Travel in the galaxy is performed among many methods.
The most common way is sublight speeds. Most ships can
only obtain sublight speeds upto approximately .5 light
years due to technology restrictions before the ship must
either reduce speed or break the light barrier; otherwise
they will break apart.
When the light barrier is broken, the ship is automatically
enveloped in a pocket of space, which keep the stress
on the hull down, and protects the ship by warping smaller
objects around it. Many people call this going to light
speed and Warp, because of the warping nature of space
which occures. On the technical aspect, it is merely called
light speed or TransLight Velocity. Currenty no limit
of light speed has been found, as most ships break apart
after a certain limit due to stress on the hull. As with
all things in the USI universe, a very delicate balance
factor is applied when determining the max light speed
of a ship.
Transspacial Conduits are another method of spacial travel.
Given the observance that space bends ( as we observe
with light speed and wormholes) then we also have come
into contact with way of getting underneth the fabric
of space. A ship can enter a transspacial conduit given
correct technology, and go from point to point using sublight
engines. While within the conduit, it has been found that
you must use sublight engines as a pocket of space will
not form around a ship to protect it from the stress of
speed increase. Transspacial Conduits are another method
of warping space around the ship. This too can be referred
to warp, but is most commonly called TransConduit.
(Note: Transportation physics and underlying technologies are being redeveloped to be resleased shortly! Information on this page may be obsolete in near future. 11/07/2006.)
Engine
Type / Engine Name |
Speed
Range |
Notes |
Mag Pulse Drive |
0 - .7LV |
A common form
of Impulse. Design of ship will effect max speed.
Rugged design, very easy to maintain. Often times
is integrated with Mag Gravity Well as a single unit.
|
Fusion Reactor |
0 - .4LV |
Cheepest. Most
Common form. Small impact of speed from design of
ship |
Spacial Displacement |
0 - .8LV |
Expensive. Potentially
Dangerous as Spacial Displacement often times are
uncontrollable. Easy to make transition to Translight
Velocity. |
Partical Carrier |
0 - .99LV |
Similar in design
from the Soliton Drive. No Ship Design impact to Max
Speed. Expensive to build. Easy to integrate into
ship systems, very easy to damage. High Maintainance.
Large Ships will tend to use these more as they are
more powerful than the others. |
Engine
Type / Engine Name |
Speed
Range |
Notes |
Mag
Gravity Well |
1LV-
6LV |
Most
common among smaller ships and SFC (Small Fighter
Craft). Rugged Design and very easy to maintain. |
Light Drive |
1LV - 9LV |
Common form of
LV by most the galaxy . Uses some similar theory to
the Mag Gravity well by creating a large contained
gravity well and using its properties for propulsion.
The light drive takes the gravity well and pushes
light through it by way of a particle Generator causing
greater forces. The Disadvantage is that the light
drive is somewhat larger than the simple MGW and has
higher maintainance. A plus though is increased max
speed. |
Soliton Matrix |
1LV - 9.9 LV |
By taking the
simple yet faster than light particle the Soliton,
and generating large quantities, or waves of Solitons,
and putting it through a Matrix of Crystals which
catch them and causes propulsion. The Crystals, called
Disc's within the Matrix, are tuned to either catch
the solitons, redirect the direction, or simply ignore
them to be recycled. Soliton Matrix Drives are unique
to USI only. Sometimes takes a short time to build
up larger waves. |
TransConduit |
* Varies by length of the conduit
in direct proportion to speed of impulse while traveling.
|
By burrowing into
the fabric of space by way of Quantum Technologies,
TransConduit is able to create a hole in space and
enter to what is known as Transpacial Conduit. The
Conduit distance is considerably shorter from point
to point when dealing with large distances. TransConduit
is almost always a Secondary method of Travel as in
many shorter distance cases, standard Translight Velocity
is quicker. |
Spacial Displacement |
1LV - 8 LV |
Expensive. Potentially
Dangerous as Spacial Displacement often times are
uncontrollable. |
Partical Carrier |
1LV - 9.5 LV |
Similar in design
from the Soliton Drive. No Ship Design impact to Max
Speed. Expensive to build. Easy to integrate into
ship systems, very easy to damage. High Maintainance.
|
Translight
Comparison Speed |
A Translight Velocity Comparison Speed chart will be
made available shortly. The chart will show some basic
examples of the speed variation with near exact numbers
( at least near as can be calculated given the limited
information on exact distances ). A visual chart will
also be made available with visual comparison diagrams
so you can " see " the differences of translight
1 vs Translight 8 and the size of a parsec vs a sector
etc.
