- This article is about the library facility. You may be looking for our sister site, Memory Alpha.
Memory Alpha was first in a series of outpost facilities that were created to house the whole of the Federation's extensive library of knowledge.
History and specifications[]
Memory Alpha was created specifically as an open, undefended center of knowledge of the Federation and the galaxy. It is located in the Alpha Quadrant. (TOS episode: "The Lights of Zetar"; ST reference: Star Charts)
Memory Alpha was located on a planetoid in what is referred to as the Memory Alpha system, in the Teneebia sector, within the Alpha Centauri sector block region of space. (ST video game: Star Trek Online)
It is located near Denobula IV. (ST video game: Infinite)
In the late 23rd century, the archives recorded the names of 2,493 space-faring races that had been known throughout history. (FASA RPG module: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge)
In November 2385, over 600 staff members worked in different departments, which were mostly isolated from one another. (Prometheus novel: In the Heart of Chaos)
Organization[]
Astro-cultural database[]
In 2379, a map of the Dominion War was created by Professor Eawood Full of Starfleet Academy which cross-linked with the Astro-Cultural Database and recently declassified Starfleet files. (ST reference: Stellar Cartography: The Starfleet Reference Library, p. 41)
Cartography archives[]
Maps of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, extracted from the 2386 version of the Federation Master Astrometric Database and Federation General Catalogue, were stored in the Cartography Archives. (ST reference: Stellar Cartography: The Starfleet Reference Library, pp. 10, 12)
Central archives[]
Memory Alpha's Central Archives were divided into various departments and divisions.
- The External Gifts Department contained a 2364 map of the Cardassian Union by an anonymous astrography clerk who worked in the Cardassian Central Archives.
- The Antiquities Division had on display T'Khasi (Vulcan) at Surak's Passing—a 4th century map of the Vulcan system by T'Sari, and a 2266 map of the Klingon Empire by Honored Klingon Scribe K'tark of the High Council.
- The Permanent Loan Division held a 2366 map of the Romulan Star Empire created by Stellar Archive Artist Lsel Essik using information from the Romulan Master Data Catalogue.
- The Starfleet Historical Office housed an early Federation chart showing the three key battles of the Earth-Romulan War. This chart, The Romulan War: An Astrographic Brief was designed in 2162 by Lieutenant Commander John Kevin Millburn of the Starfleet Information Service. (ST reference: Stellar Cartography: The Starfleet Reference Library, pp. 19, 23, 33, 38)
Popular fine arts collection[]
A map called "Known Space", by Andorian digital artist Rhiis Talee, was on display in the Popular Fine Arts Collection at Memory Alpha. (ST reference: Stellar Cartography: The Starfleet Reference Library, p. 7)
History[]
Lieutenant T'Laen of the USS Lovell prepared a request to access Memory Alpha's computers to search for information on a mysterious wave affecting Vanguard in 2265. (SCE eBook: Distant Early Warning)
After an attack on it by beings from Zetar II, the Symphony Alpha complex was also built on its surface, headed by Commissioner Mira Romaine. (TOS video game: Starfleet Academy: Strategic Command)
During the time when Memory Alpha was out of commission due to the Zetarian attack, a new outpost named Memory Prime was created to help protect and decentralize the model of Federation library facilties after the great loss of the Alpha archive. During this time, the expensive plans to bring Memory Alpha back online as a sister facility ran into major holdups and was sometimes jokingly referred to as "Memory Omega". (TOS novel: Memory Prime)
Memory Alpha, along with Starbase 218, was a destination of the USS Prague during a cadet training cruise in 2346. (TNG novel: Losing the Peace)
The USS Enterprise-D set course for Memory Alpha in 2366 to deliver the famous exologist Eric Baldwin for debriefing after a lengthy expedition to Tantamon IV. Baldwin was expected to spend months, maybe years, studying and organizing his data there. (TNG novel: Boogeymen)
In 2374, Jadzia Dax consulted Memory Alpha for information on the Grigari. (DS9 video game: The Fallen)
