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Vahklas astrometrics lab

A Vulcan astrometrics lab in 2151

Astrometrics was a specialized lab used aboard starships and facilities for stellar cartography purposes.

In the 22nd century, there was a powerful astrometric computer located in San Francisco. When Klaang was kidnapped from Enterprise NX-01 in 2151, Sub-Commander T'Pol suggested returning to Earth to make use of the computer in analyzing a spatial distortion registered by Enterprise's sensors. (ENT: "Broken Bow")

Later that year, a Vulcan astrometrics lab aboard the Vahklas-type Vahklas was used by T'Pol and Tolaris to study the Arachnid Nebula. The room contained a small statue of Surak, even though the ship was a V'tosh ka'tur vessel, and figured into a dream T'Pol experienced during the ship's visit to the nebula. (ENT: "Fusion")

This otherwise-unidentified area isn't referred to as "astrometrics lab" on-screen but is defined as such in the final draft script of "Fusion". In the first draft of the episode's script (which had the working title "Equilibrium"), the room was termed simply "astrometrics" and was described, in one of the teleplay's stage directions, as "a small, high-tech chamber with consoles and monitors showing various views of the dark nebula. A few Vulcan artifacts are visible, giving the room a subtly spiritual flair." This description was changed in the final draft of the installment's script, with the first line of the stage direction instead referring to it as "a small, high-tech room filled with consoles and monitors that show various astronomical data and graphic images," though the second sentence remained the same.

Enterprise NX-01 had an astrometrics section. In 2153, while preparing to survey a hypergiant, Captain Archer noted that astrometrics must be "chomping at the bit" to start their studies. While secretly visiting the cogenitor Charles aboard a Vissian starship, working in the astrometrics lab was one cover story that Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker told the Vissians aboard the ship. (ENT: "Cogenitor")

Astrometrics

The main screen of Voyager's astrometrics lab

One particular example was the astrometrics lab on the USS Voyager, which was designed by Ensign Harry Kim and Seven of Nine. Incorporating Borg technology, it could measure the radiation flux of up to three billion stars simultaneously, resulting in readings ten times more accurate than was previously possible. Astrometrics was used for charting stars, planets, nebulae, and other stellar bodies and determine the ship's position relative to the galactic core. It contained a large, wraparound, holographic wall screen which could display a stellar region three-dimensionally. There were a series of control panels to manipulate the screen. The area below the screen and in front of the control panels could be used as a stage during presentations. Astrometrics also included three workstations on the side wall. The lab became Seven's primary workspace, where she mapped and catalogued interstellar bodies which the ship encountered. (VOY: "Year of Hell")

Astrometrics, 2374

Workstations in the astrometrics aboard Voyager

For convenience or advanced analysis, astrometrics could also be used for communications purposes or even as a workplace for easy access to sensor information. Astrometrics was used by the crew of Voyager to communicate with Earth, once contact was established through the Pathfinder Project.

Astrometrics lab

The astrometrics lab on Voyager as viewed from the door

Kim and Seven updated Voyager's astrometrics lab at the request of Commander Chakotay in 2374. According to Chakotay, the lab had not been updated since Voyager left spacedock. (VOY: "Revulsion")

In 2375, when Seven suffered a type of multiple personality disorder, she took on the persona of Ferengi DaiMon Torrot and offered Captain Janeway twenty bars of latinum for the large astrometrics screen. (VOY: "Infinite Regress")

In an alternate timeline, Naomi Wildman and Icheb worked in astrometrics. (VOY: "Shattered")

The astrometrics lab first appeared in "Year of Hell". It displayed many images from the Hubble Space Telescope including the Milky Way Galaxy, Veil Nebula, Cat's Eye Nebula, 47 Tucanae, Eagle Nebula, and Saturn's rings. [1] Many of the displays in Voyager's astrometrics lab were done using CGI by Robert Bonchune, as he had had experience of producing on-screen graphics for the futuristic television series Seaquest DSV. (Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection, p. 16) The set of Voyager's astrometrics lab was built on Paramount Stage 16.
Starfleet Cartography

Captain Picard and Data view an uplink from Starfleet Cartography

The USS Enterprise-E was equipped with an astrometrics lab in which a direct link with Starfleet Cartography could be established. Interference from nearby astronomical phenomena (such as the Bassen Rift) could interfere with the lab's link with Starfleet Cartography. Captain Picard and Lieutenant Commander Data utilized the lab to plot the Enterprise's rendezvous with Star Fleet Battle Group Omega in 2379. (Star Trek Nemesis)

While not stated in dialogue, the shooting script of Nemesis identified this location as the ship's astrometrics facility. [2] In Star Trek: First Contact, astrometric readings and scans aboard the Enterprise-E were done from the operations station on the bridge.

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