Star Trek: TNG LCARS Panels from the Operations and Navigations Bridge Consoles

Presented below is a somewhat comprehensive look at how the Operations and Navigations LCARS control panels from Star Trek: The Next Generation appeared on-screen over the 7 year life of the series; and also in Star Trek VI: Generations (1994). I attempted to obtain a random sampling of representative screenshots from early, mid and late season episodes for each season. This study should not be considered all-inclusive since every appearance of these panels for all episodes in which they appeared is not documented.

In many of the images below only partial views of the LCARS panels are visible as opposed to the complete panels. However, the graphics interface for several control elements of the panel are usually distinguishable and the color schemes for these displays are also observable.

The Operations Console was typically manned by Lt.Cmdr. Data and oversaw many of the internal starship systems such as Environmental/Atmospheric controls, hardware and personnel scheduling as well as some communications and sensor systems activity. The panel could also be used as a tie in to certain Engineering functions and to implement some security overrides on resource usage.

The Navigations Console, also referred to as the Conn or Flight Control console, oversaw the actual piloting and navigation of the starship; and enabled such activity as course plotting, determining navigational references, manual mode flight control to steer the vessel from a keypad, as well as some sensor systems usage.

When standing on the Bridge facing the main viewscreen, the Ops Station was on the left and the Nav Station was on the right.

And now, some episode screenshots of the Ops and Nav LCARS panels.


Season 1 (Episodes: Encounter at Farpoint, Angel One, Too Short A Season) ...







Season 2 (Episodes: Where Silence Has Lease, Contagion) ...






Season 3 (Episodes: Evolution, The Ensigns of Command, Deja Q, The Best of Both Worlds) ...








Season 4 (Episodes: Remember Me, Future Imperfect, Redemption) ...





Season 5 (Episodes: Darmok, The Outcast, I Borg, The Inner Light) ...








Season 6 (Episodes: Realm of Fear, Relics, Face of the Enemy, Lessons)

For well over the first half of the sixth season, the Ops and Nav panels were reversed between the two Bridge control consoles. This is evident in the following screen captures from Realm of Fear (the 2nd episode of the season) through Face of the Enemy (the 14th episode of the season). It is noted that in Lessons, the 19th episode, the panels have been restored to their correct consoles.







Season 7 (Episodes: Gambit, Parallels, The Pegasus, Lower Decks, All Good Things) ...














Star Trek VI: Generations ...



Below are some detailed views of the panel layouts as shown in Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual by Rick Sternbach and Michael Okuda (Pocket Books, 1991) ...







Below are some views of the Ops and Nav panel replicas as they appeared in the full scale Enterprise-D Bridge recreation on display in the Las Vegas Hilton from 1997 through 2008 as part of the Star Trek: The Experience attraction ...



Below are some views of Ops and Nav panels as offered on the market...