Warp Core

There are so many vital components that comprise a Warp Drive System that it is hard to know where to start. So let's start with the basics:

There are two distinct fuel storage systems on board any starship; the matter storage is generally a single large fuel tank holding a large amount of slush Deuterium- in the case of the Galaxy Class there is 62,500 m3 of actual Deuterium within 63,200 m3 of tankage space - the rest being accounted for by internal compartmentalisation of the fuel tank. The ship thus carries 12,500 metric tons of fuel, sufficient for a mission period of three years assuming normal use of warp and impulse drive, orbiting of planets, etc.

The antimatter is contained within much smaller pods; the standard starship antimatter pod is capable of holding 100 m3 of fuel for a total of 3,000 m3 in a Galaxy class Starship. Starfleet is somewhat reticent about revealing exactly how much antimatter is kept on board its starships, as this would allow threat forces to make detailed estimates of the total output of a ships power systems. It is known that the antimatter used in the Galaxy class is antihydrogen, and that it is kept stored within magnetic fields. In the event of a systems failure which threatens antimatter containment, the pods can be thrown clear of the ship by emergency systems of considerable reliability.

Fuel from the pods is sent to the reactant injectors; these are designed to condition and feed streams of matter and antimatter into the warp core. The matter reactant injector is located at the top of the warp core; it is a conical structure some 5.2 metres in diameter and 6.3 metres high. The injector is constructed of dispersion strengthened woznium carbmolybdenide. Shock attenuation cylinders connect it to the deuterium fuel tank and the skeletal structure of the ship, allowing it to 'float' free within the structure.

Within Starfleet vessels, the MRI contains redundant sets of crossfed injectors. Each injector would consists of a twin deuterium manifold, fuel conditioner, fusion pre-burner, magnetic quench block, transfer duct/gas combiner, nozzle head, and related control hardware. other designs are in use by civilian craft and other species. Although operation varies from class to class, in general slush deuterium enters the inlet manifolds and is passed to the conditioners where heat is removed. This brings the deuterium to just above solid transition point; micropellets are formed and then pre-burned by a magnetic pinch fusion system. The fuel is them sent on to a gas combiner where it reaches a temperature in the region of 106 K. Nozzle heads then focus the gas streams and send them down into the constriction segments.

Starfleet safety protocols require that should any nozzle fail, the combiner can continue to supply the remaining nozzles which would dialate to accomodate the increased fuel flow. The present generation of nozzles are constructed of frumium-copper-yttrium 2343.

The antimatter injector lies at the lower end of the warp core. Its internal design is distincly different from that of the matter injector owing to the dangerous nature of antimatter fuel; every step in manipulating the antihydrogen must use magnetic to keep the material from Physically touching any part of the structure. In some ways the ARI is a simpler device requiring fewer moving components. It uses the same basic structural housing and shock attenuation as the matter system, with adaptions for magnetic suspension fuel tunnels. The structure contains three pulsed antimatter gas flow separators; these serve to break up the incoming antihydrogen into small managable packets and send them up into the constriction segments. Each flow separator leads to an injector nozzle and each nozzle cycles open in response to computer control signals. Nozzle firing can follow highly complicated sequences resulting from the varying demands of reaction pressures and temperatures and desired power output, amongst other factors.

The magnetic constrictors make up the bulk of the warp core. They provide Physical support to the reaction chamber, pressure containment for the whole core and, most importantly, guide and align the fuel flow onto the desired location within the reaction chamber.

The matter constrictor is typically longer than the antimatter constrictor, as antimatter is easier to focus and so requires a shorter distance for the same accuracy. Typically, the magnetic constrictors are divided into segments; each segment will contain several sets of tension frame members, a toroidal pressure vessel wall, several sets of magnetic constrictor coils and related power and control hardware. Constrictor coils will have dozens of active elements, and on more advanced designs these will be configures to contain the magnetic field almost wholly within the constrictor, with minimum spillage into the exterior environment. Starfleet warp cores usually have the outermost layers of the constrictors constructed of a semi-transparent layer which allows harmless secondary photons to escape from the inner layers, creating a glow effect. This gives an immediate visual cue to the current activity rates within the warp core.

As the fuel is released from the injector nozzles, the constrictors compress it and increase the velocity considerably. This ensures the proper collision energy and alignment within the reaction chamber.

This is in many ways the "heart" of the ship. The principle function of any reaction chamber is to allow the matter and antimatter streams to come together and direct the resultant energy flow into the power transfer conduits. This apparently simple task is rendered highly complex by the need to allow the various sensor and other monitoring and control equipment to function within the chamber. The addition of dilithium to regulate and control the reaction, while allowing far higher efficiency and so increasing the power output, has also lead to ever more complex designs - most especially in more recent starships which are designed to allow continual recompositing of the dilithium whilst in use. Nevertheless, reaction chambers of today perform fundamentally the same task as those of a century ago or more.

The power transfer conduits are similar in nature to the magnetic constrictors of the warp core, in that they are ducts designed to use high energy magnetic fields to carry energetic plasma from one point to another. But where the magnetic constrictors operate only across relatively short distances and require a very high degree of precision with a comparitively low energy plasma, the PTC's must carry very energetic plasma across large distances with - relatively speaking - far less finesse.

