‘Star Trek’ and NASA have intertwined legacies – the show championed diversity and inspired generations of real space scientists

September 8, 2026 · 9:00 am 2 sources

Image: NPR

Coverage

Wires & papers of record

• 60 years later, 'Star Trek' continues to 'live long and prosper'
  NPR · September 8, 2026 09:00
  The television series, Star Trek, turns 60 on Tuesday. The original show aired for only three seasons, but it spawned prequels and sequels (on TV and in theaters) and still has a cult following.

Coverage

• ‘Star Trek’ and NASA have intertwined legacies – the show championed diversity and inspired generations of real space scientists
  This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. · September 8, 2026 12:38
  60 years of ‘Star Trek’: A cultural anthropologist on how the show’s “infinite diversity in infinite combinations” conception helped shape NASA’s vision of the future.