What is the Federation? | DSC S03 Ep 01. Michael Burnham falls back into our lives as “Star Trek: Discovery” begins its third season ... and it’s into an unknown future. The trio review “That Hope Is You, Part 1” and then look into the question that the episode poses - what is the Federation? What could topple it? What could save it? Let us know what you think about the feasibility of the United Federation of Planets surviving for centuries.