Interlude 01 FTL Technologies

The many civilized races of the universe use a variety of methods to achieve faster than light travel. Some methods are more common than others. Here we will cover a few of the more common methods of travel but by no means all of them. Along with a couple of rare methods.

Warp Drive:

By far one of the most common methods of interstellar travel. Warp drives function by folding space. The process creates a bubble of intense spatial flux around the ship that will tear matter apart. Note sufficiently large objects may pass through the field and remain intact enough to actually damage the ship. Smaller particles destroyed in this manner tend to have significant velocity and can damage the hull. The field has also been known to redirect energy streams like lasers. Speed is a function of the degree of spatial folding, and the sublight speed of the ship. Most ships accelerate to around half the speed of light before engaging their warp drive to avoid the effects of relativity which warp drives are subject to if the vessel accelerates to relativistic velocity. Using this, and spatial folding factor it is possible to calculate the warp curve. Early warp drives are heavily affected by gravity, but more advanced ones are only affected by intense gravity wells.

Hyperdrive:

Easily as common as warp drives, hyperdrives are faster than most early warp drives but tend to be outperformed by more advanced warp drives. Early hyperdrives function by opening a breach in weak points between hyperspace and normal space. This creates a window that allows a ship to enter hyperspace. The ship can exit in the same fashion. While in hyperspace the ship can travel faster than the speed of light. It is also important to note that these weak points can occur anywhere conditions are right, but those in the gravity well of say a planet tend to be unstable. Trying to make the jump inside a gravity well is risky, and usually results in the destruction of the ship attempting the jump. Early drives can only travel around 800 times lightspeed, but hyperspace mapping technology can increase that, by allowing navigators to plot more efficient routes through hyperspace. Advanced hyperdrives no longer require a weak point to make the jump, but they are still subject to gravity. Making it a risky proposition to attempt to make a jump inside the gravity well of a planet.

Jump drives:

Jump drives are an interesting if limited drive. They access subspace conduits that naturally occur between stars. A special field is generated around the ship that allows it to enter the conduit, and make the jump. The ship will then travel down the conduit at speeds in excess of 4000C or greater and then emerge in the system linked to that node.. Unlike other drives, you can’t just go to any system, but must instead navigate the jump nodes. Ships must travel at sublight between nodes.

Hypergates:

Basically a primitive stargate, the hypergates are a precursor to hyperdrive technology and function on the same principles. They allow any ship to enter hyperspace, and travel between any two of them. Ships using hypergates cannot exit hyperspace on their own, and must exit in a system with a hypergate. Hypergates cannot function inside the gravity well of a planet or close proximity to a star limiting their use.

Hyperwarp:

An advanced form of FTL. Hyperwarp makes use of subspace tunneling technology, to create conduits through subspace (hyperspace). These conduits allow for rapid travel to any location connected by a conduit. Hyperwarp drives are energy intensive, and this precludes their use on ships without beefy power plants. They are, however, one of the fastest known methods of travel. Used heavily by the Soleans for intergalactic travel. Also of note, is that already established conduits can be reopened for travel at a lower energy cost than making a new conduit.

Stargates:

These constructs make use of hyperwarp technology to allow ships or people to travel between any two of them nearly instantaneously. Some versions even allow for intergalactic travel. Ships using them do not need to have a hyperwarp drive of their own. Stargates are also more energy efficient than ship based hyperwarp drives thanks to their linked nature, but they can be modified to project a conduit to any location. Assuming you have a powerful enough power source.

Inversion Drive:

An interesting drive that functions on a principle of sub spatial inversion. The drive creates an inversion that effectively transports a ship a vast distance in an instant. Speed is a function of the cycle time of the drive, and the range of the drive. Inversion drives are competitive with warp drive in terms of speed.

Stardrive:

A biological FTL drive that functions on a principle of spatial flux. Spatial flux waves are generated by biological organs to bend space in a fashion not unlike a warp drive, but fundamentally different. They tend to be slower than warp drive, but more efficient. An interesting quirk of stardrives is their ability to open jump nodes through an applied form of focused spatial flux in a fashion not dissimilar to a jump drive. Also of note is that Stardrives double as sublight drives creating spatial pulse waves at sublight velocities allowing normal flight in space. Species known to have Stardrive technology include the Darkations, the Star Dragons, and the Soleans. Although in the case of the Soleans and Star Dragons they don’t use them on ships, both races are born with them. Being innately capable of star flight on their own. This doesn’t prevent them from building ships of their own though. The Soleans building them for war, and as homes. While the Star Dragons build ships solely for war.

Hyperflux Drive:

An advanced variant of hyperdrive. Operates like a normal hyperdrive, but while in hyperspace it generates a form of hyper spatial flux that actually folds hyperspace. Allowing for faster speed in hyperspace. Most races discard this method in favor of hyperwarp technology, as hyperwarp is far faster, and has similar energy requirements.