Long before the B-2 and F-117 aircraft made the term "stealth" a household term, Klingon and Romulan ships were employing stealth technology ("cloaking") against the Federation on Star Trek.

Although some amazing technological advances have been made on Earth, we still can't make things as invisible as cloaked starships.

Stealth technology uses a mixture of shapes and radar absorbing materials to dramatically reduce the amount of energy an object reflects when "scanned" by a radar beam. The results can be dramatic: the B-2 bomber is often described as having the same radar presence as a bee. (Photo courtesy Boeing)

Klingon bird-of-prey class vessels are regularly seen morphing in and out of sight. Current technology only allows near invisibility to occur at night when a combination of low radar cross section and darkness combine to make these planes especially stealthy.

The shape of a stealth aircraft is one of its most important attributes. Just looking at the way it is designed can offer important clues as to how it deals with radar. As such, what these aircraft look like has been a tightly, and successfully, held secret. Stealth aircraft are only revealed to the public when either the need to use the systems in full view is required or, as was recently the case, when the technology is no longer deemed super secret.

Boeing recently revealed the existence of its "Bird of Prey" technology demonstrator. According to Boeing this vehicle "pioneered breakthrough low-observable technologies and revolutionized aircraft design, development and production. The once highly classified project ran from 1992 through 1999, and was revealed because the technologies and capabilities developed have become industry standards, and it is no longer necessary to conceal the aircraft's existence." (Photo courtesy Boeing)

When the Bird of Prey was revealed to the media on October 18, Boeing officials openly admitted that the name was inspired by similarly shaped, stealth-enabled Klingon spacecraft.

Given that these ultra-futuristic aircraft are already "old" technology, and the fact that Star Trek clearly inspired their creators, you have to wonder just what they are working on today...

ISS Science Officer update:

Several weeks ago I reported on the naming of International Space Station (ISS) Expedition Five Astronaut Peggy Whitson as NASA's first "Science Officer." Well, it would seem that the Star Trek connection to this title was not lost on Peggy's friends and co-workers at NASA.

Peggy writes a regular letter from space. In a recent letter she ended with:

"Mr. O'Keefe also came to Mission Control in Houston a couple of weeks ago and announced that I was to be the first Science Officer of the ISS. I obviously don't mind the new title, in spite of the fact that my many supportive friends have sent an incredible amount of Star Trek/Mr. Spock-related email!
— Live Long and Prosper, Peg"

Peggy carried the prank a step further Halloween morning (as spotted by Jim Banke at SPACE.COM) when she appeared on a videolink from the ISS wearing slightly oversized Vulcan ears. Chuckles could be heard at Mission Control. (Picture courtesy NASA TV via SPACE.COM)

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