Warp Drive

Warp Drive (Terran) is the primary propulsion force behind most advanced space vessels, allowing them to travel at speeds faster than light. The drive does this by generating warp fields to form a subspace bubble that envelops the starship, distorting the local spacetime continuum immediately around the ship and moving the starship at superluminal velocities. These velocities are referred to as warp factors.
== History ==
The warp drive was invented by Zefram Cochrane in 2063 when he launched the Phoenix. The Phoenix was the first Terran warp-capable vessel and was directly responsible for first contact with Vulcan. The Phoenix was an example of the Warp Engine, however, this was limited to traveling at the speed of light (Warp 1). Due to the situation on earth in the second half of the 21st century, Cochrane was unable to receive much funding for the continuation of the Warp Engine. However, the Vulcan Science Directory began to assist humans in developing their warp abilities and in 2075 the first Terran starship was constructed with the ability to travel Warp 2. 
It was believed by the new United Earth Government and the Vulcan Science Directory that the limit of warp capability was Warp 5. This belief was based on the inability of anti-matter-based injector systems of the time to create a stable enough mixture for practical use. However, on his death bed, Cochrane instructed his apprentice, Henry Archer, to continue the work on pushing the warp barrier (as Cochrane himself had worked to push the speed of light barrier). Archer worked his entire life on the project, later handing it to his son, Johnathan Archer. Following the completion of the Warp 5 engine, the United Earth Government commissioned the Starship Enterprise (NX-01). This Enterprise would be commanded by Johnathan Archer and would serve for 10 years until the formation of the United Federation of Planets in 2161.