Have they misunderstood everything? Is the design of the station illogical? We beam over and get an answer.
By Joshua Tyler | Published
Is Deep Space Nine structured wrong? Many Star Trek fans have been asking themselves this question for a long time.
If you haven’t heard this argument, it’s probably because you have a job, kids, etc., and haven’t spent enough time thinking about the power poles.
But some Star Trek fans do. And even if they don’t, you’ll want to know what’s going on here before you spend any more time watching. Deep Space Nine.
The argument against Star Trek’s most famous space station is as follows:
These critics claim that it makes no sense for the station’s pylons to curve inward, as this limits the size of the ship that can fit in the space between the docking ports on each pylon. In a proper station, some argue, the pylons would have to curve outward, and in reality, no one would design a space station that way.
And that is completely wrong. The station was designed by Cardassians. Cardassians are not only a warlike people, but also think very strategically. The outward-curving pylons make it much more difficult for the station to defend all the ships docked there.
To protect ships on outward-curving pylons, the station would need to create a much larger shield bubble. A larger shield bubble results in higher power consumption and, as a result, a much weaker shield.
By designing their station so that the pylons curve inward, the Cardassians were able to find a way to allow ships to dock while keeping them safe under the shields of Terok Nor (the Cardassian name for Deep Space Nine). Not only does Deep Space Nine look cool, but it’s also a design that’s completely functional and logical given the station’s intended purpose.
Production designer Herman Zimmerman was the one who originally designed Deep Space Nine. The station was of Cardassian origin from the start, which is why it looks so different from the Federation technology we know from other Star Trek series.
However, the final look of the station wasn’t the first idea to be put forward. Speaking to Star Trek Magazine in 1999, Zimmerman said the following about the design of DS9…
“Our initial task was to develop the concept of a ‘Tower of Babel’, a space station built over several thousand years by different cultures. The technologies of the individual parts of the station would therefore come from different eras and different cultures and would not necessarily communicate with each other. This led to a certain amount of confusion.”
Early concept art by DS9 co-creator Rick Sternbach reflects this initial direction.
“The first impression was that it was a very old, antique type of station – perhaps not symmetrical in shape,” explains Sternbach.
Eventually they realized that the Tower of Babel idea was too chaotic. Instead, they decided to start from scratch and develop something as alien and non-federal as possible. From this design, a series of hoops evolved…
This tire aesthetic means that they never thought about bulging the docking ports outwards. Why is unclear, perhaps they simply realized early on that it was more logical to bulge them inwards…
These sketches eventually evolved into the Terok Nor we all know and love. This was, after all, the first image of Deep Space Nine the public ever saw. It was used in a series of promotional photos promoting the show…
Deep Space Nine is a magnificent design, one of the most unique in the history of science fiction. Nothing like it has ever been done before or since.
Now give the station the attention it deserves. Walk around in a circle and act as if you are in awe of the pylons.
