Top 10 Star Trek Destinations Chosen by NASA Scientists

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What would happen if the crew of the Starship Enterprise handed over the controls to NASA scientists and engineers? It turns out many are avid Star Trek fans with lengthy itineraries in mind. NASA asked a few of them to pick their favorite destinations in the Star Trek universe, explain why, and compare them to real-world exoplanets discovered so far.

1. Vulcan

One of the most famous Star Trek planets, Vulcan, was placed by creator Gene Roddenberry in the real star system 40 Eridani. This trinary system, about 16 light-years from Earth, consists of three dwarf stars, and while no exoplanets have been detected there yet, it remains a strong candidate.

Vulcan is described as a hot, high-gravity world with a thin atmosphere, deserts, and mountain ranges. In J.J. Abrams’ alternate timeline, Vulcan was destroyed, but real exoplanets face similar threats. For example, HD 209458b, a “hot Jupiter,” is slowly losing its atmosphere due to its proximity to its parent star.

2. Andoria

The icy moon Andoria is home to blue-skinned humanoids with white hair and antennae. It is depicted as orbiting a larger gas giant and has been a key location in several Star Trek series.

While astronomers have not yet found definitive exomoons, some icy moons in our Solar System resemble Andoria. Europa (orbiting Jupiter) and Enceladus (orbiting Saturn) have subsurface oceans that may harbor life. NASA missions are actively searching for potential biological signatures in these environments.

3. Risa

Risa is a well-known M-class (Earth-like) pleasure planet with a tropical climate, artificially controlled weather, and a welcoming humanoid population. It orbits a binary star system, often linked to Epsilon Ceti, about 79 light-years from Earth.

No exoplanets have been confirmed in Epsilon Ceti, but many real exoplanets have been found around binary star systems. The first such discovery, Kepler-16b (2011), is a cold, gaseous Saturn-sized world, similar to Tatooine from Star Wars.

4. Omicron Delta (“Shore Leave” Planet)

This amusement park planet creates realistic physical manifestations of a visitor’s thoughts. In the episode “Shore Leave,” crew members face knights, strafing aircraft, and an old school bully before realizing it’s all part of a massive simulation.

While such instant fabrication technology is science fiction, real-world 3D printing is advancing rapidly. The International Space Station (ISS) already uses 3D printers to create tools on demand. NASA is also developing additive manufacturing for planetary exploration, potentially enabling in-situ resource utilization for Moon and Mars missions.

5. Nibiru

In Star Trek: Into Darkness, Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy flee through a red jungle on Nibiru, a primitive planet. The planet’s red vegetation suggests adaptation to a cool, red dwarf star.

Several exoplanets, including Kepler-186f, fit this profile. Located 500 light-years away, this Earth-sized planet orbits within the habitable zone of a red dwarf, where photosynthesis could result in non-green plant life.

6. Wolf 359

Wolf 359 is famous in Star Trek for the devastating battle between the Federation and the Borg in The Next Generation episode “Best of Both Worlds.” However, it is also a real star, only 7.8 light-years from Earth.

Astronomers are particularly interested in nearby stars like Wolf 359 because they are prime candidates for exoplanet detection. NASA’s Kepler telescope has already conducted surveys in this region.

7. Eminiar VII & Vendikar

These two planets, from the episode “A Taste of Armageddon,” have been locked in a simulated war for centuries, where computers determine casualties instead of actual combat.

In reality, exoplanet systems with multiple rocky planets do exist. A notable example is TRAPPIST-1, a cool dwarf star with seven Earth-sized planets, at least two of which may be habitable. Scientists are studying these worlds to determine if they have Earth-like atmospheres.

8. Remus

Remus, along with Romulus, forms the core of the Romulan Star Empire. Remus is a tidally locked world, with one side permanently facing its star while the other remains in darkness.

Many exoplanets detected by NASA’s Kepler telescope may be tidally locked, meaning their habitable zones are limited to the “terminator zone,” the thin region between their scorching day side and frozen night side. Such worlds could host extreme, yet potentially habitable, environments.

9. Janus VI

Janus VI is a barren mining planet, featured in The Original Series episode “Devil in the Dark.” It is home to Horta, a silicon-based life form.

Mars and the Moon are the closest real-world equivalents to Janus VI. The concept of silicon-based life remains speculative, but some astrobiologists consider it possible. Future space missions to Mars may uncover subsurface microbial life in extreme environments.

10. Earth

Earth is home to Starfleet Headquarters, the United Federation of Planets, and humanity’s expansion into the stars in the Star Trek universe. It appears in various Star Trek series and movies, often as a hub for diplomatic, military, and scientific efforts.

In reality, Earth is the only known habitable planet, though astronomers are actively searching for true Earth analogs among exoplanets. Missions like the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope may provide insights into potentially habitable exoplanets.

Summary

NASA scientists, inspired by Star Trek, selected destinations that blend science fiction with scientific reality. Many Star Trek worlds have real-world analogs among the thousands of exoplanets discovered so far. While we have yet to find another Earth-like world, ongoing research and space exploration may one day bring the dream of interstellar travel closer to reality.

Source: NASA

For more details, visit NASA Science.

Last update on 2025-12-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API