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Appendix M- Technological Summary
Version 1.0 (last updated SD 151207
[07 December 2003)
by Jeffrey J. Jenkins (minor editing by Scott Lusby)
1. INTRODUCTION
This is an attempt to bring a lot of information together in a very
condensed form, so it is somewhat technical. I have attempted
to keep it as simple as possible, however. It is not Star Trek
canon, but it is based on an expanded version of it used in the Alt.StarFleet.RPG
(ASR) shared-fiction writing and role-playing game. This guide
has been written for the ASR as a guide to all of the technologies employed
by Federation and known alien races in the year 2415.
2. PROPULSION SYSTEMS
Propulsion systems are those systems which move the spacecraft or starship.
A spacecraft is a small vessel which can be carried on a starship.
Many spacecraft do not have faster-than-light drives. A starship
is generally classified as a large faster-than-light capable vessel.
2.1. Faster-than-light Drives
Faster-than-light (FTL) drive systems are the glue that holds the Federation
and other large interstellar alliances and empires together. Without
FTL drives, it would take years to cross between even nearly stars.
2.1.1. warp drives
Warp drives are the most commonly used FTL propulsion system in the
part of the Galaxy where the Federation lies. Warp drives work
by bending normal space with gravitational fields so that space ahead
of the starship is contracted and a ship moving at velocities of less
than the speed of light appears to a remote observer to be moving faster
than light speed. It does so by making many small jumps across the folds
in space many times per second. Since the apparent velocity of
the ship is faster than the speed of light, it is invisible to an observer
outside of the vessel
without special sensors.
2.1.2. hypespace drives
A somewhat less common FTL technology is the hyperspace drive.
This is what the Fedeation has dubbed "dimensional warp." Although
both are based in gravitic manipulation, this technology is completely
different from normal space warp drives as described above. Rather
than warping normal space, a hyperspace drive used a gravitational field
to push the ship across the dimensional barrier into a parallel dimension,
hyperspace.
Hyperspace is actually a nested series of dimensions, each one with
a relative compression greater than the one before. Travelling
10 km in the first hyperspace level, commonly referred to as the alpha
band, a ship transitioning back to normal space will find that it has
travelled 35 km. If the ship was travelling at 0.5 c (half the
speed of light) in hyperspace, it will appear to have travelled at 1.75
c to an observer in normal space clocking the trip.
Much of the physics of hyperspace is not known. There are large
gravitational waves and eddies in hyperspace which pose a navigational
hazard to starships. Because of these waves and eddies, it is
impossible to use normal space warp drive in hyperspace or to use gravitational
shields. Long range sensors are also almost useless. Short
range and tactical sensors are clouded by the gravimetric interference.
2.2. Sublight Drives
Sublight drives are those propulsion systems used to move a ship at
subluminal velocities. There are a number of different technologies
which are employed for this purpose.
2.2.1. reaction drive systems
Reaction drive systems are those drives that expel mass to create momentum
through the law for conservation of momentum of a center of mass.
These drives utilize solid propellant rockets, liquid propellant rockets,
fusion-powered rockets, etc. The latter are often employed in
a class of drive system known as ion drives. These drives include
impulse drives and other ion drive systems and photon or light pressure
drives.
2.2.2. gravitic drive systems
Gravitic drive systems include many of the faster-than-light drive systems,
such as warp drives and hyperspace drives (including dimensional warp
systems). This technology may also be applied to sublight propulsion.
These drives normally work in one of two ways. First, they may
reduce the apparent mass of the ship by unbending the gravity well created
by the ship. This system reduced the impulse needed to move the
ship but will not move the ship without another drive system.
(The Federation Distortion Kinetic drive combines this type of drive
system with an impulse drive.)
Second, this type of drive system may create an assymetry in the gravity
well around a ship which actually pulls the ship in the desired direction.
This type of drive has no exhaust and allows a ship to be extremely
maneuverable since acceleration may be applied in any direction.
The Dalriadan Alliance and Kzinti Patriarchy use this type of drive.
3. SENSOR SYSTEMS
Sensor systems are the means by which the starship is able to observe
the environment around it. Without sensor systems, it is impossible
to observe the environment around the ship unless it is close enough
to a star and another object for visual observation through a port hole.
