Five-year mission
From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.
In the 23rd century, Starfleet sent starships on five-year missions for exploratory purposes.
One of the greatest chapters in Starfleet history was the five-year mission of the USS Enterprise from 2265-2270 under Captain James T. Kirk. (VOY: "Q2")
- This mission was chronicled in Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Animated Series, based on the opening narration to those series.
[edit] Background Information
The Star Trek Encyclopedia and Star Trek Chronology conjectured that Captain Robert April had one five-year mission and Captain Christopher Pike had two five-year missions. These sources also state that Kirk had a second five-year mission after Star Trek: The Motion Picture, apparently as a nod to the planned Star Trek: Phase II.
The five-year mission concept was apparently abandoned in the 24th century, as the opening narration of TNG notes the Enterprise's "continuing mission."
In an interview in the DS9 Season 3 DVD, Ira Steven Behr says that, in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the USS Defiant was "on a five-year mission to kick ass."
