officer:   Captain Christopher Pike; from late 2252 thru early 2264 (Jeffery Hunter)	Christopher Pike is born in 2216.  He grows up in Mohave, California (speculation “The Cage, TOS”).   Captain Pike was commander of the USS Yorktown (NCC-1704), in the late 2240’s and (or) early 2250’s (TOS novel: Final Frontier).    Around 2251, April announced that he was stepping down as captain of the Enterprise and that Captain Pike was to assume command (TOS novel: Final Frontier).  He would serve as her Captain for the next 11years.    He hands over command to James T. Kirk in early 2264 (Star Trek Chronology).    Later that year, Captain Christopher Pike is promoted to the rank of fleet captain.  Kirk meets Captain Pike for the first time at his promotion (“The Menagerie, Part I” TOS).   An accident aboard in 2266, a J-class starship releases delta radiation, killing several Starfleet cadets, and severely injuring Fleet Captain Pike, confining him to a wheelchair (“The Menagerie – Part I, TOS”).     A few months after Pike’s accident, he is welcome by the Talosians to return to Talos IV and be restored to his former strength and health, in the same way Vina was (“The Menagerie – Part II, TOS”).
First Officer and Helmsman: Number One; her name is never given on episode; from late 2252 thru early 2264 (Majel Barrett)	Number One was born on Ilyria IV (TOS novel: Vulcan’s Glory).   She was Captain Christopher Pike’s First Officer on the USS Enterprise.  While she served in this role, she held the rank of lieutenant.  She was noted for her exceptional intelligence and rationality.  In 2254, Captain Pike regarded Number One as the most experienced officer on the Enterprise. (TOS: “The Cage).   In 2250, she was posted to the USS Yorktown as executive officer, under Christopher Pike.   She transferred with him to the USS Enterprise in 2251, even though she had hoped for command of a science vessel or medical frigate (EV comic: “Flesh of my Flesh”).   o         Number One may be a human immortal called Morgan Primus who was born with the ability to instantly heal all wounds (Star Trek: New Frontier novels).  By the time Morgan served aboard the USS Enterprise, she was several centuries old (NF Novels: Fire on High, Renaissance).    o         In ‘Star Trek: New Voyages: In Harm’s Way’ her name is Shannon Quinlan.
Second Officer and Science Officer : Lieutenant Spock; from late 2252 thru early 2264 (Leonard Nimoy)	Spock was Human / Vulcan hybrid born in 2232 in the city of Shi’Kahr on the planet Vulcan. His mother was Amanda Grayson, a Human school teacher, and his father, Sarek, was a Vulcan scientist and diplomat (TOS: “This Side of Paradise“; TAS: “Yesteryear“; Star Trek V: The Final Frontier).   Spock was commissioned as a Starfleet officer in the early 2250’s.  He would became one of the most distinguished and respected figures in the United Federation of Planets in his lifetime.   By 2254, he was assigned to the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701) as the Science Officer and Second Officer (he will serve 11 years, 4 months and 5 days with Captain Pike; “The Menagerie – Part I and II, TOS”).   The starship and her namesake were his home for nearly forty years, until 2293.
Chief Navigator:   Lieutenant José Tyler; from 2252-2263 (Peter Duryea)	José Tyler was a Human male who served in Starfleet in the 23rd century.   According to Non-canon, Tyler was a hothead at Starfleet Academy, but managed to scrape through.  After graduating, he served on the USS Tiberius under Captain Robert April.  April straightened him out and Tyler later served with him on the USS Enterprise as assistant navigator during April’s five-year mission.   Tyler became chief navigator at the age of 24, when Christopher Pike took command in 2252 (TOS: “The Cage”).
