Starship Enterprise: four decades of design

Starship Enterprise model NCC-1701-A, which features in the fourth, fifth and sixth Star Trek films. This display is part of Star Trek the Tour, a multiple-city trek across the US over the next few years, which will feature exhibits from all five television shows and each of the 10 films Photograph: Chris Polk/Wire Image

The engine room inside Starship Enterprise, one of the many exhibits in Star Trek the Tour Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex Features

A 'bridge' stage set, auctioned in 2006 at 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection, at Christie's in New York. As many as 4,000 pieces of memorabilia went under the hammer, including spaceship models and hundreds of costumes Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Warp speed ahead ... Captain Kirk's chair on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, one of the stage sets auctioned at 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection Photograph: Rex Features

Light years in the future ... this souped-up model of Starship Enterprise was used in Star Trek: The Next Generation Photograph: Paramount/Everett/Rex Featur/PR