Topic: In case you hadn't already heard...

[Scyphi]

...NASA actually is experimenting on the working early stages for a would-be "warp drive."

Before you get too excited, they're in the proof-of-concept stages of it all, attempting to determine whether or not such space-time warping is even possible by conducting some in-lab experiments to try and generate minute instances of such warping; nothing bigger than a few micrometers (if that) at best. Currently, the project's published results show that the concept is plausible...but inconclusive. So the court's still out on this one.

The reason I bring this all up though is because the (perhaps overzealous) project head commissioned some concept art of a would-be real-world spaceship powered by such a warp drive, and I thought the pictures were cool enough to merit reposting a link to for your viewing pleasure. The accompanying article runs through the basics of the work they're doing to try and prove the theory.

In other news, I find the use of science-y terms I have long associated with just Star Trek getting used in the real-life research of today a little weird...but welcomed. 

[-<WillyP>-]

And yet, we can't even go get our own astronauts off the space station ourselves.

 

[Scyphi]

Yeah, irony of ironies, isn't it? 

To be fair, though, as I understand the matter, it wasn't really NASA's fault for two reasons; one is they were already had something in mind to replace the space shuttles when it was time to retire them, but due to complications it wasn't ready in time when the shuttles were retired. Two was that when NASA was gearing up to work on said replacement full-time, the politicians, in their infinite wisdom (do catch my sarcasm here), decided to can the project for budgetary reasons, forcing NASA to basically go back to the drawing board again and rethink their replacement. 

This warp drive project doesn't fit into any of that, though. At present, it's something of a side project for the NASA scientists to explore while they work on other, more further along, development projects.

[NUMBERZero]

"They’re calling it the IXS Enterprise."
When is a ship NOT named the Enterprise?

I say that they should at least name the first military spaceship the Galactica.

[Scyphi]

Technically, the Enterprise we're all thinking of is a military ship too.

And its more popular with the populace at large, too. 

...though I hear you. They could've been a bit more creative with the name. But...y'know...it's a ship with a warp drive. The temptation is awfully bad.

[Kaizerwolf]

Why not call it the Galaxian?

[Scyphi]

Of course, it also just now occurs to me that with the name "Enterprise" they could be making a slightly more obscure Trek reference. I mean, the resemblance is a bit uncanny.

[Matthew]

Of course, it also just now occurs to me that with the name "Enterprise" they could be making a slightly more obscure Trek reference. I mean, the resemblance is a bit uncanny.

Well, there's a reason every Trek has an Enterprise.

[TechPro]

Could it be they chose "Enterprise" in honor of the very first ship named "Enterprise" in the Colonies (which because the U.S.)?  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise_%281775%29

Of course, there are other possibilities.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise

[Kaiaatzl]

And who says it couldn't be both?

[Matthew]

Well I don't think you're choosing any specific enterprise to name it after. When you name a ship after a line like the Enterprise, you're naming it in honor of every ship that's come before it and the accomplishments, real or imaginary, that each has achieved. You're naming it after the scientific and exploratory significant of the shuttle, and after the generations of inspiration provided by the Enterprise from Star Trek, because let's be honest, most of NASA probably drew at least a little encouragement from Star Trek.