Graviton A graviton is a subatomic particle which transmits gravitational force . Overview . In 2367 , the encountered a species of two - dimensional lifeform s , which was able to polarize the graviton field as they moved , trapping the " Enterprise " in its wake . This severely endangered the ship , as the lifeforms were on course to a cosmic string fragment . The " Enterprise " was eventually able to escape by simulating the subspace frequencies of the string , and projecting it in a new direction . ( ) Later that year , Lieutenant Reginald Barclay , having had his intelligence drastically increased by the Cytherian s , was able to use the " Enterprise " s warp nacelle s to generate a highly - charged graviton field , creating a subspace distortion that transported the ship to the center of the galaxy . ( ) In 2368 , Doctor Kila Marr hijacked a graviton beam the " Enterprise " was using in an attempt to communicate with the Crystalline Entity , and used it to destroy the lifeform in revenge for the death of her son in 2336 . ( ) In 2369 , the crew of the " Enterprise " used a series of coherent graviton pulse s to neutralize tetryon emissions being transmitted through a spatial rupture from a tertiary subspace manifold . Although a group of aliens on the other side of the rupture were temporarily successful in counteracting the pulses , Commander La Forge managed to channel all of the graviton energy into a single burst via full - spectrum pulse compression , and was able to close the rupture . ( ) Later that year , an embryonic lifeform discovered in the Gamma Quadrant began to drain power from station Deep Space 9 and convert it into gravitons as a form of sustenance , and in so doing pulled the station toward the Bajoran wormhole , threatening the station ' s destruction . The crew was eventually able to save the station by beaming the lifeform into space , where it was able to enter the wormhole by itself . ( ) In 2371 , the crew of the attempted to disperse a displacement wave with a graviton particle field , but was unsuccessful in preventing the wave from pulling " Voyager " into the Delta Quadrant . ( ) In 2373 , the two Ferengi Arridor and emitted a high - energy graviton pulse to disrupt " Voyager " s transporter beam . While successful , the pulse also had the effect of destabilizing the Barzan wormhole , knocking it off of its subspace axis , causing it to shift randomly through space at both ends . ( ) 29th century Federation timeship s utilized artificial temporal rift s with graviton matrices as a means by which to travel through time . Such a rift was encountered in the Delta Quadrant by " Voyager " in 2373 , created by Captain Braxton on the timeship " Aeon " , who had traveled back in time in a misguided attempt to destroy " Voyager " . ( ) Later that year , the crew of Deep Space 9 attempted to use a phase - conjugate graviton beam to seal the Bajoran wormhole , as a way to prevent a Dominion invasion of the Alpha Quadrant . The beam was meant to collapse the wormhole ' s spatial matrix and close it forever . However , due to sabotage by a Changeling disguised as Julian Bashir , the beam had the exact opposite effect , making the matrix even more stable . ( ) Later in 2373 , Seven of Nine was able to realign " Voyager " s deflector emitters to emit a resonant graviton beam , with which to open a quantum singularity . The singularity acted as an interdimensional rift through which " Voyager " was able to enter fluidic space . ( ) In 2375 , while commanding the , Dahar master Kor was able to prevent a fleet of ten Jem ' Hadar fighter s from catching up to a group of Birds - of - Prey by generating a massive inverse graviton burst by diverting warp power to the " Ning ' tao " s main deflector . The graviton burst had the effect of disrupting the Jem ' Hadar ' s warp field s , forcing them to drop to impulse before the gravitons dispersed after a period of approximately two minutes . ( ) Later that year , " Voyager " became trapped in a region of chaotic space , an area where known laws of physics were in a state of flux . While the crew was attempting to navigate their way out of this space , " Voyager " began encountering extremely powerful graviton waves . The resultant graviton shear threatened to destroy the ship , but Commander Chakotay managed to make contact with a race of aliens indigenous to chaotic space , who were able to provide him with the means by which " Voyager " could safely exit . ( ) In 2376 , the " Voyager " crew encountered Tash , an alien scientist who had constructed a so - called " catapult , " with which to return to his homeworld , ten years distant . The catapult operated by sending a graviton surge through a series of projectors , which then locked onto a target vessel and transported it into null space , to emerge a few hours later hundreds , if not thousands of light year s away . When " Voyager " came upon the catapult , Tash was experiencing difficulties in stabilizing its tetryon reactor after a test on a probe . The " Voyager " crew subsequently offered to help , using a series of precision - timed graviton pulses emitted from " Voyager " s deflector dish to stabilize the core . The effort was successful , and Tash was able to return to his homeworld , allowing the " Voyager " crew to use the catapult after his trip , in order to shorten their own journey back to the Alpha Quadrant . ( ) A year later , " Voyager " was pulled into an anomaly called " , " by powerful graviton forces which originated from within . While trapped inside , the crew was able to determine that the graviton forces were created by funnels which originated inside the anomaly . When the graviton forces reached critical levels , the polarity reversed , pulling anything near the funnel into the anomaly . The crew developed a plan whereby they would enter one of the funnels as it was opening , and use the graviton forces to propel them into normal space , jumping to warp before the polarity reversed , but were unable to institute it as they had no way of compensating for the graviton stress on the ship . In order to overcome this obstacle , the " Voyager " crew , working together with the crews of other vessels stranded in the Void , constructed a polaron modulator , but were forced to work quickly , as the same graviton forces which pulled " Voyager " into the Void were also draining the warp core . Fending off attacks from belligerent scavengers , " Voyager " and the other ships were able return to normal space through one of the funnels . ( )