It’s been a long two years since Captain Pike and the crew of the starship Enterprise last graced television screens — “Hegemony” aired back in August 2023! — but your patience will be finally rewarded this summer when Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 returns to Paramount+ on Thursday, July 17.
The two-episode Strange New Worlds premiere night kicks off with the long-awaited resolution to the Season 2 cliffhanger, and begins nine weeks of new episodes leading up to the Season 3 finale on September 11.
In Season 3, when we reconnect with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, still under the command of Captain Pike, they face the conclusion of season two’s harrowing encounter with the Gorn. But new life and civilizations await, including a villain that will test our characters’ grit and resolve.
An exciting twist on classic Star Trek, Season 3 takes characters both new and beloved to new heights, and dives into thrilling adventures of faith, duty, romance, comedy, and mystery, with varying genres never before seen on any other Star Trek.
And in case you’ve missed them, here are two clips from the upcoming season, as well as the Season 3 teaser trailer released last month.
It’s time for the annual reveal of Hallmark’s Star Trek Keepsake ornaments, and this year the company has made some fun selections that covers many corners of the Trek universe — but collectors will need to budget accordingly due to just-announced price increases.
Hallmark’s annual “Dream Book” catalog was printed earlier this year, prior to the Trump administration’s announced import tariffs, and ornament collectors who received their copy were surprised to see that the costs of each Hallmark product jumped up by 25% from initial sale prices. (Costs have also been increased to match on the Hallmark website.)
— Joel Leslie Froomkin (@joellesliefro) May 5, 2025
On their website, Hallmark released a statement speaking to the cost changes, calling them a result of “the current economic climate.”
Hallmark’s dedication to helping our consumers celebrate life’s meaningful moments remains our focus. We are committed to maintaining fair pricing across our portfolio and are fortunate to manufacture 75% of our core products in our Kansas-based manufacturing facilities, including greeting cards and gift wrap.
As we look toward the holiday season, we’ve made the necessary decision to adjust pricing on select imported products from our gift and ornament collections that are impacted by the current economic climate.
While tariffs on Chinese imports make take up most of the conversation these days, Hallmark’s ornaments are often made in other countries as well — like Thailand and Sri Lanka, which are facing 35%+ tariffs as well.
As we go through each new Star Trek ornament for this year, we’ll note the original and newly-increased prices for your reference.
(Hallmark)
First up is this year’s primary starship ornament, the USS Titan (NCC-80102-A) from Star Trek: Picard. Unlike previous starships that have often hosted light and sound integration, the Titan seems to be a non-electronic release in 2025’s lineup.
(As the ship was later renamed the Enterprise-G at the end of Picard Season 3, it’s likely that variant may be Hallmark’s convention-exclusive ornament later this fall.)
Next is the first of several Star Trek character ornaments: Guinan from “Q Who,” posing to ward off her enemy Q during their first encounter aboard the Enterprise-D.
Star Trek: Prodigy gets its first ornament with this rendition of Hologram Janeway, dressed in her Voyager-era Starfleet uniform and holding that iconic stainless steel coffee mug.
The most expensive Star Trek release for 2025 is this large 5.5″ glowing Borg cube tabletop decoration, which features a tiny USS Enterprise-D hanging from its side and integrated electronics to play sound clips. This is a plug-in display, which allows collectors to display “a continuous light effect,” or a “continuous light and sound experience,” with audio from “The Best of Both Worlds, Part I.”
The final Star Trek ornament for 2025 is our favorite — and perhaps the most unexpected Star Trek product in years!
Hallmark has recreated the 1983 Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator arcade game in ornament form, complete with light-up screen and integrated audio to play authentic game sounds when the battery-operated power is activated. This one will be out in October, priced at $45.99(formerly $36.99).
Indulge me in a little elaboration on this ornament. How many of us wanted to own this arcade game? How many of us actually do? Well, as far as I’m concerned, this ornament is the next best thing to it. I still am pinching myself that it actually exists.
