'Star Trek' Enterprise bridge restoration (pictures)

This photo of the bridge built for the now-defunct "Star Trek" ride in Las Vegas is the model for the restoration project. Huston Huddleston rescued a version of the Enterprise bridge from a Paramount warehouse scrap heap and is in the process of restoring it and turning it into an interactive museum piece.

This pile of scrap was about to be destroyed permanently, but "Star Trek" superfan Huston Huddleston rescued it and is now in the midst of a massive restoration project. A colleague tipped him off to the pieces of the bridge. This particular bridge was built by Paramount in 1997 as a display piece. The original screen-used version of the bridge was destroyed during a film shoot.

"Star Trek" fan Huston Huddleston is restoring a version of the Enterprise D bridge from "Star Trek: The Next Generation." He rescued the pieces from a Paramount lot and had them delivered to his house. This "before" picture shows the jumble of parts that made up the bridge and the long road ahead for the restoration. Huddleston expects to have the project completed by the end of 2013.

Many "Star Trek" alums have stepped up to aid Huston Huddleston's nonprofit New Starship Foundation and its quest to restore the Enterprise bridge. Here, Huddleston and "Star Trek" visual effects designer Doug Drexler pose with reference material that's being used to guide the restoration.

The "Star Trek: The Next Generation" bridge pieces that fan Huston Huddleston rescued include this piece of the ceiling. This one semi-circle alone weighs around 250 pounds. Huddleston saved the Paramount-built display bridge from destruction. His nonprofit New Starship Foundation is working toward turning the pieces into an interactive museum set.

The captain's chair is the heart of the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise. This is the shape the chair was in when Huston Huddleston rescued it from the trash heap at Paramount. The chair is a high point of a massive restoration project. When it's finished, people will be able to sit in the chair and use interactive touchscreens built into the arms.

The New Starship Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring a rescued version of the Enterprise bridge from "The Next Generation." Founder Huston Huddleston saved many pieces of the Paramount-built bridge, including this portion of the armrest from Captain Picard's chair. When the restoration is completed, the bridge will be an interactive environment that could host school groups, fans, and even weddings.

Many "Star Trek" celebrities have stepped up to help the New Starship Foundation's efforts to restore the bridge of the Enterprise and turn it into an interactive exhibit. Brent Spiner, who played Data on "The Next Generation," was one of many cast members to sign a rescued wall panel from the bridge. Other stars donated prizes to a Kickstarter project that raised nearly $69,000 for the restoration.

This section of the Enterprise bridge from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was just one of many rescued by Huston Huddleston. The bridge parts, built by Paramount in 1997, were scheduled to be destroyed. Now those pieces are part of a huge restoration effort led by the nonprofit New Starship Foundation. Eventually, Huddleston hopes, this will become part of an interactive set with working touchscreens and displays.