Out-of-this-World Experiences: Unveiling the Most Jaw-Dropping Space Walks in Star Trek's History

Summary

Star Trek's spacewalks are high-stakes adventures filled with danger, UV radiation, lack of air, and freezing temperatures. They are a thrilling set-piece.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds showcases a delightful spacewalk activity called "Enterprise Bingo," where Number One and Lt. La'an daringly traverse the ancient hull plating without the need for suits, thanks to the protection of a force field. The Star Trek movies, like Star Trek Into Darkness, have elevated the spacewalk sequences on the grand cinematic stage, intensifying the excitement and incorporating awe-inspiring moments.

In Star Trek, while most of the action takes place inside starships and on alien planets, there are occasions when characters venture into the vacuum of space for breathtaking spacewalks. One such recent example occurs in the season 2 finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, where Lt. Spock bravely navigates the zero-gravity environment of the wrecked USS Cayuga. Space is undeniably one of the most dangerous settings in the Star Trek universe, posing risks such as UV radiation, lack of oxygen, and freezing temperatures. Thus, Starfleet officers venture outside protected by their space suits only in the most perilous situations.

These spacewalks serve various purposes in the Star Trek storyline. They can involve rescuing loved ones from menacing creatures like the Gorn, defending the ship's vital deflector array against the Borg, or even completing an unconventional task like Enterprise Bingo. In the Star Trek movies directed by J.J. Abrams, the spacewalk scenes were given a thrilling upgrade to captivate theater audiences. Even today, the Star Trek spacewalk remains a guaranteed way to deliver an exhilarating set-piece, as proven by the upcoming season 5 of Star Trek: Discovery, where Captain Michael Burnham will be seen practically surfing on a starship mid-flight.

10 Number One & La'an's "Enterprise Bingo" Space Walk

9 Trip Tucker's Mid-Flight Starship Enterprise Transfer

: In the fifth episode of the second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds titled "Spock Amok," Number One (portrayed by Rebecca Romijn) and Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (played by Christina Chong) decide to have some fun. They engage in a game called "Enterprise Bingo," which is popular among the lower deck crew members. Their goal is to bend the rules without being caught. The ultimate task on their list is to walk onto "the Scorch" - the oldest piece of ship's hull plating - and sign it. To add an element of risk, Una and La'an take on this challenge without wearing environment suits. Instead, they rely on a force field that the confident Number One believes is 98% reliable. Although their spacewalk is undeniably impressive, the lack of significant consequences means it falls short when compared to more daring and heroic endeavors.

The early days of exploring deep space had a true "make-do and mend" feel, as seen in the TV series Star Trek: Enterprise. During this primitive era of space travel, there was a significant element of risk when Commander Trip Tucker (played by Connor Trineer) transferred from the Columbia NX-02 to the Enterprise NX-01 mid-flight in the episode "Divergence." Facing sabotage from the Klingons, Captain Jonathan Archer (portrayed by Scott Bakula) devised a daring plan to have Tucker move between the Columbia and the Enterprise using a winch. Although it was an exciting moment, the limitations of network television in the early 2000s meant that the visual spectacle wasn't as impressive as it could have been.

8 Kirk And Khan's Dive Into The USS Vengeance From Star Trek Into Darkness

Star Trek Into Darkness showcases a more visually stunning variant of the Trip Tucker maneuver when Captain James T Kirk (Chris Pine) and Khan Noonien-Singh (Benedict Cumberbatch) make a daring jump from the USS Enterprise to the USS Vengeance. This gripping sequence takes place amidst a field of debris that threatens to shatter Kirk's visor, ultimately leading them to be granted entry by Scotty (Simon Pegg). It serves as an impressive Star Trek moment that suits the grandeur of the Kelvin Timeline films. However, it also feels like an attempt to surpass a superior sequence from J.J. Abrams' initial Star Trek film.

7 Michael Burnham's Zero-G Klingon Battle In Star Trek: Discovery

The premiere episode of Star Trek: Discovery took off with a bold move as Commander Michael Burnham faced off against Klingon Warrior Rejac (Justin Howell) in an intense zero-g battle in outer space. This crucial fight marked the beginning of the Klingon War in Star Trek: Discovery and held great significance for the Federation. However, due to viewers' unfamiliarity with Burnham and the accidental death of Rejac, the action lacked the high-stakes excitement typically seen in similar combative spacewalks. Nonetheless, this visually striking sequence made a strong statement for the first Star Trek series in over a decade, showcasing its cinematic approach right from the start.

