The Earth Spacedock (Star Trek Lore) 

Starfleet: "Yeah, we're gonna need some heavy phaser turrets and maybe some torpedo launchers...." Earth government: "Wait a minute; do you really need such a heavily armed facility in orbit?" Starfleet: "Ugh! Fine. We won't arm it." V'Ger shows up Cetacean probe shows up Borg cube shows up Breen attack fleet shows up... Starfleet: "*Now* can we arm it?"

As an avid STO player, it is very exciting to see ESD every time I do. I've played STO on and off for years, and I STILL never tire of seeing it.

I can understand spacedock not being armed at first, imagine someone hacking the weapons system and firing all those heavy cannons and torpedoes at unprotected earth cities. DS9 was heavily armed but was moved away from Bajor to cover the wormhole before being fortified and thus out of range of the planet. Fast forward to the Borg and Dominion invasions and some point defences needed to be fitted at the very least.

The actual reason for this must have been Harve Bennet contriving a suspenseful “stealing the Enterprise” sequence. Without a closed door to get through - meaning, if it was just a TMP-style dry dock structure - there’s no story….so there has to be a door; so there has to be “space dock” (even though we never saw it before).

I always wanted to see what the Borg cube would have done to Space Dock in First Contact.

I still remember the feeling of awe I experienced as a kid seeing the ESD on the big screen in STIII:TSFS. It was a sight to behold.

From its original appearances, Earth Space Dock has been an awe inspirating structure. ESD definitely represents many of the capabilities of Starfleet in the 23rd, 24th, and 25th centuries. It would be cool to see the more civilian aspects of the station. Also, the fact that it takes a week to install all the weapon placements on ESD, let me guess, it conveniently is always completed on a Tuesday. Thankfully both it and Earth itself at least have powerful energy shields.

Came here the end of Picard Season 3. Holy shit Space Dock is an absolute monster.

I wish the newer Star Trek shows featured more of ESD. Even if it’s just in the background.

A beacon, orbiting over mankind's head and out into the stars. "This is Starfleet, nice to meet you." it seems almost to softly blink out into the dark.

In the late 80's or early 90's, there was a "The Star Trek Compendium" printed that showed designs for one of the space docks based on TOS. It even had demonstration farming communities set up in it. Large buildings were inside...and there was a way to light the interior sections for simulated 24 hour cycles. Some of the docking areas could actually enclose up to three different ships for maintainece or fleet repairs.

I'd love to see Spacedock visually expanded over time, like a growing city. Past 2400 you could have a secondary dock ring around the civilian section connected by several spokes for example. That would vastly increase the enclosed hangar space (potentially all the way around, with decks above/below) and take over most transport related activities. The civilian ring proper could then expand its facilities into what used to be the old dock and logistics spaces.

Thank you for another great video. Your research and time devotion to making these is obvious and well appreciated. Keep up the great work!

Anyone else here after the Picard finale?

Earth spacedock in Picard series is now an incredible fortress matching her dimensions. I thought DS9's defensive systems were pretty amazing to fend off a Klingon fleet attack and take heavy poundings from the Dominion invasion fleet, but with the massive modern weaponry of the Federation starships going for a holy war with the compromised crew, it was quite a sight to be seen. Also seems to be the hub for an impenetrable orbital shield grid for all of Earth itself, with the only way to take that shield grid out is to blow up the Spacedock. Would be great to have a series of Star Trek: Earth Spacedock with Admiral Sisko in command.

Your videos just continually solidify why I love STO and why the game is so beautiful. I remember the first time played, I just flew around, loving the view of the different planets.

The disarming of stardock reminds me of the saying , " You can't truly call yourself "peaceful" Unless you are capable of great violence. If you are not capable of violence, You're not peaceful, You're harmless." One might say , "but stardock had a Fleet of ships protecting it" . To which I say , I'm sure the same premise made the servicemen at Pearl Harbor feel just as safe on December 7th !

