In the latest episode of National Geographic’s Star Talk, host Neil deGrasse Tyson is asked to choose between Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon from Star Wars and Captain Kirk’s original Enterprise from Star Trek. Answering the question, the astrophysicist made no bones about his choice.
“Oh my god. That’s easy — The Enterprise. There’s no question.” said Tyson.
“The Enterprise has the benefit of being… real — in the sense that there are real scientists and real engineers on the ship, monitoring its engine, its warp drive, its photon torpedoes. So it’s fake real. The Millennium Falcon is just fake fake. It’s just part of a fantasy in storytelling in Star Wars.”
Tyson went on to point out how the Enterprise is unlike any other fictional space vessel.
“It is the first ever space ship, represented in storytelling, that was not designed to go from one place to another. It was only designed to explore.”
“In a battle, the Enterprise would just wipe its ass with the Millennium Falcon.”
Which ship do you think would be victorious in a one-on-one battle? Tell us in the comments below.
Corylea
November 30, 2015 at 1:46 pm
Aw, he was adorable, especially at the end, wondering if he could actually say “wipe its ass with.” You rock, Mr. Tyson!
sirald66
December 1, 2015 at 1:24 am
I am surprised he didn’t break it down to weapon and deflective energy, aside from haul strength and tactical weaknesses.
Dasjerm
December 1, 2015 at 6:22 am
Depends. If it’s the JJ Enterprise, sure the Enterprise since JJ “Star Wars’d” the Enterprise anyway to make it so much more powerful and it fires a billion photon torpedoes a second. BUT if it’s the 60’s Enterprise, the Falcon would run rings around it, showering it with laser blasts making a mockery of the crew trying to keep up with it. Han and Chewie would laugh and high five while the Enterprise crew burns and dies.
Singels
December 1, 2015 at 9:44 pm
You do know that lasers would do absolutely nothing to the Enterprise… It has shields.
Alexander
December 1, 2015 at 11:05 pm
You do realize that the Falcon doesn’t have capital ship batteries only point defence batteries? The enterprise would constitute a capital ship and thus a small freighter would not be of much use in ship to ship combat. and I don’t envy any boarding party that attempts to beam aboard the falcon. redshirts red blood and arms everywhere
Eric Nirschel
December 1, 2016 at 12:37 am
Lasers in Star Wars are actually plasma with some positively absurd output; its a moot point, though, because the Falcon is literally a cargo hauler. It’d be like a battleship taking on a fishing boat.
Corylea
December 1, 2015 at 5:19 pm
Not only would the Enterprise wipe its ass with the Millennium Falcon, but the Enterprise is gorgeous, whereas the Millennium Falcon looks like a shapeless lump of metal.
Diego Keretzky Crusius
June 24, 2017 at 12:36 am
yeah it is supposed to be like that. But thats not why I came here. I came here for this:
booo!
Joe Balaich
December 1, 2015 at 5:28 pm
Don’t be too proud of this technological debate you’ve constructed. The ability to destroy the Millennium Falcon with the USS Enterprise is insignificant next to the power of the Force.
Aaron McMillan
June 25, 2017 at 11:56 am
How can I like this?
Alexander
December 1, 2015 at 10:59 pm
Of course the Enterprise would win, its designed for deep space exploration and part of that is self defence, The Falcon has two sets of quad cannons and a bank of missiles that’s it. Its used to haul cargo and freight, not explore deep space. If you compare a US Coast Guard Cutter with a tug boat of course the freaking ship decked out for combat would be superior in a fight. If you were to race the two ships which would win, the Falcon. Don’t judge a goat by its ability to climb a tree, even if the goat can get up there pretty high, the monkey will be better at it.
mrfridays
December 2, 2015 at 10:05 am
In a race the Enterprise would easily win. Warp speed is faster than light speed, while the Falcon’s highest velocity is just light speed.
Alexander
December 3, 2015 at 11:10 pm
Oh they use the slang lightspeed for hyper space. the falcon traverses the span of the galaxy in three weeks
its in the books. Warp is faster that Light speed, but it is not, even at 10 capable of traversing the expanse of alpha quadrant let alone the galaxy in three weeks
Herbert Bossman
December 5, 2015 at 9:47 pm
You’re assuming the Star Wars galaxy is the same size as the Milky Way. Star Wars happened long ago far away when galaxies were in an earlier smaller state
Alexander
December 7, 2015 at 1:02 am
https://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/The_galaxy
The Star Wars Galaxy is approx 100k light years across
the milky way is Approx 100k light years across.
I reiterate The Falcon and they Hyper-Drive systems in Star wars are more efficient and proficient than those used by the Star trek Universe.
1 Point to the star trek warp is they are not as affected by a gravity well
Nathaniel Freeman
June 24, 2017 at 9:00 am
What about Quantum Slipstream Drive, Borg Transwarp Networks and Iconian Gateway technology.
Alexander
June 25, 2017 at 4:59 pm
Does the enterprise utilize these transit technologies on a regular basis?
