It all started with the words, “live long and prosper.™”

“We considered several popular phrases from the original STAR TREK® television show for the lighted ornament’s voice message,” says Tina Hacker, senior editor. “We selected Mr. Spock’s words because they seemed especially fitting for Christmas,” she adds.

“Once we had the message, it was a quick decision to choose the shuttle for the design. We liked the fact that it belonged to the U.S.S. Enterprise™, and gave Spock a logical place from which to transmit a holiday message.”

Sculptor Dill Rhodus created the model for the spacecraft. “I didn’t know what it looked like at first,” he says smiling. “I watched the episode ‘The Galileo Seven’ 15 times to see how the shuttle was detailed and what parts were lighted. And Paramount Pictures sent us photos and diagrams.”

Rhodus’ first challenge was creating technical drawings for the staff in Hallmark’s Specialty Tooling department. They milled out the craft’s magnesium shell using a computer milling machine. “The machine was able to cut all the difficult angles perfectly,” Rhodus explains.

The artist, who has 20 years of engraving experience, hand-engraved each detail into the model. “Authenticity was our first priority,” he says, “and, of course the clarity of Mr. Spock’s voice. You’ll understand every word.”

Excerpted from: Special Ornaments to Fill Fall With Plenty of Collecting Excitement: “Shuttlecraft Galileo™”

Collector’s Courier:  Volume Six, Number Three 1992

Leonard Nimoy
March 26, 1931 — February 27, 2015

Watch the Shuttlecraft Galileo commercial from 1992