Robinson was a close friend of fellow pilot Jonathan Archer, despite fierce competition between the two to become the first to test the NX-Alpha, one of two vessels designed to break the warp 2 barrier. Although Archer had worked exceptionally hard to attain the privilege of piloting that historic test flight, Commodore Maxwell Forrest gave the assignment to Robinson. Robinson later celebrated in the 602 Club, where he met Archer. He told him his belief that the reason Archer had not been chosen for the assignment was that Archer had "tried too hard" to be the first one to make the flight.