Keepsake Artist Orville Wilson and Hallmark sound engineer Chris Johnson did masterful work bringing this to life considering the lengths we went for source material. The sculpt is based on dozens of photos I took of a sit-down cabinet on display in the Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The cabinet graphics were recreated by Orville from art on a brochure for the game I picked up on eBay. The gameplay heard in the ornament and seen on the display was captured while I played an online emulator of the game. I hope you relish it as much as I!
For those of you unfamiliar with this oversized arcade cabinet, check out the video below and take a few minutes to read through the retrospective piece at Star Trek Hallmark Ornaments.
Which of this year’s Star Trek Hallmark ornaments will make it onto your tree — or are you skipping 2025’s offerings due to the new price increases? Let us know in the comments below!
Two weeks ago, Star Trek action figure company EXO-6 announced that shipments to US-based customers would be placed on hold due to the new tariff structure implemented by the Trump Administration. Now, three other major Trek licensees are starting to talk about the tariff situation as the new import rules go into effect.
While a small number of early tricorder preorders were fulfilled this spring, the majority of preorders are still waiting for delivery (along with all SNW phasers). Yesterday, the company announced via email that the wait will continue, in a message sent to preorder customers.
“We’ve (understandably) received a number of inquiries recently asking for an update on the status of the second batch of our Star Trek: The Next Generation Medical Tricorder prop replicas and our Strange New Worlds Phaser prop replicas.
In short, we are continuing full steam ahead on production of both replicas, with the expectation that they will be completed by our factories in the next 30 to 60 days. Under normal circumstances, that means they would arrive in our warehouse and ship out to customers by mid-summer. While we still hope that will be the case, as you know, the current administration has placed a tariff rate of 145% on imports from China.
While we fully expect that the tariff rate will be lowered to something more manageable through negotiations between the United States and China, or that an exemption will be granted to our types of products in recognition of the lack of realistic manufacturing opportunities domestically, the timing of that is uncertain and we simply cannot afford to pay the current tariff, nor are we willing to ask our customers fully absorb it, since it would amount to several hundred dollars on each of these items.
Therefore, it is entirely possible that these products will be a further delayed beyond the expected ship date. We wish we could be more definitive about timing, but this is a political matter that is entirely beyond our control.
We know you are anxious to receive your replicas, and we are equally eager to get them into your hands. In the meantime, please know that we are 100% committed to getting these products to you. As to other Star Trek replicas you may have seen on display at San Diego Comic-Con or Star Trek Las Vegas or on social media, in order to avoid creating similar timing unpredictability going forward, we have elected to delay launching them for preorder until they are actually on the water to us or in our warehouse.
We will continue to keep you updated as the tariff situation evolves.”
Master Replicas’ new line of STAR TREK action figures. (Photo: Master Replicas)
Additionally, today retailer Master Replicas — who sell not only Star Trek products, but also items from Stargate, Battlestar Galactica, Doctor Who, and more — shared two updates about how the new tariffs will impact customers based in the United States, in a pair of emails which arrived in fan inboxes earlier this afternoon.
“As we are sure you know, the tariffs imposed by the USA are making things difficult for collectibles companies. Until now we’ve been able to ship goods to the US from Europe without incurring extra charges. That will change on May 2nd, and this means we will have to change how we do things.
We don’t expect the tariffs to stay at this level, so until we have clarity, we are going to hold any preorders that are destined for the US in our international warehouses. This means they won’t be sold to anyone else and will be reserved for the person who ordered them. Whenever preorders arrive, we will be in touch to keep you up to date and offer you a range of choices about what to do.
As it happens, very few products were due to ship out in May, so this is unlikely to impact you. All being well, the situation will have improved by June. In the meantime, we are looking at the best way to bring products into the US. We are aware that after May 2nd, customers may be charged by US customs and we want to avoid this. We will update you shortly and we will add information to the website to make it clear where the US government may charge extra import duties.