Chief Engineer:	No Data
Armory Officer & Security Chief:	No Data
Communications Officer: Chief Petty Officer Garrison; 2253 - ?? (Adam Roarke)	Garrison was a Human Chief Petty Officer aboard the USS Enterprise under Captain Piker in the mid 2250’s.  Garrison served as the communications officer (“The Cage; The Menagerie – Part I and II, TOS”).
Chief Medical Officer: Dr. Philip Boyce; from 2252-2264 (John Hoyt)	Doctor Philip Boyce was the chief medical officer the USS Enterprise in the early 2250’s, under the command of Captain Pike (TOS: “The Cage”).   According non-canon works, he was born and educated in New York City.   At the age of 15, he decided to become a doctor.  He did his postgraduate work at Hoystadt Children’s Hospital while he was working as a pediatrician in Manhattan.  He eventually joined Starfleet Medical Academy.   Boyce completed his Starfleet studies so quickly, he was asked to stay and teach, but turned down the offer to serve on the USS Enterprise (TOS comics:  “Who’s Who in Star Trek, No. 1”).   Dr. Boyce was assigned the Enterprise for the ship’s first 5-year mission.   He worked as assistant chief medical officer under Dr. Sarah Poole-April.   When Dr. April left the ship with her husband, Captain April, in 2251, Boyce was made chief medical officer, and served under Captain Pike (TOS Novel: “Where Sea Meets Sky”).   Dr. Boyce continued to serve on the Enterprise until 2264.  By this time, Boyce was seriously considering retirement (TOS comics:  “All Those Years Ago”).  He was replaced by Dr. Mark Piper (TOS Novel: My Brothers Keeper, Republic).   Upon returning to Earth, Boyce took a teaching job in semi-retirement fashion, at the Starfleet Medical Academy teaching comparative anatomy and space medicine (TOS comics:  “Who’s Who in Star Trek, No. 1”).
Head Nurse: Lieutenant Gabrielle Carlotti; from 2251 - ???	Gabrielle Carlotti was a Starfleet officer who served as Doctor Philip Boyce head nurse on the USS Enterprise.   Carlotti was born on the planet New Milan, a planet destroyed during the Tholian expansion programs.  Only Gabrielle and her two brothers survived from her family.   They moved to New Venice, a colony on Mars, and later to Florence, Italy with their Aunt Olivia (EV Comics: Flesh of My Flesh; The Fallen).   Carlotti’s service record described her as bright and outgoing, if a little intense.  Before coming aboard the USS Enterprise, she served on the USS Redoubt and the USS Nelson (EV Comics: Flesh of My Flesh; Immortal Wounds).
Transporter Chief:   Nils Pitcairn; from 2252 - ??? (Clegg Hoyt)	Pitcairn was a human male who served as transporter chief aboard the USS Enterprise under Captain Pike during the 2250’s (TOS: “The Cage”).   According the non-canon comic series Star Trek: Early Voyages, it was stated he was a Chief Petty Officer and his full name was Nils Pitcairn.  We also learn that with his impressive technical expertise Pitcairn could well have made Chief Engineer but favored using his skills on the Transporter (EV Comic: “Flesh of My Flesh”).
Yeoman: Crewman J. Mia Colt; 2254 - ??? (Laurel Goodwin)	J.M. Colt was a crewmember of the USS Enterprise in the mid 2250’s.  In 2254 she replaced Captain Pike’s Yeoman who was killed in the fight on Rigel VII.   She served in this capacity for some time (TOS: “The Cage”).  A Yeoman, of course, serves as the Captain’s secretary, reporter, bookkeeper, etc.   According to Gene Roddenberry’s series pitches and scripts, her initials were “J.M.”, but their meaning was never alluded to.   The comic book series, Star Trek: “Early Voyages”, tells us that the ‘M’ stood for “Mia”.