Federation starships are equipped with a separate PTC line for each nacelle, a measure which increases resistance to battle damage or other failures. Since most Starships have twin nacelles, two PTC's will typically be arranged to be symmetrical about the ships centreline. These will proceed through the bulk of the engineering hull and along the connecting struts, if any, to the nacelles themselves.

Smaller versions of these heavy duty systems are also used to carry power to components such as the phasers, shields, and high energy scientific laboratories.

At the terminus of the Power Transfer Conduits are the plasma injectors. One of these devices is fitted in each nacelle, and has the task of sending a precisely aimed plasma flow through the centre of the warp coils.

Because of the relatively low accuracy with which the plasma flow is usually controlled by a PTC, the plasma injector system must often be designed to re-condition the fuel flow in order to dampen down turbulence and so ensure a smooth flow through the warp coils. In many Starfleet designs, most especially those systems with the highest raw power output, the plasma flow from the PTC is split into two parts and sent through swirl dampers before being recombined during the injection process. Long experience has found that this method reduces the size of the required hardware to a reasonable minimum.

Antimatter containment

Antimatter containment is the process whereby antimatter and matter are kept separated by the use of magnetic fields to prevent the oppositely charged particles from colliding, which would result in the mutual destruction of the matter and antimatter, along with a violent and explosive release of energy.

Antimatter containment is a key function of a starship warp core which uses both antimatter and matter, released in controlled and balanced amounts, to provide energy which powers the ship's warp drive.

Galaxy-class starships in the 24th century had a system of seven independent computer safety locks to prevent antimatter containment from being breached (TNG: "Contagion"), assuming that there was no damage to the warp core components.

If the antimatter containment field strength drops below 15% on a Galaxy-class starship the field will collapse, destroying the ship. (TNG: "Disaster")

In 2366 the non-corporeal Koinonians drained antimatter from the antimatter pods to use it as energy to create their replica of Marla Aster. This was stopped by increasing the shield harmonics to match the antimatter containment effectively severing the Koinonian beam. (TNG: "The Bonding")

After Wesley Crusher experimented with a static warp bubble in main engineering in early 2367 and a flash of light was registered, Geordi La Forge ran a level-2 diagnostic of the antimatter containment and warp drive to make sure that none of the systems were affected by the experiment. (TNG: "Remember Me")

Antimatter Inducer

Antimatter inducers are warp drive components associated with a starships consumption of fuel. The principal behind the component is that the more efficient the inducer is, the less fuel is consumed during warp flight. (ENT: "Twilight")

In an alternate timeline, Jonathan Archer came up with a way to upgrade the antimatter inducers. Upgrades based on his specs were described as "working nicely." (ENT: "Twilight")

Montgomery Scott initially had difficulty locating the "damned" antimatter inducer on the Klingon Bird-of-Prey they managed to hijack from Commander Kruge. With Pavel Chekov's assistance, Scott pressed the necessary button to activate the inducer which quickly brought the ship up to full power. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)

Antimatter Relay

The antimatter relay is a component of the Enterprise's warp drive lined with a platinum-cobalt alloy. Commander Charles Tucker and five of his men had to strip over two hundred relays to obtain a half-liter of platinum to pay a trellium mine overseer with for the privilege of visiting Kessick. (ENT: "The Xindi")

Deuterium Cartridge

The deuterium cartridges are components of a starship's warp drive system, presumably relating to the deuterium fuel source.

In 2370, Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge asked Ensign Tyler to help Farrell inspect the deuterium cartridges shortly before a new warp core was to be activated aboard the USS Enterprise-D. (TNG: "Phantasms")

Electro-plasma

In high-power mechanics, electro-plasma (also known as warp plasma or drive plasma) is a super-energized plasma used to transfer energy from a central power source using plasma conduit transfer. In matter/antimatter reactions, dilithium controls the amount of power generated in the reaction chamber, which produces a steady stream of plasma. On Federation starships and outposts, as well as those of other major spacefaring species, electro-plasma is the main power transfer medium.

A Federation EPS (electro-plasma system) feeds from a warp core on a starship, a fusion reactor on an installation or starbase, or an impulse reactor on a non-warp spacecraft. Besides the large warp plasma conduits (power transfer conduits), there are smaller plasma conduits, with EPS taps that transfer power as electricity to all subsystems connected to the power transfer grid. If a plasma conduit or EPS tap ruptures, the contents could set off a plasma fire. (ENT: "The Forgotten"; TNG: "Disaster")

Energized electro-plasma may be stored in plasma canisters or plasma infusers for mobile use, and is used in plasma torches and plasma weapons (such as plasma cannons, plasma charges, plasma waves, plasma rifles and plasma torpedoes). It may also be naturally-generated, such as the energetic anomalies found in plasma storms and fields. (DS9: "The Maquis, Part I"; VOY: "Caretaker")

Emergency Shutdown Trip

Emergency shutdown trips are part of the safety systems of a starship's warp drive. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

Main Stage Flux Chiller

Main stage flux chiller refers to part of a starship's warp drive. The USS Enterprise after its refit of 2271 had port and starboard main stage flux chillers. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

The fact that there are separate port and starboard flux chillers suggests that these might be located in the engine nacelles, but there is no direct evidence for this.