Outside of the USA everything will continue as normal. We are working on lots of exciting products, including some based on brands we haven’t announced yet, and we can’t wait to share with you. Watch this space!”
Master Replicas’ second message today addressed their new line of Star Trek action figures, which were expected to be announced in a two-figures-per-month schedule — now delayed because of the new tariff situation. They did however confirm that the next figures to be up for preorder — whenever that be comes possible — will be the previously-announced Picard Season 3 Will Riker, and Lower Decks’ Brad Boimler.
“You may have noticed that we didn’t announce any new Star Trek action figures last month. It’s nothing to worry about — we’re still working on them and, in fact, we thought you might like to see a few pictures of what’s coming up. It’s just that there are a lot of unknowns because of the US tariffs. We don’t want to offer too many things for preorder when we don’t know whether people would get charged extra by US customs.”
Finally, we checked in with our friends over at FanSets, who told us that they’ve done what they can to be ready for domestic orders before the tariffs kick in this month — which at present does NOT include price increases or fulfillment delays on in-stock items.
In a statement provided to TrekCore, the company said:
“FanSets stocked up on as much merchandise as possible — including existing products, future releases, and planned Star Trek: Las Vegas debut items — ahead of the impending tariffs, which we expect to last through at least the end of this summer. Some pieces may go out-of-stock and may not be replenished until the tariff situation is resolved.
Pricing will not change on the existing products in our catalog or affect our planned summer releases, but new products debuting after this summer may see cost increases.”
We’ll continue to share updates on how the new US tariffs impact the state of Star Trek collectibles as we learn more.
Keep checking back to TrekCore for the latest in Star Trek collectibles news!
In addition, stick around to hear Thad’s theory that the Universal Fan Fest Red Alert Experience might show up somewhere else one day (that’s a lot of work for a quick month long attraction!), and Alex’s wish that Strange New Worlds ends with a transition to the Original Series visual vibe as an homage to Star Trek’s roots.
WeeklyTrek is available to subscribe and download each week on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify— and we’ll be sharing the details of each new episode right here on TrekCore each week if you’re simply just looking to listen in from the web.
Do you have a wish or theory you’d like to share on the show? Tweet to Alex at @WeeklyTrek, or email us with your thoughts about wishes, theories, or anything else about the latest in Star Trek news!
It’s opening night for Universal Studios Hollywood’s Fan Fest Nights, and ahead of the first weekend we got a chance to check out some of the Star Trek-themed enhancements at the California theme park — and all of the special Trek merchandise on site for the four-weekend occasion.
The Hollywood and Dine restaurant near the park entrance has been transformed into Quark’s Cafe for the duration of Fan Fest Nights, serving as the main location for Trek-themed food and drink — and as you can see, the Ferengi bartender has had his way with the venue, adding Quark’s Bar-themed signage and decor all around and inside the place…. plus a photo of faithful patron Morn, of course!
Quark's Cafe at Universal Fan Fest Nights
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Right across the boulevard from Quark’s Cafe is the holodeck-recreated 10 Forward Bar, which will be the home to most of the alcoholic beverage options for the weekend events. Still under final construction when we visited the park this week, we could see glimpses of both the Star Trek: Picard 10 Forward bar (set in 25th century Los Angeles), as well as a small-scale recreation of the Enterprise-D Ten Forward lounge bar area.
(Under that blue tarp? A replica of Worf’s tactical horseshoe console, which will be used for photo ops during Fan Fest Nights.)
10 Forward Bar at Universal Fan Fest
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We also got to try some of the new Trek menu, including the Cardassian Dog (Hot Cheeto covered Korean-style Corn Dog with Yamok sauce, made with smoked gouda, nacho cheese, gochujang and jalapenos), the Bajoran Hasparat (Slow-cooked spicy pork, gochujang, pickled vegetables with sriracha mayonnaise), and the Vulcan Plomeek tea (hibiscus iced tea, fresh raspberries and garnished with mint sprig).
