Warp Drive Plausibility - Star Trek vs Science

posted on December 12th, 2012, 11:09 pm

Here's the warp 9 scale based on a power of (10/3)^(w-9). Where w = warp factor.

Warp 9 = 1,516 c
Warp 9.1 = 4,035 c
Warp 9.2 = 12,226 c
Warp 9.3 = 42,924 c
Warp 9.4 = 178,030 c

Capt. Janeway: Tom, set a course for Earth. Warp 9.4, engage!

4 months later:

Lt. Paris: We're home captain!
Capt. Janeway: Good work Tom.

even if we accept that calculation (which isn't based on a canon source), voyager has never been shown maintaining such a speed.

that warp 9.975 number was nonsense. the ship didn't go that fast on screen. they also ignored the photon torpedo limit established early on.

posted on December 12th, 2012, 11:12 pm

It doesn't matter if those speeds are correct (unlikely) and the ship could handle them (also unlikely), it would mean nothing; This is Voyager.

Star Trek rarely explained Warp, at least not the travel speed parts.

posted on December 13th, 2012, 11:00 am

You are also deciding that Voyager could travel in a straight line, and maintain that velocity for 4 months. Warp 9.4 would be flank speed, and puts quite a strain on the power systems (if you think back to TNG, happened quite a lot) plus they didn't have the deuterium, anti-matter and other such supplies to keep going even if their systems didn't fry themselves from being pushed too hard too long.

posted on December 15th, 2012, 5:33 am

http://io9.com/5963263/how-nasa-will-build-its-very-first-warp-drive

I'm surprised nobody has linked that, yet.

posted on December 16th, 2012, 12:37 am

So donuts really are the answer to all problems.

posted on December 16th, 2012, 12:55 am

Um, do us a favor. Don't destroy the earth in the process okay?

posted on December 16th, 2012, 1:06 am

I think it's too late. Honestly if I had a hundred guesses as to how the world was going to end next week I never would have guessed "NASA making a warp field". At least not right away. I would have guessed alien invasion, zombie apolocypse, virus, accidental nuclear war, machine uprising, gates of Hell opening up etc. before that one.

posted on December 16th, 2012, 3:33 pm

The earth is not going to end next week.

posted on December 16th, 2012, 4:13 pm

Did you hear about "Solar Warden" ?

Earth already has its own Starfleet, with the name "Solar Warden". A fleet of antigravity space vehicles has been allegedly created under the military code word “Solar Warden.” Solar Warden, according to cited whistleblowers, has already established bases on the moon and mars, and is involved in interplanetary exploration.While Star Trek the movie will be a hit for those wishing to exercise their imaginative capacities, Solar Warden is an elusive fact for those using their investigative abilities. By all accounts, Solar Warden is the real Starfleet though Star Trek will help get you there.We have a space fleet, which is codenamed” Solar Warden.” There were, as of 2005, eight ships, an equivalent to aircraft carriers and forty-three “protectors,” which are space planes.
(http://www.truthcontrol.com/forum/secre ... lar-warden )

posted on December 16th, 2012, 4:28 pm

The Millennium Falcon is commonly referred as the fastest ship of Star Wars, both in hyperspace and at sublight velocities. A beefed-up hyperdrive system is at the core of the Falcon's increased speed, which is well above the light speed plus point one capability of the standard Corellian YT-1300. The fastest ship in Star Wars has, at sublight speeds, a maximum upper limit value for straight-line acceleration of about 210 m/s², or about 21.5g. She can reverse her engines for a rearward acceleration of about 90 m/s², or about 9.2g. Compared to Star Trek vessels, this is quite poor acceleration indeed. More info: http://www.st-v-sw.net/STSWfalcaccel.html

posted on December 16th, 2012, 4:43 pm

How did this spam bot get past the administrators?

posted on December 16th, 2012, 6:02 pm

What spam bot?

posted on December 16th, 2012, 6:15 pm

How did this spam bot get past the administrators?

What spam bot?

posted on December 16th, 2012, 6:18 pm

How did this spam bot get past the administrators?

What spam bot?

I think he means his own posts, at least that would explain it!

posted on December 16th, 2012, 7:23 pm

I meant the one who posted the "Solar Warden" conspiracy theory on this thread.