The original mission of the Starship Voyager was to locate a rouge Maquis vessel (the Maquis were a renegade group fighting for freedom from the Federation-Cardassian border agreement) that had gone missing the Badlands (an unusual region of space dominated by intense and destructive plasma storms). Voyager was built to restock the fleet after the Borg encounter of 2366 at Wolf 359, and given special maneuverable capabilities not found on other ships. It was also built for battle, but not to such a degree as the U.S.S. Defiant.

Whilst searching the Badlands for the ship, Voyager encountered an unusual tetryon phenomena, followed by a displacement wave which overpowered the vessel, propelling it 70,000 light years to the farthest corner of the Delta Quadrant. In orbit around an array, the Maquis vessel was found and its crew in stasis.

Voyager's only chance to get home quickly was destroyed to safeguard the lives of the Ocampa species. The crew now must endure a 70 year journey home, encountering new aliens on the way and always on the look-out for new technology to get them home quicker. (See Voyager episode "Caretaker").

Kes was forced to leave Voyager early in 2374. Her increasing psychic abilities was a threat to the ship, so she was given a shuttlecraft and she left, turning into a being of pure energy. However, just before her transformation, she used her powers to push Voyager beyond the normal speed-limits of the universe, propelling the ship 10,000 light years closer to home in a matter of seconds, and reducing travel time from 70 years to a little under 59 years (54 now that Seven of Nine has charted a new course home).

Late in 2374, Voyager encountered a new form of propulsion developed by an intelligent alien species, it breaks through the quantum barrier of the universe, and if compatible, would allow Voyager to get home in a matter of months. However, the hull of the ship cannot stand the stress involved in the quantum slipstream process, and therefore its usage is limited, but it was used to gain 300 light years closer to home.

The crew of Voyager (left) are comprised of Maquis and Starfleet personell (the Maquis are rebels who fought to end the Cardassian-Federation border treaty), thrown together when the Maquis ship was destoryed. There is also a Delta Quadrant native on board, Neelix (a Talaxian). A former Borg, Seven of Nine, became part of the crew when her link to the Collective was severed.

In 2371 Voyager was hurled to the Delta Quadrant (right) of the galaxy by the Caretaker, and now needs to make the 70,000 light-year journey home by conventinal methods. In 2374, when she left the ship, Kes hurled Voyager 10,000 light years closer and later that same year an advanced propulsion system was used to travel a further 300 light years. In 2375 a wormhole cut 2 years off, whilst an advanced form of Slipstream technology cut 10 years.

So far, during its five year journey, Voy ager has travelled almost 25,500 light years toward home, but still needs to continue to travel through the rest of the Delta Quadrant and then through the Beta Quadrant before they reach Earth, which is approx. 43,000 light years away from their current position. In 2374 the crew were able to get a message to Starfleet informing them of their predicament. Starfleet will continue to research and develop a way to get Voyager home quicker, and the crew will also be on the look-out for new technologies which may shorten their journey.