You can also see here another customer’s order of the Klingon Targ legs (Charsui honey pork wings served with kimchi fried rice), Tribble truffles (chocolate truffles topped with coconut), Orion funnel cake (Matcha dusted funnel cake topped with matcha icing, whipped cream and Orion spice crumble), and an Andorian Redbat sandwich (Herb marinated chicken breast on a bao bun with garlic aioli, charred red onion and arugula).
Andorian Redbat Sandwich, Cardassian Dog (Photo: TrekCore.com)
Finally, we got a good look at the mostly-exclusive Star Trek merchandise that will be in the Universal Studios Hollywood stores during Fan Fest Nights, including a range of clothing options (priced between $25-$75) and some other fun items — like Ceti Eel earrings and Star Trek: Picard-era Starfleet rank pips.
STAR TREK II keychain set by Factory Entertainment (Photo: TrekCore.com)
Starfleet Academy hoodie (Photo: TrekCore.com)
Starfleet delta T-shirt (Photo: TrekCore.com)
Starfleet Academy shirts (Photo: TrekCore.com)
Borg shirt (Photo: TrekCore.com)
Borg T-shirt (Photo: TrekCore.com)
Star Trek windbreaker jacket (Photo: TrekCore.com)
While some of this material may be available at a later date, these types of event-exclusive products typically are special releases only available during Universal Fan Fest Nights. So if there’s something you want and you can’t make it out to southern California, find a friend who’s going and ask them to do you a favor!
The official dates for 2025’s Universal Fan Fest Nights are April 25-27, May 2-4, May 9-11, and May 15-18 — and tickets for each weekend are available now at the Universal Studios Hollywood website.
With the recent escalation in United States tariff conditions, global trade is starting to slow down as companies around the world are working out how to manage their business for American customers — and the first big impact to Star Trek memorabilia collectors has arrived.
One-sixth-scale Star Trek action figure company EXO-6 — whose manufacturing facility is based in China — announced today that due to the Trump administration’s new tariff policies,they have suspended all shipments to the United States until more clarity is available on the future of US import requirements.
“De minimis” imports were anything under $800 and weren’t subject to US import fees. All orders placed on EXO-6’s website counted and were not taxed on entering the US. Starting May 2, 2025 small shipments that once qualified for de minimis will be taxed at 120% of cost or $100 (whichever is more), with a planned increase to $200 after June 1.
Eliminating the de minimis exemption means effectively raising taxes on American consumers and dramatically increasing shipping times. This makes the final cost to US out of reach. We do not know what will happen tomorrow, but for now our operations will be greatly curtailed.
Here’s today’s new announcement, released through EXO-6’s email and social media channels this afternoon:
Effective May 2, 2025, the U.S. will enforce a new tax rule for packages from China or Hong Kong, charging 120% of the declared value or $100 (whichever is higher), increasing to $200 on June 1.
While [carriers] SFExpress and ChinaPost believe fees will apply after delivery, implementation details remain uncertain. EXO-6 has suspended shipments to U.S. addresses as of April 20 and will not resume until courier companies and U.S. Customs clarify procedures, ensuring it is reasonable to proceed.
[EXO-6 has] figures available for preorder or immediate purchase, for territories that are not the US. If a US customer places an order, that order will be held until more favorable tariff conditions are in place.
Prototype figures showcased at STLV 2024. (Photos: TrekCore.com)
For any Star Trek memorabilia company, excluding the United States from fulfillments is a daunting choice — as the US is, of course, the home of Star Trek and the majority of the franchise’s fan base — so for EXO-6 to make this kind of decision, it certainly could not have been an easy one to make.
On his own personal Facebook page, EXO-6 owner/president Nanjim Tam clarified that EXO-6 “is NOT canceling any orders… whatever [items that have been] preordered are in production.”
He also explained:
We were trying to avoid the possibilities of US customers losing their money. Why? Pay $240 for a figure. Then hit with a $200 tariff bill. Pay, then you spent $440 for something that only worth $240. Don’t pay, then you lose your $240.
