With a little more than a month left before the release ofStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3, there is one Easter egg that I really want to see in upcomingStar Trekreleases. So far, we only have a few guesses about whatStar Trekhas planned for its upcoming shows. There is ateaser trailer forStrange New Worldsseason 3that shows off some very intriguing sets, and we also know who’s going to be in thecast ofStar Trek: Starfleet Academy.
So far, the Paramount+Star Trekshows have done a great job of includingEaster eggs and callbacks to classicStar Trekshows. Those little connections make every new piece ofTrekmedia even more exciting to watch. Out of everything that they might include in the upcoming shows,I really hope thatStar Trekbrings back a type of cameo that madeStar Trek: The Next GenerationandStar Trek: Enterpriseuniqueamong the rest of the shows in the franchise.
Star Trek Should Cast Real Astronauts In Strange New Worlds And Starfleet Academy
They Make Iconic Cameos For Actors And Audiences Alike
PreviousStar Trekshows have cast real astronauts as guest stars and minor actors,and that is the sort of cameo that the franchise should absolutely bring back inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3andStarfleet Academy. InStar Trek: The Next Generation, astronaut and physician Mae Jemison appeared in the season 6 episode, “Second Chances.” In real life, Dr. Jemison was a science mission specialist on the Shuttle Endeavor in 1992, and she was the first African American woman in space.
InStar Trek: The Next Generation, Dr. Jemison played Lt. Palmer, the operations officer on duty at the transporter when the crew of the USS Enterprise discovered Lt. Thomas Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Commander William T. Riker’s transporter clone.For Dr. Jemison, appearing onTNGwas the culmination of a lifetime love ofStar Trek.She said of the experience (viaStar Trek: The Next Generation Companion):
As a little girl, I watched Star Trek. I knew that looking at Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Uhura, someone was connecting my idea of space…
And again, in thefinale ofStar Trek: Enterprise, two real astronauts made guest appearances: Colonels Terry W. Virts and E. Michael Fincke. Similarly,Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti dressed up as aStar Trekcaptain while on board the International Space Station. There is a lot of love between real-life astronauts and the fictional space explorers ofStar Trek. That is the kind of love that the franchise should recapture by bringing real astronauts back toStar Trekin their upcoming projects.
Astronauts Are A Real World Space Connection That Makes Star Trek Special
Star Trek Introduces Future Astronauts To Space
As a franchise,Star Trekis uniquely positioned to have real astronauts appear as guest stars. A lot of current astronauts grew up watchingStar Trek: Deep Space NineorStar Trek: Voyager, andthese shows helped inspire a love of space that literally took them to the stars.For Dr. Mae Jemison, appearing onStar Trek: The Next Generationfelt like coming full circle;other astronaut guest stars onStar Trekwould likelyfeel the same way.
There are other real-world Easter eggs inStar Trekshows. Whether it is Commander Data (Brent Spiner) referencing the"Irish unification of 2024"in “The High Ground” or Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs) referencing Elon Musk alongside the Wright brothers and Zefram Cochrane inStar Trek: Discovery,the franchise’s references to the real world can age fast.They were cool in the moment, but the future is always impossible to predict.
But seeing Dr. Jemison or Colonel Virts is as cool in 2025 as it was in 1993. Real astronauts inStar Trekwould connect new shows not only withThe Next Generation, but with the actual final frontier that the franchise is all about. WithStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3 andStarfleet Academyon the horizon, bringing astronauts back toStar Trekwould be the exact type of Easter egg that would be perfect for the Paramount+ era.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Cast
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy follows a group of cadets as they embark on their journey to become Starfleet officers. Facing the challenges of friendship, rivalry, and romance, they confront a new enemy endangering the Academy and the Federation under the guidance of their rigorous instructors.