Sometime prior to her assignment to the USS da Vinci, Dr. Carol Abramowitz was offered a research posting on Memory Alpha, which she ultimately declined. (SCE eBook: Foundations, Book Three)
Chi Namthot of Memory Alpha had made extensive research notes on the Iconian Gateways prior to 2376. (DS9 novel: Gateways)
In 2377, Ro Laren uplinked with both Memory Alpha and the Bajoran Central Archives when researching Iliana Ghemor. (DS9 novel: Fearful Symmetry)
After the death of Shinzon, researchers at Memory Alpha completed a study to determine what would have happened if the mad Praetor had not been stopped. Their preliminary analysis revealed that both the Alpha and Beta quadrants would have been consumed by total thalaron war which would have started a new dark age that would have consumed and devastated entire civilizations. The aftermath would have resulted in the surviving powers being too weak to challenge the Borg Collective. (TOS novel: Captain's Blood)
In 2387, the Romulan Nero attempted to learn about Memory Alpha via the computer aboard the USS Enterprise-E. He was unsurprised to learn that, in spite of being granted "full access" to the ship, the computer refused to release the information. (ST - Countdown comic: "Number Two")
By 2409, Lieutenant Kirayoshi O'Brien, son of Starfleet engineer Miles O'Brien, was stationed at Memory Alpha. (ST video game: Star Trek Online)
Memory Alpha on the explored galaxy map.
Memory Alpha was noted on star charts of the galaxy's explored regions in the 23rd and 24th centuries, in an area of the projection also containing Sirius, Sol and Holberg 917G. (TOS movie: The Undiscovered Country, TNG episodes: "Conspiracy", "The Measure of a Man", "The Emissary", "The Mind's Eye", "The Game", DS9 episodes: "In the Hands of the Prophets", "Cardassians")
Personnel[]
| Memory Alpha personnel and residents | ||
|---|---|---|
| David A. Goodman • Geoffrey Mandel • Chi Namthot • Kirayoshi O'Brien • Kosinski • Mira Romaine • unnamed Memory Alpha personnel | 
| |
Appendices[]
Connections[]
| Alpha Centauri sector block | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bordered locations: sector 002 (Alpha Centauri) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sierra sector/Agrama sector | Agrama system (Agrama Prime) • Chiron system (Chiron II • Chiron II-A • Chiron II-B) • Chiron Beta Prime • Rhi system • Sienae system • Sierra system (Starbase 39-Sierra) • Sierra Outpost II system (Sierra Outpost II) • Terrh system | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teneebia sector | Demil system • Eirhess system • Elvren system • Icari system • Memory Alpha system (Memory Alpha) • Teneebia system | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vendor sector | Aelas system (Aelas) • Hadrian system • Pilatus system • Ra'kholh system • T'liss system (T'liss) • Tephrei system • Vendor system (Volos • Vendor • Augav • Catebaf • Wodeb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| explored galaxy map | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| states and organizations | First Federation • Tholian Assembly |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| regions | Kling • Romulan Neutral Zone • Sarpeid | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| stars and systems | Aldeberan • Alpha Carinae • Alpha Centuri • Alpha Majoris • Beta Aurigae • Beta Geminorum • Beta Lyrae • Beta Niobe • Beta Portalan • Capella • Deneb • Eminiar • Fabrina • Gamma Trianguli • Ingraham B • Omega Cygni • Orion • Pallas 14 • Phylos • Regulus • Rigel • Sirius • Sol • Talos • Tau Ceti | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| planets and planetoids | Alfa 177 • Altair VI • Andor • Arret • Ariannus • Babel • Benecia • Berengaria VII • Camus II • Canopus III • Daran V • Gamma Canaris N • Holberg 917G • Janus VI • Kzin • Lactra VII • Makus III • Marcos XII • Marnak IV • Memory Alpha • Mudd • Omega IV • Organia • Pollux IV • Psi 2000 • Pyrix VII • Remus • Romulus • Theta III • Vulcan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References[]
External links[]
- Memory Alpha article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Memory Alpha article at The Star Trek Online Wiki.
- Memory Alpha article at Fandom's Star Trek Expanded Universe.