6 Kirk And Sulu's Vulcan Skydive From Star Trek (2009)

5 Dal & Janeway Transfer Bodies Mid-Warp In Star Trek: Prodigy

Star Trek (2009) claimed a spot on the grandiose silver screen with an awe-inspiring scene. This scene featured Kirk and Sulu (John Cho) daringly leaping out of a shuttle and traversing through the atmosphere of Vulcan. This unique spectacle had never been witnessed before in the Star Trek franchise and served as a defining moment for the Kelvin Timeline series, offering a remarkable revamp for the modern cinema. Regrettably, Kirk and Sulu's valiant efforts were in vain as they arrived too late to prevent Nero from injecting the red matter into Vulcan's core, ultimately resulting in the devastation of the planet and the tragic demise of Spock's mother, Amanda Grayson (Winona Ryder). Nonetheless, the failure of Kirk and Sulu does not diminish the sheer magnificence of the Vulcan skydive sequence.

Star Trek: Prodigy demonstrated the value of Star Trek's animated series with a remarkable space walk sequence in the episode "Mindwalk". Both Dal R'El (Brett Gray) and Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) are connected to their respective ships, USS Protostar and USS Dauntless, as they venture into the void and a warp bubble. However, there is a twist - Dal's consciousness resides in Janeway's body, and vice versa. This added comedic and suspenseful element amplifies the excitement of Prodigy's high-stakes space walk and mind exchange. The intensity of the scene is so gripping that Star Trek: Discovery felt compelled to surpass it.

4 Captain Burnham Surfing On A Starship In Star Trek: Discovery Season 5

Burnham faced defeat in the contest for the most exciting space walk on a starship in a warp bubble, losing out to Star Trek: Prodigy. However, Michael managed to outdo that by showcasing a sneak peek of the highly anticipated fifth season of Star Trek: Discovery during the San Diego Comic-Con in 2023. In this thrilling glimpse, Burnham relentlessly pursues the group of criminals who have stolen a valuable artifact from season 5. Donning her EV suit, she clings onto the outer surface of their starship in an attempt to reclaim this season's McGuffin. Despite her valiant efforts, her initial attempt to infiltrate Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak's (Elias Toufexis) ship proves unsuccessful, resulting in her being propelled back into the unforgiving vacuum of space. Miraculously, she drifts through the view screen of the USS Discovery before confidently marching towards the Captain's chair, where she finally takes a well-deserved seat.

3 Spock And Chapel VS. The Gorn In Space

The Gorn fight between Spock and the Gorn in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' season 2 finale was an exhilarating highlight. This intense cinematic action demonstrated that it is no longer limited to J.J. Abrams' Star Trek films. It was particularly captivating to witness Spock and Chapel's attempt to outsmart the Gorn in the vacuum of space, within the floating wreckage of the USS Cayuga. The Gorn appeared to gain the upper hand by constricting its tail around Spock's neck, heightening the tension. Luckily, Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush) seized a floating phaser and effectively eliminated Spock's adversary, creating one of the most memorable moments in Strange New Worlds' action-packed conclusion.

2 Spock's Encounter With V'Ger In Star Trek: The Motion Picture

It's no secret that Star Trek: The Motion Picture shared unmistakable similarities with Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, thanks to the involvement of renowned visual effects guru, Douglas Trumbull, in both films. The most striking parallel to 2001 is evident in Spock's journey into the heart of the V'Ger probe, a scene that draws heavily from Kier Duala's encounters with the monolith. This awe-inspiring sequence is mind-bending, unsettling, and genuinely terrifying as Spock confronts the intellect concealed within the V'Ger probe and experiences a profound transformation as a result. While The Motion Picture's cerebral tone may have deterred certain Star Trek fans, Spock's descent into V'Ger is an unparalleled cinematic spectacle.

1 Star Trek: First Contact's Outer Space Borg Battle

The space walk featured in Star Trek: First Contact, led by Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), is nothing short of electrifying and breathtaking. As the plot unfolds, Picard realizes the Borg's sinister plan to exploit the USS Enterprise-E's deflector array, using it as a signal to summon reinforcements for their impending invasion of Earth in the 21st century. To regain control, Picard forms a team consisting of Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) and Lieutenant Hawk (Neal McDonough).

What occurs next is an adrenaline-pumping zero gravity battle against the Borg, culminating in Worf spectacularly obliterating the infected deflector with the unforgettable retort, "Assimilate this." Few space walks can rival the sheer excitement and spectacle of this remarkable sequence.