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Discoverer of the space warp. Cochrane became one of history's most renowned scientist when he revolutionized space travel in 2063 with the invention of the warp drive, making faster-than-light travel possible. Cochrane worked with an engineer named Lily Sloane, constructing his warp ship, the Phoenix, in an abandoned missile complex in central Montana on the North American continent. Ironically, the booster stage of the Phoenix was originally built as a nuclear weapon of mass destruction. Despite interference from a Borg attack from the future, Cochrane conducted the first warp flight on April 4, 2063. That historic flight was detected by a passing Vulcan ship, and was therefore directly responsible for humanity's first contact with the interstellar community on the following day. Cochrane's motivation for building the Phoenix had been purely commercial, and he was uncomfortable with the fame and adulation that was subsequently his, but he later realized that it was his individuality that made this extraordinary achievement possible. A decade after his historic flight, Cochrane said "Don't try to be a great man, just be a man, and let history make its own judgements." In later years, Cochrane's name became revered throughout the known galaxy; planets, great universities, and cities were later named after him. Zefram Cochrane disappeared from Alpha Centauri in 2117 at the age of 87 and is presumed to have died in space. The area of Montana that was once the Phoenix's launch facility became a historical monument. A 20-meter marble statue was erected there, showing Cochrane reaching toward the future. Zefram Cochrane was first seen in "Metamorphosis" (TOS). |
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