The USS Enterprise commanded by Star Trek's Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) won't be equaled in one major way. The Enterprise is the signature ship of Star Trek and although there have been multiple versions of the Enterprise throughout the generations, the Constitution Class NCC-1701 starship Kirk and Pike led in the 23rd century is still the standard-bearer. And the NCC-1701 Enterprise outdid its predecessors and successors in a way that likely will never be matched.

There have been at least 11 Starship Enterprises in Star Trek's Prime Universe and 2 in the Kelvin Timeline of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies. Star Trek: Enterprise retconned the 22nd century's NX-01 Enterprise commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) as the first Starship Enterprise. In the 23rd century, the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 had multiple Captains, primarily Captain Robert April (Adrian Holmes), Captain Pike, and Captain Kirk. It was followed by the USS Enterprise-A and B in the late 23rd century and the USS Enterprise-C, D, E, and F in the 24th and early 25th century. Star Trek: Picard season 3 introduced the newest version, the Neo-Constitution Class USS Enterprise-G led by Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan). There's also the Enterprise-J referenced in Star Trek: Enterprise, and Star Trek: Discovery has an unseen USS Enterprise in the 32nd century.

Related: Star Trek: Every Captain Of The Enterprise

Pike & Kirk’s Starship Enterprise Served Starfleet For 40 Years

No matter how much bigger and more powerful each succeeding generation of the Starship Enterprise becomes, it's doubtful the newer Enterprises will ever match the 40 years the NCC-1701 USS Enterprise served Starfleet. The first Constitution Class Enterprise was launched in 2245 under the command of Captain Robert April, and it was passed to Captain Christopher Pike in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and then to Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series. The NCC-1701 Enterprise underwent at least 2 major refits, one before Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and Kirk destroyed the Enterprise to keep it from being commandeered by Klingons in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock.

The NCC-1701 USS Enterprise served Starfleet continuously for four decades. Although Star Trek III stated that the Enterprise was "20 years old," the film was counting from the start of Star Trek: The Original Series. The revised Star Trek canon establishes the Enterprise was in service for twice as long. Cumulatively, it's the same Starship Enterprise (throughout various cosmetic changes both interior and exterior) that flies in Star Trek: Discovery season 2, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: The Original Series, and the first 3 Star Trek movies.

How Long Other Starship Enterprises Lasted In Star Trek

The USS Enterprise-D from Star Trek: The Next Generation is arguably the only ship as beloved (if not more so) than the NCC-1701 Enterprise, but its tenure was surprisingly short. The D only served for the 7 years of Star Trek: The Next Generation before it was destroyed soon after in Star Trek Generations in 2371, The Enterprise-D made a triumphant return 30 years later in Star Trek: Picard season 3. But the D's years of active service pale in comparison to the NCC-1701 Enterprise.

The same can be said for the Enterprise-D's successors, the Sovereign Class USS Enterprise-E and Odyssey Class USS Enterprise-F. Under the command of Captain Worf (Michael Dorn), the E was mysteriously lost some time in the 2380s, and the F was decommissioned in Star Trek: Picard season 3 in 2401 after less than 15 years of service. The USS Enterprise-A served roughly from 2386-2293, and while the lengths of service of the Excelsior Class USS Enterprise-B and the Ambassador Class USS Enterprise-C have not been established, it's doubtful either Enterprise served the successive 40-year span of Captain Kirk and Captain Pike's Enterprise. In Star Trek, the original USS Enterprise NCC-1701 remains in a class by itself.