the federation and space

[blazze9]

do you think the federation would know every single planet or pre warp civilizations living with in its 8000 light years border ?

[Borgholio]

I doubt it. They might claim the space and have outposts around, but the interior could be only lightly explored or just mapped from a distance. For instance, do we know of every single minor tribe of humans living deep in the jungle? We're still discovering lost tribes who never even knew of the outside world before. Given how thinly Starfleet is said to be spread on several occasions, there might be entire star clusters that have never been visited by a manned starship.

[Elheru Aran]

Mind you, they probably have shared data from the Vulcans, Andorians, and other warp-capable civilizations within the Federation. It's not just Starfleet out there. I would fully expect each warp-capable member planet to have at the very least mapped its surroundings for a certain number of light-years, and be aware of what's inside that area. Would they necessarily know details? No, but they would probably be able to indicate 'oh yeah, star x-2 in sector Beta, that's got a pre-warp civilization from what our explorator satellites pick up on the radio...' or whatever.

There are definitely unexplored sectors, but as they encounter warp-capable civilizations and bring them into the Federation, it would make sense to share data and stellar geographic information. It might almost be a condition for joining-- 'tell us everything you know about your star system and the proximate systems in your sector and we'll throw in the 8-slice toaster and a few juicy trading contracts'.

I suppose the point I'm making is that it's not just Earth and Starfleet; all the member civilizations of the Federation are supposed to be warp-capable, and that increases the numbers of possible exploratory craft exponentially. Unless there's something ridiculous out there like nobody builds new warp ships after they join the Fed and just rely upon Starfleet to do everything, which sadly wouldn't surprise me all that much...

[FedRebel]

star x-2 in sector Beta, that's got a pre-warp civilization from what our explorator satellites pick up on the radio...' or whatever.

"Pre-warp" is an extremely broad category, radio was comparatively a recent invention in the context to the total length of human civilization.

Limiting your determinate for the presence of a civilization to intercepting a commercial for Lucky Strike cigarettes, means you're going to overlook hundreds of civilizations, from Babylonia to the British Empire.

There are definitely unexplored sectors, but as they encounter warp-capable civilizations and bring them into the Federation, it would make sense to share data and stellar geographic information. It might almost be a condition for joining-- 'tell us everything you know about your star system and the proximate systems in your sector and we'll throw in the 8-slice toaster and a few juicy trading contracts'.

Nope, all you need is Warp drive. In 'Star Trek: Insurrection' the Enterprise was inducting the newest member to the Federation (whom only achieved warp the year prior) and information wasn't a condition...especially since nobody new the aliens were vegetarian (until they ate the floral arrangements.)

[tezunegari]

Nope, all you need is Warp drive. In 'Star Trek: Insurrection' the Enterprise was inducting the newest member to the Federation (whom only achieved warp the year prior) and information wasn't a condition...especially since nobody new the aliens were vegetarian (until they ate the floral arrangements.)

This was during wartime.
With the losses against the latest Borg incursion (First Contact), the war with the Klingons (DS9 Season 5) and the then currently waged war against the Dominion they might have waived some criteria of the induction / first contact requirements.

[Havok]

Probably. The Federation is made up of more than just Star Fleet. There are what? 20 or 30 member civilizations zipping around finding shit.

I mean, it seems like a given, given the Enterprise's five year mission.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Nope, all you need is Warp drive. In 'Star Trek: Insurrection' the Enterprise was inducting the newest member to the Federation (whom only achieved warp the year prior) and information wasn't a condition...especially since nobody new the aliens were vegetarian (until they ate the floral arrangements.)

This was during wartime.
With the losses against the latest Borg incursion (First Contact), the war with the Klingons (DS9 Season 5) and the then currently waged war against the Dominion they might have waived some criteria of the induction / first contact requirements.

They said as much in the film. Something like "I'm amazed the Council made them a member so quickly." "In view of our losses to the Borg and the Dominion, the Council feels we need all the help we can get."

[Simon_Jester]

I suspect the Federation has identified all the warp-capable civilizations of interstellar scope within that sphere of influence, or at least all the ones within a few months' travel of their own core worlds. Prewarp civilizations, especially primitive pre-industrial ones, might well escape notice.