Changes: Warp core

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Yamato warp core — The internal location of a *Galaxy*-class warp core

Warp core is the common designation for the main energy reactor powering the propulsion system on warp-capable starships. During the 22nd century, warp reactors aboard NX-class starships were technically known as the "Gravimetric Field Displacement Manifold". (ENT: "Cold Front") The reactor had eight major components. (ENT: "Desert Crossing") A less common name for this core was antimatter reactor core. (TNG: "Booby Trap", display graphic)

On Federation starships, the warp core usually consists of a matter/antimatter reaction assembly (M/ARA) utilizing deuterium and antideuterium reacting in a dilithium crystal matrix which produces a maximum output of 4,000 teradynes per second. (VOY: "Drone")

22nd century warp cores were designed as oblong cylinders connected by pylon conduits directly into the warp nacelles. (Star Trek: Enterprise) In the 23rd century, the warp core was not situated in the main engineering. The main warp reaction occurred in a dilithium crystal converter assembly which consisted of two flattened rounded nodules situated directly in front of the warp plasma conduits to the warp engines, which were behind a large metal grate. (Star Trek: The Original Series; ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II") By 2270, most Federation warp cores were redesigned to consist of a large warp core unit in the secondary hull with matter and antimatter channeling into the core through vertical conduits, with the resulting energy directed to the nacelles through a horizontal conduit leading out from the rear of the core. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

Of the original Constitution-class warp core, only the dilithium crystal assembly and the plasma conduits were ever seen in Star Trek: The Original Series. When Doug Drexler was called to design the detailed schematics of a Constitution-class starship, he designed a horizontal warp core that runs two decks below main engineering. [1]^(X) The schematic made a prominent appearance on screen in ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II". Star Trek: The Animated Series also featured a vertical component of the warp core, that extended from the dilithium crystal assembly.

As evidenced by the second draft script of ENT: "Broken Bow", the 22nd century warp core aboard an NX-class starship was originally designed to be vertical and extend through a deck, with a top which was high. A series of levers was at the bottom of the towering engine, and "pulsing pillar[s] of plasma" occasionally rose up through the warp core. Drawing inspiration from the engine of the Constitution-class USS Enterprise in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and motivated by wanting to clearly show the NX-class was a relatively early ship, Production Designer Herman Zimmerman suggested that the NX-class engine be of a horizontal configuration, an idea that was quickly approved by series co-creators and Executive Producers Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. (Star Trek: Communicator issue 135, p. 64; Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 7, p. 52) Changing the engine's orientation made the warp core look obviously different from its equivalents in later Star Trek chronology: warp cores that had typically been vertically positioned. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 7, p. 52) The "Broken Bow" script was changed to reflect the alteration and, in the revised final draft of the script, the warp core was described as extending "horizontally across the room." [2] Zimmerman noted, "We talked of a honeycomb design with multiple push and pull rods, accessible through openable doors." (Broken Bow, paperback ed., p. 269) However, the design of the warp core fell into place very quickly. Additionally, because it was to be represented as an engine which required a great deal of maintenance, the warp core was designed to incorporate enough controls and access panels that the crew could busy themselves with working on it. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 7, p. 52) Concerning how the warp core turned out, Zimmerman remarked, "It doesn't look like you can't understand it or that it wouldn't break down if all the components weren't working perfectly. So, it's a more realistic propulsion system than the fantastic propulsion system." (Broken Bow, paperback ed., p. 269)

As a safety precaution, the core could be physically ejected from the ship, should an event such as a catastrophic containment failure of the matter-antimatter reaction occur that cannot be corrected. There were also some tactical uses for ejecting and detonating a core on purpose. The detonation could for example be used to neutralize the cascade of a subspace tear or push a ship away from the gravity well of a black hole. (TOS: "That Which Survives"; TNG: "Cause and Effect", "All Good Things..."; VOY: "Cathexis", "Day of Honor", "Renaissance Man"; Star Trek: Insurrection; Star Trek)

Antimatter containment is achieved through the use of magnetic fields, which guide and direct the antimatter through the antimatter engine to injector coils, which precisely compresses and streams the antimatter into the form which enters the dilithium articulation frame. Deuterium, stored in the ship or attracted by the Bussard collectors, is funneled in a stream from the opposite deuterium injector. The molecules enter the lattice matrix of the crystallized dilithium, reacting within it and releasing a tuned energy stream in the form of electro-plasma, a highly energetic form of plasma. The electro-plasma is carried by magnetic plasma conduits throughout the power transfer system. In the Federation power transfer grid, this is the electro-plasma distribution network, comprised of EPS conduits and EPS taps. The most energized stream created is the warp plasma, which exits in twin power transfer conduits connected to the warp nacelles. (ENT: "Cold Front", "These Are the Voyages..."; Star Trek: Insurrection)

During the 23rd century, dilithium crystals were also used in Klingon warp reactions to generate energy at sufficient levels to enable warp flight. In the late 24th century, Klingon reactors used a tritium intermix, a feature not included in Federation and Romulan ships of the same era. (DS9: "When It Rains...") On Romulan starships, a completely different approach was used; an artificial quantum singularity in the warp core was used to harness the energy necessary to power warp flight. (TNG: "Timescape")

