View source for Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual

<!-- Spelling: US -->
{{Infobox book 
| name          = Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual
| title_orig    = 
| translator    = 
| image         = STTNGTM.jpg
| caption = Cover
| author        = [[Rick Sternbach]] and [[Michael Okuda]]
| illustrator   = 
| cover_artist  = 
| country       = 
| language      = 
| series        = 
| subject       = 
| genre         = 
| publisher     = 
| release_date  = 
| english_release_date =
| media_type    = 
| pages         = 
| isbn          = 0-671-70427-3
| dewey= 791.45/72 20
| congress= PN1992.77.S73 S78 1991
| oclc= 24648561
| preceded_by   = 
| followed_by   = [[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual]]
}}

'''''Star Trek: The Next Generation: Technical Manual''''' (''ST:TNG TM'') is a [[paperback]] reference guide detailing the inner and other workings of the [[fiction]]al [[United Federation of Planets|Federation]] [[starship]] [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|''Enterprise''-D]] and other aspects of [[technology]] that appeared in the television series ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''.

Authored by [[Rick Sternbach]] and [[Michael Okuda]], who both worked in the art department on the television series, with a foreword by series creator [[Gene Roddenberry]], the first and only edition was published in 1991 ({{ISBN|0-671-70427-3}}) by [[Pocket Books]], and [[Paramount Pictures]] holds all [[copyright]]s.

== Background and contents ==
The ''ST:TNG TM'' is written from the perspective of the 24th century, where ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation|TNG]]'' is set; it also contains a wealth of behind-the-scenes trivia distinguishable from the technical content. The work is considered by Paramount to be [[Star Trek canon|canon]] in many respects, although some elements first published in the manual have not yet made it onto screen.   The book itself claims that elements of it may be false or misleading in order to mislead "threat" forces.

Some ideas developed for the technical manual, or its predecessor, the internal ''Writers Technical Manual'', were later incorporated into the storylines of the TV series and movies.  Most notably, a concept drawing from the manual describing an emergency landing of the saucer section was seen by ''TNG'' writers [[Ronald D. Moore]], [[Jeri Taylor]], and [[Brannon Braga]] who wanted to use a saucer crash as a sixth-season cliffhanger episode for the TV series. This idea was shelved due to budget limitations and resistance from producer [[Michael Piller]]. However, Moore and Braga later included the scenario in ''[[Star Trek Generations]]''.  Also first seen in the technical manual were the ''Nova''-class starship and the USS ''Galaxy''.

The book contains explanations of [[Warp drive#Star Trek|Warp drive]] (including a chart showing warp factor against speed, and an explanation that integer warp factors are more efficient than fractional ones), the [[Transporter (Star Trek)|transporter]] (which is said to transport matter from place to place keeping it in the form of a "matter stream", and works using analog technology to defeat pattern storage requirements), the [[Replicator (Star Trek)|replicator]] (which is said to work on the basis of the transporter, but with a less precise digital resolution), [[holodeck]]s, [[Weapons of Star Trek|phasers and photon torpedoes]], [[impulse drive]], the [[Warp drive (Star Trek)#Warp core|warp core]] (including a chemical formula for [[Dilithium (Star Trek)|dilithium]]), [[Subspace (Star Trek)|subspace radio]], saucer separation and landing, the computer, and the various auxiliary craft of the ''Enterprise''.  It also contains a section regarding the history of the development of the ''Galaxy''-class ships.

== In-jokes ==
In addition to the more serious material, the manual also contains a number of [[in-jokes|inside jokes]].  These include:
* A readable version of the medical display with the words "Medical Insurance Coverage Available" visible.
* A [[Cross section (geometry)|cross-section]] diagram of the ship with the silhouettes of a [[rubber ducky]], [[sports car]], [[DC-3]] airplane, [[Nomad (Star Trek)|Nomad]] from ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|ST:TOS]]'', a [[rat]], and a [[hamster wheel]] visible.
* A statement that the stellar navigation department of the ''Enterprise''-D is staffed by an assortment of [[cetaceans]] (later backed up by published blueprints of the ''Enterprise'' drawn by Sternbach).
* A statement that the primary component of the [[holodeck]] emitters is "Keiyurium", after Kei and Yuri, the "lovely angels" from ''[[Dirty Pair]]'', a [[Japanese popular culture|Japanese]] [[anime]] and [[manga]] franchise.

== Related publications ==
The print version was later complemented by a similar electronic version, the ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Interactive Technical Manual]]''.

A follow-up title, the ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual]]'', was published in 1998.

== See also ==
* {{Memoryalpha|Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual}}
*[[List of Star Trek Technical Manuals|List of ''Star Trek'' Technical Manuals]]

{{Star Trek: The Next Generation}}
{{Star Trek publications}}

[[Category:1991 books]]
[[Category:Star Trek reference books|Next Generation Technical Manual]]
[[Category:Pocket Books books]]