Magnetic interlock

Magnetic interlocks form part of the warp drive system aboard starships, as part of the warp core assembly. Magnetic interlocks can be disrupted by subspace vacuoles. (VOY: "Emanations")

During the battle with the Duras sisters in 2371, the starboard interlock of the USS Enterprise-D took damage, and required reinforcement. Subsequently, the interlocks ruptured, leading to a coolant leak, and eventually a warp core breach that destroyed the secondary hull. (Star Trek Generations)

Following sabotage by the True Way to the USS Orinco, the magnetic interlocks on the runabout failed, leading to a warp core breach. (DS9: "Our Man Bashir")

Nacelle and Nacelle Sub Components

A nacelle is an outboard engine housing structure on spacecraft.

Impulse nacelles of a sublight shuttlecraft house the ships impulse driver engines. (TNG: "In Theory", "Descent" display graphic) The warp nacelles in warp-capable shuttles and starships house the warp coils, necessary components of warp drive. The warp coils create a subspace displacement field, which "warps" the space around the vessel allowing it to "ride" on a spatial distortion, and travel faster than the speed of light. (ENT: "Cold Front") While not always present on starships, warp nacelles are the most common component of warp flight, dating as far back as Zefram Cochrane's original warp ship, the Phoenix, circa 2063. They were also sometimes known as "power nacelles" in the 23rd century. (Star Trek: First Contact; TOS: "The Doomsday Machine") Aboard Federation vessels of the 24th century, warp coils are fed by plasma conduits from the warp core reactor assembly. Nacelles are usually separated from the main structure of the ship because of radiation generated by the nacelles; when at optimal levels, the radiation could be deleterious to the safety of ship and crew. (citation needed • edit) Nacelles are separated from the ship by large pylons, and usually house a Bussard ramscoop at the fore end, primarily used for collecting hydrogen from space.

A nacelle's interior also includes a small control room, accessible in nominal conditions by a Jefferies tube that permits maintenance and monitoring of the system's operation. (TNG: "Eye of the Beholder") Aboard the prototypical NX class Enterprise of the 22nd century, a long catwalk spanned the length of each nacelle and, in emergency situations, acted as shelter for the ship's crew against certain types of radiation such as that created by neutronic storms. (ENT: "The Catwalk", "The Crossing")

Most vessels typically have two nacelles. However, vessels can operate with one nacelle disabled, but at reduced warp speeds. (VOY: "Year of Hell", ENT: "Twilight") It is not unprecedented, though, for vessels to have different nacelle configurationss. For example, Federation Freedom-class starships have one, Niagara-class starships have three, Constellation-class and Prometheus-class starships have four nacelles. (TNG: "The Battle", "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II", VOY: "Message in a Bottle")

Two additional nacelles deployed from the saucer section of Prometheus-class starships when they entered Multi-vector assault mode, these were not visible during normal operation. In an alternative future, depicted in TNG: "All Good Things...", a refit version of the USS Enterprise-D was equipped with three nacelles.

Even at sublight speeds serious impacts from weapons or other objects can spell disaster for a ship because of a feedback of energy throughout the vessel. The Enterprise-D was destroyed by such an impact in an alternate timeline when the USS Bozeman collided with one of Enterprise's warp nacelles. (TNG: "Cause and Effect")

Some starship classes, such as the Defiant-class and the Steamrunner-class, possess nacelles that are integrated into the ship's main structure without pylons. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; Star Trek: First Contact)

In 2377, the expression "third nacelle" was analogous to "fifth wheel". (VOY: "Inside Man")

Bussard collector

The Bussard collector, also known as a Bussard ramscoop or ramscoop, is a device usually attached to the forward end of a warp nacelle.

All Federation starships are equipped with Bussard collectors, which are positioned in the best line of sight to collect particles. Collection works best in regions where particle density is high like solar systems or nebulae.

The Bussard collector normally collects hydrogen, especially deuterium for fuel replenishment but can be reconfigured to collect various gases like sirillium and plasma particles.

In 2374, Seven of Nine determined that the collectors of an Intrepid-class starship were less than optimal. She performed a series of modifications that enhanced them by twenty-three percent. (VOY: "Unforgettable")

A Bussard collector can also be reconfigured to expel gases or plasma. (TNG: "Samaritan Snare") Bussard collectors are not capable of producing nadion emissions. (VOY: "The Haunting of Deck Twelve") The Tosk variation of the Bussard collector was known as the arva node. (DS9: "Captive Pursuit")

In 2365, the USS Enterprise-D's collectors were used to create a harmless pyrotechnic display against the Pakleds to recover Lieutenant Geordi La Forge by igniting released hydrogen. This event came to be known as a crimson force field. (TNG: "Samaritan Snare")

In 2367, the Enterprise-D released large quantities of hydrogen from its Bussard collectors to create a violent explosion. (TNG: "Night Terrors")

In 2373, USS Voyager's collectors were used to gather the sirillium from a class 17 nebula. It was described that they would "cut through that nebula like ice cream scoops." (VOY: "Flashback") They were modified to gather plasma particles from an astral eddy. (VOY: "Real Life")

