The NSA has turned to Star Trek for inspiration for its new command center. Before deciding to build their new command center with this type of a design, Keith Alexander, had used a facility at Fort Belvoir, Virignia that also had influences taken from Star Trek. At the time, Alexander was in charge of the Army’s Intelligence and Security Command, but he is now the chief of the NSA.
The new command center is supposedly modeled after the enterprise starship, which was made popular by the television series, Star Trek. The original model in Fort Belvoir, Virginia was reportedly designed by a Hollywood set designer and was complete with chrome panels, computer stations, a huge TV monitor on the forward wall and doors that made a “whoosh” sound when they opened and closed, according to PBS Newshour.
After a number of instances of the NSA scaring people and fearing that they are being watched, maybe this is something that will get people to think that they are not so bad after all. How afraid should we really be of people that are modeling their command centers off of Star Trek‘s Enterprise? The new center is being set up as part of a new Information Dominance Center. It has been described as an ultramodern operations center, with a primary function being able to 24-hour worldwide visualization, planning, and execution of coordinated information operations for the US Army and other federal agencies, says The Guardian. This futuristic setting feels even more like the enterprise with the commander’s console, giving one that illusion that they have just boarded a star ship after sitting down.
Were our #tax dollars used to construct the #NSA director's #StarTrek Enterprise "Information Dominance Center"? http://t.co/xjHmfIK4bx
— AlterNet (@AlterNet) September 17, 2013
A retired officer that was in charge of VIP visits to the orginal model was quoted saying “Everybody wanted to sit in the chair at least once to pretend he was Jean-Luc Picard.” Picard, of course, is the famous captain of the ship, who was played by Patrick Stewart.
What a joke. #NSA chief built lavish "Star Trek" room complete w/ doors that go 'whoosh' http://t.co/SrPRcg4xSE via @guardian
— Brad Thor (@BradThor) September 16, 2013
This type of elaborate design is hardly what the NSA needs to be concerned with. Clearly, there must be more important things for the NSA to do than hire a Hollywood set designer to model a center influenced by Star Trek. It must excite all the Star Trek fans out there though. This could be seen by some people as a big waste of money that the government could be using for other things.
Image via Youtube