U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 (Kelvin)

U.S.S. Enterprise at Saturn (ST11)

The Federation Starship Enterprise, a Constitution class cruiser, was commissioned on Stardate 2258.42. Originally commanded by Captain Christopher Pike, the Enterprise quickly went through a succession of temporary captains during an attack on the Federation by a rogue Romulan, Nero, from an alternate future. Nero captured Captain Pike, who left Commander Spock, his first officer, in command, with Starfleet Academy cadet James T. Kirk, breveted to Lieutenant for the duration of the crisis, as Spock's first officer. After Nero destroyed Vulcan with Red Matter, a powerful substance from the future, Spock relinquished command, leaving Kirk as the ship's third captain in a matter of hours. Kirk was able to prevent Nero from destroying Earth, detonating the Red Matter and destroying Nero's ship, the Narada, and was promoted and officially named captain of the Enterprise.

A year later, Kirk and the Enterprise crew were instrumental in uncovering a plot by a secret organization, Section 31, to instigate a war with the Klingon Empire. An apparent rogue Section 31 agent, John Harrison, was revealed to be Khan Noonian Singh, an infamous dictator and Augment from Earth's Eugenics Wars of the late 20th century. Section 31 had discovered Khan's ship, the S.S. Botany Bay, adrift in space, with Khan and dozens of his followers suspended in cryogenic freeze.