We arrange tight shipment scheduling and cancel shipments to US now all because of the protecting YOU! […] It is the US Government who’s doing this to the entire world. Not me, not EXO-6, not shipping companies, and surely not your favorite collectible merchants.
Please point your fingers at the correct direction. We, the collectible merchants are the casualties.
We’ll continue to bring you updates on the state of the Star Trek collectables market as the tariff situation develops.
Keep checking back to TrekCore for the latest in Star Trek news.
We are now just one week away from the launch of the month-long Universal Fan Fest Nights, where fans will have a chance to immerse themselves in the Star Trek universe — among other fan-favorite properties like Back to the Future, One Piece, Harry Potter and more — for four consecutive weekends at Universal Studios beginning on April 25.
As the Universal team puts the finishing touches on their extensive preparations, TrekCore was granted a preview of the events marquee experience with a private preview of the sets and narrative theme of Star Trek: Red Alert! from Stephen Siercks, the park’s Senior Director of Entertainment Production.
“When you look at the foundational elements of Fan Fest Night being sci-fi, fantasy, gaming and anime,” Siercks told us during the preview visit, “Star Trek, of course, rises to the top of that list in terms of brands we are able to celebrate and showcase.”
A glimpse of the Enterprise-D bridge at Fan Fest Nights. (Photo: TrekCore.com)
And the showcase element of the Star Trek portion of Fan Fest Nights at Universal will undoubtedly be Red Alert!, the all-encompassing walkthrough experience featuring iconic locations from the Star Trek universe and the legendary Enterprise-D.
While we won’t be spoiling any specific details of the Red Alert! storyline or mission, we can tell you unequivocally that the walkthrough experience has been designed to emulate — and in some ways recreate — the greatest elements of the legendary Star Trek: The Experience, which operated in Las Vegas from 1998 to 2008 (minus the motion simulator rides, of course).
As with most immersive experiences of this kind, the journey begins with fans immediately being brought “in universe” as they queue up to enter Red Alert!, where they are transferred from Earth to the Enterprise-D with some impressive interactive theatrical illusion. This staging element is a unique element of the Red Alert! experience, and something the Universal team is calling “a very big differentiator” for the attraction.
“We’re calling this a story-based pulsed attraction,” said Siercks, as he described how fans will interact with the pop-up experiences.
Compared to our Halloween Horror Nights event — where fans walk through in single-file line — here they’ll be placed into smaller groups and stay in those groups as they progress through the attraction.
That way fans will get to spend time in each room as the story unfolds around them, and get to really know the characters and environments a little bit more.
Passing through a Galaxy-class cargo bay. (Photo: TrekCore.com)Beyond being on the bridge of the Enterprise-D, of course, this dynamic singular story element was the highlight of our private tour, and it is this narrative framing that brings the entire walkthrough experience together.
Both the set and the accompanying visual elements related to this story point were absolutely stunning — and we only saw a small fraction of the visual effects, so the full effect (with all the bells and klaxons) should be very impressive. This element will undoubtedly help sell the entire immersive illusion for both hardcore fans and newbies right from the moment you board the NCC-1701-D.
Except for the Enterprise-D bridge, which survives from its use in Star Trek: Picard Season 3, all of the Star Trek experience is built from scratch, Siercks told us.
We have a really amazing partnership with Paramount and the Star Trek franchise team. They’ve been a part of the journey from the beginning, helping us with the development and the creative vision of the attraction.
Everything is using original reference photos and design documents where they’re available from the original Enterprise-D, as well as the other elements surrounding it.
The Red Alert! experience will feature interactive elements with a crew of lower-level ensigns and cadets interacting with the group from Earth, so by design, there won’t be any famous cameos during the presentation.
The entire walkthrough is estimated to last about 12 minutes and will feature four iconic locations on board Federation’s flagship vessel — including facsimiles of Geordi La Forge’s main engineering, pictured below, and Beverly Crusher’s sickbay (as seen in io9’s preview coverage).