Neil
December 6, 2015 at 11:42 pm
By definition, warp 10 is infinite velocity. But I do believe they have misused this on occasion. It’s on sort of a logarithmic-ish scale.
But apart from that, yes, the falcon is much faster then any iteration of the Enterprise.
Alexander
December 7, 2015 at 1:18 am
The interesting thing is the Hyper drive Technology works on a very similar scale, the closer a ships hyperdrive gets to zero, the faster it is. and zero is infinite, occupying all points in space simultaneously. then I think it just becomes a TARDIS
Aaron McMillan
June 25, 2017 at 12:03 pm
This should go viral.
David Lally
June 22, 2017 at 11:02 am
“In a race the Enterprise would easily win. Warp speed is faster than light speed, while the Falcon’s highest velocity is just light speed.”
And right there you show your ignorance. You’re literally wrong, in every way.
chalvo
December 4, 2015 at 9:11 am
Don’t see why we couldn’t have both?
I mean, with the Enterprise, we could simply have an engineering team build a Millennium falcon, and park it nicely in a shuttle bay 🙂
Alexander
December 7, 2015 at 1:05 am
I like that, Han would probably be upset since its not his baby tho
Robert Allsbrook
December 7, 2015 at 9:58 am
The very first “Enterprise” that we see in The Original Series was capable of laying siege to an ENTIRE PLANET: By Itself. This is just the power of one Constitution class Star Ship.
In Star Trek, the Death Star would be a huge waste of any effort put in to it. The front line starships fielded by the various powers of the Milky Way were far smaller, but so many more time powerful than that Christmas Tree ornament that is named “Death Star”.
Forget the “‘Falcon”. It’s just a two man freighter AT BEST.
https://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Constitution_class#Tactical_systems
David Lally
June 22, 2017 at 11:03 am
“laying seige” is not the same as destroying it, you clueless dolt. You fanbois are pathetic
Jan Baard
August 22, 2019 at 8:31 pm
Lol, fanboys? Look at you, being insulted and proceed to insult others. Typical childish and fanboy behaviour. Listen up nerd, most people don’t care enough to be angry but you do which frankly is hilarious and pathetic at the same time.
Kate-Hope Mckneely
June 22, 2017 at 5:38 am
Everyone is forgetting one thing… Enterprise has shuttles, shuttles are not Unarmed, they are not slow, they do not need to move in a single direction, and they can pack a punch when needed.
Aaron Ashton
June 22, 2017 at 10:44 am
Not to mention that the Enterprise is SHIELDED as well as the size of a small town (the TNG version especially) carrying 400-1200 people. The Falcon doesn’t have energy shields to speak of, and could be likened to the size of a private yacht, at best carrying about 5-10 people at any given time.
David Lally
June 22, 2017 at 11:04 am
WTF do you think “deflector shields” ARE, you idiot?
Aaron Ashton
June 22, 2017 at 1:10 pm
You tell me, troll. You clearly care enough to be a stupid asshole to everyone here.
Frank Tavela
June 22, 2017 at 11:59 am
Enterprise, by far. Between phasers photon torpedo and shields there is just no contest!!!!!
Gid
June 23, 2017 at 12:02 am
The comparison is hardly fair.
The Flag ship of the Federation vs a small frieghter outfitted for smuggling.
Why not compare a star destroyer and the delta flyer while were at it.
Bwdesmo
June 23, 2017 at 2:01 pm
the Falcon is a suped up forklift, of course the Enterprise would tear it apart
American Patriot
June 23, 2017 at 7:05 pm
One photon torpedo transported to the Falcon, and it’s game over! This can be done from a distance the Falcon can’t detect. I never cared for Star Wars fantasy, as it was always about fighting people that desire to be left alone, and also control and domination, using the ‘force’ to get what they want. Star Trek advanced culture, exploration and learning. Defense was there, but if necessary. No Starfleet vessel brutally attacked people for no reason. Star Wars has always been about war, conquest, ruling others and destroying other civilizations.
Just beam a torpedo on board and go to warp 2..
Diego Keretzky Crusius
June 24, 2017 at 12:52 am
this is too funny, Love these tyson’s little vids
Gabe Snooks
June 24, 2017 at 2:02 pm
The Millennium Falcon is a light freighter, all the various iterations of the Enterprise are capital ships. I think the Millennium Falcon would be more on par with say the Delta Flyer or a Runabout. They are a bit more on scale for size and maneuverability, and I would say weaponry too.
Any of the Enterprises would just stay back and soak up the few lasers bolts that managed to hit then burn a hole straight through the Falcon… not a fair fight.
Ef Deal
June 24, 2017 at 4:41 pm
Yes, and in under 12 parsecs.
Bilal Al'amin
June 25, 2017 at 4:48 pm
also remember the Millennium Falcon according to Han Solo was an ship that should have been out of action a long time ago, a bucket of bolts so to speak.
Chaos_United_8
June 26, 2017 at 7:59 pm
Ok mofos, Enterprise vs Super Star Destroyer