Three-dimensional chess has been part of the Star Trek mythos since 1965, when it was featured in the first scene of the first episode with Captain Kirk. This set was made for Star Trek: The Next Generation, and was used as set dressing throughout the series. The prop maker must have been a fan of the TV series Lost In Space, because one of the custom-made aluminum chess pieces is a replica of the Robot from that series. Also, two other chess pieces seem to incorporate the design of that show's Jupiter II spaceship.