History of the name 'Pegasus'

The name Pegasus has often represented power, excellence, adventure. The USS Pegasus-B is no different!

Greek mythology on Earth brought us the name Pegasus. Almost everyone has heard of a magnificent horse with wings called Pegasus. Pegasus was first born from the dead Medusa. Perseus had beheaded Medusa and Pegasus, a snow white flying horse, sprang from her blood and emerged from her neck. Pegasus was a shy horse who couldn't be tamed by ordinary mortals. No one could catch him. In one story about Pegasus, Bellerophon, a hero, needed Pegasus to help him kill the Chimaera. He tamed Pegasus with a golden bridle and then after killing the Chimaera, he tried to fly up to Olympus, despite the obvious objections of Pegasus. He would have made it had not Zeus sent a gadfly to sting Pegasus, causing him to throw  Bellerophon off his back. Bellerophon was crippled forever, but Pegasus was used by Zeus himself to carry thunderbolts. It was also said that where Pegasus had stood, a fresh spring of water appeared that gave poets and writers great talents and ideas when they drank from it. In another account, Perseus and Pegasus roamed the Earth, helping those who couldn't help themselves. In yet another, Pegasus belonged to Hercules.

In the mid 1970s on Earth, the United States Navy began work on a new class of warship. The new ship was to be a small patrol craft, yet well armed, able to destroy the largest warships. The design team decided to make the craft a hydrofoil. The first ship of the class was named USS Pegasus, PHM1. She and her sister ships served well in their rolls, well into the 21st century.

The first Starship named Pegasus was a NX class ship built in 2154 first commanded by Captain Brian Bremer. Little was known about the early missions of NX-10 until recently. The Pegasus first few missions took her to the edge of Klingon space where the crew learned more about the feared warrior species, and even conducting joint missions with future Federation members, the Vulcans and Andorians. In 2155, under the command of Captain Christopher Bremer, Pegasus joined the Starfleet battle fleet fighting the Romulans. Near the end of the Earth/Romulan war, the Pegasus was assigned as Task Force command ship for a group of six ships (two Venus class, two Neptune class, the NX Class ship Yorktown, and the NX Pegasus). This group was to attack a Romulan supply base at planet Galorndon Core, however during the attack a force of Romulan Warbirds and Bird of Prey counter attacked. While her escorts took care of the supply base and cargo ships, the Pegasus held off the Romulan group of four ships. NX-10 suffered heavy damage and was towed back to Earth for repairs by the USS Horizon, one of the brand new Daedalus class ships. The Pegasus was repaired and fought in the last two major engagements of the war, including the Battle of Cheron. The Pegasus was decommissioned in 2170. After ten years in the 'mothball fleet', the Pegasus was assigned to Starfleet Academy as a training vessel. She serves in that roll to this day.

The first Federation Starship named Pegasus was a Constitution Class ship built in 2246. NCC-1702 served the Federation well in her early years. In 2265 she received a new CO, Captain Walter Norman Bremer whom maintained command though out the rest of the late 23rd century. In 2280, the ship was scheduled for decommissioning, but was refitted instead, the last of the class to be refit. In 2321 the ship was decommissioned. She is now apart of the Starfleet Museum in Earth Orbit.

In 2280, the NCC-1702 was scheduled for decommissioning. Starfleet was finishing up a new Starship design. With 1702 scheduled to be decommissioned, the class was named the Pegasus class, with the first ship called USS Pegasus NCC-1974. However a week before launching, Starfleet Command decided to keep NCC-1702 in service and refit her as they did the rest of the Constitution class ships like the USS Enterprise NCC-1701. NCC-1974 was renamed USS Carolina, but the class kept it's name as the Pegasus class. Only six of the class were built. Two, the USS Carolina NCC-1974 and USS Hammond NCC-1979 are used by Starfleet Academy as training vessels today. USS Hercules NCC-1982 was destroyed by the Borg during their incursion into Earth's space in 2373. USS Pereseus NCC-1984 was lost in 2376 during the Dominion war. USS Charleston NCC-1986 was lost in 2324 after an encounter with the Romulans. USS Cerberus NCC-1902, the first ship of the class to go into active service, was lost to unknown forces in 2344.

The second Starship named Pegasus was an Oberth Class Science ship built in 2342. NCC-53847 was the test bed vessel for several new system designs, many of which were used later in the Galaxy Class Starship. Under the Command of Captain Preston, with a young William T. Riker at Conn, the Pegasus was also the test bed ship for a phasing cloak. The ship was destroyed when the cloak failed while the ship was inside an asteroid.

The third Starship named Pegasus was a Galaxy Class ship. NCC- 1702-A was commissioned in late 2371. She was the flagship of Tango Fleet for just over one year. In 2373, her command was given to Capt. Mike K'Wor Bremer. He and his crew served the Federation well until the ship was destroyed while on a rescue mission later that year.

The Forth ship to be named Pegasus was the first Galaxy Class Dreadnought in Starfleet. NCC-53847-A was commissioned just after the third Pegasus was destroyed in 2373. Command was given to Capt. Bremer. He and the rest of the survivors of the third Pegasus joined Starfleet's 4th Fleet, Bravo Fleet, the new Special Operations Fleet. Mike was promoted to Admiral and XO/JAG of Bravo Fleet. In mid 2374, K'Wor was promoted to Fleet Admiral, and the Pegasus-A became the Bravo Fleet Flagship! NCC-53847-A was destroyed defending a Cardassian planet from a renegade Federation ship in late 2375.

A month after the NCC-53847-A was lost, a new Galaxy Class Dreadnought was commissioned. Originally name Aries, the ship was redesigned Pegasus, NCC-1702-B. FAdm. Bremer and his crew were assigned the new ship, Bravo Fleet's new Flagship. The ship proceeded on her trial runs. Since then, this ship has done the Federation proud in exploration, Federation defense, first contact with new races, intel gathering, and all missions she has been sent on. Currently, the Pegasus is assigned to station Starbase 400, which Admiral Bremer commands.