Why is ‘Star Trek’ Day celebrated on September 8?

Today, Sunday September 8, is Star Trek Day - a celebration that coincides with the anniversary of the iconic sci-fi franchise’s television debut.

Nearly 60 years of Star Trek

It was on this day in 1966 that Star Trek first aired on the small screen in the United States. American viewers tuned in to watch the episode “The Man Trap”, in which the crew of the star ship the USS Enterprise are attacked by a shape-changing alien that kills its victims by extracting salt from their bodies.

Since Star Trek’s TV premiere just under six decades ago, ‘Trekkies’ have not only been treated to 78 further episodes of what has gone on to be dubbed The Original Series. The show has also spawned no fewer than 11 spin-off series, as well as a host of movies and a collection of sub-20-minute shorts, known as Short Treks. There have also been video games, books and comic books.

This will be the fifth official edition of Star Trek Day, which was first held in 2020. As part of this year’s celebrations, fans of the franchise are being given free online access to the opening episodes of several Star Trek series, in addition to a number of Short Treks.

Which episodes are available for free for Star Trek Day?

Per Star Trek’s official website, the following premiere episodes and Short Treks will be available to watch for free from Saturday September 7 to Friday September 13:

Star Trek: The Original Series - “The Cage”

Star Trek: The Next Generation - “Encounter at Farpoint, Part I & II”

Star Trek: Voyager - “Caretaker, Part I & II”

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - “The Emissary, Part I & II”

Star Trek: Enterprise - “Broken Bow Part I & II”

Star Trek: The Animated Series - “Beyond the Farthest Star”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - “Strange New Worlds”

Star Trek: Lower Decks - “Second Contact”

Star Trek: Discovery - “The Vulcan Hello”

Star Trek: Picard - “Remembrance”

Star Trek: Short Treks – “The Girl Who Made the Stars,” “The Trouble with Edward,” “Ask Not,” “Runaway,” and “Ephraim and Dot”

How to watch the free Star Trek episodes

The Star Trek premiere episodes will be free to watch on Paramount+ partner platforms (Amazon, Apple, Roku), the Paramount+ YouTube page, Pluto TV and the Paramount+ free content hub (US only).

“Take the Chair, Make an Impact”

For Star Trek Day 2024, the franchise has unveiled the campaign “Take the Chair, Make an Impact”, an initiative which “invites fans to see themselves in the iconic USS Enterprise captain’s chair and ask themselves, ‘What would I do if I were setting the course to the future?’” The campaign has seen Star Trek partner with a trio of non-profits that share the franchise’s core values; these, it says, are “diversity, inclusion, acceptance and hope”.

The three organisations are: Code.org, which helps children to learn computer science; DoSomething.org, which encourages youngsters to drive change; and Outright International, which campaigns for LGBTIQ people’s rights.

Meanwhile, official Star Trek Day events are being held across the weekend in the United States, Canada and Germany.