Space Travel

FTL Travel

Different cultures have developed different methods of circumventing the speed of light, and although the term faster than light is technically inaccurate and technicians and scientists frequently use the alternative CLSL (circumvention of light-speed limit), the term FTL remains predominant among the general public. That term is thus used here for accessibility. All known methods of FTL travel are impossible within strong gravity wells, as they depend upon the emission of exotic particles from the fuel substance W-1 that cannot occur within strong gravity wells, eg. orbital habitats, planets, moons, etc.

Directorate FTL

Point to Point

CLSL was first developed by the Directorate in UDC 280 (Solar Year 2095). Most typically referred to as point to point FTL, most Directorate ships are equipped with PTP drives, with the notable exception of freight and passenger liners that run established and high-volume jump-gate routes. PTP technology first spends a considerable amount of time (varies based on the mass of the ship, length and complexity of the journey, computational power, etc) running navigational calculations while stationary, then vents a bubble of protective hydrogen kept in place by the gravity drive. The ship then exits reality and enters an interspatial superposition along its physical course for a period of time (which also varies but is typically not greater than 1-2 weeks) before arriving at its plotted destination, with the crew having experienced the trip as a period of roughly the same amount of time as it was outside the physical universe. There is no requirement for an entry nor exit gate.

Jump-Lanes/Gates

Although typically thought of as a human technology, jump-lanes, frequently incorrectly referred to as jump-gates, allow non-FTL-equipped ships to nevertheless reach their destinations before light does. These are essentially space-based habitats that are capable of propelling ships along pre-calculated, standardized routes. This system requires a strong gravitational well at its termination point in order to decelerate vessels, which is typically provided by an artificial singularity. Without one, there is no exit. Within the Directorate, these are typically constructed between already well-developed worlds through which high volumes of passengers and freight passes in order to reduce the onerous cost of an onboard pilot system or advanced Thinking Machine.

Solar/Human FTL

Folding

The Solar Empire reverse-engineered their own method in 294 (Solar Year 2109) upon the discovery of Precursor technology on the Solar moon Titan. This method uses W-1 to fold space around a ship to allow for physical, kinetic travel that does not technically break the light-speed barrier but delivers the ship to its destination ahead of light. The underlying principles of this technology remain poorly understood due to its Precursor origin, although it can nevertheless be replicated.

Jump-Lanes/Gates

Although a Directorate-developed technology, the human usage of jump-lanes has seen decidedly more widespread use by the Galactic Coalition of Interstellar States. Whereas Directorate jump-lanes are typically between existing, developed colonies, the Coalition has historically preferred to construct lanes as part of a colonization course due to the length of time and fuel inefficiency of the folding method. The use, denial, sabotage, and destruction of gates was thus a defining feature of the War of Ruz'kahni Survival, most especially on the Federation front.