After Star Trek finished its three-year run in 1969, fans were left yearning for more stories from the stars. William Shatner’s James T. Kirk had captured imaginations and, with fan interest mounting, Star Trek: The Motion Picture debuted in 1979, kicking off six original series feature films – including fan favourite Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. But Kirk did more than inspire fans, he set the standard for every Starfleet captain to come. Five stamps in this issue pay homage to Kirk and his counterparts Jean-Luc Picard, Benjamin Sisko, Kathryn Janeway and Jonathan Archer. These Starfleet heroes saved the galaxy time after time, even in the face of the seemingly unstoppable villains whose likenesses loom in the background. Two other stamps celebrate the intrepid Class-F shuttle and ominous Borg cube.

Designed by Kosta Tsetsekas and Adrian Horvath, of Signals Design Group, these stamps share a similar look to those issued in 2016, with a more modern feel. “There’s more drama,” says Horvath, adding that, as a fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, revisiting the futuristic series stoked a renewed interest in his favourite episodes.

Admiral Kirk vs. Khan Noonien Singh
After completing his original five-year mission and earning a promotion, Admiral James T. Kirk set an unassailable standard for every Starfleet captain. But being stuck behind a desk at Starfleet Command made the aging admiral restless. Kirk rejoined the U.S.S. Enterprise, the first step toward a final showdown with his most cunning and deadly adversary: Khan. Set on revenge, the genetically enhanced superhuman cost Kirk the life of his closest companion.

Captain Picard vs. Locutus of Borg
More “by the book” than Kirk, Captain Jean-Luc Picard led his crew with stern professionalism. When Borg drones invaded the U.S.S. Enterprise-D, they captured and assimilated Picard into the Borg Collective. Renamed Locutus and forced to be the Borg’s spokesperson, Picard was eventually rescued by his crew, though not before he was the Borg’s unwilling agent of destruction. Haunted, Picard finally overcame his demons in a final showdown with the Borg Queen.

Captain Sisko vs. Dukat
Posted to the space station Deep Space 9, near the planet Bajor, Captain Benjamin Sisko took to heart his mission to help the Bajorans recover from the Cardassian occupation. Dukat, the dangerous former prefect of the station, considered Sisko’s new role as a personal affront – and wanted revenge. This animosity led to escalating tensions between the Federation and a new, powerful enemy known as the Dominion, and placed Captain Sisko at the centre of a battle between good and evil.

Captain Janeway vs. the Borg Queen
Sent to pursue renegades known as the Maquis, Captain Kathryn Janeway and the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager thought they’d be home in no time. Unexpectedly, Voyager and a Maquis vessel were transported to the other side of the galaxy. Far from home, the two crews united and began a decades-long journey back to the Federation. In the end, Janeway faced off against the enigmatic Borg Queen and used the Collective’s advanced technology to speed Voyager’s return home.

Captain Archer vs. Commander Dolim
One of Starfleet’s earliest pioneers, Captain Jonathan Archer represented United Earth before the founding of the Federation. In 2153, Archer and the Enterprise NX-01 responded when the mysterious Xindi suddenly attacked Earth. The Enterprise trailed the Xindi to a dangerous region of space known as the Delphic Expanse, where Archer confronted Commander Dolim, a genocidal Xindi-Reptilian convinced that the destruction of humanity would ensure the survival of his people.

The shuttlecraft – Galileo
The U.S.S. Enterprise carried a fleet of shuttlecraft designed for short-range space exploration, planetary landings, and (often) dangerous missions. The first of these shuttles – named Galileo (NCC-1701⁄7) – met an explosive fate in orbit around Taurus II, seconds after its crew was beamed safely to the Enterprise. In honour of the spunky little craft, its name was passed on to future models, making it the most famous of the Enterprise sidekicks.

The Borg
The cybernetic Borg had no interest in diplomacy; they sought only to achieve perfection by assimilating different species. Those assimilated lost all sense of individual identity and became merely an extension of the Borg Collective – a fate many considered worse than death. The appearance of a Borg cube – the Collective’s formidable spaceship – often meant the destruction of a civilization. Resistance, as the Borg said, was futile.

Fascinating collectibles

Take a peek at Starfleet’s most impressive service records and learn more about the intrepid shuttlecraft Galileo and the ominous Borg cube on these collectible, first-day-of-issue special envelopes, also known as Official First Day Covers. Send the postage-paid postcards celebrating memorable moments from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and a top episode from each Star Trek television series.

Prestige booklet
This sequel to our 2016 prestige booklet celebrating 50 years of Star Trek completes the story of the famous franchise. See classic stills of Admiral James T. Kirk’s adventures on the big screen and shots of the stellar crew members who brought four fabulous television series to life. Celebrate the Starfleet heroes featured on the stamps, the ships they commanded with distinction, and the first officers who served – and sometimes challenged – their captains.

Designer Adrian Horvath, of Vancouver-based Signals, created the 2016 and 2017 Star Trek booklets. A particular fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, he turned to the CBS archives and episode stills to find images of some of the most memorable moments from the top four episodes in each series. He also created the most spectacular stamp in the issue: a uniquely shaped, Borg cube stamp, enhanced to perfection with holographic foil and multilayered embossing.

“I’m excited for fans and collectors. It’s cool and commanding – just like the Borg,” says Horvath. “With the colour and texture added by the special effects, it really looks like it’s coming right at you.”