The USS Enterprise is living long and prospering. In honor of Star Trek‘s 50th anniversary this year, the Smithsonian is restoring the Enterprise ship model used in the original series.
Star Trek debuted in 1966 and ran on NBC for three seasons.
The original Enterprise was donated to the museum in 1974. Now, the museum is trying to restore the model to its original condition and return it to its appearance from 1967, the year it was last modified. The ship appeared in all 79 episodes from the first Star Trek series.
For the task, the museum has hired specialists from Industrial Light & Magic “to replicate the subtle, intricate paint detailing of the model’s original design.”
A post on the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s website said the model will be ready for the 50th anniversary in September.
Take a look at some photos of the restoration below:
What do you think? Are you a Star Trek fan? Are you celebrating the show’s 50th anniversary? What’s your favorite episode from the original series?