I dont think ESD in ST:O does any justice to how freaking huge ESD is supposed to be. They need to code a bunch of other floors and places to visit other than the main bit.

18 Starships docked internally, dozens more at the external docks and countless more in system for refits and resupply and somehow, SOMEHOW, the Enterprise is the *ONLY SHIP IN RANGE?!?*

Living on space dock would be so cool! Like i could get a job at a bar or store or something and just have a blast.

I wish we could fly our own ships inside the ESD main hangar, assuming they're a ship that can physically fit inside it. I'd love to get some shots of my favorites in that interior, always loved the look of it.

TBH I always kind of like d hanging out at ESD when I used to play Star Trek Online. My friends and I in the 1701 RTS fleet would do different animation glitches like that rifle reload and switch where your char would appear to be sliding on the floor on your butt. I once saw a player made his character look like a perfect Dr. Zoidberg running crazily through the corridors. And once a friend of mine appeared outside the interior when he zoned in, so of course he just put on his spacesuit and stood out there waving to people! LMAO Good times!

ESD was also in a fixed location over Earth, and not along the equator or at geostationary altitude, which means it had to have continuous propulsion to maintain its position. The Utopia Planetia shipyards are likewise fixed over Mars not on the equator.

I joined STO after the ESD change so I didn't get a chance to explore what it used to look like. Kind of wish they included it as at least a Holodeck program.

I love you so much for doing this! I hope you can do more about stations.

Wait. Earth eventually secedes from the Federation? How does that work? That's like London seceding from the UK.

And as a central location, the space dock can provide a quick and efficient place for starships to refuel and restock between missions (or other reasons) as well as rotate crew off and onto a starship. Everything and everyone necessary for that can be shipped to the space dock and be available at a moments notice. That is what all of the smaller bays and docking attach points are for.

The internal docking section reminds me of the Bdol Zer command ship. With a central pillar and support docks on the pillar and inner wall. Though unlike ESD the inner section of the command ship has full breathable atmo and a natural weather system.

🖖😎👍Very cool and very nicely well done and very well executed and informatively explained in every detail way shape and form possibly provided to you on the ESD indeed!,👌.

I find it interesting how ESD is over Europe in STO since Paris is supposed to be where the Federation "Capitol" is.

That was a great video. My Eaglemoss model is one of my favorite ones. It's a great design.

Two years ago I purchased a Eaglemoss model of ESD. This has so much more information, thank you!!!

Thank you, for this really interesting look at a great addition to the Star Trek experience! When I first saw this station in Star Trek III, I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY by how beautiful it was! Again, thank you for this really great detailed video.

Hi Rick! Always love your Trek work, always a joy to see it

These videos are wonderful, a terrific diversion from everyday troubles and enjoyably well done Thanks Rick

I actually searched for a video on this just last month. Thanks, it was really good.

Earth Spacedock was always the most iconic building as it spanned decades (centuries?) and different films and TV shows in universe.

Imagine the Borg coming across it and assimilating it. All future Borg ships would be flying mushrooms...

I would love to see something like Earth Space Dock for real.

I *don't know* what it is about the ESD but every time i see it my heart stops for a second to switch into "Chewy, we're home!"-mode. (Well. The Earth Space Dock and Starbases of it's type in general.) Maybe it's as simple as it being one of my earliest childhood memories. But maaaaan every time i see it pop up somewhere new i'm happy. Also design-wise. It's visual shorthand for "Prime Universe" and i kinda need that in my life.

Dang sir, your attention to details are... Impressive.. well done!

Spacedock is a fascinating object in Star Trek history of the early 21st century. Fascinating information from your time.

Another great production! Love to see one on Utopia Planetia or Star Fleet HQ. Keep up the great content!

the often busy skies above Earth... when the Enterprise wasn't the only ship in the sector

Nice addition to the tech analysis... That station tends to be forgotten, poor thing 😅🖖🖖🖖🤓

I was always rather disappointed that earth didnt look more like a merger of a WH40k Paradise/Fortress world. Considering it is one of the core worlds, you would expect it to be clouded in orbital plattforms, defensive and otherwise

In STO which has been wrecked more, ESD or DS9?

