As we’ve been reporting for the last several months, the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum is undertaking a comprehensive conservation of the classic USS Enterprise filming model — built for the original Star Trek series — to preserve the eleven-foot starship for years to come, under the leadership of Margaret Weitekamp and Malcolm Collum.
During an rare open house event at the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, the Enterprise model’s home for the next year, we had the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with the Enterprise model, free from the crowds of spectators passing through the museum during the public event.
Malcolm Collum, Chief Conservator · Margaret Weitekamp, Lead Curator
Thanks to the generous access provided by the Smithsonian team, TrekCore went behind the public barriers to get some of the most detailed imagery of the starship available, thanks to contributing photographer Kelly Phillips of PixelationPhotography.
Click through to our gallery to see new shots of the Enterprise model, in stunning detail!
In addition, we had the privilege to be the first to sit down with curator Margaret Weitekamp and lead conservator Malcolm Collum to discuss the Enterprise model’s future in an extended video interview, debuting below, covering everything from the questionable paint application from prior restoration projects to the interior lighting setup used to illuminate the starship.
While no hands-on work has started yet, there’s clearly a long road ahead for the Smithsonian team to get to the 2016 debut of the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall, where the Enterprise model will return to the public eye — and TrekCore will be along for the ride as this historic undertaking continues over the next several months.
What are your thoughts on the project so far? Let us know in the comments below!
