SS (registry)



SS was a prefix before a starship name for some vessels in the Earth and Federation registries.

Prior to Dr. Zefram Cochrane's discovery of warp drive, it was used to signify sleeper ships and cryonic satellites. The earliest warp-capable "space ships" would use this registry. The prefix was then seen on survey ships and colonization starships. 

Within a hundred years, freighters and transports were given SS prefixes. By the mid-24th century, some science ships were given the prefix as well. 

Background Information
The registry "SS" is used by the United States of America to reference submarines. SS was first used in a Trek production as early as (for the SS Valiant), but was actually referenced in Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek pitch for the main ship, the SS Yorktown that became the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701).