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Published Jan 30, 2017

Starbases of The Federation: From K-7 to Yorktown

The United Federation of Planets relied on its massive fleet of iconic starships to seek out new worlds in the 23rd and 24th centuries, but its network of starbases and outposts proved just as valuable to the exploration of space and the protection of Federation citizens. Most space stations shared similar roles, such as maintaining the capability to repair starships, but the type and location of each outpost dictated its primary role. While many starbases also included ground-based elements, this piece will only focus on the spaceborne facilities.

Deep Space Station K-7, introduced in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode " The Trouble with Tribbles ," played a vital role in the Sherman's Planet region claimed by the Federation and Klingon Empire. Acting as Starfleet's presence in the area, K-7 also served the tactical purpose of observing the Klingon border and providing storage for the development of Sherman's Planet. As with most starbases, K-7 maintained facilities to entertain weary travelers, Federation officials and even Klingon warriors. The relatively small station still retained the ability to store significant quantities of quadrotriticale, the grain necessary to seed Sherman's Planet and secure the Federation's claim on the world. Thus, Deep Space Station K-7 performed multiple functions, ranging from protecting the border to asserting ownership over territorial gains.

The Federation outpost Regula I worked toward a very specific goal in the Mutara sector during the events of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . Operated by civilian scientists, the station was tasked with the advancement of the Genesis Project. Regula I's remote location proved a necessity, allowing for discrete and undisturbed research. Due to its classified mission, Regula I did not permit casual guests or publicly announce its true purpose, whereas other Federation starbases tended to do so. The outpost's small size probably meant it had limited starship repair capabilities, if any at all. The U.S.S. Reliant, attached to Regula I as a scout vessel, most likely traveled to other stations for its upkeep.

The massive form of Earth Spacedock easily eclipsed the various starships that docked in its berths and visited Sol III. The station launched new vessels, repaired others and decommissioned obsolete ones while maintaining a detachment of active starships ready to defend Sector 001. Although never canonically stated, Spacedock's size and strategic location seem to indicate its complement also included defensive weaponry for Earth's protection. In this sense, the starbase performed the role of securing a particular region of space, much like K-7. However, the Federation charged Spacedock with the fortifying its very heart rather than the edge of explored space. While the station's status as a shipbuilding facility remains unclear, the U.S.S. Excelsior did undergo tests and early transwarp trials at the starbase.

Stations similar in design to Earth Spacedock, such as Starbases 74, 84, 133, and Lya Station Alpha, appeared numerous times in Star Trek: The Next Generation . Why would Starfleet also construct these large outposts in seemingly innocuous systems rather than only near worlds central to the government? Ironically, the question most likely answers itself. As the regions where the stations were located tended to be away from major population centers, logic dictates that the starbases functioned as hubs for Federation activity in distant but strategically positioned areas. Sectors devoid of core planets require a place to repair starships, offer respite to weary crews, and fortify Starfleet's presence outside of prominent systems such as Vulcan, Andor, Sol, Tellar, Betazed and Trill.

The renowned port of Deep Space 9 changed its mission, and its location, following the joint Federation-Bajoran takeover of the station. Originally known as Terok Nor, a Cardassian ore-processing plant and symbol of occupation, the starbase became the operational center overseeing the rebuilding of Bajor. DS9 soon gained an additional task when Commander Sisko and Lieutenant Dax discovered the stable wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant in the Denorios belt and moved the station close to the anomaly. Suddenly, the starbase found itself to be an important locale for trade and exploration, welcoming travelers from Qo'noS, Vulcan and beyond.

As the threat from the Dominion increased and a full-scale war erupted, Deep Space 9 earned a reputation for its vital part in guarding the wormhole and preventing reinforcements from entering the Alpha Quadrant. The starbase displayed versatility in taking on additional roles beyond its original mandate to watch over Bajor, also acting as a repair hub for Federation, Klingon and Romulan forces during the war. From refinery to strategic necessity, Deep Space 9 helped to shape the future of Bajor, the exploration of the Gamma Quadrant and the outcome of the Dominion War.

When Cardassian and Dominion forces reoccupied Terok Nor in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode " Call to Arms ," the Federation lost its primary foothold against its foes. Starbase 375's proximity to the combat zone made it the natural fallback position for Starfleet. Otherwise a typical Federation station, Starbase 375's location turned it into a key staging area for starship deployments and Operation Return, the mission to remove the Dominion's presence from Deep Space 9. The progression of the war shifted the purpose of Starbase 375 to an unexpected trajectory, again displaying the adaptability required for Federation stations to operate at maximum efficiency.

