Pathfinder is a term occasionally used to describe the first ship in a given class of starship, and is used to describe the USS Galaxy in the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual. The term has also been adopted by fans, and is used occasionally in place of of the term 'prototype'. Note that the reference appears to be more of a descriptor rather than a designation, and is not canon within Star Trek. USS Odyssey redirects here. ... Prototypes or prototypical instances combine the most representative attributes of a category. ... Look up canon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Star Trek is an American science fiction franchise. ...

Pathfinder is also a name attributed to the Defiant Pathfinder, the name of a ship designed by Star Trek illustrator Jim Martin, conceived of as concept art for what would become the NX-74205 USS Defiant, as seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The Defiant pathfinder did not look at all like the finished product, using the traditional twin-nacelled design used by Starfleet, and was abandoned as some point by the artists in favour of the Defiant's more familiar design. It is unclear as to whether Pathfinder is intended to be part of the ship's name, or if it is meant as a descriptor as in the above entry. However, the use of Defiant Pathfinder appears to be used to differentiate the concept ship from the more familiar NX-74205 USS Defiant. There have been several people named Jim Martin: James G. Martin, a Republican governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina Jim Martin, a Muppeteer who worked on Sesame Street Big Jim Martin, the lead guitarist of Faith No More. ... For the ship seen in Star Trek: The Original Series The Tholian Web and Star Trek: Enterprises In a Mirror, Darkly, see USS Defiant (NCC-1764). ... Space station Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (ST:DS9 or STDS9 or DS9 for short) is a science fiction television series produced by Paramount and set in the Star Trek universe. ... For the ship seen in Star Trek: The Original Series The Tholian Web and Star Trek: Enterprises In a Mirror, Darkly, see USS Defiant (NCC-1764). ...

This concept art would later be used as an entry in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual, to denote a courier vessel, adapted by Rick Sternbach for use as part of Deep Space Nine's background. The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual is a description of the space station Deep Space Nine, the main setting of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, in the Star Trek fictional universe. ... Richard Michael Sternbach (born in 1951 in Bridgeport Connecticut) is an illustrator who is best known for his space illustrations and his work on the Star Trek television series. ...

Rick Sternbach would later use this design as inspiration for the USS Equinox Nova class starship, appearing in the episode Equinox from Star Trek: Voyager. Richard Michael Sternbach (born in 1951 in Bridgeport Connecticut) is an illustrator who is best known for his space illustrations and his work on the Star Trek television series. ... The USS Equinox (NCC-72381) In the Star Trek fictional universe, the USS Equinox (NCC-72381) was a Nova class starship in Starfleet under the command of Captain Rudy Ransom. ... The USS Equinox (NCC-72381), a Nova class starship In the Star Trek fictional universe, the Nova class is a new type of starship design used by Starfleet. ... An equinox is one of two opposite points on the celestial sphere where the celestial equator and ecliptic intersect. ... The starship Voyager (NCC-74656), an Intrepid-class starship. ...

Pathfinder was also the codename of a project to locate USS Voyager after the ship was lost in the Delta Quadrant. Lieutenant Reginald Barclay, formerly of the USS Enterprise, was a member of the team and successfully initiated contact with Voyager’s crew in 2376. This arc unfolded in the 6th season Star Trek: Voyager episode of the same name, Pathfinder USS Voyager can refer to: The motorboat USS Voyager (SP-361) that served in the United States Navy from 1917 to 1919 and in the United States Coast Guard from 1919 to c. ... Lieutenant Reginald Endicott Barclay III is a recurring character in the Star Trek fictional universe, created by Sally Caves and played by Dwight Schultz. ... The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) (or Enterprise-D, to distinguish it from prior starships with the same name) is a 24th century starship in the Star Trek fictional universe and the principal setting of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series. ... The starship Voyager (NCC-74656), an Intrepid-class starship. ... Pathfinder is a 6th season episode of Star Trek: Voyager. ...

External links

[Star Trek: The Magazine article "Designing The U.S.S. Equinox"]