Impulse operations occur at subluminal speeds (below the speed of light). This navigation mode is used for travel within star systems, where the bulk of Endeavour’s exploratory and tactical operations will take place.

Impulse Navigation

For navigation purposes an arbitrary impulse grid is projected around a star system, centered on the system’s principal astronomical object (usually a star) which is referred to the Navigable Astronomical Object (NAO).

The vessel’s position on the impulse grid is calculated once every second. 

Position

The grid is based on distance from the NAO across X, Y and Z axes represented as Grid Units (GUs), with a distance of 3,000 kilometres between each GU. The vessel’s position is reported as the number of GUs on each axis, in the form of X, Y and Z co-ordinates.

Heading 

The vessel’s direction of travel is its heading. This is represented as the number of degrees variance from Galactic Normal - the calculated centre of the galaxy (similar to the way Earth’s magnetic poles are used as a reference).

The vessel’s direction is changed by altering the direction of engine thrust.

A change in heading is a bearing, measured in degrees from the current heading. 

Course

A navigational course is a series of points in space, each represented by impulse grid co-ordinates (a course point), that the vessel aims to reach before applying the necessary bearing to head towards the next point. 

A course may be as simple as a single point where the vessel will stop or enter orbit, or can include serval points, such as a search pattern.

Courses can be pre-plotted by a navigator and overlaid on the vessel’s current position, such as a complex search pattern, or they can be plotted on the fly by ‘drawing’ them on the helm console.

More on Impulse Navigation

Impulse Maneuvering

Impulse maneuvering involves changing the vessel’s heading and/or speed to follow a course, or for a specific navigational or tactical purpose such as avoiding a hazard or to allow weapons to be fired.

The helm console provides controls to alter speed and heading and provides tools to help calculate the bearings required to reach course points.

Speed

The vessel’s impulse speed is measured as a proportion of light speed (C). Due to the effects of relativistic drag Endeavour’s top speed is estimated at 0.2C (one fifth the speed of light).

The main engines provide thrust to bring the vessel up to its desired speed, after which the engines are powered down and momentum maintains the vessel’s speed.

Slowing or stopping the vessel requires the application of reverse thrust.

Maneuvering Cycle 

As the helm console updates the vessel’s current position once every second, the effect of any changes made on the helm console will not become apparent until the next position update. For this reason the period between position updates is referred to as a maneuvering cycle.

More on Impulse Maneuvering

Orientation

The position of another object relative to the vessel is its orientation.

Orientation is expressed in a few ways depending on the precision required.

The most precise is to expressed orientation as a bearing - the variance in degrees of the object’s position relative to the vessel’s heading.

Less precise but easier to communicate quickly is to using standard naval terminology to describe the object's position relative to the vessel’s heading. 

Navigation involves management of the vessel’s movement in space, including superluminal travel between stellar systems and maneuvering the vessel around other vessels and objects at subluminal speeds.

All navigation requires knowledge of the vessel’s current location, speed and heading as well as the location and bearing of any vessels or objects in surrounding space. Movement over any distance necessitates establishing a heading that will get the vessel to the intended destination.

Navigation Modes

There are three main navigation modes.

FTL (Superluminal)

Faster-Than-Light (FTL) navigation involves relativistic superluminal travel, enabling transit between star systems within hours or days. The vessel’s FTL Drive utilises powerful fields which warp space-time, significantly reducing the effective distance the vessel needs to travel between two points.

Travelling in manipulated space-time takes the vessel out of phase with surrounding space. This means the vessel is undetectable but also means that sensor readings or communication outside the drive field are not possible.

More on FTL Navigation

Impulse

The vessel’s main engines provide thrust using magnetoplasma impulse technology. This uses superheated plasma to create a base level of thrust, which is accelerated using magnetic fields arranged in a carefully configured impulse pattern. Referred to colloquially as impulse engines, they can accelerate the vessel to 0.2c – one-fifth of the speed of light.

The impulse engines are also capable of varying the direction of thrust so as to alter the vessel’s heading. This process of turning the vessel while underway is referred to as maneuvering. This makes the powerful thrust of the impulse engines available to alter the heading of the vessel’s considerable mass relatively quickly and efficiently but also requires the vessel to be under way.

Impulse navigation is where encounters with other vessels are most likely and most tactical operations will occur.

More on Impulse Navigation

Reaction Control (RCS)

The Reaction Control System (RCS) uses a number of small chemical rocket engines located around the vessel to make small and precise position or heading changes. RCS is used for establishing orbit, rendezvousing with another vessel or for docking.