In 2375, Commander William Riker used the USS Enterprise-E's collectors to gather, and then vent, metreon gas against attacking Son'a vessels, a maneuver which Geordi nicknamed the Riker Maneuver. (Star Trek: Insurrection)

In 2376, USS Voyager's collectors were modified to gather deuterium from a J class nebula. (VOY: "Unforgettable", "The Haunting of Deck Twelve")

Plasma injector

A plasma injector is a component of a starship's warp drive system, the EPS, which propels drive plasma into the warp coils. (DS9: "Captive Pursuit")

The Enterprise NX-01 operated five plasma injectors. When the fifth one started to fail in 2152, the Enterprise acquired one replacement and two spares from the Kreetassans after a lengthy negotiation process, although the ship could have continued normal operation with only four working injectors. (ENT: "A Night in Sickbay")

Later that year, Rianna Mayweather aligned the plasma injectors of the ECS Horizon. (ENT: "Horizon")

In 2154, an Illyrian captain offered the damaged Enterprise a few plasma injectors or some antimatter, but not a needed warp coil. (ENT: "Damage")

In 2370, the unannounced failure of a plasma injector aboard the USS Rio Grande led to an accident inside the Bajoran wormhole, propelling the runabout into the mirror universe. (DS9: "Crossover")

In 2373, Chief Miles O'Brien was unable to bring the thrusters of a crashed Jem'Hadar warship online due to the ion flow regulator being damaged. (DS9: "The Ship")

The same year, Tieran occupying Kes body remodulated the plasma injector of his shuttle to suppress its warp signature. (VOY: "Warlord")

A little later, an attack by the Nerada took the plasma injectors of the USS Voyager off-line so the ship couldn't engage warp drive. (VOY: "Favorite Son")

By 2375, The Doctor had a holographic image of B'Elanna Torres' foot stuck in a plasma injector. (VOY: "Nothing Human")

In 2376, a Borg cube damaged the Delta Flyer's plasma injectors so the warp drive couldn't be engaged, despite Harry Kim's attempts to clear the injectors. (VOY: "Collective")

Warp coil

Warp coils are an integral part of a starship's warp drive. Mounted within the warp nacelles, the coils take the plasma generated by the warp core, and use it to create the warp field that allows faster than light travel.

Warp coils are typically composed of cast verterium cortenide surrounding a core of densified tungsten-cobalt-magnesium. (VOY: "Investigations")

The material was first mentioned in the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual.

A teraphasic coil was a type of warp coil utilized by the Xyrillians in the mid-22nd century. The Enterprise (NX-01) encountered a Xyrillian starship with damaged teraphasic coils in 2151. (ENT: "Unexpected")

In the mirror universe in 2155, Commander Trip Tucker, when seeing the USS Defiant, mentioned that the size of the ship's warp coils could allow the ship to travel at speeds faster than Warp 7. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly")

Wesley Crusher once stated that his first friend was a warp coil. (TNG: "The Game")

William T. Riker considered the warp coil the most important invention of the past two hundred years. Before the coils were invented, "humans were confined to a single sector of the galaxy". (TNG: "A Matter of Time")

In 2372, a subspace inversion in the Bajoran wormhole damaged the USS Defiant and its warp coils were locked into a feedback loop. (DS9: "The Visitor")

In 2377, USS Voyager landed on a planet to make repairs. Among the repairs was the removal and maintenance of several warp coils via shuttle. (VOY: "Nightingale")

Nullifier core

The nullifier core is a component of a Romulan warp engine. A slight misalignment in one of the nullifier cores of a Romulan warbird can cause the ship's artificial quantum singularity power source to show through the cloak as an intermittent polarized magnetic distortion whenever the ship is moving.

In 2369, the engineer of the IRW Khazara, a sympathizer with the Romulan underground movement, misaligned a nullifier core at Deanna Troi's behest, to signal the USS Enterprise-D that they were nearby. (TNG: "Face of the Enemy")

Pre-Stage Flux Chiller

Pre-stage flux chiller refers to part of a starship's warp drive.

The USS Enterprise, after its refit of 2271, had port and starboard pre-stage flux chillers. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

The fact that there are separate port and starboard flux chillers suggests that these might be located in the engine nacelles, but there is no direct evidence for this.

Phase inducer

A phase inducer is a component of a starship's warp drive, transporter, and other equipment.

In order to survive for an extended period of time in a transporter, Montgomery Scott connected the emitter array to the phase inducers, turned off the override and locked the pattern buffer into a continuous diagnostic cycle. (TNG: "Relics")

In 2369, Miles O'Brien mentioned that the phase inducers were activated prior to restoring Jean-Luc Picard to his adult body in the transporter. (TNG: "Rascals")

Also in 2369, when attempting to get a monitor to work properly on Relay Station 47, Geordi La Forge mentioned that the phase inducers were aligned, so the screen should have been working. (TNG: "Aquiel")

When studying for her bridge officer's exam in 2370, Deanna Troi said that she may have trouble telling the difference between a plasma conduit and a phase inducer, but that there was more to being a bridge officer than memorizing technical manuals. (TNG: "Thine Own Self")

In 2371, T'Rul told Benjamin_Sisko that she couldn't restore warp drive on the Defiant because she couldn't align the ODN matrixes with the phase inducers. (DS9: "The Search, Part I")

Also in 2371, O'Brien was re-routing a phase inducer in the ops pit when a plasma conduit blew out. (DS9: "Visionary")

In an unknown, alternate future timeframe, La Forge joked to Picard when they meet in a vineyard in France that "there's a problem with the warp core, or the phase inducers, or some other damn thing." Later, on board the Pasteur, La Forge could not deliver warp power for Captain Beverly Crusher because he was not able keep the phase inducers on-line. (TNG: "All Good Things...")