Note : The technology of the soliton matrix is one that
is explored deeply in USI. For more information regarding
it, please referre to the Technology database. More information
will be added to the records as more definite ideas are
created about each item.
As with many Science Fiction universes, space travel
is a very unique and exciting thing. With new species
around the bend and who knows what type of anomoly, its
easy to get caught up with the mere subject of space and
only space. Star Trek has at least 1/4 of their episodes
revolving around spacial anomilies yet many of the greatest
Science Fiction Classics mention spacial troubles to a
small degree such as a astroid field. This proves that
interesting stories can be made not only about people
in space, but space itself.
Many types of ships exist within the USI Universe. The
below graph will outline the types of ships most often
used in USI, their speed ranges, and their uses within
USI. Note that if a HUGE ship of 100 decks doesn't go
TLV 9, its because of technological complicatoins. While
the USI universe was created to give a writer an imagination
to explore new possibilities, as the architect of the
universe, I also felt that it had to have boundries.
Note That USI ships will have different data due to technology
differences in the universe. This is based on a typical
scenario using more ships than just USI based ships. A
Seperate Graph will show the USI standard.
Ship
Size (Class) |
#
of Decks |
Sublight
/ TransLight Engines |
Speed
Range |
General
Uses / Notes |
Small Fighter Craft
(SFC) |
1-2 |
Fusion / Mag Gravity
Well |
0
- .4LV
/
1LV- 6LV |
Secondary Offensive / Defensive Role
in combat engagement. Escort vessels. Are often times
used as a Primary attack vessel when SIS or MIS vessels
are configured less for a battle situation. Being
more manuveralbe, they make for excellent attacking
ships. Because of size, their firepower is often limited.
|
Small Shuttle |
1-2 |
Fusion / Mag Gravity
Well |
0
- .4LV
/
1LV- 6LV |
Light Transportation Vehicle. Little
offensive, little defesive capability. Often used
when a larger ship cannot be used in investigative
and exploration situations. Used as a secondary science
multipurpose device. |
Large Shuttle |
1-4 |
Mag Pulse / Mag
Gravity Well |
0
- .7LV
/
1LV- 6LV |
Standard Transportation vehicle. Can
be used like small shuttle as well. |
Small Intergalactic
Ships (SIS) |
5-10 |
Mag Pulse / Light
Drive |
0
- .7LV
/
1LV - 9LV |
Scouts, escorts, cargo ships. Mostly
used by private organizations or individuals for their
own internal affairs. Are often modified to any end
for their own purpose. Cargo ships are most likely
of this class as to maximize shipment, but not pose
as a gold mind for pirates and the like. Pirate and
rebel organizations also preferre this class due to
their lower cost, easy repair factor, and easy modification
to ship purpose. Government factions also favor the
class for the same reasons. SIS ships have a low durability
factor. |
Medium Intergalactic
Ships (MIS) |
10-25 |
Mag Pulse / Light
Drive |
0
- .7LV
/
1LV - 9LV |
Highly favored in the USI for its cost
+ Functionality value. Although many Gov. Factions
tend to use either the SIS or the LIS class ships,
the MIS is good for well rounded ships that feature
both the adaptability of the SIS, and the durablility
of LIS. Most MIS ships are created for a certain purpose,
and remain that way until either decommissioned, destroyed,
or taken apart for salvage. |
Large Intergalactic
Ships (LIS) |
25-250 |
Particle Carrier
/ Light Drive |
0
- .4LV
/
1LV - 6LV |
Large Behemoth's of ships. Created usually
for battle or large transport. Many are carrier ships
for SFC's or SIS's. Some are designed for the transport
of whole worlds by conquering factions. Because of
their slow speed, but excellent armor, they make surpurb
support vehicles. Most LIS ships are only slightly
equiped with offensive weaponry, and only moderately
for defensive. Shield and Armor factor are usually
high. |
Ship
Size |
#
of Decks |
Sublight
/ TransLight Engines |
Speed
Range |
General
Uses / Notes |
Small Fighter Craft
(SFC) |
1-2 |
Mag Pulse / Mag
Gravity Well |
0
- .7LV
/
1LV- 6LV |
Secondary Offensive / Defensive Role
in combat engagement. Escort vessels. Are often times
used as a Primary attack vessel when SIS or MIS vessels
are configured less for a battle situation. Being
more manuveralbe, they make for excellent attacking
ships. Because of size, their firepower is often limited.