RCS can alter the vessel’s position from stationary, but is not powerful enough to maneuver the vessel at impulse speeds.

Stellar Cartography

Stellar cartography involves the identification of star systems and the mapping of their location so that vessels can navigate to them.

This includes the identification of Astronomical Objects (AOs) such as planets within the star system so that vessels can safely navigate within the star system once they reach it.

More on Stellar Cartography

The FTL (Faster Than Light) Drive is a piece of recovered extra-terrestrial technology that emits intensive gravimetric fields capable of manipulating space-time.

The effect is to propel the vessel at relativistic velocities far in excess of the speed of light (C), even though the vessel's actual velocity does not exceed impulse speeds (up to 0.2C).

Simulations indicate that star systems within 100 light years of the solar system can be reached within days.

Theory

The FTL Drive generates a powerful gravimetric field which warps space-time. Forward of the vessel this effectively brings points in space along the vessel's heading closer to the vessel. This is offset aft of the vessel where the field warps space away from the vessel. This offset means that the FTL Drive field is not compressing space-time overall.

The FTL Drive field extends approximately 100GUs forward and aft of the vessel and only space-time within the field is manipulated. The vessel is isolated from the gravimetric effects of the field by the Field Transit Envelope (FTE), an area at the core of the field only slightly larger than the vessel which is not subject to space-time manipulation and so is effectively 'normal' space.

The drive's relativistic velocity is applied to the vessel at the drive field's strongest point (shown in blue/red on the diagram), after which the field's strength drops off exponentially with a corresponding reduction in space-time warping. This gradual reduction avoids gravimetric vortices forming at the leading edge of the drive field.

It is vital that space-time compression forward and decompression aft are precisely matched to avoid any overall compression or decompression of space-time. Any imbalance would generate significant (and potentially catastrophic) gravimetric instability in surrounding space which the FTE may not protect the vessel from.

Engineering

FTL Drive technology has not yet been successfully reverse engineered from the captured device, although a drive device of alien manufacture (recovered from a crashed vessel) has successfully been tested using field emitters manufactured terrestrially.

It is intended that the recovered FTL Drive unit will be integrated into Endeavour, allowing interstellar travel. Eventually it is hoped that the technology can be sufficiently understood to allow the manufacture of new FTL Drive units.

As impulse propulsion cannot be used while the FTL Drive is engaged, the two systems share a common power source, with power shifting between the systems as FTL Drive is engaged and disengaged.

Significant compute resource is required to monitor and continually calibrate FTL drive output to ensure it remains balanced. If the field becomes imbalanced beyond the system's ability to compensate, the drive will be disengaged.

Operation

The FTL Drive itself imparts little or no additional velocity to the vessel. The space-time manipulation effect works off the vessel's momentum at the point the drive is engaged, effectively multiplying the vessel's base inertial velocity.

The FTL Drive requires a minimum base velocity to be effective, estimated to be 0.12C. Higher base velocities induce less load on the FTL drive, which then requires less power to operate.

The amount of power applied to the FTL drive (and therefore the strength of the FTL Drive field) is controllable from the helm.

The helm will prevent the FTL Drive from being engaged if the base inertial velocity is not sufficient for the current drive power level.

While FTL drive is engaged, impulse flight functions are disabled.

FTL Drive Module Operation

Environmental and Tactical Impact

When the FTL drive is engaged it takes a number of seconds for the drive field to form. During this time the FTL drive emits a significant amount of EM in the ionising band (which is detectable but not hazardous).

Once the drive field has formed external observers would notice the vessel visibly distorting before apparently disappearing from view. A similar effect would be noticed when the vessel exits FTL drive mode.

When in FTL drive mode, the vessel is effectively undetectable. This also means that normal communications outside the AOI are impossible, although notifications can be sent and received via the Quantum-Entanglement Relay (QER) system.

Area of Influence (AOI)

The FTL drive field's active Area of Influence (AOI) extends up to 100 GUs (300,000km) forward and aft of the vessel.

External Impact

The effect of objects coming into contact with the AOI from outside is relative to the object's mass and the strength of the drive field. Smaller objects would be deflected by the drive field with minimal impact on the vessel. Objects with sufficient mass would cause the field to deflect away from the object. As this would seriously disrupt navigation and drive operation, the AOI is constantly scanned for unexpected objects of significant mass. On detection the FTL Drive is automatically deactivated to avoid impact, as the navigational changes needed for evasion are too complex given the time available.

It is not thought possible for an object outside the AOI to enter the AOI.