All "windows" or "portals" on Federation starships are actually view
screens which display computer interpretted data from sensors on the
hull. Some of these screens may be set to allow direct viewing
of the external environment which ambient lighting conditions permit.
3.1. Long Range Sensors
Long range sensors are used to observe phenomena well beyond visual
range, when the travel time of electromagnetic radiation (the speed
of light) is slow relative to the distance to be travelled. This
is normally considered to be a distance of greater than 1 light-second
or 300,000 km. These sensors can determine mass an velocity from
the gravitational distortions created by the presence of mass.
3.2. Short Range Sensors
Short range sensors read the electromagnetic spectrum to provide infomation
about the immediate surroundings.
3.3. Countermeasure Systems
Countermeasure systems interfere with sensor readings or provide false
sensor echoes intended to devieve the scanning vessel. There are
a number of types of countermeasures.
3.3.1. jamming
Jamming blocks electromagnetic sensors by clouding the readings with
noise. This prevents accurate readings, but the source of the
jamming is obvious, so this sort of countermeasure does not help to
hide the vessel.
3.3.2. decoys
Sensor decoys are probes which mimic the sensor profile of the mother
ship. They are most useful at long range since a sensor probe
bears little resemblance to a starship on visual sensors.
3.3.3. stealth
Stealth attempts to hide the ship by stopping all external emissions.
This means no drive so that the ship coasts at a constant velocity and
no active sensors or communications. The vessel is still able
to use passive sensors, those which recieve signals without any output,
but these have greatly reduced resolution compared to normal sensors.
3.3.4. cloaking
Cloaking devices completely mask the sensor signature of the
ship by one of two methods. Gravitic cloaks (as those used by
the Romulans and Klingons) bend sensor beams around the vessel so that
there is no sensor return from the ship. Such cloaks can be detected
by passive sensors, but their emission levels are very low and so they
are extremely difficult to detect. Because of power requirements,
it is not possible to fire weapons while cloaked.
Phase cloaks actually move the ship out of temporal phase with the rest
of reality. They can be detected because of the temporal phase
differential, but the ship scanning for a phased vessel needs to know
precisely what it is looking for in order to detect it. Since
a ship in phase is out of temporal sync with the rest of reality, it
is impossible to launch shuttlecraft or fire weapons while cloaked.
Anything in contact with the hull is also phased, so it is not possible
to launch rockets or other missile type weapons attached to the hull.
Without the phase cloaking device on the ship, such objects would be
lost in temporal limbo after launch and would not return to unphased
space.
4. ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
Environmental systems make keep a starship, spacecraft, or starbase
habitable. Without them, it would be impossible to live in space.
4.1. Life-support Systems
Life-support systems maintain the air, graivty, and temperature in the
ship. They also reduce the effects of acceleration on the vessel's
inhabitants in order to prevent them from being turned into bloody smears
by the large forces involved in pushing a vessel to high velocities
in a short period of time.
4.1.1. atmospheric generation
The internal atmosphere is carried to the ship in compressed oxygen
and nitrogen tanks (for class M environments). Thereafter, it
is maintained by filters and carbon dioxide scrubbers. When the
ship suffers a hull breach and loses atmosphere, atmospheric storage
tanks can restore atmosphere and pressure once the hull breach is sealed
by bulkheads or force fields.
4.1.2. gravity generation
Gravity generators make life aboard a starship similar to life on a
planet and are important in maintaining health and fitness in the crew.
Without gravity generators, the ship would have only microgravity and
occupants would suffer muscle and bone atrophy during long voyages.
4.1.3. temperature control
Heating and cooling systems maintain the temperature of the living environment
on the ship. They use the plasma conduits to heat and liquid nitrogen
cooling loops to cool the vessel. These are the same systems that
balance the temperature of the reactor system. Excess heat is
radiated through the skin of the vessel.
4.1.4. inertial compensation
The Inertial Dampening Field (IDF) generators allow the crew to survice
the huge accelerations available from the propulsion system. Without
the IDF generators, a ship could only accelerate at about 100 m/s^2
(meters per second squared, about 10 Terran-standard gravities).
With the IDF some craft (combat shuttles) can reach accelerations as
large as 250 km/s^2 (kilometers per second squared or 25,000 g's).
