The Topic: Optimal Geektitude

EngineerJosh

The first question I ever asked this site concerned geoffries tubes and Star Trek: TNG. Comic book store guy jumped all over it and gave such a concise, reasonable answer that it must have been correct. I'm hoping you can help me again.

My buddy (a bigger TNG geek than I) told me that one of the bigger assets of photon torpedoes is that they can be used while the ship is in warp speed while phasers cannot (phasers, being a light-based weapon, are supposed to not function at faster than light speeds). However, he goes on to say that warp speed is really not faster than light because space-time is warped around the ship in a bubble, thus enabling it to break some general physics laws.

My question is this: is he wrong concering one of the subjects or is there some explanation given by the writers of the show to straighten this out? Or is it just a bit of old-fashioned discontinuity and I should just shut my yap? Mostly, I'm interested in hearing the explanation of the Star Trek writers, if there is one. Thanks.

Responses:

Lt. Commander Data

Phasers can indeed be used at warp speed by some of the newer ships in the fleet, although they are not nearly as efficient due to the increased power diverted to the containment beam which enables the phaser to operate as such.

Torpedoes are the favored weapon when at warp, as they contain a small warp 'sustainer engine' which allows the device to maintain a small subspace field. Thus, a torpedo can operate at warp speeds, but cannot reach warp on its own. Unlike phasers, torpedoes (both photon and quantum) still release their maximum yields when fired at translight velocities.

Lt. Commander Data

As for how the warp field itself operates, that is a more complex question. It is true that the subspace fields utilized by the warp drive allow the ship to, as you say, 'break some general physics laws.' But is incorrect to say that warp speed is 'really not faster than light' since the ship does move from one location to another at a rate greater than c while not bypassing any of the space between (as is the case with a wormhole or transwarp conduit).

Lt. Commander Data

Of course, this is merely how I understand the situation at present. It is quite possible that the writers will change things again before the next movie.

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