Internal Impact

Any object caught within the AOI (such as when the drive field forms) would be subject to significant gravimetric forces. Objects smaller than the vessel would likely be propelled towards the vessel at superluminal velocities, which could cause catastrophic damage to the vessel. (If the object was aft, it would be propelled away from the vessel).

An object significantly larger than the vessel (such as AOs) would cause the vessel to be propelled towards that object at superluminal velocities, which would result in catastrophic impact (particularly for the vessel).

For this reason FTL drive must not be engaged while objects are within range of the drive's AOI.

FTL Navigation

Standard impulse navigation techniques are not possible while in FTL drive mode as the vast distances involved mean that the slightest error in navigation would be catastrophically magnified.

Instead, FTL navigation is completely managed by computer. The destination system is entered into the helm and the necessary maneuvers to safely reach the destination are calculated, implemented, checked and corrected automatically during flight.

More on FTL Navigation

The vessel's main propulsion is provided by Magnetoplasma Impulse Engines (MIE's), which utilise terrestrially-developed magnetoplasma technology combined with an alien-derived magneto-impulse acceleration system.

Operation

MIE engines generate plasma which is directed through a series of powerful magnetic containment fields. The plasma is maintained under pressure to increase its energy level. To generate thrust, plasma is released via a contricted opening in the containment field, with the plasma's energy converted to thrust as it exits at high speed. Escaping plasma is further accelerated by carefuly sequenced magnetic fields generated with in the output nozzle inner surafce. This significantly increases the thrust produced by the plasma to levels necessary for maneuvering a large vessel and to engage superluminal drive systems.

Operating Stages

MIE engines have three operational stages:

Plasma Generation

Fuel gas (hydrogen) is ionized using helicon RF antennas. This creates a relatively dense, cold plasma (60,000K) The resulting plasma is containable by a magnetic field, a requirement for managing the extreme temperatures generated by the next stage.

Plasma Excitement

The initial plasma is fed into a magnetic field designed as a mirror, to trap the low energy initial plasma so that it can be superheated (excited). Plasma is excited using an ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) process, which increases the kinetic energy of the energy of the plasma to the point  that it's controlled escape from containment generates an opposing force - thrust. 

The magnetic containment field is configured to produce a gradeient along the length of the containment chamber, steadily increasing pressure on the plasma to ensure that continued progress through the chamber requires higher energy. The end of the containment field is constricted to ensure that only plasma with high enough energy is capable of escaping. The constriction is periodically lowered temporarily as part of a regular cycle to allow a rush of plasma to escape at high velocity.

Plasma Acceleration

The excited plasma is directed to a magnetic field with an open-ended gradient that creates a magnetic 'output nozzle' lined with powerful magnetic field generators. These generators create a series of constantly variable magnetic gradients arranged to create an impulse pattern that accelerates the plasma and significantly increases the kinetic energy available for conversion to thrust. At a point along the nozzle's magnetic field the field strength becomes weaker than the strength of the plasma's flow and the plasma detaches. it is at this point that thrust is generated.

Directional Control

As the plasma progresses through the acceleration stage, the magnetic field generators can be adjusted to make slight changes to the direction of the plasma flow out of the engine, enough to allow the vessel to be steered.

Reverse Thrust Diverters

An additional series of magnetic field generators can be used to alter the profile of the plasma acceleration and exhaust stage, diverting plasma towards forward-facing output vents. This allows the engines to apply forward thrust to slow and stop forward movement inertia.

The diversion process reduces the efficiency of the plasma acceleration phase, requiring more energy and/or time to apply the equivalent reverse thrust.

Engine Balancing

The engines produce strong magnetic fields which would seriously interfere with other ships systems and cause adverse interactions with planetary magnetospheres.

To counteract this problem, each engine is made up of a pair of ''thruster units'' (each pod consisting of a complete MIE system), with the magnetic fields of each pod oriented as opposite magnetic dipoles.

The vessel is propelled through space by the main Magnetoplasma Impulse Engines (MIEs) at speeds of up to 20% of light, which is suitable for navigating within star systems.

Interstellar travel is achieved using an alien-sourced FTL drive, which manipulates space around the vessel to reduce the time needed to traverse between two distant points in the galaxy.

Other propulsion systems include the Reaction Control Systems (RCS) used on the vessel for docking, stationkeeping and orbital positioning adjustments, and antigravity drives used on small planetary shuttles.

Magnetoplasma Impulse Engines (MIE)

Main propulsion is provided by Magnetoplasma Impulse Engines (MIE's) which fuse existing terrestrial magentoplasma technology with alien-derived magneto-acceleration processes (known as impulse technology).