Plasma conduit

A plasma conduit, (sometimes referred to as a power conduit) is a vital part of the warp drive and power grids of many spacefaring cultures.

Cleaning plasma conduits was considered to be a menial task, and sometimes delegated as a disciplinary measure. (ENT: "Singularity", "Dead Stop"; VOY: "Q2")

Types of Plasma Conduit

• Warp plasma conduit- A warp plasma conduit directs high energy electro-plasma known as warp plasma or drive plasma from the warp core through the ship to the plasma injectors in the nacelle tube. (TNG: "Phantasms"; ENT: "The Forgotten")
• EPS conduit -An EPS conduit takes small amounts of plasma from the warp core or the impulse engines and redirects it throughout the ship for use in powering other systems, such as weapons and deflectors. The EPS mains of the Galaxy-class USS Enterprise-D were located on deck 13, close to cargo bay 4. (TNG: "Schisms")

Plasma intercooler

The plasma intercooler is a starship system used to provide plasma coolant to the warp drive and other critical systems.

A failure of a plasma intercooler will cause the warp drive to overheat or possibly fail to work altogether. (TNG: "Relics")

Chief Miles O'Brien took the safeties of the USS Defiant's plasma intercooler offline and never had any problems. Ensign Nog did the same on the USS Valiant in 2374. (DS9: "Valiant")

Though never stated in canon, "plasma intercooler" may be the proper name of the "intercooler" mentioned in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Plasma coolant

Plasma coolant is a substance used to regulate the operating temperature of a starship's warp core. Without it, the system could overheat or fail completely.

Plasma coolant is considered a biohazard and will react violently with organic matter, liquifying it on contact. (Star Trek: First Contact)

A coolant leak has been known to either cause or be the precursor to a warp core breach. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise"; Star Trek Generations)

In 2374, one of USS Voyager's coolant injectors ruptured, causing a plasma coolant leak. (VOY: "Day of Honor")

Coolant dangers aboard a starship have also been depicted in TOS: "Balance of Terror".

The loss of plasma coolant causing adverse effects to the warp core does not seem to apply to the USS Enterprise-E. In Star Trek: First Contact, when Data breached the primary coolant tank in main engineering, it did not appear to have any adverse affect on the engines, even though the warp core was powered. It is possible that Starfleet engineered a solution to this problem. It can also be hypothesized that since the warp engines were not active during the "First Contact incident", the rupture of one of the two visible plasma coolant tanks was not sufficient to cause a thermal overload of the warp core reaction chamber.

Plasma regulator

A plasma regulator (or EPS regulator) is a component of the electro-plasma system of a starship or starbase.

The power conduits of the Cardassian-designed starbase Deep Space 9 had one plasma flow regulator per level. Chief Miles O'Brien suggested an automatic realignment of such a regulator as a possible cause of Ensign Aquino's death in 2369. (DS9: "In the Hands of the Prophets")

Around stardate 50929.4, O'Brien had to recalibrate a shipment of EPS regulators to prevent them from interfering with Deep Space 9's artificial gravity grid. (DS9: "In the Cards")

The plasma flow regulators of the new USS Defiant (ex-São Paulo) were recalibrated by O'Brien's engineering team. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind")

On a Constitution-class starship, plasma regulators were crucial to the functioning of the warp drive. When the USS Defiant arrived in the 22nd century mirror universe, it was sabotaged by the removal of two of its plasma regulators. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II")

Power transfer conduit

On a Federation Starship, a power transfer conduit (abbreviated PTC) is an advanced type of plasma conduit, used for carrying warp plasma from the vessel's warp core to the drive nacelles. The conduits are magnetically shielded against the superheated warp plasma, and are roughly 0.6 to 1 meter in width.

Characteristically, the conduits emerge from the equatorial region of the matter-antimatter reaction chamber of the warp core, and from there travel aft through the ship until they turn 90 degrees, to port or starboard, through the nacelle pylons, before terminating in the plasma injectors and the warp plasma they are carrying is transfused into the warp coils.

Along with carrying the warp plasma, the power transfer conduits also contain manifold links to the electro-plasma system (EPS), where electronic energy is bled off from the warp plasma in the form of microwaves, providing electrical energy for the vessel.

In the USS Enterprise-D, (Star Trek: The Next Generation) the power transfer conduits can be entered for inspection. Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge performed an inspection in the company of Dr. Leah Brahms from the Daystrom Institute of Technology during her technological inspection of the Enterprise, which she helped design. (TNG: "Galaxy's Child") During such an inspection, safety concerns would apply, of course.

