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quote:

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Originally posted by Masao:
If we assume that power comes from antimatter annihilation in a reactor rather than in the nacelles, I wonder how much power/plasma the nacelles can handle and what kind of speeds are possible with enough power.

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Assuming a power source that can provide an infinite amount of power within any finite period of time:

The only limitation on the warp drive is the refinement of the warp field coils and the structural integrity of the surrounding support systems.

1) The easy part. If the warp field coils are refined to the level of TNG but you have a J-Class cargo ship's reactor, you're limited to warp 2. This is because the reactor itself cannot handle the power requirements of TNG-era Warp field coil's full potential. Begin with your reactor's ability to safely produce your power requirements without blowing itself up [or irradiating you].

2) The power transfer conduits must be able to handle the load from the reactor to the coils, in the above system the reaction does not take place in the nacelles thus the power from the reaction must travel to the nacelles via something.

3) The refinement of your coils is almost paramount. You can have power generation capabilities beyond the TNG level but if your coils are like Cochrane's you aren't going warp 9.6. Better coils mean a faster theoretical speed [in fact coil refinement (either warp or transwarp) is the only factor for theoretical speed limitation], better reactor means faster potential speed [at least this is one way of saying it].

4) Your coil systems also affect your potential speed. If more speed means more power, thus more plasma, then it also means more heat. If your coolant system cannot handle the heat, you'll end up melting your warp field coils or even the nacelles. -- If your plasma injectors cannot handle the injection rates required for more speed, you won't be able to control the injection rate enough [I doubt you can just open the injectors and it will work right]. -- Etc.

Now, to the real question. What was the highest theoretical speed in TOS? Without any influence from aliens [influence which I should add seems to disappear when the aliens leave, which means that these changes are more than likely powers from the aliens themselves], I would most definately say that the maximum theoretical speed of any TOS ship would be significantly less than the Galaxy Class on the TNG scale [on the scale of at least a warp factor--- and this is on the theoretical side, no amount of change in the potentials will help]. The reason I say this is that I believe the same basic warp field coil refinement processes from the Excelsior was used all the way up to the Galaxy Class [and maybe beyond with a few modification for the warp pollution thing], and the only thing that makes the Galaxy faster than the Excelsior is:

1) reactors:
While the Excelsior could be upgraded to a point, I believe it's old space-frame could only handle so much of that upgrade and it wouldn't be nearly the same [this is only on the ability to support a reactor that could output power comparable to the Galaxy, I don't think the Excelsior could match it].
2) structural strength:
You'd have to replace an entire ship to get it up to the stress tolerances of the Galaxy simply because it is a much stronger ship because of the difference in materials and their refinement.
3) subspace geometry:
I believe there are certain things about the Excelsior that cause it to have more subspace drag, so to speak.

In short, the only thing that limits an Excelsior to a lower speed is it's potential, not it's theoretical capabilities. You might be able to get an Excelsior to give a good race to a Galaxy, doesn't mean it will survive that race or that it won't need heavy modifications before that race. However, because the TOS ships are limited by their theoretical capabilities only refinement changes could affect their ability.

Is that a good answer Masao?

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Later, J
_ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _
The Last Person to post in the late Voyager Forum. Bashing both Voyager, Enterprise, and "The Bun" in one glorious post.

[email protected]
http://webj.cjb.net

posted                      

quote:

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1) The easy part. If the warp field coils are refined to the level of TNG but you have a J-Class cargo ship's reactor, you're limited to warp 2. This is because the reactor itself cannot handle the power requirements of TNG-era Warp field coil's full potential.

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Well, it might be somewhat faster. As you say later, the 24th century coils are just better. Like new materials can provide a higher efficiency.

But it was definitely a good answer.

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Bernd Schneider

posted                      

quote:

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Originally posted by Masao:
I'm working on an article for the Museum. I'd like to know the highest quoted speeds for USS Enterprise under normal and abnormally juiced conditions (i.e., by Nomad or Kelvins).

Thanks

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• 7 - "The Cage"/"Menagerie" - Responding to distress call in the Talos Star Group.
• 8 - "Arena" - Chasing the Gorn.
• 8 - "Tomorrow is Yesterday" - Achieved about the time they passed Mercury doing the time-warp.
• 7 - "Errand of Mercy" - On its way to Organia.
• 8 - "Operation: Annihilate" - While intercepting Denevan ship heading towards its sun.
• 8 - "Amok Time" - Speed used while diverting to Vulcan.
• 11 - "The Changling" - Upon Nomad's 'tweaking', this speed was achieved as a result of an increase of engine efficiency by 57%.
• 8 - "The Deadly Years" - Used to escape the 10 Romulan BoPs as well as Romulna Space.
• 7 - "I, Mudd" - Norman hijacked the ship and directed it to the Mudd-Android planet at this speed.
• 7 - "The Gamesters of Triskelion" - And possibly a "wee bit more" while searching for the missing crewmembers that were transported from Gamma II to Triskelion.
• 8 - "Obsession" - While giving chase to the dikironium cloud, Scotty proclaimed "Captain, we can't maintain warp 8 speed much longer. Pressures are approaching the critical point."
• 11 - "By Any Other Name" - When the Kelvans hijacked the Enterprise, Rojan announced, "we will modify its engines, in order to produce velocities far beyond the reach of your science. The journey between galaxies will take less than 300 of your years." To which Spock responded: "Fascinating. Intergalactic travel requiring only 300 years? That is a leap far beyond anything man has yet accomplished."
• 9 - "The Paradise Syndrome" - While trying to divert an asteroid from said planet Spock says, "we proceed at maximum warp speed
  for a period which exceeds the recommended safety margin." Scotty replies, "I can't give you warp 9 much longer, Mr. Spock. These engines are beginning to show signs of stress."
• 9 - "The Enterprise Incident" - Used to escape the Romulans.
• 9.5 - "Is There In Truth No Beauty?" - Larry Marvick (the ships engine designer), upon seeing the Medusan Ambassador thing goes insane. Causes the ship to travel at speeds exceeding 9.5, causing the ship to enter one or all of the following: space-time continuum, uncharted space, a completely unknown void, someplace evidently far outside our own galaxy.
• 9 - "Day of the Dove" - When the Beta XII Cloud takes over the ship (and the Klingons and SF are swordfighting) the ship is suddenly "racing from this galaxy at wild speeds".
• 14.1 - "That Which Survives" - After the ship was hurled 990.7 light-years, once they reached 'maximum speed'...which at first was 8.4, it required only 11.337 hours to return to distance of origin. A power surge caused by Losira (the one who hurled the ship) caused the ship to increase in speed: 8.8, 8.9, 11.9 upto 13.2, much technobabel saturated throughout.
• 10+ - "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" - Bele reconfigured the ship for travel Cheron at this speed.
• 8 - "The Lights of Zetar" - blah.