In 2063, Earth made its first contact with an alien species, launching the planet and its inhabitants onto an interstellar stage. In the next century, United Earth established a space exploration and defense service called Starfleet and co-founded The United Federation of Planets, a benevolent organization of hundreds of worlds. The chronicles of Starfleet are collectively known as the Star Trek Universe. Aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D, Starfleet's flagship, Captain Jean-Luc Picard leads an elite crew on its continuing mission to boldly go where no one has gone before. Although an android, Lt. Commander Data is fascinated by humans and—despite the numerous advantages he has as an android—his driving goal is to become more like them, including the experience of human emotions.