In the warp drives of Intrepid-class starships, including the USS Voyager, the power transfer conduits were not immediately visible in engineering, so it is easily assumed that they were below the deck. However, they seem to have been easily accessible, since a transwarp mutated Lieutenant Tom Paris once managed to use a hand phaser on one of the transfer conduits of Voyager, causing power failures all over the ship. (VOY: "Threshold")

When the magnetic constrictors lost alignment on Voyager in 2372, B'Elanna Torres asked Michael Jonas if he adjusted the power transfer conduits. Doing so, with no effect, Torres noted to Jonas to not let the PTC temperature go above 3.2 million Kelvin. (VOY: "Investigations")

Power Transfer Grid

Power grid or power transfer grid is an informal term for a system that sends energy throughout a starship, facility or even a planet. These grids can make use of electricity, electro-plasma or any number of energy sources. The Federation makes use of a power grid known as the EPS, the primary energy distribution system on their ships and stations.

In 2369, a power transfer grid failed on Deep Space 9, and the upper docking pylons were disabled as a result. (DS9: "A Man Alone")

In 2372, Admiral Leyton had Red Squad sabotage the computers of the Division of Planetary Operations causing Earth's power grid to fail. (DS9: "Paradise Lost")

The Orion Syndicate planned to interrupt the power grid of the Klingon embassy on Farius Prime and assassinate the ambassador before the backups came online. (DS9: "Honor Among Thieves")

Upon entering an energy barrier of a planet in the Rutharian sector, the Chaffee's power grid began to fail. (DS9: "The Sound of Her Voice")

In 2375 in the mirror universe, Rom was able to take the power grid of the Regent's flagship offline, leaving it open to attack by the Defiant. (DS9: "The Emperor's New Cloak")

According to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, the power grid transfered electricity from a source (usually a power converter fed by the EPS) to areas where it was needed using electrically-conductive wires or materials. The power transfer grid was similar to a main electrical grid on 20th and 21st century Earth.

Space Matrix Restoration Coil

Space matrix restoration coil refers to part of a starship's warp drive. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

The dialog mentioning the coil is part of the background chatter in engineering, and hard to make out. It is not clear if the reference is to "coil" (singular) or "coils" (plural). If the latter, they may be located in the ship's nacelles.

Warp Core and Associated Components

Warp core is the common designation for the main energy reactor powering the propulsion system on warp-capable starships. During the 22nd century, warp reactors aboard NX class starships were technically known as the "Gravimetric Field Displacement Manifold". (ENT: "Cold Front")

On Federation starships, the warp core usually consists of a matter/antimatter reaction assembly (M/ARA) utilizing deuterium and antideuterium reacting in a crystal matrix which produces a maximum output of 4,000 teradynes per second. (VOY: "Drone") Lithium crystals were used until sometime between 2265 and 2266 when they were replaced with dilithium crystals. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before", "Mudd's Women")

22nd century warp cores were designed as oblong cylinders connected by pylon conduits directly into the warp nacelles. In the 23rd century, the main warp reaction occurred in a dilithium crystal converter assembly which consisted of two flattened rounded nodules situated directly in front of 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 anti-matter channeling into the core through vertical conduits then the energy directed to the nacelles through a horizontal conduit leading out from the rear of the core. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

The vertical warp core was never seen in Star Trek: The Original Series (although there was one in TAS in what seemed to be a modification). During this time, main engineering contained two flattened nodules, situated directly in front of a large metal grate, which were shown as key components of the warp drive (likely to be warp plasma conduits to the warp engines). There may have been a warp core below decks but was never seen on screen. The vertical warp core's first appearance was in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and was seen in all subsequent Star Trek productions set after TOS. '

As a safety precaution, the core can be physically ejected from the ship should an event such as the catastrophic failure of the containment of the matter-antimatter reaction occur and the crew decides it cannot be corrected. (TOS: "That Which Survives"; TNG: "Cause and Effect")

Antimatter containment is achieved through the use of magnetic fields, which guide and direct the antimatter through the antimatter engine to injector coils, which precisely compresses and streams the antimatter into the form which enters the dilithium articulation frame. Deuterium, stored in the ship or attracted by the Bussard collectors, is funneled in a stream from the opposite deuterium injector. The molecules enter the lattice matrix of the crystallized dilithium, 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, comprising of EPS conduits and EPS taps. The most energized stream created is the warp plasma, which exits in twin power transfer conduits connected to the warp nacelles. (ENT: "Cold Front", "These Are the Voyages..."; Star Trek: Insurrection)

During the 23rd century, dilithium crystals were also used in Klingon warp reactions to generate energy at sufficient levels to enable warp flight. A difference noticed in the 24th century was that Klingon engines use a tritium intermix (tritium/antitritium) rather than a deuterium intermix. (DS9: "When It Rains...")

