NASA Astronaut Mike Fincke on Star Trek

In the Engineering Section of the U.S.S. Enterprise, Chief Engineer (Rank: Commander) Charles "Trip" Tucker III is talking to Armory Officer (Rank: Lieutenant) Malcolm Reed about Shran's plan to rescue his kidnapped daughter, who they believe is being hidden on Planet Rigel 10.

"Trip" starts talking about the ship's injectors. Lieutenant Reed asks why Trip is so concerned with engine details, when the Enterprise is about to be mothballed. Trip replies that, so long as he is in charge of Engineering, the engines will be properly maintained.

Then, Trip has a short exchange with another engineer, played by NASA Astronaut Mike Fincke:

Trip: "Are the Deuterium filters clear?"

Engineer (Mike Fincke): "We've done all but three."

Trip: "Make it quick."

Engineer (Mike Fincke): "Aye, sir."

Trip and Lieutenant Reed, then, resume their conversation.

At the end of the program, during the display of the program credits, Mike Fincke's credit was displayed as the last credit under "Co-Stars":

(several credits were displayed; Mike Fincke's credit was the last credit displayed under "Co-Stars")

E MICHAEL FINCKE
ENGINEER

Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space (launched as a Mission Specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavor on 1992 September 12), was the first actual space traveler to appear on a Star Trek series episode. In the episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation (distributed to television stations via first-run syndication) titled "Second Chances", which aired on 1993 May 24, she portrayed a teleportation operator, Lt. Palmer, for one of the U.S.S. Enterprise's transporters. This is the episode when a transporter malfunction resulted in the creation of two identical copies of Commander Riker.

Here are links to other information about the Star Trek: Enterprise series finale, "These Are the Voyages...":