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Star Fleet Technical Manual
Everything you ever wanted to know about the technical specs for the Enterprise. Filled with diagrams, illustrations and descriptions of key systems aboard the Enterprise.
185 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 1975
6 people are currently reading
533 people want to read
About the author
Franz Joseph
20 books3 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
March 19, 2018
Outdated but still a cool book!
WHEN STAR TREK WASN'T A FRANCHISE
I got this book, back then in 1999, but even then it was way old since it has been published originally in 1975, certainly I was lucky to find it in a bookstore that for some time they brought several Star Trek novels and reference books and...
...you can bet that I bought all those that my wallet allow me!
I was amazed to realize how old this book was, since it was done way before that Star Trek would become an expanded franchise, at that moment, they had obviously the Original Series and of course the Animated Series, but even in 1975, they hadn't still premiered the Motion Picture, so they were still several year still to think about spin-offs.
Therefore, you'll notice that the schematics that you will find of Starfleet vessels here, they still have the Original Series style, since the refitted look wasn't still developed, but...
...still it's a really cool collector's item!
Since it shows a lot of starship classes that you never watched on TOS or TAS, that must be some ideas that they hadn't the time or budget to made into the TV series.
I am sure, that the author had a blast with the book, soaring high, inventing starships names and classes, along with the cool schematics.
So, while the canonic status of the info shown here is quite questionable, trust me, if you're Trekker, you'll be thrilled to take a look to this cool reference book.
The Human Adventure is just beginning...
WHEN STAR TREK WASN'T A FRANCHISE
I got this book, back then in 1999, but even then it was way old since it has been published originally in 1975, certainly I was lucky to find it in a bookstore that for some time they brought several Star Trek novels and reference books and...
...you can bet that I bought all those that my wallet allow me!
I was amazed to realize how old this book was, since it was done way before that Star Trek would become an expanded franchise, at that moment, they had obviously the Original Series and of course the Animated Series, but even in 1975, they hadn't still premiered the Motion Picture, so they were still several year still to think about spin-offs.
Therefore, you'll notice that the schematics that you will find of Starfleet vessels here, they still have the Original Series style, since the refitted look wasn't still developed, but...
...still it's a really cool collector's item!
Since it shows a lot of starship classes that you never watched on TOS or TAS, that must be some ideas that they hadn't the time or budget to made into the TV series.
I am sure, that the author had a blast with the book, soaring high, inventing starships names and classes, along with the cool schematics.
So, while the canonic status of the info shown here is quite questionable, trust me, if you're Trekker, you'll be thrilled to take a look to this cool reference book.
The Human Adventure is just beginning...
July 23, 2008
Well, I never actually read this book, but to me it was worth mentioning because of its importance in the life of my son. He discovered Star Trek during his elementary school years, and it would become an obsession. That and computers and video games defined his geekdom; he is a self-described nerd to this day and proud of it. This book inspired countless technical diagrams and schematics; he drew space ships, space stations, modules for space ships and space stations. His art, while imaginative, had the look and detail of engineering schematics—and this book was his inspiration. We've had several copies of this book, and I have one in my closet signed by Jame Doohan, who played Montgomery Scott or Scotty, the inimitable engineer, who autographed it for me at the Pacific Science Center after the movie "Generations" premiered. My son told me he expects to inherit this book.
August 10, 2016
I must have been a geek. Not sure if I was a Trekker or a Trekkie (could never figure those out), but I must have been a geek. This book of black-and-white illustrative drawings of all things Star Trek was a find back in the day. By then, Star Trek had long been in the rerun stage, but we all thought it was a new show. Geeks.
It is funny, however, as I peruse this little gem now to see that the Smartphone, Bluetooth, and Pneumatic Needles represent what was then science fiction. Nowadays, I like to walk around with the Bluetooth in my ear saying, "Hailing frequencies open, Captain." Yup. Geeks.
Book Season = Summer
It is funny, however, as I peruse this little gem now to see that the Smartphone, Bluetooth, and Pneumatic Needles represent what was then science fiction. Nowadays, I like to walk around with the Bluetooth in my ear saying, "Hailing frequencies open, Captain." Yup. Geeks.
Book Season = Summer
February 11, 2023
The legendary Jim “Jimmy V” Valvano once said that if you could laugh, cry, and think in a day, that was a full and fulfilling day (I paraphrase).
This is not that. This is a technical manual.
This is not that. This is a technical manual.
August 21, 2008
It is not a story but it lend the science fiction eye to the gagetry of star trek.
Fun to read and examine I remember many arguments in my adolesence about whether the decriptors had any basis in even posiblity.
If the purpose of a book is to provide entertainment and provoke thought this book does it well.
Fun to read and examine I remember many arguments in my adolesence about whether the decriptors had any basis in even posiblity.
If the purpose of a book is to provide entertainment and provoke thought this book does it well.