On Romulan starships, a different approach is used; an artificial quantum singularity in the warp core is used to harness the energy necessary to power warp flight. (TNG: "Timescape")

In 2369, Quark and Barbo sold defective warp cores to the Tarahongians. (DS9: "The Nagus")

Warp cores on starships leave resonance traces, allowing for the ability to track vessels. (VOY: "Caretaker")

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  The warp core of an NX Class starship

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  The warp core of a Constitution Class starship (2266)

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  The warp core of a Constitution Class refit starship (2270s)

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  The warp core of a Constitution Class refit starship (2293)

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  The warp core of a Constellation Class starship

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  The warp core of a Galaxy Class starship

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  The enhanced warp core of a Nova Class starship

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  The warp core of an Intrepid Class starship

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  The warp core of a Sovereign Class starship

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  The warp core of the Delta Flyer II shuttle

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  The warp core of a D'deridex Class warbird

Matter-Antimatter Reaction Assembly

A matter/antimatter reaction assembly (often known simply as an M/ARA) is a type of energy reactor which is fueled by injectors of matter and antimatter into a central reaction element, creating large amounts of energy when those two materials mutually annihilate each other. Matter and antimatter is injected into the M/ARA in an intermix 1:1 ratio. (TNG: "Coming of Age") The dilithium crystal is used to moderate this reaction.

The dilithium articulation frame is housed inside the M/ARA, (TNG: "Skin of Evil") behind the dilithium chamber hatch. (TNG: "The Drumhead")

The prototype Jem'Hadar battleship had a fatal design flaw; the braces holding together the ship's M/ARA were vulnerable to a specific type of radiation. The crew of the USS Valiant believed they could use this flaw to their advantage when they were plotting the ship's destruction in 2374. (DS9: "Valiant")

On Federation starships, this type of reactor is often used as a warp core, powering the warp drive. The most common version of this system is fueled by slush or liquified deuterium, and its antimatter counterpart, anti-deuterium. These elements are funneled through magnetic constrictors and combined within a dilithium crystal to create a stream of highly energized electro-plasma which is routed to the warp coils within the vessel's nacelles, creating a warp field. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual)

Antimatter Injector

An antimatter injector is a device in antimatter containment which precisely compresses and streams antimatter into the form which enters the dilithium articulation frame in a starship's warp core. (ENT: "Acquisition")

During the 2150s, Andorian battle cruisers were fitted with antimatter injectors that used variable-compression nozzles. At the time, the Andorians considered the technology as "very sophisticated," and knowledge about them as "rather sensitive." During the Xindi mission, Trip Tucker received an antimatter injector from Shran, as a favor, because, according to Tucker, "one of those injectors would work wonders for our engines." (ENT: "Proving Ground")

In 2374, a lone member of Species 8472 gained access to Main Engineering on the USS Voyager through the antimatter injector port. It attacked the engineering crew, though it did not damage the ship. (VOY: "Prey")

In late 2375, when the USS Defiant was about to leave Deep Space 9 for the Chin'toka system, Colonel Kira Nerys opened the ship's antimatter injector ports. (DS9: "The Changing Face of Evil")

Dilithium Crystal Chamber

The dilithium crystal chamber is a component in a starship's warp core that contains the dilithium crystals. (TNG: "Galaxy's Child", "The Drumhead", "Cost of Living")

The dilithium crystal chamber for the USS Enterprise-D was designed at Outpost Seran T-1 on stardate 40052. (TNG: "Booby Trap")

There are four types of dilithium chamber that have been shown to date. One was that of the NX class starship, though exactly which component of the reactor was the chamber itself was never disclosed.

The second was used on board the original configuration of the Constitution-class. It was a squat cylinder with a blunt domed top in the center of main engineering. The dilithium crystals were housed in a framework that rose out of one side of the chamber.

The next was the columnar "swirl" chamber, as shown in the Constitution-class refit and the Intrepid-class. Backstage information, including interviews with Rick Sternbach, indicate that in this model of chamber, the entirety of the column is the reaction chamber, which is lined with a layer of dilithium to moderate the reaction.

The last type is the familiar "ball" or "hub" chamber, shown throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Dilithium Chamber Hatch

The dilithium chamber hatch aboard Federation starships is a reinforced plate which fits over the exterior entrance to the matter-antimatter reaction assembly with the dilithium articulation frame immediately behind it.

In 2367, the dilithium chamber hatch aboard the USS Enterprise-D exploded; although sabotage was suspected, a subtle manufacturing flaw in the hatch (replaced at Earth Station McKinley earlier that year) was to blame. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II", "The Drumhead")

Dilithium Crystal

Dilithium, also known as radan is an element, a member of the hypersonic series, mostly occurring as crystalline mineral. It was used in the warp drive systems of many starships. Dilithium regulated the matter/antimatter reaction in a ship's warp core because of its ability to be rendered porous to light-element antimatter when exposed to high temperatures and pressures. It controls the amount of power generated in the reaction chamber, channeling the energy released by mutual annihilation into a stream of electro-plasma.

Dilithium could be found on only a few planets in the galaxy, and was therefore a rare and valuable substance. Notable sources of dilithium included Coridan and Elas in the Federation, as well as Rura Penthe in the Klingon Empire and Remus in the Romulan Star Empire. (TOS: "Journey to Babel", "Elaan of Troyius"; Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country; DS9: "One Little Ship"; Star Trek Nemesis) It could also be found on Troyius, where it was known as radan, and had a variety of different uses, including jewelry. (TOS: "Elaan of Troyius")

Under certain rare circumstances, dilithium deposits could form in such a way that the crystals grow into perfectly aligned lattices. If enough dilithium is present, it began to form "generator strata". A piezoelectric effect occurred when the crystals took the radiant heat of the planet and converted it into mechanical energy.

