Bob Justman explains how Gene Roddenberry got Star Trek off the ground.

Back in 1963, Gene first began developing the Star Trek idea. It took a number of years to come to fruition because it didn't air as a series until September of 1966, having gone through two pilots and a long preparation period.

So far as science fiction shows go, about the only thing that was truly science fiction was a show called The Outer Limits on which I worked for two seasons.

Gene Roddenberry's vision was not extraordinary if you look at it in retrospect. He had an idea that we could get along better, all of us, and that there was no Armageddon in the offing. That we could treat each other the way we want to be treated, that there would be an absence of crime, that everyone would like everyone. There would be no strife. Now this may sound impossible to attain, but you never get anywhere unless you try the impossible. And he did.