The Phoenix was born using Earth's limited resources left over from WWIII and converted from an old Titan V nuclear missile, similar to Titan II. The warpship prototype, Phoenix became a symbol of hope for Earths beleaguered ball of beings and a springboard of salvation for all humanity.
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Voyager Drone.
Memory Alpha.
Galactic history was made on April 5th 2063, when Cochranes Phoenix launched from earth, she was the first spaceship to reach warp speed in earthling history. She travelled faster than light which successfully demonstrated to all extraterrestrials, earths knowledge of warpdrive technology and light speed.
The Phoenix was repaired by the Enterprise E engineering teams after the Borg's ship attacked with the intension to change the timeline. Cochrane's marvel of technology reached for the stars on schedule and escaped the earths gravity without any further Borg occurences from its North American, Montana launchpad.
Geordi La Forge was stationed at the Engineering console , Commander Riker was seated directly behind the pilots chair.
Zefram Cochrane controlled the ship as pilot with the warp drive activation unit on standby and monitored the ships systems using the pilots monitor.
This is the Phoenix Cockpit. The ship was one man's dream. Zefram Cochranes.
Length of Titan V Rocket prior to liftoff 35 meters. The rocket in the picture includes the Phoenix in two stages. Encased in titanium casing which Data described as imperfect, its outstanding features are easily identifyed by the cylindrical shape and painted star on its side.
Image Copyright Belongs to Paramount Pictures.
First Contact. Memory Alpha.
The first stage of the rocket (lower) carries the liquid fuel, such as liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. Using a combination of fuel can give a rocket more blast-off power which once ignited cases flames and pushes the Phoenix into Outerspace. The second stage of the rocket (top) carries the crew inside the Phoenix . Once in space the casing protecting the warp nacelles is discarded along with the second stage of the rocket which has run out of liquid fuel by now.
Image Copyright belongs to Paramount Pictures.
First Contact. Memory Alpha.
Length of Phoenix after seperation 20 meters. This pioneering technological advance of human engineering is now ready for its first historic spaceflight. Geordi, William and Doc are excited. The twin warp nacelles are deployed and charged. Their range will bring the spacecraft to the outersolar system and back before returning to sublight speeds in a controlled safe approach to earth.
In First Contact, Zefram Cochrane left Deanna's ears ringing goodo at liftoff and he actually did a Picard! or is it Picard doing a Zefram?
Various ship systems and criteria had to be checked and met before engaging the Phoenix's engines at warpspeed in the Star Trek movie, First Contact. These included:
1. Extending the Warp Nacelles.
2. Making sure the Plasma Injectors were online.
3."Everythings looking good. I think we're ready" Geordi making good on other system checks which he does'nt have time to mention.
4."We've got to break the warp barrier in the next five minutes if we're going to get their attension" - Commander Riker.
5. Nacelles charged and ready. This is the all systems operational and on standby signal to the pilot. The last of the initial checks before Cochrane did the Picard. He gave the verbal instruction "Engage" to alert the crew that he was activating the Warpdrive. To make it so.
6.Warp Field looking good - Geordi.
7.Structural Integretity holding - Geordi.
8. Speed 20,000 Kilometers Per Second - Commander Riker.
9. Thirty seconds to warp threshold - Commander Riker.
10. Approaching lightspeed, we're at critical velocity - C.R.
11 Warp. Horray!! Little did the Phoenix crew know that the borg Queen wanted nothing more than to blow them to smithereens.
Image Copyright Belongs to
Paramount Pictures.
Heres the Borg Timeship that tried to destroy the Montana Missle launch site and alter the course of earths history. Hero worshipped by Geordi La Forge and Reginald Barclay, Dr Cochrane confessed to Commander Riker as they sat in the Phoenix cockpit prior to the launch sequence.
"You want to know what my vision is? Dollar signs, money. I did'nt build this ship to usher in a new era for humanity. You think I want to go to the stars? I do'nt even like to fly, I take trains."
Commander Riker is enjoying the moment as the Zefran continues.
" I built this ship so I could retire to some tropical island filled with n---d women. Thats Zefram Cochrane. Thats his vision. This other guy, this historical figure, I never met him. I can't imagine I ever will."
Commander Riker makes a suggestion.
" Don't try to be a great man, just be a man and let history make its own judgements."
The good doctor is unconvinced.
" Thats rhetorical nonsense, who said that?"
"You did Doc."
Live Long and Prosper, Trekkers!