May 14, 2022
I read this as a child and it was crack injected directly into by brain. This book provides the blueprint diagram for a phaser. 10 year-old me thought I could build one if I could only get some parts - and then I could disintegrate some mo-fos! (or maybe, just stun them). The starfleet ship variation diagrams are burned forever into my synapses.
March 6, 2011
Found this while going through a box of old books, and laughed out loud. Not something you "read" per-say, but a series of drawings and schematics on Star Trek equipment.
I remember sitting in my room as a kid and looking at this for ages, thinking that I could build myself a tricorder...after all, the plans where right here! There are little X's beside the ship roster, an artifact of using the book to create the names of ships for some now-forgotten game. Of asking my mother and grandmother to make a uniform for me, because the pattern was right there in the book.
I'll hand this off to my kids when they get a little older, and hopefully they too will consider the improvements that could be made to the space stations, or put their own little marks beside the ship names that they like.
I remember sitting in my room as a kid and looking at this for ages, thinking that I could build myself a tricorder...after all, the plans where right here! There are little X's beside the ship roster, an artifact of using the book to create the names of ships for some now-forgotten game. Of asking my mother and grandmother to make a uniform for me, because the pattern was right there in the book.
I'll hand this off to my kids when they get a little older, and hopefully they too will consider the improvements that could be made to the space stations, or put their own little marks beside the ship names that they like.
January 9, 2014
I greatly enjoy Star Trek and my ex-husband (and still very dear friend) is very much a fan. I found this in an antique store. There's no image available, but's this is the 1st edition, red paperback, in black binder. I love that this version doesn't say "Star Trek" but looks like an actual manual that would be used if Star Fleet was real. His birthday is coming up and $10 was too good to pass up for something this awesome. Every time I read through it, I find something else that makes the nerd in me giddy. I'm going to have to wrap it soon before I get too attached and decide to keep it for myself!
May 18, 2009
No, this is not great reading. Yes, it is somewhat inaccurate. But for a span of my teenage years, this book and I were inseparable. Those kids in "Galaxy Quest" who had the blueprints of the NSEA Protector committed to memory? That all started with this book, and with the equally invaluable Star Trek Blueprints by the same author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2012
The first and most famous SF/Fantasy tech manual ever. Even though much of its continuity points have been over-written in the span of 40-plus years, this is still a gorgeous & details collection of designs...right now to the uniforms and the furniture on board a Federation starship during Captain Kirk's time. "Sumptuous" is the best word to describe this wonderful work.
March 20, 2023
Some books start out great and time actually makes them less so. The Star Fleet (note two words) Technical Manual is certainly one of those. This book is a very high level overview of spacecraft and technology from the original Star Trek series only. It's honestly less entertaining from a general reader perspective than it's useful for early Star Trek cosplayers to create show-accurate clothing and models.
The most involved portion of the book involves a section covering the first 20 pages that prints the purported articles of the United Federation of Planets, along with the treaty ending the war with the Romulans (see "Balance of Terror") and the Organian Peace Treaty (see "Errand of Mercy"). All these collected are, frankly, some of the most mind-numbing prose I've ever read in Trek lore, and a great many details have been rendered incorrect by later series and production notes. For example, the list of founding members of the UFP only include human colonies, where later Trek lore makes it clear that non-human races like Vulcans and Andorians were a part of this founding group. Further, the map of the galaxy showing the locations of Federation, Romulan, and Klingon space are simply wrong compared to later maps confirmed by production. It's interesting to see how these ideas have changed in fandom lore, but that's about all.
Honestly, unless you're a completionist or you want to sew a screen-accurate Trek uniform, best to skip this one. Otherwise, later volumes like the Trek Encyclopedia are generally more reliable.
The most involved portion of the book involves a section covering the first 20 pages that prints the purported articles of the United Federation of Planets, along with the treaty ending the war with the Romulans (see "Balance of Terror") and the Organian Peace Treaty (see "Errand of Mercy"). All these collected are, frankly, some of the most mind-numbing prose I've ever read in Trek lore, and a great many details have been rendered incorrect by later series and production notes. For example, the list of founding members of the UFP only include human colonies, where later Trek lore makes it clear that non-human races like Vulcans and Andorians were a part of this founding group. Further, the map of the galaxy showing the locations of Federation, Romulan, and Klingon space are simply wrong compared to later maps confirmed by production. It's interesting to see how these ideas have changed in fandom lore, but that's about all.
Honestly, unless you're a completionist or you want to sew a screen-accurate Trek uniform, best to skip this one. Otherwise, later volumes like the Trek Encyclopedia are generally more reliable.
June 20, 2019
Compiled by illustrator Franz Joseph in the early 1970s, the first true Star Trek reference book offers schematics of the Starship Enterprise, equipment, weapons, and other devices, Starfleet and Federation insignia, organizational charts, uniforms, stellar navigational charts, even the Articles of Federation and the peace treaty between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire.