4.2. Food-generation systems
While some space fairing races still store food in refrigerated areas
or in freeze-dried form for later reconstitution, most use these methods
only for luxuries. Most food is created from simple protiens by
a replication system. For some ships, the power requirements of
the system are such that simple nutrional material is provided.
More elaborate systems actually allow synthesis of prepared dishes.
4.3. Water-generation systems
Virtually all water used aboard the starship is recycled through a system
of filters. When needed, fresh water can be created from stored
oxygen and hydrogen.
4.4. Waste reclamation systems
Very little that is disposed of on a starship actually becomes waste
which must be disposed of. Most materials are able to be reclaimed
by being broken down into compotnent elements by a replicator systems.
Only a few complex molecules are not able to be processed by the replication
system and must be disposed of.
5. WEAPON SYSTEMS
Various sorts of weapons systems are used by starships, spacecraft,
and starbases to defend themselves and/or to attack other ships, craft,
and bases.
5.1. Beam Weapon Systems
One of the most common and versitile and common classes of weapons is
the beam weapon. They are limited in range because of the limited
ability to maintain beam focus and they are also power intensive.
5.1.1. particle beam
The particle beam is a generic term for any energy weapons which operates
by exciting the state of some sort of particle, be it a wave-particle
of the electromagnetic spectrum or some other fundamental particle.
This broad class includes masers, phasers, grasers, and many other weapon
types.
5.1.2. masers
A maser is a device for amplifying electrical impulses by stimulated
emission of radiation. m(icrowave) a(mplification by) s(timulated)
e(mission of) r(adiation). The most common type of maser is a
laser.
5.1.3. lasers
The laser is a type of maser generally operating in or near the visible
spectrum of light. They fire beams of coherent electromagnetic radiation.
Power ranges on these devices range widely. Primitive lasers cannot
penetrate a starship's shields, but much move powerful versions have
also
been encountered.
The laser's "color" can be modified to any part of the electromagnetic
spectrum. This allow a ship to fire an "invisible" shot because it is
not in the visual part of the spectrum which could be used in a "surprise"
attack. However, sensors can still detect the beam.
Weapons in this class are generally useful only for cutting and burning.
5.1.4. phasers
Phasers (PHASed Energy Rectifiers) carefully modulate wavelength and
amplitude to produce the most versitile type of beam weapon. This
careful modulation can produce effects from bioelectric shock which
will stun most organic targets to heat to sub-atomic disruption which
can vaporize or explode targets.
5.1.5. disruptors
Disruptors are another form of directed-energy weapon. They operated
on a sub-atomic level to destabilize the strong force binding protons
and neutrons together in the nucleaus of the atom. These weapons
leave a residual anti-proton signature. Because of their nature,
disruptors are much less versitile than phaser weapons.
5.1.6. graser
A graser is a device for amplifying gravitons by stimulated emission
of radiation. gr(aviton) a(mplification by) s(timulated) e(mission
of) r(adiation). The resulting beam is a focused gravitational
field which warps materials beyond their failure point.
5.1.7. ion cannon
Ion cannons fire a stream of charged particles at a target. This
is a generic term for any particle beam for which the particles are
also charge carriers.
5.1.8. plasma cannon
The plasma cannon is a type of ion cannon. It operates by exciting
the atoms of a gas to the point where they spontaneously ionize.
While the range of these weapons are relatively limited, they have great
destructive potential and can both burn through matter and short out
electrical
systems.
5.1.9. tractor/pressor beam
A, typically, non-destructive implementation of the graser concept,
tractor and pressor beams are used to manipulate objects from a distance
using focused gravitational fields.
5.2. Missile Weapon Systems
Another general classification of weapon are missile weapons.
Generally, these weapons have much greater effective ranges than energy
weapons. Missile weapons are characterized by solid projectiles which
may be launch from a vessel by means of internal propoulsion within
the missile, by means of an accelerator carried aboard the launch ship,
or by a combination of the two.
5.2.1. rockets
The most basic type of missile weapon is the rocket. It is, generally,
self propelled and has limited or no guidance ability after launch.
This type of weapon is generally not seen on modern starships.
However, they may be used in planetary operations where area saturation
may be more important than precision.