I hope in a future Star Trek Online update they give us access to the Corpse Disposal facility. (There's a sign on a door in the Infirmary that says it leads to there.)

You'd think after the Breen attack on Earth they would of armed the Space Dock.

That was really great. I love the concept of the scale of the facility. I feel like we just see so few sets when this is depicted. It’s pretty disappointing that all of the orbital material around earth isn’t depicted in every instance. Thanks!

The brings back memories of playing star fleet academy so strongly.

Space stations are very cool. I wish there were more of an emphasis on them than planets.

I always thought it was “Starbase 1” in the sense of “Airforce 1” and that was where Starfleet Command hung out, and wherever they went: so would the Starbase 1 moniker.

Can they re-arm Spacedock before Tuesday? I hear Starfleet has a rough time with Tuesdays...

Right off the bat, a view of Terra from the space station.

It must have thrusters, or something to reposition it’s orbit! Because orbits decay. So this is essentially a giant city in space cool. it must have used more than tubolifts more like a tram system or maybe internal transporters through some fibre cables

I've always loved the design of Earth Space Dock. I remember first seeing it in TNG when the Enterprise-D arrives (I saw TNG before I even knew about TOS or the movies). I just remember being struck by how awe inspiring it was. I don't know if anything sums up the Federation better than ESD.

Give ESD the same weapons upgrades that DS9 got just before the Dominion War. It would turn ESD into one hell of a Orbital Weapons Platform, far more powerful than DS9.

👏 Impressive video! I'd say a Star Trek TV series on this would be interesting, but we've already had one in DS9... 😏

Great vid !!!

Thanks Rick, keep up the good work!

I enjoyed this video.

I'm pretty sure the ESD was armed during the Dominion War (And 2nd Borg incursion). It helped to defend Earth from the Breen attack.

Is this music from Startopia? Biodeck? Cool game either way. I like these STO videos, I had to drop out a while back but I like classic trek and seeing where it all went it great fun.

I love the Spacedock's inner design, some times I just load STO and just hang out in the Spacedock and relax watching the NPCs or other players going around doing their thing.

Very well put, thank you!

The ESD would make a fantastic setting for a new series. You can have Earth episodes, and a wide variety of different scenarios from spaceships to spacedock to civilian sector to Starfleet Command. The gambit is limitless. What a bustling space station setting tonhave a rich source for material.

The Spacedock Truly Looks Like a Palace in Space! I Would Love to Live There!

@certifiably ingame, well in Picard we see it has been changed,the original ESD is now a museum for museum's ship and there is a new esd in play

Cool stuff. Thank you, Rick.

I'd give anything...ANYTHING...to live in this space station.

9:20 lol even the Galactica stopped by for food and gas

This is awesome! 🙏🏻

I always liked the design of the station

time for a update i guess due to the ESD being turned into a museum and replaced wiht the new one in Picard

Say, would you mind holding off this sudden and unexpected invasion for eight days?

I think I could command the ESD. 😉thanks for the video.

Great video, again. Cheyanne Mountain south of Denver near a U.S. Air Force base, that's said to be STARGATE (Gateworld, I think he reported it, not sure). So if San Francisco connects to Space Dock, as reported, there's a quick link to Denver and Cheyanne Mountain (STARGATE) near Colorado Springs. Probably a FEMA-related underground train.

I think ESD should have those 40 heavy phasers for defense of Earth.

