This Thursday finally brings us to the premiere of Star Trek: Lower Decks, the new animated series set aboard the California-class USS Cerritos, and ahead of the new show we’ve got even more images from the crew’s first adventure!

“Second Contact,” the show’s first episode, features the arrival of Ensign D’Vana Tendi (Noel Wells) to the USS Cerritos, where she’s introduced to fellow ensigns Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid), and Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero), all learning what it takes to make it as Starfleet officers.

SECOND CONTACT —Series premiere. Ensign Tendi has her first day of work on Starfleet’s U.S.S. Cerritos, where she meets fellow support crew members, Ensigns Mariner, Boimler and Rutherford. Meanwhile, Boimler is tasked with a secret special assignment and Rutherford attempts to keep his dating life intact while a sci-fi disaster strikes the ship.

Written by Mike McMahan. Directed by Barry J. Kelly.

Here are six new photos from this week’s episode, joining the six previously-released images from July:

'Star Trek: Lower Decks' -- Episode 101: 'Second Contact'

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CBS also released two new video promos for Lower Decks, including a character moment with Brad Boimler and a bit of new footage from the season.

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When it comes to Lower Decks merchandise, that train is beginning to leave the station this week too, as animation company Titmouse — who produces Lower Decks‘ animated episodes — has launched the Lower Deckers Shirt Collective, a weekly T-shirt release which will feature designs celebrating the new series.

Fans in US and Canada can sign up for an entire season’s worth of eleven shirts — one per episode, plus a bonus subscriber-exclusive design — at a cost of $180; for those wanting to pick and choose, each of the ten episodic shirts will also be available individually for $20 each.

Each weekly shirt design will only be available until the next episode airs, though, so you’ll have to move quickly if you see a style you like. The first episode’s design is up for purchase now, and the full-season subscription can be started here.

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Lower Decks showrunner Mike McMahan has hinted in the past that there could be familiar Star Trek voices returning for animated appearances in the new series, and in a brief update via Inverse today, he offered even more confirmation that we’ll hear from “legacy” characters soon.

“That’s interesting because we do have legacy actors who show up in the first season of ‘Lower Decks’ and we have gotten to have a little bit of where are they now sort of vibe through a ‘Lower Decks’ lens.

But I gotta say, if anyone wants Mariner to show up on their live-action Star Treks, you’ve got to have Tawny.”

There’s no word yet on who might show up — or when — so expect some surprises as the season progresses. (And if we ever get these animated characters in a live-action series, you can see McMahan already pressing for his voice cast to fill those real uniforms.)

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There’s still no news on international availability for the new series, unfortunately — and we all hope that news is coming soon — but there does seem to be at least one ray of hope on the situation.

Series showrunner Mike McMahan eased the fears of one fan on Twitter late last week, intimating that a plan for international distribution for Lower Decks was on the way, though beyond his reassurance the writer/producer did not offer specifics.

Star Trek: Lower Decks premieres Thursday, August 6 with “Second Contact” on CBS All Access and CTV Sci-Fi Channel.