A highlight of the film Star Trek Beyond , Starbase Yorktown proved to be a visually stunning marvel of technology. Easily the largest Starfleet facility ever depicted, the intricate structure houses millions of inhabitants and serves every duty imaginable. Located near uncharted space and the Necro Cloud nebula, Starbase Yorktown resupplies vessels, conducts repairs, builds new starships, acts as a home for crews and their families, dispatches missions of exploration, flies the Federation flag in the region and maintains defensive armaments. With its sprawling arms covered in cityscapes, interior tunnels funneling starships to their births and awe-inspiring transparent exterior, Yorktown represents the peak of Starfleet engineering. In addition to its variety of practical uses, Starbase Yorktown also helps the Federation avoid diplomatic incidents between new members by being positioned in interstellar space, rather than on the surface of a particular planet.

Without a reliable system of starbases, Federation vessels would not be able to function in deep space for extended periods of time. Starships receive most of the glory, but these stations offer safe harbors and defensible locales upon which the fleet relies. Whether orbiting Earth, overlooking the Bajoran wormhole, or sitting on the edge of the frontier, starbases ensure that crews always have a home away from home to visit.

Jay Stobie is a science fiction writer who admits he has a perfectly normal obsession with Star Trek. He can be found on Twitter at @CaptStobie .

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Starbase is a Fleet holding that brings specific bonuses to all fleet members.

• 1 Skill Bonus Sections
• 2 Other Bonus Sections
• 3.1 Gallery

Skill Bonus Sections

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Other Bonus Sections

Starbase components.

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Screen Rant

Star trek’s prime timeline never copied an amazing kelvin starbase.

Star Trek Beyond introduced Starbase Yorktown, a massive city in a protective dome in deep space. The Prime Timeline still has no equal to it.

Introduced in Star Trek Beyond , Yorktown is a massive Starbase that, strangely, has no equal in Star Trek 's Prime Timeline. Located on the frontier of the Necro Cloud Nebula, Yorktown was attacked by the villainous Krall (Idris Elba) in Star Trek Beyond . Prior to saving the Starbase, Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) applied for a Vice Admiral position there but, in the end, Kirk decided to remain in the Captain's chair of the newly-constructed USS Enterprise-A.

Star Trek Beyond' s screenplay describes the massive Starbase Yorktown as "A nexus for all the nearby worlds that have been inducted into the Federation. Yorktown is large enough to house millions of residents... An idyllic multicultural hub invested with the spirit of everything the Federation stands for. " A multi-leveled super city housed within a protective sphere, Dr. Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban) called it a "snow globe" in space. While Yorktown is an awe-inspiring setting for Star Trek Beyond , the fact that it was built in the 23rd century is confounding when, technologically, there's no Starbase that can match it, in the 23rd, 24th, or 25th century of Star Trek's Prime Timeline. There isn't even a Starbase like Yorktown in the 32nd-century era of Star Trek: Discovery , which makes the Yorktown stand out as even more of an aberration.

Related: Star Trek Got The Multiverse Right (Until J.J. Abrams Ruined It)

Why Star Trek's Prime Timeline Doesn't Have Its Own Starbase Yorktown

Compared to the Yorktown, the Starbases seen in the Star Trek TV series and movies set in the Prime Timeline are relatively more modest constructs. While some Starbases are built on planets, most Star Trek fans are familiar with the Starbases that look like giant mushrooms in space that usually house multiple starships within. These Starbases have large populations who live and work there, as well as myriad visitors seeking shore leave or official business, yet they are dwarfed by the size and scope of Yorktown. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's space station is considered "huge" but it still pales in comparison to Starbase Yorktown. Even the United Federation of Planets' 32nd-century headquarters in Star Trek: Discovery, while gigantic, doesn't seem as big as Yorktown does in Star Trek Beyond .

Obviously, Yorktown benefits from the budget and scope afforded to a J.J. Abrams-produced Star Trek movie. Even with Star Trek: Discovery , Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , and Star Trek: Picard ' s greater budgets, impressive visual effects, and AR Wall, they can't quite equal what can be produced in a $100-200-million feature film. But considering Star Trek Beyond is set in the same 23rd-century timeframe as Strange New Worlds , it's bizarre how much more advanced the technology in the Kelvin Star Trek movies is compared to what exists in the Prime Timeline, even with Star Trek on Paramount+'s updated production values.