The first stage emits plasma created from ionising hydrogen, a technology that is well understood but based on current technology does not produce anywhere near the velocities required for deep space exploration. 

The second stage accelerates the plasma using a complex series of powerful magnetic fields generated using alien-derived field generation technology. This massively increases the thrust produced by the engines, allowing velocities of up to 20% of light speed - high enough that relativistic effects become noticeable.

These velocities are suitable for intra-system maneuvering and to attain the relative velocities required for FTL travel.

More on Impulse Engines

FTL Drive

The FTL (Faster Than Light) drive generates the spatial manipulation fields that allow the vessel to reach relative velocities that are significantly faster than the speed of light.

The vessel itself does not reach absolute speeds any faster than those achieved by the main engines - the appearance of FTL speeds is achieved due to space-time manipulation.

The vessel must reach minimum absolute speeds of approximately 10% the speed of light (30,000km/s) before the spatial manipulation fields become effective.

More on FTL

Reaction Control System

The Reaction Control System (RCS) utilises a number of chemical rocket engines to allow minor adjustments to the vessel's attitude and position for close-range and orbital adjustment maneuvers.

The vessel’s Power Distribution Network (PDN) is a highly redundant, layered distribution system for delivering power from generation and auxiliary power sources to vessel systems.

The system is made up of a network of electrical conduits which link distribution nodes, creating a web-like network that provides multiple paths between power sources and consuming systems. Power can be routed around the network to meet operating requirements or to bypass damage and is transformed to the voltages and frequencies required by various vessel systems.

The PDN also monitors and reports on the status of the systems connected to it.

Structure

The Power Distribution Network is layered, with the first layer (the primary distribution network) providing maximum distribution capacity between primary generation sources and first-layer distribution nodes. Some high-consumption systems such as propulsion are supplied directly from the primary network.

From the first-layer distribution nodes, a second layer (the secondary distribution network) uses a range of smaller-capacity conduits to deliver power to distribution nodes closer to the systems consuming it.

Distribution Nodes

Distribution nodes receive power from up to three sources via an upstream interface. The supplied power is aggregated and converted to the required distribution standard (voltage and current) which can then be delivered to up to three destinations via a downstream interface.

Each node has a configuration interface that allows power allocation between downstream outputs to be adjusted, which determines how much power the connected downstream nodes receive. 

Some nodes are supply only (such as generators).

More on Nodes

Node Priority

Nodes can accept up to three supply inputs and can output up to three downstream systems.

The three outputs are prioritised, with the first output having the highest priority. If available power drops below what has been allocated, power will be unallocated from the lowest priority output first.

System Nodes

System nodes are vessel systems which only consume power and aren't involved in distribution. Power management for system nodes can be configured from the relevant system's control console.

Conduits

Distribution nodes are connected by conduits. 

The voltage and current that can be handled by each conduit is limited by the physical parameters of the conduit (for example the size of the cable cores making up the conduit, their insulation and shielding, etc).

Conduits typically have significant redundant capacity over that needed for their nominal distribution role to support additional load due to alternative routing of power around damage.

Power Standards

Primary Distribution Network (1DN)

The DC output of the reactor is immediately regulated to medium voltage (1000V) DC. This is distributed via the Primary Distribution Network (1DN), consisting of a relatively small number of high-capacity conduits linking generation systems to layer-one distribution nodes and directly to propulsion systems.

The network includes redundant conduits which are installed along physically different routes throughout the vessel to minimise the effect of damage on the network’s minimum delivery capacity.

Secondary Distribution Network (2DN)

The Secondary Distribution Network (2DN) consists of a large number of lengthy mid-capacity conduits linking distribution nodes with distribution boards supplying vessel systems.

The DC supply from the 1DN is inverted to AC at the distribution node. Depending on the downstream requirement, inversion will be to either high-frequency (400Hz) or low frequency (50Hz) AC.

400Hz Secondary Distribution Network

The high-frequency 400Hz 2DN is an AC system rated at 440 volts.

High-frequency AC (HFAC) power offers advantages over standard frequency AC in a number of applications:

• Electric equipment can be much smaller and lighter. For example, doubling frequency generally permits electric machines to be 75% smaller. Other grid components (such as transformers, filters and circuit breakers) can also be smaller.
• Electric motors can achieve higher speeds. High-speed induction motors can be directly used for compressors, high pressure pumps and turbines.
• Acoustic noise is reduced dramatically due to a higher frequency mechanical vibration.
• Harmonics in HFAC systems are at a higher frequency and so are more easily removed by filters.

