Well Sci-Fi is saying good by the “Stargate Atlantis” (as a regular series anyway, tv movies should continue) team next year, but yesterday afternoon they announced that the network isn’t done with “Stargate” just yet.

A third series “Stargate Universe” is going to be launching early in 2009. The premise seems a big…familiar…but we’re going to keep an open mind here at TV Jab.

Basically the series will introduce us to a team of explorers who find an ancient unmanned ship called “The Destiny”. Once on board the ship they find that they are unable to return to Earth, and they will have to fend for themselves aboard the ship which is on a pre-programmed mission taking them to the far reaches of the universe to make contact with each of the previously launched Stargates.

On the surface, the show sounds a lot like the first incarnation of the Star Trek: TNG era “Star Trek: Voyager”…but we’ll give the team the benefit of the doubt. I’m sure they have something interesting up their sleeves.

We’ll first be introduced to “Stargate Universe” in early 2009 via a 2-hour tv-movie. A series will follow in the summer.