I happen to have the original hardcover printing from 1975. Feeling nostalgic, I pulled it off the shelf recently and was fascinated by the level of detail, especially the inclusion of such devices as Uhura's ear receiver, the Heartbeat Reader, Universal Translator, the Tri-Dimensional Chess Set, and the Vulcan Lyrette! I'd forgotten just how much was packed into this book.
All told, it's a tremendous effort that began partly as a labor of love and partly as a challenge when Joseph was allegedly dissatisfied by many of the fan-made models and props of the time. For me, it was a "trek" back to a simpler and more celebratory time in Trek fandom.
I happen to have the original hardcover printing from 1975. Feeling nostalgic, I pulled it off the shelf recently and was fascinated by the level of detail, especially the inclusion of such devices as Uhura's ear receiver, the Heartbeat Reader, Universal Translator, the Tri-Dimensional Chess Set, and the Vulcan Lyrette! I'd forgotten just how much was packed into this book.
All told, it's a tremendous effort that began partly as a labor of love and partly as a challenge when Joseph was allegedly dissatisfied by many of the fan-made models and props of the time. For me, it was a "trek" back to a simpler and more celebratory time in Trek fandom.
September 14, 2022
I found this book, along with a later book - Star Trek The Next Generation Technical Manual -- at a booksale and bought them both. While the ST:TNG one has plenty of writing, this one is more plain non-detailed schematic drawings. I can imagine one working on drawing might find this of great interest. Had I found this when I was in elementary school, I would have learned how to draw the Enterprise and other Trek items quite readily. As an adult, this just seems nostalgic.
April 8, 2025
Not the sort of book to sit down and read which is unfortunately what I did. However for what it is (a very cool collection of diagrams of stuff inside the world of Star Trek) it is very entertaining. I feel asleep multiple times trying to get though the articles but was enthralled by the diagrams later in the book. I would recommend not reading it like I did but rather taking the time to look as specific sections.
September 28, 2020
A beautiful example of how a tie-in book should be produced. It has lavish illustrations, explains and expands the material it seeks to illuminate and comes with a handy, in-universe reason for existing. Wonderful fun if you happen to enjoy this sort of thing, which I do.
Read
October 28, 2021This book was good for it's time, and I'm grateful because if this hadn't started the trend back in the 1970s then we wouldn't have all the great Star Trek books we do today. Only interesting to a collector nowadays though...
January 31, 2022
best handbook for nerds. wish they would have done something like this with star wars. goes into all the technical aspects and even has little worksheets at the end like in the fleet academy. A+, all scifi nerds should send mr. joseph a thank you.
March 7, 2018
I remember long hours spent paging through this book. One minor complaint -- everything was obviously based on the NCC 1701.
November 8, 2018
Although definitely no longer reflective of the Star Trek canon, this book has some fantastic early Trek background material.
June 26, 2019
date is estimate
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2020
This is Canon!!!
June 22, 2023
This book starts with the federation charter and then includes a variety of diagrams and lore. Some of it is very cool and other parts are middling. But it's a quick book.
August 14, 2025
Nerded out with this book. The documents of the federation give insight into how the future was viewed, and the blind spots therein. The technical drawings and specifications of the ships were interesting, the uniforms and the differentiation by sec is both quaint and frustrating. I particularly enjoyed the star maps of the civilizations.
May 14, 2008
I'm not a Trekkie; I don't know why I checked this out of the library (1985ish), other than the schematic drawings of the starship, Enterprise. And I'd completely forgotten it until a used copy popped up in a local bookshop.
Also, hey: great excuse to post a songlink to one of R.E.M.'s lesser known fanclub-only Christmas singles...
I've got some stuff that would tranquilize an active volcano...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqstoT...
Also, hey: great excuse to post a songlink to one of R.E.M.'s lesser known fanclub-only Christmas singles...
I've got some stuff that would tranquilize an active volcano...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqstoT...
September 29, 2018
Great book. It is kind of old so I recommend reading theStar Trek Starfleet Technical Manual: Training Command Starfleet Academy newer one
September 22, 2025
Look, when I ran into the NASA Graphics Standards Manual? This is what I thought of because this is what I read first, and this did it better - with NASA running some really good competition.
This thing's a bloody masterpiece, and got me into graphic design in a way nothing I'd seen previously even approached.
nth read, many, many years later: Still solid.
This thing's a bloody masterpiece, and got me into graphic design in a way nothing I'd seen previously even approached.
nth read, many, many years later: Still solid.
March 19, 2016
When I was a youngin I was (and still am) obsessed with Star Trek. This along with the TNG Technical Manual were obsessions I poured over endlessly studying every detail I could find and expanding my useless knowledge to levels never before seen.
April 29, 2016
So good. Had this as a kid. Just got a first edition copy from 1975 in April 2016... 41 years old and in great shape. Love the slipcover missing from later edition. Not canon, but back then it was to me and I still love to look back at the designs from TOS. So glad I have it in my library again.
August 13, 2009
A tour de force illustrated guide to the ships, equipment, and uniforms used by Star Fleet personnel.
Read
March 1, 2009Another must have for fans of the Original Series
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews