The UESPA assignment patch (2143)
The United Earth Space Probe Agency, commonly abbreviated UESPA, was an organization centered on Earth responsible for the exploration of space. They were headquartered at UESPA Headquarters. (TOS: "Charlie X")
History
Emblem on the Friendship One probe from 2067.
In 2067, UESPA launched the Friendship 1 probe to the Delta Quadrant as part of a series of unmanned exploration probes. (VOY: "Friendship One")
By the 2130s, UESPA had been supplanted by Starfleet as the leading United Earth space exploration service. Together, UESPA and Starfleet would accomplish many missions. (ENT: "First Flight")
In 2150, various UESPA personnel were involved in the construction of the spacecraft Enterprise. (Star Trek: Enterprise set artwork)
The Starfleet and UESPA seal (2155)
In 2155, the opening conference that discussed a possible "Coalition of Planets" was overseen by both UESPA and Starfleet. (ENT: "Demons")
In the 2260s, UESPA was still a major operating agency working with Starfleet starships. In 2266, Captain James T. Kirk reported to UESPA Headquarters after learning of the destruction of the USS Antares. (TOS: "Charlie X")
In 2267, UESPA was an operating authority of the USS Enterprise's five-year mission. Captain James T. Kirk informed John Christopher of this after time travelling to the year 1969. (TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday")
In 2293, UESPA personnel were still involved in construction of Starfleet starships, most noticeably on the USS Enterprise-B. (Star Trek Generations set artwork)
UESPA Personnel
Enterprise (NX-01)
The following personnel were noted for their work with the United Earth Space Probe Agency on the Enterprise (NX-01) in 2151. (Star Trek: Enterprise)
- Captain Gene Roddenberry
- Captain W.M. Jefferies
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-B)
The following personnel were noted for their work with U.E.S.P.A. on the USS Enterprise-B on stardate 9715.5. (Star Trek Generations)
Background
UESPA (pronounced "you-spah") was first mentioned in abbreviated form in TOS: "Charlie X" and the acronym was spelled out in TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday". It was one of several names given in early episodes for the agency under which the Enterprise and its crew operated before writers finally settled on "Starfleet".
It later appeared in VOY: Friendship One when the probe Friendship 1 had the letters "UESPA-1" on its hull. It also showed an emblem looking like a mixture between the UN's and Starfleet's logo.
UESPA also appeared on the bridge dedication plaque of the Enterprise-B. (Star Trek Generations).
Its name was seen on a Starfleet Command logo in ENT: "Demons."
It can be reasonably assumed that UESPA officer "Gene Roddenberry's" ship, the VK Velikan, operated under UESPA authority.
UESPA was mentioned in unseen portions of the Picard family album, in the article It's Federation Day!. Major General Georges Picard, an aide to Thomas Vanderbilt, implies here that he fought the Romulan scourge, which itself implies that UESPA was in some way involved in the Earth-Romulan War.
Captain Kirk refers to UESPA as a "combined service," but he is vague enough that it is more likely that he was actually referring to his Starfleet crew. It is possible that starship crews of his time were a combined service of both the naval ranked Starfleet and the military ranked UESPA officers. This would explain the use of military ranks in "The Cage." This may also explain West's rank of Colonel in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.