The NCC designation on Star Trek ships stands for Naval Construction Contract.
The Meaning Behind NCC
In the Star Trek universe, NCC is the abbreviation used by Starfleet for "Naval Construction Contract." This designation functions similarly to a hull number used by real-world navies, such as the U.S. Navy. It serves as a unique identifier for each starship within the fleet, indicating its design and production sequence.
Understanding Starship Registry Numbers
Beyond the "NCC" prefix, each Starfleet vessel carries a specific registry number, like the iconic NCC-1701 of the USS Enterprise. The creation of these numbers involved thoughtful design choices:
- Design and Sequence: The numbers following NCC typically denote the starship's design series and its specific unit within that series. For the original USS Enterprise, NCC-1701:
- The "17" signifies that it was the first vessel of Starfleet's 17th starship design.
- The "01" indicates it was the first construction of that particular design.
- Design Considerations: The design of these registry numbers wasn't arbitrary. During the creation of Star Trek: The Original Series, Matt Jefferies, the designer of the USS Enterprise, consciously avoided certain digits for clarity on screen. He specifically rejected numbers like 3, 6, 8, and 9 because they were deemed "too easily confused" when viewed quickly by an audience. This meticulous attention to detail ensured readability and iconic recognition for the starships.
Examples of NCC Registry Numbers
Starfleet vessels are consistently assigned an NCC prefix followed by their unique numerical identifier.
| Prefix | Meaning | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCC | Naval Construction Contract | NCC-1701 | The original USS Enterprise, signifying the 17th design and 1st build. |
| NCC | Naval Construction Contract | NCC-1701-D | A later iteration of the USS Enterprise, maintaining the lineage. |
| NCC | Naval Construction Contract | NCC-74656 | USS Voyager, representing a much later design and construction number. |
This system provides a clear and organized method for Starfleet to track and identify its vast fleet of starships, making the NCC an instantly recognizable symbol of the United Federation of Planets.