HFAC presents grid safety challenges. Circuit breakers must react faster to overload conditions in high frequency transmission scenarios to prevent damage.

50Hz Secondary Distribution Network

The standard frequency 50Hz 2DN is a three-phase AC system rated at 240 volts. Most supplied systems use a single phase, with the use of individual phases limiting cross-system interference.

Network Management

Each PDN node can be managed remotely from engineering consoles. This includes the ability to reallocate power between upstream sources and downstream nodes, and diagnostic monitoring.

Monitoring

The condition of each node is monitored. Alerts or alarms are displayed on the master systems panel. 

Mapping

The PDN is visualised as a schematic map on a dedicated console configuration, viewable in different sections or from the perspective of each major system. The PDN map provides direct access to the control interface for each node.

PDN Schematics

Systems Telemetry

Each system connected to a PDN node passes telemetry to the node on the system's condition. This allows connected systems to also be monitored on the master systems panel as well as by the master systems indicators on any console managing that system.

The ISDC is a multi-national organisation established by secret international treaty, dedicated to establishing and maintaining a human presence in deep space. The motivation for this initiative and source of the technology that makes it possible derives from recent contact with extra-terrestrial visitors.

Background

The ISDC’s formation resulted from the secret defection to Australia of group of scientists from a US military program. They brought with them technology – much of it recovered from captured alien vessels – that makes the launch of an interstellar vessel possible.

The creation of an alternative program was considered necessary to provide additional strategic options for engaging extra-terrestrial visitors. While the US program emphasises demonstration of force as the means to provide Earth’s security, the ISDC’s founders believe that communication will secure peaceful relations. In their view, aggression risks provoking unnecessary conflict with highly advanced civilisations.

Conflict could not be completely ruled out however, especially when it became apparent that extra-terrestrial visitors may represent more than one species. The increasingly hostile behaviour of their craft suggests at least one species has belligerent intent and may be turning their attention to Earth.

Australia was chosen as the base of operations for an alternative program as it offered appropriate infrastructure, remote but accessible locations and was unlikely to attract suspicion as a close ally of the US. Importantly, Australia's president was a close personal friend of one of the scientists and was instrumental in garnering the international support needed for the creation of the ISDC.

The Organisation

Although the ISDC is a multi-national organisation, the degree of knowledge and official sanction of the ISDC's operation varies by country, depending on local political sensitivities.  Any involvement is highly classified and knowledge of the ISDC is restricted to key ministers and officials.

Personnel are drawn from the military, industry and academia of member nations. The organisation's structure is designed to ensure that these groups are able to work together successfully during both the construction of the interstellar vessel and when it begins operating in deep space.

While not strictly a military organisation, The ISDC's operational activity is governed by a military-style chain of command structure, which provides clear guidance for all personnel on their responsibilities. This clarity is considered vital when operating in unpredictable and potentially dangerous environments expected in deep space.

The Need for Secrecy

Geo-strategic concerns make it necessary for the ISDC's work to remain highly classified. An elaborate network of secret finances and cover-stories has been created to allow the ISDC to pursue its mission and to 'hide in plain sight'.

The Milesham Organisation, an apparently well-endowed philanthropical organisation dedicated to climate change research, is one of the principal covers for the ISDC’s activities.

The need for secrecy is two-fold. Firstly, publicly acknowledging the existence of extra-terrestrial civilizations would incite an unpredictable and likely adverse reaction from the general population and in particular their governments.

Secondly, the US military continues to operate a similar program and the ISDC could therefore be misconstrued as a threat. It is thought likely steps would be taken to destroy the ISDC if its existence became known.

The Mission

The ISDC has a multi-faceted mission in deep (interstellar) space, involving exploration, diplomacy and defence.

The mission's emphasis is on exploration - mapping and documenting stellar and planetary phenomena in the vast reaches of deep space. The focus of efforts will be on areas thought most likely to harbour intelligent life, with a view to initiating first contact with new civilizations.

Once first contact has been made, every effort will be made to establish diplomatic relations, create alliances and gather defensive technology.  Where peaceful relations cannot be established, the ISDC is responsible for defending Earth from extra-terrestrial threats.

Building an Interstellar Vessel

Before the organisation can carry out its primary mission, it must complete development of an interstellar vessel, using scientific knowledge and technology available to the ISDC from a variety of sources.

Construction of the vessel will take place in space under the cover of the ACROSS orbital climate research station, with component modules ferried into space under the guise of extending and supplying the space station.