The Star Trek Kelvin Movies' Advanced Technology Never Made Sense

The truth is the advanced technology in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies requires a lot of suspension of disbelief. The conceit of the creation of the alternate Kelvin reality is that after Nero (Eric Bana) changed the timeline by destroying the USS Kelvin in 2233, somehow the Federation's technology was accelerated beyond what was possible in Star Trek's Prime Timeline. The Starship Enterprise in Star Trek 2009 had better technology while Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) gave Scotty (Simon Pegg) the secret to transwarp beaming, which was used in the film and again in Star Trek Into Darkness when Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch) transported himself from Earth to the Klingon homeworld.

The culmination of the Kelvin timeline's advanced technology is Starbase Yorktown, a space station light years ahead of its time that simply doesn't have an equivalent in Star Trek's Prime Timeline, even 900 years in the future. Of course, Star Trek: Discovery has eclipsed Star Trek Beyond 's tech with its own innovations like programmable matter. But in the 23rd century, Starbase Yorktown simply shouldn't exist except for the rationale that Star Trek' s rules are different in J.J. Abrams movies .

Next: Star Trek 4 Can't Catch A Break, Huh?

• Federation space stations
• Federation Hubs
• Space stations

Starbase 39

• TOS Starfleet space stations
• VisualEditor
• View history

Starbase 39 , or Starbase 39-Sierra , is a Starfleet station located in the Sierra System close to the Romulan Neutral Zone . It provides players access to the Bank , Mail , and Exchange .

• 2.1 Admiral's Office
• 2.4 Shipyard
• 3 Missions involved
• 6 References
• 7 External links

History [ | ]

Starbase 39-Sierra serves as an important Federation starbase near the Romulan Neutral Zone since at least 2270 . Over the past decades the starbase played a major role in Federation- Romulan relations and served as an intelligence base for Starfleet. The starbase was also the hub for rescue and relief efforts after the destruction of Romulus by the Hobus supernova in 2387 , and the years that followed. As of 2409 , it is commanded by Admiral T'nae , and the primary base of Starfleet operations close to Romulan space.

Locations [ | ]

Admiral T'nae's office

Admiral's Office [ | ]

Admiral T'nae

Commander Argus Genstra

Admiral Zelle

Lieutenant Commander Kyle DeSoto

Lounge [ | ]

Ambassador Ulish

• Ambassador Surah (upper floor)
• Security Officer , Duty Officer Assignment Giver

Armory [ | ]

• Lieutenant Marrien ( common Mk I-X weapons, Mk I-IX personal equipment and kits, and consumables)
• Xeno ( common Mk I-X personal weapons)
• Commodity Broker Temev ( Commodities )

Commodities Broker

• Lieutenant Sarissa
• Ensign Bariet Jaran (Bridge Officers)

The exchange and shipyard

Shipyard [ | ]

• Ensign Jessiek (Ship Equipment Requisition)
• Ship Selections Officer (Starship Selection)
• Shuttle Information Officer (Shuttle Information)
• Ship and Shuttle Requisitions Officer (Ship and Shuttle Requisition)

Lieutenant Commander Brocal

Ambassador Vimok

• Lieutenant Synsa

Missions involved [ | ]

• “Heading Out” : Admiral Quinn instructs the player to transport Damar Kahn from Starbase 114 in the Celes System to Starbase 39. From there, he intends to travel to the Hobus System aboard the U.S.S. Tucker . Once on Starbase 39, Damar provides the player with information about the Hobus supernova and the destruction of Romulus and Remus . He also informs the player that Sela has allies from the Delta Quadrant , but that he knows little about them.
• “Trade Deal” : Lt. Cmdr. Brocal invited Ambassadors Surah of the Deferi , the Rigelian Vimok and the Ferengi Ulish to Starbase 39 to help them coming to an agreement in their trade deal, which almost failed. When the talks were about to break down, the ambassadors refused to talk with Brocal, the situation became "way over [her] head". She is asking the player to help with the negotiations.
• “The Vault” : Commander Kyle DeSoto , who is located in Admiral T'nae's office, instructs the player that a shuttle must be used to approach the mysterious Romulan starbase in the Haakona System without drawing unwanted attention.