Sol (aka The Sun or Helios)

Sol is the common name for the star that formed the Sol system.

The Sol System

The Sol system (or Solar system or Terran system [Latin terra, meaning Earth]) is a single-star system located in Sector 001 of the Alpha Quadrant.

It includes a yellow dwarf star named Sol, eight planets (one of which is natively inhabited), one asteroid / planet and three dwarf planets in total, in addition to numerous natural satellites and other smaller bodies.

Planets:

-  Sol I (Mercury)

-  Sol II (Venus)

-  Sol III (Earth / Terra)

-  Sol IV (Mars)

-  Sol V (Jupiter)

-  Sol VI (Saturn)

-  Sol VII (Uranus)

-  Sol VIII (Neptune)

The oldest extra-terrestrial human colonies are located within the Sol system, including those on Luna (the Moon), Mars, and Titan.

The Sol system is also the main base of operations for the Federation and Starfleet, with most of their facilities spread between the third and fourth planets.

A library computer shot of the Sol System from the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) in 2254 (“The Cage, TOS”).

Initial Ceremony, January 19, 2155

 

The Coalition of Planets was a mutual-defense alliance; from governments represented in the Alpha and Beta governments; created between United Earth, the Confederacy of Vulcan the Andorian Empire and the Tellarites.   

 

 

 

Late 2154 

The Coalition was proposed by Nathan Samuels, the Prime Minister of United Earth in late 2154.

It was designed as an effort to build upon the work of Starfleet Captain Jonathan Archer of Enterprise NX-01, in organizing a joint military operation amongst these powers to thwart a Romulan plot to ignite interstellar war between those worlds (“Demons, Terra Prime, ENT”; “Balance of Terror, TOS”).   NOTE:  Their goal may have been to thwart the establishment of the Federation (obviously implying that they knew the future, speculation from Enterprise series). 

2155   

On January 19, 2155 initial talks for the formation of the Coalition took place on Earth in San Francisco and the participants included dignitaries from United Earth, Vulcan, the Andorian Empire, Rigel, Denobula, Coridan, and Tellar (“Demons, Terra Prime, ENT”). 

March

In March of 2155, the Coalition Compact was finalized and signed, with Prime Minister Samuels as one of the signatories (ENT novel: The Good That Men Do).  The conference was organized by United Earth; presided over by Minister Nathan Samuels, in San Francisco on Earth, and overseen by both the Space Probe Agency (UESPA) and Earth-Starfleet (“Demons, ENT”). 

  2156-2160

As the Romulan aggression heightened, the Coalition strengthened.    Together they eventually defeated the Romulan Star Empire at the Battle of Cheron; effectively ending the war (“In a Mirror, Darkly – Part II, ENT”; “Star Trek: Generations” production art).

2161

The Coalition of Planets proved to be one of the most vital steps leading to the formation of the UFP in 2161 (”These Are the Voyages…, ENT”; ENT novel: The Good That Men Do.)

The United Federation of Planets (UFP) is commonly referred to as just The Federation.

It is an interstellar federal republic, composed of planetary governments that agreed to exist semi-autonomously under a single central government, and to share their knowledge and resources in peaceful cooperation and space  exploration (“Battle Lines, DS9”; “Innocence, VOY”).

The Federation Starfleet Charter

Ronald D. Moore commented that he felt that the Federation Starfleet Charter incorporates military, exploratory, and scientific missions. [1]

The Federation Charter was the document that was ratified at that organization’s founding in 2161 (“The Outcast, TNG”; “Zero Hour; These are the Voyages….ENT”).

One excerpt from the Charter:

CHARTER OF THE UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS

“We the life forms of the United Federation of Planets determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, and to reaffirm faith in the fundamental rights of sentient beings, in the dignity and worth of all life forms, in the equal rights of members of planetary systems large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of interstellar law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of living on all worlds…”

The text is as seen in: “The Void, VOY”.

Time-line of Selected Events:

2154 – 2161

In 2154, to thwart the Romulan’s aggression; a temporary alliance was formed by the Humans, Vulcans, Andorians and Tellarites (“United, ENT”).

After the crisis, these four species remained together, founding the precursor to The Federation, called the Coalition of Planets (2155), a year later.  Other species soon joined: the Denobulans, the Rigelians and the Coridanites, (Demons, ENT”).  

Over the next several years, the tension between the Coalition members and the Romulans exploded into full scale war.  This of course served to strengthen the ties between the members of the Coalition.   

After the war, in 2161, the Coalition of Planets proved to be one of the most vital steps leading to the formation of The Federation (”These Are the Voyages…, ENT”; ENT novel: The Good That Men Do).   

The Federations headquarters are on Earth, in San Francisco (“The Outcast, TNG”; “Zero Hour, ENT”; ”These Are the Voyages…, ENT”).