5.2.2. missiles
The term missle generally refers to any missile weapon which may be
guided after launch. This typically means that the missile itself
has some propulsion system aboard it, though it may be self-launch or
accelerated by a ship-side linear accelerator.
5.2.3. torpedoes
Torpedoes generally refer to a missile which is launched by a ship-side
linear accelerator and has limited on board propulsion.
5.2.4. warheads
The term "warhead" refers to the type of ordinance carried by the missile
weapon.
5.2.4.1. explosive
The most common type of warhead is the explosive warhead. It may
carry a chemical explosive; however, the most common type of modern
explosive warhead carries an anti-matter charge in a magnetic bottle.
The bottle is released by a proximity fuse and the anti-matter anihilates
part of the matter of the weapon casing, releasing an energetic wave
which damages even shielded objection within the radius of effect may
be several dozen kilometers for shielded objects and several hundred
kilometers for unshielded objects.
5.2.4.2. lasing
Lasing warheads explode at a relatively large distance to their targets
and do not do damage by their explosion. A large bomb at the heard
of the lasing warhead is used to pump, that is provide energy for, a
direct-energy weapon focusing unit within the warhead. Because
this process occurs far from the launching ship, radiationing poisoning
of the crew is not an issue and the lasing process can use much more
energy than could be safely contained aboard a starship, station, or
planet. The resulting beam is, therefore, much more powerful than
any conventional energy weapon. The targetting of this sort of
weapon must be very precise. A small error in targetting can mean
that the energy blast misses the target completely. For this reason,
most lasing warheads carry advanced guidance systems and missiles with
these warheads are configured to precision maneuvering.
5.2.4.3. jamming
A jamming warhead is not intended to do any damage to the target. Instead,
its systems are intended to confuse the electronic countermeasure systems
of the target ship. By so doing, such a warhead renders the countermeasures
less effective against other incoming missiles and their
warheads, allowing a greater number of explosive and lasing warheads
to find their mark.
6. DEFENSE SYSTEMS
There are four principle ways in which a starship avoids damage in combat.
Shielding systems, point defense systems, and electronic countermeasures
all attempt to make the enemy units weapon systems miss their target.
Armor allows a ship to absorb more damage than an
unarmored hull.
6.1. Shielding systems
The shielding systems of almost all starships in known space consist
of a series of graviton polarity generators. These systems create
small space-time distortions which alter the trajectory of incoming
matter and energy in order to make it entirely miss, or at least glance
off, the
hull.
6.1.1. navigational shielding
Navigational shielding, usually referred to as navigational deflectors,
are low-powered, forward-facing shield emitters that are intended to
push small particles out of the flight path of the ship. As a
ship moves through space at high velocities, even the smallest object
can result in a deadly collision if it is allowed to impact the hull.
The navigational defelctor is not capable of as high a sustained output
as the defensive shielding intended for combat; however, it is capable
of simultaneously moving many small objects out of the flight path.
6.1.2. defensive shielding
Defensive shielding refers to those systems intended to prevent incoming
fire from beam or missile weapons from impacting the hull. It
typically consists of a network of high-powered graviton emitters
6.1.3. structural integrity fields
Structural integrity fields are force fields which assist in maintaining
hull integrity under the stresses associated with theoperation of the
ship.
6.2. Point Defense Systems
Point defense systems are used by several races to supplement the capabilities
of their shields. Point defense systems can physically intercept
missiles with either energy or missile weapons of its own.
6.2.1. point defense beams
Point defense beams are clusters of lasers or other low-power beam weapons
which are used to physically intercept incoming missile and torpedo
fire. These systems have extremely small tracking times, but the
velocity of the incoming projectile does impact system effectiveness.
They system has very limited use against incoming beam weapon fire.
6.2.2. point defense drones
Point defense drones work by spoofing weapon targetting sensors.
They project electronic noise and/or images of the ship in order to
confuse targetting sensors. In the distances of space-combat,
even a slight misalignment will result in a clear miss. In some
cases, point defense drones are used to physically intercept incoming
missile fire.
6.3. Electronic Countermeasures
Electronic countermeasure system effect targeting sensor systems in
an effort to disrupt the direction of incoming fire or to overcome that
disruption.