Gallery [ | ]

Welcome to Starbase 39

Panorama of the armory (left) and the exchange/shipyard (right)

Panorama of the entry area (left) and the lounge (right)

The station from space

The station, as seen in the 23rd Century Sector Space

Security Officer

Ambassador Surah

Lieutenant Marrien

Commodity Broker Temev

Ensign Bariet Jaran

Ensign Jessiek

Shuttle Information

Notes [ | ]

• In February 2011, Starbase 39 recieved a new Admiral's Office. This was the same layout with different decoration as the Earth Spacedock Admiral's Office that existed until the 1 Year Anniverary Update in February 2011.
• In February and March 2012, the station's lighting was revamped along with the addition of some new signs and improved background sounds. [1] [2]

References [ | ]

• ↑ http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=256930
• ↑ http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=258304

External links [ | ]

• Starbase 39-Sierra at Memory Alpha , the Star Trek Wiki.
• Starbase 39-Sierra at Memory Beta , the non-canon Star Trek Wiki.
• 2 Delta Recruitment
• 3 Playable starship

‘Star Trek’ Origin Story Movie Will Be Set Decades Before 2009 Film

CinemaCon 2024: The new project will be produced by longtime “Star Trek” steward J.J. Abrams

Paramount Pictures is ready to boldly go (again).

After rumors circulated earlier this year, Paramount officially announced a new “Star Trek” prequel film on Thursday, this time taking place decades before the original 2009 “Star Trek” feature.

“Andor” director Toby Haynes will direct from a script by Seth Grahame-Smith (who is also writing another hotly touted CinemaCon title, the third “Now You See Me” film). J.J. Abrams is returning to produce.

But then again, we’ve heard about a new “Star Trek” movie before.

During the run-up to “Star Trek Beyond” in 2016, it was revealed that a fourth film would reunite Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk with his deceased father (played, once again, by Chris Hemsworth). A year later, Quentin Tarantino approached Paramount about doing a “Star Trek” movie – this time as an R-rated gangster movie (based, in part, on the 1968 episode of the original series “A Piece of the Action”). In 2018 S.J. Clarkson, a TV vet who would eventually direct “Madame Web,” was hired to direct the fourth film in the Abrams-verse, but salary disputes led to Pine and Hemsworth leaving the project. That version was canceled in 2019 and Tarantino stated in 2020 that he wouldn’t be making his “Star Trek” either.

In November 2019 “Fargo” creator Noah Hawley was hired to write and direct a new “Star Trek” film based on his version of the series. A year later, this movie was canceled by new Paramount Pictures president Emma Watts. In 2021 “Star Trek: Discovery” writer Kalinda Vazquez was hired to write a version based on her original pitch, but a separate script was being developed by Lindsey Beer and Geneva Robertson-Dworet. The studio even set a summer 2023 release date for a new “Trek” (which “Trek” was the question).

In 2021 that release date was pushed to Christmas 2023, under the direction of “WandaVision” director Matt Shakman. Josh Friedman and Cameron Squires were brought on to retool the script. In early 2022 it was announced that the stars of the three previous “Star Trek” installments in the Abrams-verse would all be returning, although it was later reported that the actors had not entered negotiations to return.

In 2022 Shakman left “Star Trek” to join Marvel Studios’ “The Fantastic Four.” But just last month Steve Yockey was hired to write a fourth “Star Trek” movie.

Now, we are finally getting word of another film in development, with another writer/director team. But it’s not the first time that a “Star Trek” prequel script has been floated, as Erik Jendresen, cowriter of “Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning,” had submitted a script for “Star Trek: The Beginning” before J.J. had taken over and pitched his 2009 version. It depicted the Earth-Romulan War.

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Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

• Romulan starbases
• Space station classes
• Romulan space station classes

Romulan starbase

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Romulan starbases function as a Romulan fleet's center in a specific sector. Once construction of the starbase is complete, it is able to develop or build plasma cannons, research stations, mining stations, spy satellites, and ship yards. The station has the capability to build cargo ships, freighters, and construction ships. Early models are armed with an array of disruptor pulse cannons, newer models are equipped with an array of pulse phasers . ( ST video games : Armada , Armada II )

• 1 The Chase
• 2 Preserver (race)
• 3 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition

A Star Trek Origin Movie Is Coming in 2025 From 'Andor' and 'Doctor Who' Director Toby Haynes

'Star Trek' (2009) director J.J. Abrams is attached to produce.

