- For other uses, see Phaeton.
A phaton is a piece of technology. It was the primary component of a deflector shield generator used on Federation starships in the 23rd century.
The phaton was invented by Professor Osric Whipple.
- Since James T. Kirk credited Whipple's phaton invention with saving his life, it had to have been invented during or prior to Kirk's Starfleet career, or possibly prior to his birth—as his parents had traveled with him on starships.
History and specifications[]
In the year 2267, while experimenting on the planetoid Quaraxus to make an electromagnetic defense field that could repel meteorites, Professor Whipple inadvertently made metallic objects leap off the surface into space. Sensors aboard the passing starship USS Enterprise detected the incident. After deactivating his experimental equipment, Spock and James T. Kirk beamed Whipple aboard the Enterprise so he would avoid being arrested by the local authorities. When Whipple asked if that was against Starfleet regulations, Kirk said it was thanks for Whipple having invented the phaton deflector mechanism, which he said had saved his life many times. (TOS comic: "Destination Annihilation")