whale probe
The "whale probe" was the designation for a probe of unknown origin which visited Earth in 2286.
At least eight vessels, including the USS Saratoga, USS Yorktown, USS Shepard, and two Klingon vessels, were disabled on the probe's way to Earth. There, it disabled Earth Spacedock and settled over the planet with intentions of communicating with the Earth's whale species. When the probe received what it was looking for, it retreated into deep space. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
History[]
During the 2286 threat, Section 31 covertly beamed components and copied alien data from the whale probe and, with Starfleet Intelligence, spent over 80 years attempting to decode it, eventually leading to the USS Phoenix-X. In 2384, the whale probe attempted to destroy the Phoenix-X after learning of the theft from a century earlier. A high-pitched frequency was used by Wallace to warn the probe away, while Section 31 used this second opportunity to steal more components from the probe to be used in the Phoenix-X's transwarp engines. The additional components eventually enabled the Phoenix-X to travel to the Andromeda galaxy. (Star Trek: Phoenix-X: "Experimentalism", "Forbidden Crossing Part I, II & III")
External links[]
- Whale probe article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.
- Cetacean Probe article at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki.