The inventor of Earth's warp drive.
Zefram Cochrane is the human inventor who built Earth's first warp drive, a landmark figure in Star Trek history. He first appears in the original series, and he is later featured as a central character in the film First Contact, played by James Cromwell.
In First Contact he is portrayed as a reluctant hero, a scientist more interested in money and comfort than in destiny. When the Borg travel back in time to stop his flight, the crew of the Enterprise-E helps him complete the Phoenix, and its flight draws the attention of a passing Vulcan ship. His success opens humanity to the wider galaxy and begins a new era of cooperation.
Cochrane endures as the father of space exploration in the Trek universe. His imperfect, human character is a reminder that great things come from ordinary people.