Better check on the warp core! (Photo: TrekCore.com)
Without question, the newly reconstructed bridge was a site to behold on the Universal lot, especially after seeing it in all its glory on screen at the conclusion of the third season of Star Trek: Picard. Those LCARS that shined so bright and popped along the back wall in its onscreen reintroduction in 2023?
They looked just as sharp and clean here at the Fan Fest Nights location — even though a few finishing touches (like Worf’s tactical horseshoe) were still waiting to be installed during our early-bird visit.
Walking through the ship. (Photo: TrekCore.com)
Said Siercks:
I loved watching Star Trek growing up, and certainly love still watching it, and one of the things that has been great about working on this attraction is that has been something that has been common across everyone who has been part of the development. They bring their own passion and awareness of Star Trek to it.
Two of the goals of Fan Fest Nights is ‘fan-first’ and ‘authentic’ — servicing the fans with this attraction and really making sure we are building it as authentically as possible — and then, of course, being uniquely Universal in its authentic approach to how we develop it.
Beyond what appears to be the most comprehensive fan immersion event since the closure of Star Trek: The Experience, Fan Fest Nights will also feature food, retail, interactive photo opportunities and a block party space for fans to gather — and be sure to check out our preview of the Fan Fest Nights Star Trek food offerings if you missed it!
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Siercks shared with us his final thoughts about the Fan Fest Nights programming:
One of the really exciting things about Fan Fest Nights is that we are certainly celebrating these brands — not just with walkthrough attractions and other activations throughout the park, but we’re also celebrating them through food and retail. So being able to showcase Quark’s Cafe as well as the 10 Forward Bar, and then also be able to have different interactive moments throughout the park celebrating the brands — like getting a chance for a photo with the captain’s chair.
We’ve created a space within the event called the block party in Universal Plaza and that’s the place where we really want to celebrate the community around these fandoms and give them a space to celebrate one another. So, there will be trivia contests and cosplay celebration moments in that space and really create a community aspect around the event.
It will be a place you want to keep coming back to celebrate with one another, because we know that is a central part of the fandom.
Based on our interactions with the event, it’s clear that the appropriate work has been put into the Star Trek portion of Universal’s Fan Fest Nights and the entire event is set up to be a little bit of everything for everyone. It should be a great opportunity for fandoms across quite a few different genres and groups to experience what each has to offer.
(Photo: Universal Studios)
The official dates for 2025’s Universal Fan Fest Nights are April 25-27, May 2-4, May 9-11, and May 15-18 — and tickets for each weekend are available now at the Universal Studios Hollywood website.
Jim Moorhouse is the creator of TrekRanks.com and the long-running TrekRanks Podcast. You can contact him on Bluesky @TrekRanks.com, talking Trek all day long.
Original Star Trek star Nichelle Nichols spent the 1970s as an ambassador for NASA’s space program, advocating for the agency’s exploration efforts and helping to encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to join the United States’ space program — and now, nearly three years after her passing,another space program is about to debut in her honor.
Next January, the new Nichelle Nichols Space Camp will be partnering with the US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama — home to Space Camp since 1982 — to debut a three-day program honoring Nichols’ legacy and bringing together longstanding astronaut training experiences with modern-day space topics through a Star Trek lens.
Here are a few selections from the program’s official announcement:
The Nichelle Nichols Space Camp is a tribute to Nichelle’s vision—empowering future generations to shape a world that reflects Star Trek’s ideals, embracing diversity, kindness, and peace. Rooted in the philosophy of “Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations” (IDIC), this initiative fosters a culture of inclusion and exploration. Guided by the inspiring legacy of Nichelle, the Nichelle Nichols Space Camp is dedicated to transforming young women’s lives by creating pathways for education and careers in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math).
