Hyperdrive

Hyperdrives (aka Jump Drives or Dimensional Drives) are a means of interstellar travel in the galaxy that displaces a vessel from 'real space' into another dimension from which it may 'jump' into real space at a determined point set by coordinates. The term Hyperdrive is a colloquial term for such drives though in technical spheres such term only applies to drives that take a ship into 'Hyperspace' which is the most common dimension these drives jump to and from.
===Hyperdrives===
Hyperdrives are Jump Drives that take ships into Hyperspace. Hyperspace is a dimension where upon the laws of acceleration, momentum, and movement differ from that of real space. It appears as vast flashes of light which are believed to be the birth and death of billions of stars whose rate of entropy is accelerated and with it the rate of rebirth. Pure energy is thus all that exists in this space. Hyperspace shielding not only protects vessels from these bursts of energy but also the crew from rapid entropy. Vessels that jump into this space then navigate to the proportional space they intend to travel to and jump back into real space.
=== Jump Drive ===
(Will be removed and replaced with Fold Engine which doesn't involve dimensional travel)
The simply named Jump Drive is often considered the safest form of Dimensional Drives available but it's also one that is least understood. Those using a Jump Drive will feel a lurching of their vessel, experience a black out, and then regain sight at their destination instantly. Where as Hyperspace has some conscious time with in the other dimension these Jump Drives do not - a lurch, black out, and awareness. Research suggests that the black out is an after effect of the lurch. Some express the theory that the lurch is akin to pulling a rubber band back, the jump is letting the band go. Nothing is known of the dimension Jump Drives take a vessel into as the black out also seems to impact electronics. Jump Drives hit the market after their success in testing though even the creators claim to not know a thing about the dimension. Rather they theorized it existed, and the drive proves it does- they just don't know the qualities of the dimension. They know that it's location is 'layered between real space and hyperspace'.
=== Psy-Warp ===
Psy-Warp is a form of Dimensional Drive that is now largely found on relics of bygone star faring civilizations. Research into the Psy-Warp is considered taboo on worlds that have a tie to such civilizations largely as it's in part blamed for some great catastrophe. The drives jump a ship into 'the Warp' which is a realm of mental energy. Some believe it's the subconsciousness of all sentient life. Others that it's the dreaming of some 'beast before time'. Whatever it is only beings with psionic talent are capable of navigating it, and even then in the few experiments of this time that have happened most go insane. There are no current civilizations that utilize this technology. The old relic ships that have them demonstrate that the drives are exceptionally large and would be impractical to modern standards of ship construction.
Category:Stellar Amalgam