|
Shuttle |
1-2 |
Mag Pulse / Mag
Gravity Well |
0
- .7LV
/
1LV- 6LV |
Light Transportation Vehicle. Little
offensive, little defesive capability. Often used
when a larger ship cannot be used in investigative
and exploration situations. Used as a secondary science
multipurpose device. |
Large Shuttle |
1-4 |
Mag Pulse / Mag
Gravity Well |
0
- .7LV
/
1LV- 6LV |
Standard Transportation vehicle. Can
be used like small shuttle as well. |
Small Intergalactic
Ships (SIS) |
5-10 |
Mag Pulse / Soliton
Matrix |
0
- .7LV
/
1LV - 9.9 LV |
Scouts, escorts, cargo ships. Mostly
used by private organizations or individuals for their
own internal affairs. Are often modified to any end
for their own purpose. Cargo ships are most likely
of this class as to maximize shipment, but not pose
as a gold mind for pirates and the like. Pirate and
rebel organizations also preferre this class due to
their lower cost, easy repair factor, and easy modification
to ship purpose. Government factions also favor the
class for the same reasons. SIS ships have a low durability
factor. |
Medium Intergalactic
Ships (MIS) |
10-25 |
Mag Pulse* / Soliton
Matrix |
0 - .7LV
/
1LV - 9.9 LV |
Highly favored in the USI for its cost
+ Functionality value. Although many Gov. Factions
tend to use either the SIS or the LIS class ships,
the MIS is good for well rounded ships that feature
both the adaptability of the SIS, and the durablility
of LIS. Most MIS ships are created for a certain purpose,
and remain that way until either decommissioned, destroyed,
or taken apart for salvage. |
Large Intergalactic
Ships (LIS) |
25-50 |
Particle Carrier
/ Soliton Matrix |
0
- .3556 LV
/
1LV - 6.5 LV |
Large Behemoth's of ships. Created usually
for battle or large transport. Many are carrier ships
for SFC's or SIS's. Some are designed for the transport
of whole worlds by conquering factions. Because of
their slow speed, but excellent armor, they make surpurb
support vehicles. Most LIS ships are only slightly
equiped with offensive weaponry, and only moderately
for defensive. Shield and Armor factor are usually
high. |
Travel isn't always restricted to vehicular type methods.
Wormholes, rifts within space, and spacial Tunneling (
Transconduit ) are other common forms of moving without
direct use of a ship or vehicle. These listed methods
often use a vehicle, as their application is most effective
long distances within the harsh enviornment of space.
But they could be used in the confines of a planet or
other permitting enviornment. Some of these are created
by way of Technology, others are naturally occuring.
One of hte more common methods of non vehicular travel
are the use of Translocational Gateways. Lamans Terms
: Gateway between two points in space, reducing overall
distance to a meter at most, allowing lifeforms to simply
step through, and objects to be dropped in. This is often
referred to as Gating. The Faction of USI uses the Technology
specific to Translocation Gating. Other factions and races
have created compatible varients of the same technological
basis.
Gating does have its uses, but is limited in size and
distance. Often times, when a wormhole isn't around (
stable at that ) or the ability to create a transpacial
conduit or other form of spacial tunneling, getting from
one point of the universe to the next is somewhat time
consuming, considering how vast the galaxy is. Scattered
throughout the galaxy there is a device known as a STNN,
Starship Transport Network Nexus. By combining the technology
and theories of Wormholes, blackholes, and spacial tunneling,
these STNN's connect points of space together, allowing
for faster travel without the hassle of wasted time. The
only draw back, is the STNN's are at fixed points in space,
and the race that created them have disappeared. The Policical
overview map shows the locations of STNN's.
|