The Big Picture

• A new Star Trek prequel film, an "origin story", is in development, at Paramount.
• The Star Trek history before Kirk's missions on the Enterprise is largely unwritten, leaving room for creativity with the new film.
• Director Toby Haynes, known for Andor , is working on the film alongside writer Seth Grahame-Smith; a 2025 release window was announced at CinemaCon.

Star Trek may finally be coming back to the big screen. A prequel to the 2009 J.J. Abrams reboot of the franchise is in the works from director Toby Haynes . The news comes from Paramount's presentation at CinemaCon today, as reported by Collider's Steve Weintraub and Britta DeVore . With Haynes, who recently helmed six episodes of the acclaimed Star Wars series Andor , at the rudder, the film will be written by Seth Grahame-Smith .

So far, other details on the new film are scarce, but it will reportedly be an "origin story", taking place decades before the 2009 Star Trek film, which took place in 2255. That likely means that it will not feature the cast from the 2009 reboot, which has so far been difficult for Paramount to wrangle together for a fourth film, despite numerous attempts to do so . That doesn't necessarily mean that a fourth movie isn't happening: back in March, Paramount hired The Flight Attendant scribe Steve Yockey to pen a new script for the film. For their part, the cast is game as well, with Zoe Saldaña recently stating her willingness to return for a fourth mission on the USS Enterprise .

What Happened Decades Before Kirk's First Missions on the Enterprise?

The history of the Star Trek universe prior to the celebrated voyages of the Enterprise is largely unwritten. The first starship Enterprise 's adventures in the 22nd century were chronicled on the UPN prequel series Star Trek: Enterprise . That series ended with the founding of the United Federation of Planets in 2161, which leaves almost a century of mostly unexplored history between that and the history now being charted on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (and the first two seasons of mothership show Star Trek: Discovery ).

At some point, the nascent Federation faces a devastating war against the Romulan Star Empire , while also engaged in a Cold War with the Klingons. The USS Enterprise will eventually be launched in the 23rd century, under the captaincy of Robert April, who has been briefly glimpsed on Star Trek: The Animated Series and Strange New Worlds , before being handed off to Christopher Pike . Apart from that, however, Haynes and Graeme-Smith have a near-blank canvas upon which to make their mark.

In addition to Andor , Haynes has also helmed episodes of Doctor Who , Sherlock , and Black Mirror ; his work on the latter series includes the episode " USS Callister ," a loving pastiche of Star Trek . Graeme-Smith wrote the novels Pride & Prejudice & Zombies and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter ; he worked on the story for the upcoming horror comedy sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice .

A new Star Trek prequel film is in development; no date has yet been set beyond a 2025 release window . Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.

Starbase 10

• View history

Starbase 10 was a Federation starbase that was administered by Starfleet . The base was located in the Alpha Quadrant , near Deneva . A direct course from Gamma Hydra to this base would pass through the Romulan Neutral Zone . This star fell into the administrative area of the base.

In 2259 , the location of this starbase was labeled on a stellar cartography chart seen on the USS Enterprise 's ready room viewscreen . ( SNW : " Spock Amok ", " A Quality of Mercy ")

In 2267 , the USS Enterprise traveled to this base following its mission to Deneva. Later that year, Commodore Stocker was assigned command of the base and was transported there by the Enterprise . ( TOS : " Operation -- Annihilate! ", " The Deadly Years "; VOY : " Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy ")

The starbase's location was labeled in a Federation star chart that was in Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy 's office at Starfleet Headquarters in 2399 and on the bridge of the USS Titan -A in 2401 . Starbase 10 was in or near to Federation space . ( PIC : " Maps and Legends ", " The Next Generation ", " Disengage ")

In 2401, this starbase's position was labeled on a star chart used by Captain William T. Riker during his attempt at finding the last known location of the SS Eleos XII . ( PIC : " The Next Generation ")

In 3190 , the location of Starbase 10 was labeled on a star chart used by Commander Paul Stamets for tracking the movement of the Dark Matter Anomaly through the galaxy . ( DIS : " The Examples ")

Appendices [ ]

Apocrypha [ ].

This base was also mentioned in gaming reference books ( The Triangle Campaign , Starfleet Operations Manual ), novels ( Pocket TNG : Red Sector ), and comics ( Gold Key TOS : " Sceptre of the Sun " and Peter Pan Records : " The Robot Masters ").

External link [ ]

• Starbase 10 at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 1 Abdullah bin al-Hussein