The Nichelle Nichols Space Camp — where the spirit of Star Trek’s Starfleet Academy comes to life — is proud to partner with the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. Since its launch in 1982, this globally recognized program has fueled the dreams of future explorers for over 30 years, mirroring NASA astronauts’ intensive training with an emphasis on teamwork and leadership. Students will collaborate to tackle mission scenarios requiring critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork — skills essential for 21st-century careers.
Young minds from all 50 U.S. states, territories, and over 150 countries will come together, reflecting the diverse and inclusive spirit of the United Federation of Planets. With programs in space, aviation, and robotics for girls aged 14 to 18, this camp nurtures the next generation of pioneers. The dates are locked in for January 17-19, 2026, for the first class of future space explorers to experience the Nichelle Nichols Space Camp.
Some of the fascinating Space Camp activities include:
First Contact Mission: Step into the shoes of Uhura and initiate communication with a newly discovered species, sharing a message of peace and friendship.
Occupy Mars: Imagine life on Mars! Explore the challenges of interplanetary living and discuss what it might take to establish a new civilization—and who could be the first Martian-born human. The reality of life on Mars may be sooner than we think. We would be the first Martians!
IDIC Class: Learn about Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations, the core of Vulcan philosophy, and how it applies to our universe.
Low Ropes Course: Develop leadership, teamwork, and communication skills through engaging challenges.
Rocket Launch: Design, build, and launch your own model rocket.
Spacesuit Component Testing: Examine the evolution of spacesuits and test materials for future designs.
CubeSats: Explore CubeSat technology and design your own origami satellite model.
Additive Manufacturing: Discover 3D printing and its role in space technology.
Heat Shield Design Challenge: Build and test a heat shield capable of withstanding extreme temperatures.
Simulations like the Multi-Axis Trainer (MAT), where campers experience the disorientation of an uncontrolled tumble spin, and a 1/6th Gravity Chair which simulates lunar gravity and practice moonwalk movements.
The organization also announced that Star Trek: Prodigy voice actor Bonnie Gordon will serve as the Space Camp “cadet coordinator and chaperone” for the event.
In addition, stick around to hear Jenn’s opinion that James T. Kirk is not being overused in Strange New Worlds — he’s only been in two episodes as Prime Kirk — and Alex’s opinion that it’s crazy we have to wait two years between television seasons for a lot of series these days, including SNW!
WeeklyTrek is available to subscribe and download each week on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify— and we’ll be sharing the details of each new episode right here on TrekCore each week if you’re simply just looking to listen in from the web.
Do you have a wish or theory you’d like to share on the show? Tweet to Alex at @WeeklyTrek, or email us with your thoughts about wishes, theories, or anything else about the latest in Star Trek news!
As the month-long Universal Fan Fest Nights at Universal Studios gets closer to launching on April 25, Universal Studios Hollywood’s Executive Chef Julia Thrash previewed her expansive and immersive menu of savory dishes and tasty treats fans can expect when they attend the four-weekend event.
Held at the Moulin Rouge on the Universal Studios lot, the event featured more than 30 dinner, dessert and drink items from all the franchises represented, including a heavy Star Trek representation that any Klowahkanwould have been proud to sample.
The items featured in-universe favorites like Bajoran Hasperat — sorry, we didn’t sample this one, but I’m sure it was made with the spiciest of brine — and Klingon Targ Legs (not the cute ones you keep as pets; the other ones, that, well, are delicious. Like spare ribs.).
(Photo: TrekCore.com)
The Andorian Redbat Sandwich and the Cardassian Dog were not available to sample, but the Vulcan Fritters had a mushroom base that killed — logically, of course. (And we are looking forward to seeing members of Detapa Council licking Cheeto dust off their fingers when those Cardassian Dogs are finally available.)
Additionally, there will be no fear of any tribble infestations at the Universal Fan Fest Nights, because the Tribble Truffle Trios were a dense fudge delight that will be consumed on sight by all.