Warp cores on starships left resonance traces, allowing for the ability to track vessels. (VOY: "Caretaker")

A warp core could be towed at warp using a tractor beam if calibrated properly. (VOY: "Day of Honor", "Renaissance Man")

When a warp core went offline, deuterium was vital to support basic functions of a ship. Warp cores from shuttlecraft and shuttlepods could augment power if necessary. (VOY: "The Void")

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 {{pna-incomplete}}
 [[File:Yamato warp core.jpg|thumb|The internal location of a {{class|Galaxy}} warp core]]
-'''Warp core''' is the common designation for the main [[energy]] reactor powering the [[propulsion]] system on [[warp-capable]] [[starship]]s.  During the [[22nd century]], '''warp reactors''' aboard {{class|NX}} starships were technically known as the "'''Gravimetric Field Displacement Manifold'''". ({{ENT|Cold Front}}) The reactor had eight major components. ({{ENT|Desert Crossing}}) A less common name for this core was '''antimatter reactor core'''. ({{TNG|Booby Trap}}, ''display graphic'')
+'''Warp core''' is the common designation for the main [[energy]] reactor powering the [[propulsion]] system on [[warp-capable]] [[starship]]s. During the [[22nd century]], '''warp reactors''' aboard {{class|NX}} starships were technically known as the "'''Gravimetric Field Displacement Manifold'''". ({{ENT|Cold Front}}) The reactor had eight major components. ({{ENT|Desert Crossing}}) A less common name for this core was '''antimatter reactor core'''. ({{TNG|Booby Trap}}, ''display graphic'')
 On [[Federation]] starships, the warp core usually consists of a [[matter]]/[[antimatter]] [[matter-antimatter reaction assembly|reaction assembly]] (M/ARA) utilizing [[deuterium]] and [[antideuterium]] reacting in a [[dilithium crystal]] matrix which produces a maximum output of 4,000 [[teradyne]]s per second. ({{VOY|Drone}})
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 As a safety precaution, the core could be physically [[Warp core ejection system|ejected]] from the ship, should an event such as a catastrophic containment failure of the [[matter-antimatter reaction]] occur that cannot be corrected. There were also some tactical uses for ejecting and detonating a core on purpose. The detonation could for example be used to neutralize the cascade of a [[subspace tear]] or push a ship away from the [[gravity well]] of a [[black hole]]. ({{TOS|That Which Survives}}; {{TNG|Cause and Effect|All Good Things...}}; {{VOY|Cathexis|Day of Honor|Renaissance Man}}; {{film|9}}; {{film|11}})
-[[Antimatter containment]] is achieved through the use of magnetic fields, which guide and direct the antimatter through the [[antimatter engine]] to [[antimatter injector|injector]] coils, which precisely compresses and streams the antimatter into the form which enters the [[dilithium articulation frame]]. Deuterium, stored in the ship or attracted by the [[Bussard collector]]s, is funneled in a stream from the opposite [[deuterium injector]]. The molecules enter the lattice matrix of the crystallized dilithium, reacting within it and releasing a tuned energy stream in the form of [[electro-plasma]], a highly energetic form of [[plasma]]. The electro-plasma is carried by [[plasma conduit|magnetic plasma conduits]] throughout the power transfer system. In the Federation [[power transfer grid]], this is the [[electro-plasma system|electro-plasma distribution network]], comprised of [[EPS conduit]]s and [[EPS tap]]s.  The most energized stream created is the [[warp plasma]], which exits in twin [[power transfer conduit]]s connected to the warp [[nacelle]]s. ({{ENT|Cold Front|These Are the Voyages...}}; {{film|9}})
+[[Antimatter containment]] is achieved through the use of magnetic fields, which guide and direct the antimatter through the [[antimatter engine]] to [[antimatter injector|injector]] coils, which precisely compresses and streams the antimatter into the form which enters the [[dilithium articulation frame]]. Deuterium, stored in the ship or attracted by the [[Bussard collector]]s, is funneled in a stream from the opposite [[deuterium injector]]. The molecules enter the lattice matrix of the crystallized dilithium, reacting within it and releasing a tuned energy stream in the form of [[electro-plasma]], a highly energetic form of [[plasma]]. The electro-plasma is carried by [[plasma conduit|magnetic plasma conduits]] throughout the power transfer system. In the Federation [[power transfer grid]], this is the [[electro-plasma system|electro-plasma distribution network]], comprised of [[EPS conduit]]s and [[EPS tap]]s. The most energized stream created is the [[warp plasma]], which exits in twin [[power transfer conduit]]s connected to the warp [[nacelle]]s. ({{ENT|Cold Front|These Are the Voyages...}}; {{film|9}})
 During the [[23rd century]], dilithium crystals were also used in [[Klingon]] warp reactions to generate energy at sufficient levels to enable warp flight. In the late [[24th century]], Klingon reactors used a [[tritium intermix]], a feature not included in Federation and [[Romulan]] ships of the same era. ({{DS9|When It Rains...}}) On Romulan starships, a completely different approach was used; an [[artificial quantum singularity]] in the warp core was used to harness the energy necessary to power warp flight. ({{TNG|Timescape}})

Changes: Warp core

Revision as of 01:14, 5 April 2016

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