PHASERS,

PHOTONS

& SPACE PARK 1967 ‘STAR TREK’ FILMING

FORETOLD OF FANTASTIC

TECHNOLOGIES TO COME

BOB BISHOP

“What’s past is prologue …”

William Shakespeare’s theatrical metaphor, introduced

in “The Tempest” around 1610, usually refers to a

backstory that sets the scene for (hopefully) better

things to come.

Just 43 years ago, several scenes for a “Star Trek”

episode were filmed at Space Park in Redondo Beach,

Calif. In retrospect, the type of historical foreshadowing

referenced by the “Bard of Avon” centuries earlier was

very much in play during the filming.

Some of the science fiction show’s

technologies and gadgets were only a few

years away from becoming science fact – in

large part because of work already underway

at Space Park.

‘Which Badge Does Mr. Spock Get?”

In Earth time, the date was Feb. 15, 1967. It’s recorded

forever in the logs of the Federation Starship Enterprise

as stardate 3287.2.

The scenes – filmed in front of the S Patio Café as

employees watched from the walkway overhead – were

for Episode 29 titled “Operation: Annihilate!” The plot is

about a seemingly contagious outbreak of insanity on

several other worlds that had spread to Deneva, where

Captain Kirk’s brother lives. An unknown species of

alien parasites is found to be responsible.

The Enterprise’s crew was fully present and accounted

for: Captain Kirk (William Shatner); Mr. Spock (Leonard

Nimoy); Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley); Scotty (James

Doohan); Mr. Sulu (George Takei); and Lieutenant

Uhura (Nichelle Nicols).

On April 13, two months after the Space Park filming, the

episode aired. Those who watch closely on reruns can still see

Building E2 in the background of one shot.

The show’s fictional devices, such as the communicator – said

to be the inspiration for actual products like cell phones – were

to come from employees who watched the filming and the

nearby facilities where they worked.

Even though NBC cancelled the show in 1969, connections

between “Star Trek” and Space Park continue today.

Vast numbers of the integrated circuits that led to cell

phones becoming ubiquitous were designed and produced in

Bldg. D1, currently known as the Simon Ramo

Microelectronics Center.

“Star Trek’s” universe was full of fictional weapons – and

mostly energy weapons – that foreshadowed future

technologies. Lasers, shown in a few very early episodes as

side arms, were quickly succeeded by phasers as the series’

most common directed energy weapon. Photon torpedoes,

pulse cannons – all kinds of energy weapons abounded.

By 1967, Space Park was well on its way to becoming the

defense industry pioneer in directed energy that it is today.

Scientists and technicians in Bldg. R1 during years of testing

have unequivocally demonstrated laser power and lethality

many times over.

‘Is the Federation a US Citizen?’

Space Park was chosen for location filming because of the way

the newly completed campus looked.

“The Star Trek Compendium,” a fan bible, describes the setting

this way: “A series of symmetrical buildings, this modern

complex provided the ideal surroundings for a colony of the

future.”

The Los Angeles Conservancy added considerably more

insight earlier this year when it published “The Sixties Turn 50,”

a tour guide of 1960s Los Angeles architecture. The book

explains, “Space Park was the nation’s first group of space

science laboratories and manufacturing facilities designed

solely for the entire process of designing, building and testing

spacecraft.”

It continues, “Built between 1960 and 1967, Space Park rapidly

became the historic birthplace of vast amounts of innovative

missile, satellite and space-based technology,” and added,

“Sixties modernism brought a new style of architecture to the

limelight, full of optimism and ambition.”

Space Park’s design, by that interpretation, was in sync with

“Star Trek’s” theme, which was described this way by The New

York Times last year:

Star Trek foresaw no bizarre transformation of human society,

but rather promised viewers that whatever fantastic

incarnations of evil or extraterrestrial power were encountered

each week, decency, democracy and humanity (along with a

willingness to fire the photon torpedoes) would prevail.”

That’s another link between the show and Space Park, where

employees work to ensure the nation will always deal from a

position of strength. From today’s perspective, “Star Trek’s”

and Space Park’s vision and ambition were interwoven on that

day slightly more than 43 years ago.

As incredible as it still seems, on stardate 3287.2, science

fiction and reality, together with the past, present and future,

crossed cosmic paths in front of the S Patio Café … of all

places.

- - -

“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are

dreamt of in your philosophy.”

From “Hamlet,” by William Shakespeare

This Page:

TRW employees watch “Star Trek” filming

from the walkway overlooking the “S” Patio

Café main entrance.

Opposite Page:

Top - Cast members chat with an employee

during a break.

Bottom - Producer Gene Rodenberry,

center, scouts a shooting location for filming

Episode 29. (Northrop Grumman photos)

August 2010 AEROSPACE NOW 21 20 August 2010 AEROSPACE NOW