(Photo: TrekCore.com)
Here’s the complete Star Trek food menu, served in “Quark’s Bar” at the Hollywood & Dine on-site restaraunt:
– Klingon Targ Legs: Charsui honey pork wings served with kimchi fried rice
– Andorian Red Bat Sandwich: Herb marinated chicken breast on a bao bun with garlic aioli, charred red onion and arugula served with Andorian Tuber Root
– Vulcan Fritters: Fried mushroom fritters served with hummus and dusted with a Redspice Vulcan logo
– Cardassian Dog: Hot Cheeto covered Korean-style Corn Dog with Yamok sauce, made with smoked gouda, nacho cheese, gochujang and jalapenos
– Orion Spice Funnel Cake: Matcha dusted funnel cake topped with matcha icing, whipped cream and Orion spice crumble
– Tribble Truffle Trio: A trio of chocolate truffles topped with coconut
But there’s more than food — a wide selection of Star Trek-inspired beverages are also set to drop out of the replicators during the Universal Fan Fest weekends, with immersive titles like the Ceti Eel Margarita(complete with a gummy Ceti Eel!), an Orion Hurricane, Cardassian Kanar, Vulcan Plomeek Tea, and of course, Romulan Ale.
– Andorian Ale: Originated on the planet Andoria, this blue colored alcoholic beverage is made with gin, blue Curacao, lemonade, lemon / lime soda and garnished with blue vanilla cake frosting and pop rocks, served in a shot glass
– Plomeek Tea: This refreshing beverage features hibiscus iced tea, fresh raspberries and garnished with mint sprig
– Bajoran Ale: A traditional Quark cocktail served with and without alcohol. With alcohol, cocktail features tequila, mezcal, pineapple and lime juice, ginger and simple syrup, bitters and soda water, and garnished with ginger candy. The mocktail version includes non-alcoholic spirits, ginger ale and orange juice and garnished with ginger candy
(Photo: TrekCore.com)
– Kanar: A popular Cardassian liquor made with aged rum, pomegranate juice, black cherry syrup, lemon juice and soda water and garnished with a black cherry fruit gummy candy
– Orion Hurricane: Served on the USS Enterprise, this strikingly green beverage is made with coconut, pineapple and lime rum, melon liquor, lime juice, green apple syrup, soda water and edible glitter and garnished with a silver dusted dehydrated lime slice
(Photo: TrekCore.com)
– Ceti Eel Margarita: Inspired by the Ceti Eel that enters the body via the ear and wraps itself around the cerebral cortex, this cocktail features vodka, lime juice, agave, pineapple juice, jalapeno syrup and bitters and garnished with electric fire dust and a gummy Ceti Eel
– Tea, Earl Grey, Cold and Hot: A cocktail twist on Captain Picard’s favorite available both cold and hot, features bourbon, Earl Grey tea, honey syrup and lemon juice and garnished with a dehydrated lemon slice
– Romulan Ale: This drink features vodka, blue Curacao, lemon juice, simple syrup, lemon / lime soda and bitters and garnished with blue rock candy
A sample of the the gummy Ceti Eel candy. (Photo: TrekCore.com)
The other franchises were well represented — properties like Harry Potter, One Piece, Super Mario Bros., and more — including what was surely the pièce de resistance of the evening: the Back to the Future Outta Time cookie.
The ‘Back to the Future’ Outatime Cookie. (Photo: TrekCore.com)
The food may be fun, but that’s only a small part of the Star Trek action at Universal Fan Fest Nights — the big event is, of course, the Star Trek: Red Alert experience held on the actual Star Trek: PicardEnterprise-D bridge set, accessible to fans for the weekend.
We’ll be bringing you our preview of that exciting experience later this month, so those of you heading to Los Angeles for the special events can know what you’ll be beaming into when you get to Universal Studios Hollywood. Stay tuned!
The official dates for 2025’s Universal Fan Fest Nights are April 25-27, May 2-4, May 9-11, and May 16-18 — and tickets for each weekend are available now at the Universal Studios Hollywood website.
