Warp core Warp core is the common designation for the main energy reactor powering the propulsion system on warp - capable starship s . During the 22nd century , warp reactors aboard starships were technically known as the " Gravimetric Field Displacement Manifold " . ( ) The reactor had eight major components . ( ) A less common name for this core was antimatter reactor core . ( , " display graphic " ) The first terran warp core was invented by Zefram Cochrane in 2061 and used in Humanity ' s first warp capable vessel , the " Phoenix " in 2063 that led to the event known as First Contact Day where the Human species met the Vulcans . ( ; ) On Federation starships , the warp core usually consists of a matter / antimatter reaction assembly ( M / ARA ) utilizing deuterium and antideuterium reacting in a dilithium crystal matrix which produces a maximum output of 4 , 000 teradyne s per second . ( ) 22nd century warp cores were designed as oblong cylinders connected by pylon conduits directly into the warp nacelles . ( ) In the 23rd century , the warp core was not situated in the main engineering . The main warp reaction occurred in a dilithium crystal converter assembly which consisted of two flattened rounded nodules situated directly in front of and connected to the warp plasma conduits to the warp engines , which were behind a large metal grate . ( ; ) By 2270 , most Federation warp cores were redesigned to consist of a large warp core unit in the secondary hull with matter and antimatter channeling into the core through vertical conduits , with the resulting energy directed to the nacelles through a horizontal conduit leading out from the rear of the core . ( ) As a safety precaution , the core could be physically ejected from the ship , should an event such as a catastrophic containment failure of the matter - antimatter reaction occur that cannot be corrected . This was first seen in the TOS episode " That Which Survives " There were also some tactical uses for ejecting and detonating a core on purpose . The detonation could for example be used to neutralize the cascade of a subspace tear or push a ship away from the gravity well of a black hole . ( ; ; ; ; ) Antimatter containment is achieved through the use of magnetic fields , which guide and direct the antimatter through the antimatter integrator to injector coils , which precisely compresses and streams the antimatter into the form which enters the intermix chamber . Deuterium , stored in the ship or attracted by the Bussard collector s , is funneled in a stream from the opposite deuterium injector . The resulting energy plasma molecules enter the lattice matrix of the crystallized dilithium chamber , reacting within it and releasing a tuned energy stream in the form of electro - plasma , a highly energetic form of plasma . The electro - plasma is carried by magnetic plasma conduits throughout the power transfer system . In the Federation power transfer grid , this is the electro - plasma distribution network , comprised of EPS conduit s and EPS tap s . The most energized stream created is the warp plasma , which exits in twin power transfer conduit s connected to the warp nacelle s . ( ; ) In TOS there were 10 tall warp plasma conduits to the warp nacelles ( two rows of 5 ) at the rear of Main Engineering . All later series had the twin configuration . One for each nacelle or warp engine . During the 23rd century , dilithium crystals were also used in Klingon warp reactions to generate energy at sufficient levels to enable warp flight . In the late 24th century , Klingon reactors used a tritium intermix , a feature not included in Federation and Romulan ships of the same era . ( ) On Romulan starships , a completely different approach was used ; an artificial quantum singularity in the warp core was used to harness the energy necessary to power warp flight . ( ) Warp cores on starships left resonance trace s , allowing for the ability to track vessels . ( ) A warp core could be towed at warp using a tractor beam if calibrated properly . ( ) When a warp core went offline , deuterium was a vital fuel to support basic functions of a ships auxiliary fusion reactors and impulse drive . Warp cores from shuttlecraft and shuttlepods could augment power if necessary . ( )