Star Trek: Cetacean Ops, Explained

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Summary

  • Cetaceans assist with ship navigation, and intelligent whales are part of Cetacean Ops.
  • Cetacean Ops divisions were on famous Starfleet ships in the Star Trek universe.
  • The concept of Cetacean Ops was born from Rick Sternbach’s obsession with dolphins going to space.

As a lifelong Trekkie who grew up with the original series and has followed each new iteration of Star Trek since then, I can’t help but be enamored by the fascinating tale of Cetacean Ops. Having spent countless hours debating the finer points of warp drive theory and Klingon phasers with fellow fans, I find myself captivated by the story behind this underwater department that plays such a crucial role in guiding Starfleet’s finest through the cosmos.

In the fictional realm of Star Trek, the crews onboard Starfleet vessels are remarkably diverse, encompassing humans from numerous nations and ethnicities, as well as countless other species scattered across the galaxy. However, it’s important to note that not all lifeforms on these ships are humanoid. Some Starfleet vessels even house divisions manned by intelligent animals. One such division is famously known as Cetacean Ops.

In my own words, I belong to a special unit within the Starfleet known as Cetacean Ops. This division is made up of intelligent aquatic mammals, like whales or dolphins. The term “Cetacean” refers to these sea-dwelling creatures in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. As a member of this unique team, I live in an underwater environment on the ship I serve, which is equipped with an aquarium for my habitat. I work alongside marine biologists who take care of us and help us navigate our roles within Starfleet.

Why Are There Cetaceans on Starfleet Ships?

Essentially, onboard Starfleet vessels, intelligent marine mammals known as cetaceans aid their humanoid colleagues in navigating the ship. The fourth film of the original ‘Star Trek’ series, titled ‘Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home’, introduced the concept that these remarkable creatures, specifically whales, had been communicating with extraterrestrials far earlier than humans did. However, by the 23rd century, Earth’s whale population had gone extinct. As a result, Captain James T. Kirk and his crew undertook a mission to rescue the whales, ensuring their survival into the 24th century.

It’s not clear why Starfleet chose cetaceans to aid in guidance and navigation within their universe. However, by the 24th century, Cetacean Operations (also known as Tursiops Operations) was a standard department on Galaxy Class starships, according to the “Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual.” This manual provides this information.

Research duties related to the guidance and navigation system onboard a Galaxy-class starship are managed by a team of twelve Atlantic and Pacific bottlenose dolphins, specifically Tursiops truncatus from both regions. This team includes two supervising cetaceans, Takaya’s Whale (Orcinus orca takayai). These top-tier specialists explore all navigation theories, and their suggestions for system improvements are acted upon by Starfleet.

On several notable vessels from Starfleet, such as the Enterprise-D, the Enterprise-C, the Cerritos, and the Voyager-A, there were divisions dedicated to working with cetacean species (whales, dolphins, etc.).

The Theoretical Obsession That Became Cetacean Ops

Back in reality, Cetacean Ops was a brainchild that emerged from a joint effort between Rick Sternbach, the lead production artist and designer on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Michael Okuda, their scenic art supervisor. Later on, these two gentlemen teamed up to write the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual together.

In a conversation with the magazine “70s Sci-Fi Art”, Sternbach openly shared his intense fascination with the concept of dolphins in outer space. Having developed a childhood affection for both science fiction and art, he made the decision to study fine arts when he entered college at UConn. Simultaneously, his interest in marine biology ignited. The convergence of his love for sci-fi, aquatic life, and artistic expression led to one of his most renowned works: a depiction of a dolphin wearing a space suit. Sternbach elaborated that this artwork was his response to a question that had consumed him – how might it be possible for dolphins to journey into space alongside humans in a secure manner?

This question stayed with Sternbach for several years. When he found himself working on TNG, he decided to make his fantasy of dolphins in space part of Star Trek canon. He slipped subtle references to the “Tursiops Crew Facility” in the first season episode “We’ll Always Have Paris.” Later, the third season episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” and the fifth season episode “The Perfect Mate” contained brief references to Cetacean Ops.

Despite Sternbach’s eagerness to bring Cetacean Ops to life, the restrictive production conditions of the late 1980s and early 1990s prevented him from witnessing his creation in action during his tenure on TNG, or later on Deep Space Nine and Voyager.

Cetacean Ops in Action

Ultimately, Sternbach’s vision for Cetacean Ops materialized on screen during the season 2 finale of Star Trek: Lower Decks. While Cetacean Ops was often mentioned in both seasons 1 and 2 of Lower Decks, it wasn’t until the episode “First First Contact” that we were introduced to this part of the ship and its team members for the first time.

In the given episode, Ensign Brad Boimler was tasked with diving deep into the dolphin pool at Cetacean Ops to manually activate a vital switch, instrumental in rescuing the starship Cerritos. Upon entering Cetacean Ops, viewers were introduced to Lieutenants Matt and Kimolu, two Beluga whales who proved indispensable in guiding the Cerritos during its high-speed travels at warp. It was revealed that without their assistance, the ship wouldn’t be able to achieve warp speed. After this initial encounter, Lieutenants Matt and Kimolu made further appearances in five additional episodes of Lower Decks, helping to save the Cerritos on various occasions.

In the TV series “Star Trek: Prodigy”, it was Cetacean Operations that significantly contributed to the storyline. The spacecraft Voyager-A had a massive division for Cetacean Operations, inhabited by a humpback whale named Gillian. It’s safe to say that without Gillian, both the Voyager-A and its crew would not have made it through their journey. When all navigation systems on board failed, it was Gillian and Rok-Tahk who skillfully navigated the ship through the treacherous Loom and a wormhole.

As a devoted Star Trek fan, I can’t help but marvel at how Sternbach’s dream and McMahan’s passion for every intricate detail of the Trekverse have given life to Cetacean Ops. From a single-minded fascination with dolphin space travel, this concept has evolved into an integral aspect of Star Trek’s lore, a development that feels incredibly Trekkie and adds another layer to my admiration for this iconic universe.

Utilizing resources such as “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Star Trek: Lower Decks,” “Star Trek: Prodigy,” the technical manual of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” and a 1970s Sci-Fi Art interview.

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2024-12-21 20:07