Template:2009spoiler The Jellyfish was a 24th century starship commissioned by the Vulcan Science Academy in 2387 for the transport of red matter. The ship was described as being "our fastest ship". The ship featured a unique rotating "tail."
Ambassador Spock piloted the ship in 2387 during his attempt to save Romulus from destruction. When the attempt failed, Spock took the Jellyfish to drop red matter into the star Hobus. Unfortunately, the pull of the black hole caused by the red matter was enough to pull in both the Narada and the Jellyfish. The former arrived in 2233 and was the catalyst for an alternate timeline, whereas the Jellyfish exited some twenty-five years later. Upon capture by Nero, the ship was stored inside the Narada.
The ship was later destroyed when the younger Spock piloted it on a collision course with the Narada, igniting the red matter. Spock survived the collision, being beamed aboard the USS Enterprise at the last moment. (Star Trek)
Specifications
The Jellyfish featured a chamber designed for the safe storage and transport of "red matter", as well as a means of extracting the matter for the purposes of its mission.
The ship was also equipped with the means to recognise its previous pilots, as it welcomed aboard Spock and allowed him access to its pilot controls, even though its previous pilot had in fact been an older, future Spock.
Background
The name of the ship is derived from its dossier on the Star Trek movie website, but is not mentioned in the film. Because it is a single prototype ship, its distinctive name is likely its codename or working name. Also according to the dossier, it is a single person ship with a maximum speed of warp 8. While speeds greater than warp 8 were known well before Spock's ill-fated voyage, dialogue in the film described the Jellyfish as "our fastest ship".
In the prequel comic Star Trek: Countdown, the Jellyfish is described as a prototype vessel built to withstand unstable atmospheres. Its designer and original pilot was Geordi La Forge.
The cockpit is very Vulcan in design. The triangular pilot's chair and circular view screen form the Vulcan IDIC symbol. When the younger Spock first takes the controls, he says "Fascinating..."