6.3.1. electronic countermeasures (ECM)
ECM systems disrupt targetting sensors with noise, misleading sensor
echos, and various other techniques in order to prevent the enemy from
obtaining a positive weapons lock on the actual target. Even a
very small misdirection can result in a clean miss due to the large
distances
involved in space combat.
6.3.2. electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM)
ECCM systems attempt to cut through the disruption of ECM systems in
order to allow targetting sensors to lock onto the desired target normally
and without interference.
6.4. Armor
Armor is a passive defensive system. It dissipates energy from
incoming fire as it ablates. This reduces the damage done by a
beam or missile that strikes the hull of a ship.
7. COMMUNCIATION SYSTEMS
Because of the large distances involved in space travel, communication
systems are very important.
7.1. Electromagnetic
Electromagnetic communication is seldom used by advanced space-faring
races. These forms of communication include radio and microwave
communication systems. All share the trait that they are limited
by the speed of light and, therefore, efficient for communicating only
over short distances.
7.2. Subspace
The most common type of faster-than-light communication is the subspace
radio. This system creates a narrow spacial compression wave that
allows an electromagnetic signal to travel at elevated speeds in its
wake. For efficient operation, the signal needs to be regularly
boosted and the compression wave strengthened. If not, the signal
loses speed. Most major powers have networks of boosting stations
throughout their territories.
7.3. Hyperspace
Hyperspace/hyperwave radio systems push communication signals across
the dimensional barrier into hyperspace and through a number of trasitions.
Theses signals are then capable of travelling at speeds much faster
than those attainable by subspace radio. In order to receive the
signals, the receiving station must either be in hyperspace or have
a platform anchored in hyperspace to receive the signal and generate
a transition point into normal space through which the signal may pass.
8. COMPUTER SYSTEMS
In many ways, the computer systems are the heart of the starship.
They allow the efficient operation of all systems aboard the ship.
Moreover, many system cannot be operated without computer support.
8.1. Centralized Processing, Unified Core
One system architecture which is not generally used by more advanced
races is the centralized processing with a unified core scheme.
In general, the multi-tasking needs of a large space craft are not well
suited to a centralized processor system. The unified core refers
to a centralized
data storage system.
8.2. Centralized Processing, Distributed Core
A small step away from centralized processing with a single centralized
data core is a system with centralized processing, but data distributed
through a number of systems around the ship.
8.3. Distributed Processing, Unified Core
One of the most common computer system architectures is to have processing
distributed through various computers throughout the starship but to
have a large number of files concentrated in large data storage modules.
This is the architecture utilized by most space going powers.
Often the unified core has one or more fully redundant backups.
8.4. Distributed Processing, Distributed Core
This model for computing offers the most flexibility and redundancy.
Processing is done at different computers or nodes throughout the ship
and data is stored at thse or other nodes. There is often a higher
degree of overlap and redundancy in these systems. The Federation
has recently been experimenting with implementing these systems in starships.
9. REACTOR SYSTEMS
Reactor systems provide the massive amounts of power needed by space-going
craft. A variety of forms of reactor are used by different races,
but the most common are fission, fusion, matter-antimatter, and quantum
singularity systems.
9.1. Atomic (Fission) Reactors
Fission reactors work by splitting atomic nuclei in order to produce
energy. They have the side effect of producing radioactive waste
and require a nuclear pile in order to function. However, they
require no other fuel and do not require frequent replinishment of the
core. These plants are particularly useful in smaller craft that
cannot carry large fuel reserves. The Dalriadan Alliance is the
only known modern power to make extensive use of fission power in its
small craft. This greatly extends the range of these craft compared
with small craft of other powers.
9.2. Fusion Reactors
Fusion reactors work by combining atomic nuclei to form heavier nuclei.
They do not produce radioactive waste, but they do require large amounts
of fuel. Virtually all starships and starbases use fusion reactors
in some matter, either for primary or secondary power production.
9.3. Matter-Antimatter Reactors
Matter-antimatter reactors work by colliding matter and antimatter particles
in a controlled manner. The collision results in the annihilation
of the particles and the production of energy in accordance with the
Einstein relation E=mc^2. Most space-faring races use this type
of system.
9.4. Quantum Singularities
Qunatum singularity power plants produce energy by harnessing the enormous
gravity potential differences available in a very small, artificial
black hole. The Romulan Star Empire is one of the few powers to
use such a reactor.
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