This mechanical energy could increase tectonic stresses in a planet's crust to the point where the planet literally tore itself apart. This phenomenon was responsible for the destruction of a number of planets in the Selcundi Drema sector.

One method of detecting the potential presence of dilithium deposits during a geological survey was by studying UV (ultraviolet light) absorption patterns. Certain characteristic patterns tended to indicate the presence of traker deposits, which were commonly formed along with the dilithium ore. An ico-spectrogram could then be run to confirm the ore's presence. (TNG: "Pen Pals")

The number of planets destroyed in the Selcundi Drema sector by the process described above in that episode suggests that for some reason the region had a much higher "population" of dilithium bearing planets than would otherwise be expected.

After being sent back in time to 1947, Quark asked US General Rex Denning if dilithium was used as a currency. (DS9: "Little Green Men")

Constitution-class starships continued to use crystallized lithium until the mid-2260s, before switching to dilithium. Housed in a dilithium crystal converter assembly, the crystals were used as a power source as well as a regulator. Dependency on that power meant the starships risked losing the ability to maintain an orbit, let alone use of their warp drive, when a number of dilithium crystals were drained of their power or became fused in their assembly. In some circumstances, crystals could be re-amplified to provide continued service, rather than replaced. (TOS: "Mudd's Women", "The Alternative Factor", "Elaan of Troyius")

One of the reasons why dilithium was so valuable before the late 23rd century was because dilithium gradually decrystalizes during use, and there existed no practical means of inducing recrystallization. However, during a time travel mission to 1986, Spock and Scotty developed a method of recrystallizing dilithium through exposure to gamma radiation.

Decrystalizing dilithium resulted in certain byproducts, including illium-629 and, when used in warp cores, trilithium resin. (TNG: "Pen Pals", "Starship Mine")

By the 2360s, it was possible to recrystallize dilithium while it was still enclosed in the warp core's dilithium articulation frame using a theta-matrix compositor. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home; TNG: "Relics")

Dozaria was rich in dilithium, which attracted the Breen to the planet. In 2366, they forced the Ravinok to crash on the planet and put the survivors to work in the dilithium mine. (DS9: "Indiscretion")

In 2372, the USS Voyager discovered a new form of dilithium in the Delta Quadrant that remained stable at much higher reaction rates, allowing a vessel to travel more efficiently at much higher speeds. This dilithium was installed aboard the shuttlecraft Cochrane to test an experimental warp 10 flight. (VOY: "Threshold")

Dukat and Damar were able to trick Captain K'Temang into believing the Groumall was carrying refined dilithium crystals by modifying the Cardassian freighter's subspace transceiver array to emit a false dilithium signal. (DS9: "Return to Grace")

Odo and several members of the Cardassian Rebellion destroyed the Tevak shipyards by sabotaging the dilithium in its storage bunkers. (DS9: "Tacking Into the Wind")

Lyndsay Ballard said that dilithium extraction was always one of B'Elanna Torres' specialties. (VOY: "Ashes to Ashes") Torres helped Neelix prepare for a mining operation by giving him material to study on dilithium geophysics. (VOY: "Phage")

Dilithium Articulation Frame

The dilithium articulation frame holds the dilithium in alignment with the colliding matter/antimatter stream and is housed inside the matter-antimatter reaction assembly. The frame is housed behind the dilithium chamber hatch. (TNG: "The Drumhead")

Doctor Leah Brahms inspected the dilithium articulation frame of the USS Enterprise-D in 2367 and discovered that Geordi La Forge had modified the articulation frame. (TNG: "Galaxy's Child")

The frame suspends the dilithum in the reaction chamber using a field effect to keep the crystal faces in alignment with the matter/antimatter streams. The correct alignment of the crystal faces and planes maximizes the efficiency of the plasma conversion that takes place. By the 2360s, the theta-matrix compositor was integrated with the articulation frame, allowing recrystallization to take place in the warp core with the core online. (TNG: "Relics")

Matter Injector/Deuterium injector

The deuterium injector, or simply matter injector, is a component of starship's warp core, which precisely compresses and streams matter (deuterium) into the form which enters the dilithium articulation frame.

In 2372 in the mirror universe, Benjamin Sisko took the Defiant's deuterium injector offline and online again. It required the flow regulators to be shut off. (DS9: "Shattered Mirror")

The Red Squad cadets often had trouble with the USS Valiant's deuterium injector startup routine, as the system often experienced power spikes. When he came aboard, Nog suggested doing what Chief O'Brien had done on the USS Defiant, by recalibrating the lateral impulse control system. (DS9: "Valiant")

Theta-matrix Compositor

The theta-matrix compositor is a device aboard Federation starships in the 24th century, such as the Galaxy-class and the Intrepid-class. It is used to recrystalize dilithium crystals while still in the articulation frame of a warp core. (TNG: "Family", VOY: "Innocence")