There have been many ships called Enterprise over the years. The opening credit sequence to “Star Trek: Enterprise” shows a few of them including the 19th century British warship H.M.S. Enterprize and the Space Shuttle test vehicle Enterprise.
In the Star Trek universe, we’ve been introduced to seven different starships.
Enterprise NX-01
The first Warp 5 ship is introduced in the TV show, “Star Trek: Enterprise.” In 2151, Captain Jonathan Archer, played by Scott Bakula, takes command of this ship.
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701
This is the classic ship of the original TV series. It is commanded by Captain James T. Kirk, played by William Shatner, during his original 5 year mission from 2263 to 2269. Its previous captain, Christopher Pike, played by Jeffrey Hunter, was introduced in the episode “The Menagerie”.
After an extensive refit completed in 2271, the Enterprise takes on the entity known as V’ger in “Star Trek: The Motion Picture.”
In 2285, during a battle with the Klingons, the Enterprise is destroyed. (“Star Trek III: The Search for Spock”)
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-A
The new ship commanded by Captain James T. Kirk is introduced in 2287 in “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.”
It is decommissioned after the Khitomer Conference of 2293. (“Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country”)
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-B
The Enterprise-B is commisioned in 2295 by Captain John Harriman, played by Alan Ruck. James Kirk is present during the ceremony but is lost in a space anomoly, as seen in the “Star Trek Generations.”
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-C
Commanded by Captain Rachel Garrett, played by Tricia O’Neil, this ship is tragically destroyed in 2344 while trying to save a Klingon outpost from an attack by Romulan Warbirds. The fate of the Enterprise-C is shown in the excellent episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise” from the third season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-D
The Enterprise-D is the ship seen in the TV series, “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Captain Jean-Luc Picard, played by Patrick Stewart, is in command of the Enterprise-D from 2363 to 2371.
In 2371 the ship is destroyed by Klingons in “Star Trek Generations.”
U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-E
This is the ship first seen in 2373 in the movie “Star Trek: First Contact.” Jean-Luc Picard is still her captain. He continues to command the ship in the “Star Trek Insurrection” and “Star Trek Nemesis.”