The document summarizes the filming of a 1967 Star Trek episode at Space Park in Redondo Beach, California. It describes how some of the technologies featured in Star Trek like communicators and energy weapons were already in development at Space Park. Space Park was pioneering research into directed energy and laser technology. The modern design of Space Park's buildings provided an ideal setting to depict a futuristic colony, foreshadowing technological advances to come.

1. PHASERS,
PHOTONS
& SPACE PARK
1967 ‘STAR TREK’ FILMING
FORETOLD OF FANTASTIC
TECHNOLOGIES TO COME
BOB BISHOP
“What’s past is prologue …”
William Shakespeare’s theatrical metaphor, introduced
in “The Tempest” around 1610, usually refers to a
backstory that sets the scene for (hopefully) better
things to come.
Just 43 years ago, several scenes for a “Star Trek”
episode were filmed at Space Park in Redondo Beach,
Calif. In retrospect, the type of historical foreshadowing
referenced by the “Bard of Avon” centuries earlier was
very much in play during the filming.
Some of the science fiction show’s
technologies and gadgets were only a few
years away from becoming science fact – in
large part because of work already underway
at Space Park.
‘Which Badge Does Mr. Spock Get?”
In Earth time, the date was Feb. 15, 1967. It’s recorded
forever in the logs of the Federation Starship Enterprise
as stardate 3287.2.
The scenes – filmed in front of the S Patio Café as
employees watched from the walkway overhead – were
for Episode 29 titled “Operation: Annihilate!” The plot is
about a seemingly contagious outbreak of insanity on
several other worlds that had spread to Deneva, where
Captain Kirk’s brother lives. An unknown species of
alien parasites is found to be responsible.
The Enterprise’s crew was fully present and accounted
for: Captain Kirk (William Shatner); Mr. Spock (Leonard
Nimoy); Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley); Scotty (James
Doohan); Mr. Sulu (George Takei); and Lieutenant
Uhura (Nichelle Nicols).
On April 13, two months after the Space Park filming, the
episode aired. Those who watch closely on reruns can still see
Building E2 in the background of one shot.
The show’s fictional devices, such as the communicator – said
to be the inspiration for actual products like cell phones – were
to come from employees who watched the filming and the
nearby facilities where they worked.
Even though NBC cancelled the show in 1969, connections
between “Star Trek” and Space Park continue today.
 Vast numbers of the integrated circuits that led to cell
phones becoming ubiquitous were designed and produced in
Bldg. D1, currently known as the Simon Ramo
Microelectronics Center.
 “Star Trek’s” universe was full of fictional weapons – and
mostly energy weapons – that foreshadowed future
technologies. Lasers, shown in a few very early episodes as
side arms, were quickly succeeded by phasers as the series’
most common directed energy weapon. Photon torpedoes,
pulse cannons – all kinds of energy weapons abounded.
 By 1967, Space Park was well on its way to becoming the
defense industry pioneer in directed energy that it is today.
Scientists and technicians in Bldg. R1 during years of testing
have unequivocally demonstrated laser power and lethality
many times over.
‘Is the Federation a US Citizen?’
Space Park was chosen for location filming because of the way
the newly completed campus looked.
“The Star Trek Compendium,” a fan bible, describes the setting
this way: “A series of symmetrical buildings, this modern
complex provided the ideal surroundings for a colony of the
future.”
The Los Angeles Conservancy added considerably more
insight earlier this year when it published “The Sixties Turn 50,”
a tour guide of 1960s Los Angeles architecture. The book
explains, “Space Park was the nation’s first group of space
science laboratories and manufacturing facilities designed
solely for the entire process of designing, building and testing
spacecraft.”
It continues, “Built between 1960 and 1967, Space Park rapidly
became the historic birthplace of vast amounts of innovative
missile, satellite and space-based technology,” and added,
“Sixties modernism brought a new style of architecture to the
limelight, full of optimism and ambition.”
Space Park’s design, by that interpretation, was in sync with
“Star Trek’s” theme, which was described this way by The New
York Times last year:
Star Trek foresaw no bizarre transformation of human society,
but rather promised viewers that whatever fantastic
incarnations of evil or extraterrestrial power were encountered
each week, decency, democracy and humanity (along with a
willingness to fire the photon torpedoes) would prevail.”
That’s another link between the show and Space Park, where
employees work to ensure the nation will always deal from a
position of strength. From today’s perspective, “Star Trek’s”
and Space Park’s vision and ambition were interwoven on that
day slightly more than 43 years ago.
As incredible as it still seems, on stardate 3287.2, science
fiction and reality, together with the past, present and future,
crossed cosmic paths in front of the S Patio Café … of all
places.
- - -
“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are
dreamt of in your philosophy.”
From “Hamlet,” by William Shakespeare
This Page:
TRW employees watch “Star Trek” filming
from the walkway overlooking the “S” Patio
Café main entrance.
Opposite Page:
Top - Cast members chat with an employee
during a break.
Bottom - Producer Gene Rodenberry,
center, scouts a shooting location for filming
Episode 29. (Northrop Grumman photos)
August 2010 AEROSPACE NOW 2120 August 2010 AEROSPACE NOW