Son of Star Trek Creator Talks About Trek Nation and His Dive Team

Coming this fall to the Science network is the Trek Nation documentary featuring Rod Roddenberry, the son of the creator of Star Trek. Rod’s father, Gene Roddenberry, a script writer and producer who is most known for creating Star Trek, died when Rod was just a teenager. Now, Rod Roddenberry through the Trek Nation documentary, visits with his late father’s friends, industry people, fans–all in a effort to discover his father and the legacy he left behind.

When Rod Roddenberry was born, Star Trek was already a huge phenomenon. Rod, the only son of the creator of Star Trek, was surrounded by Trekkies. His mother, Majel Roddenberry, had a starring role in the original TV series.

Today, about 40 years after Star Trek first aired on TV, its legacy continues. At Comic Con 2011, fans flooded the San Diego Convention Center, scooping up Star Trek and Trek Nation memorabilia and also taking pictures with actors like Michael Dorn from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Rod spoke with me at Comic Con about how Trek Nation helped him understand better what Star Trek is really about. “Anyone who has seen the show knows it’s really about the preservation of our planet, infinite diversities… that’s one of the main philosophies of Star Trek.”

Today, Rod brings that attitude to his organization, the Roddenberry Dive Team, (RDT). He says, much like his father did with space, RDT is boldly going deep beneath the ocean to explore new waters and diversity…perhaps making an even stronger connection with his late father.

“…[Star Trek] wasn’t just science fiction. This was a philosophy that inspired people to reach beyond their own limitations and had this vision of a future that so many people wanted to be a part of. And that’s what really connected with me–the diversity of people who all believed in this future [despite] social/economic differences, religious differences–all of these differences–yet they could all, at least, agree on this future where we all worked together for the greater good,” says Rod.

The RDT travels around the world diving, exploring, and working to better the environment for future generations. RDT is currently running a contest to encourage people to clean up the beaches. Contestants send in pictures of trash that they have found and disposed of properly. The Grand Prize, a 5-night trip to Hawaii. For details visit, RDT.

In a press statement announcing that Trek Nation would air on the Science network, Rod said, “Trek Nation strikes a strong balance between exploring a science fiction phenomenon and relating a very universal story between a son and his father. I have every confidence that Star Trek fans and non-Star Trek fans alike are going to enjoy the film.”

Trek Nation is scheduled to air on Science the fall of 2011.