40 phaser bank hardpoints left unused? I'm sure that policy was changed during and after the Dominion War. While I don't expect all 40 to be ready for action, having 10 ready for action at all times would be prudent. 10 more "ready but not plugged in" and the remaining 20 left "empty". However this is rotated regularly. Not only to keep tech up to date, but to have crews ready at all time to take each slot of empty to "ready for action" as quickly as possible. The 10 hardpoints that are "armed but unplugged" are drilled at least once a month to get them ready for action. This takes only a hour or less, depending on the team. Teams are shuffled to get everyone to the same level [of] proficiency as quickly and completely as possible, however the best teams are recorded and called on in case of genuine emergency. The hardpoints that are completely disarmed, or "empty", have to have their weapons installed [essentially] from scratch. This can take several days. Although after the Dominion War, the necessitated hardware is kept uninstalled [but] on site to each hardpoint at all times now. The components are inspected every week although automated inspections are constant. Drills to install and ready each empty hardpoint is carried out in rotation among the empty hardpoints every six months, over the course of 1-2 months at the Station Commander's discretion. Although some Station Commanders will up that to every three months on a whim or if proficiency is seem to be slipping. Originally, when the hardware needed to be moved to the hardpoints, from either Earth side or other parts of the ESD, this could take as long as several days especially if the officer in charge of the operation, one such officer for every two hardpoints as a security measure, was not the most experienced or proficient. However with the hardware on site but "in crates", "ready status" can usually be attained in 10-14 hours per hardpoint. During these drills, 10 hardpoints will be randomly selected to remain fully "armed and ready" while the remaining 10 will be "unplugged. The 10 armed and ready while this drill is underway, will be completely dismantled as will the unplugged hardpoints. While it has been stated that all 20 hardpoints are chosen at random, they are always even distributed around the station to limit weakly covered areas. At no time are more than 20 of the hardpoints armed and ready form more than an hour at any given time. Also two of the hardpoints are Mega Phasers, later Phaser Lances, but are left unplugged or dismantled and never "armed and ready" unless war is formally declared and Earth is in direct danger.

Something this massive would have a noticeable gravitational effect.

YEP, THe ESD is a must destination and it just doesn't feel right returning to earth without it. Like.. Whoa ESD is gone... okay are we in the past or... where is the... Oh... right, just angle around the planet and.. there she is :) Home Sweet ESD :)

This is absolutely my favorite space station in science fiction. I love it more than DS9. I feel like there should be more of them throughout the federation and I wonder if it was a victim of the burn.

1:00 - After seeing what happened to utopia planitia I can't help but feel like that was a good call...

7:43 me whenever the boss walks by.

In STBC Starbase 12 has phasers... it's same design

8:25 "Notify the closest starship. We're not equipped for a rescue mission." "We're the only ones in the sector..."

Yes I remember when it was starbase 1 but then a tactical genius at starfleet command realised that they could liberate earth from klingon occupation by changing its designation from starbase 1 to somthing else. If this sounds highly convoluted, nonsensical and totaly unessary to you, that's because it is 😮‍💨

You can see the ISS from earth, so you'd most certainly be able to see this 5km long station. Must be quite the sight.

I guess we will be getting an updated version of this video some time soon, given it's basically the I'm not locked in here with you you're locked in here with me meme in space station form.

I love these technical and geographical lore videos. Also if there is anything that makes me want to ignore my common sense and start up STO again even when I know I don't have the time to do it justice its these videos.

Gotta love the pathfinder flying y

One can't help look at the International Space Station and wish we'd get our skates on.

At that volume you’d only give a ship a clearance of 2 meters in height , internal volume should be like 4-7 Billion M3. The enterprise D is at lest (edit : 16 million M3 itself) . ( whoever gave that had no clue related to mass - volume . (( IE -1.2 billion metertic tones and 4 billion cubic meters would be closer to it actually visually size)

You’d think they would want weapons on it after the bugs attacked. And by bugs I mean Xindi insectoids.

Hopefully Star Trek online will get a updated Version of Earth spacedock since Star Trek Picard ended

6:50 Deck 47 - the Bar - not drowning, fan dancing ...

9:32 wait what? You can't just gloss over that fact and not say anything else!

7:58 Jump point forming!

Does it spin? Wonder if it casts eclipses. Is there anything told about how far from Earth it orbits? Does it orbit. Trek tech could keep it on station-keeping over the sunset terminator.