Star Trek Technology
R
RCS
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Acronym for Reaction Control System, also referred to as maneuvering
thrusters. The RCS is a low-power propulsion system for low-velocity
attitude and translational control. Depending on the starship type,
the system consists of a number of thrusters mostly located at the edge
of the saucer hull.
Although the Star Trek RCS is based on a fusion reaction, its principle
has not changed since the early days of space travel in the 1960's,
and similar thrusters were attached e.g. to the hull of the Apollo spaceship.
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Regenerative shielding
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Shielding technology employed for the warship prototype U.S.S. Prometheus NX-59650.
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Relativistic speed
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Speed at which relativistic effects such as mass increase and time
dilation become evident. While the warp drive is inherently free of
such effects, they have to be considered if the ship is powered by the
impulse drive only.
According to Einstein's Special Relativity Theory, a movement at a speed
v leads to a mass increase by the factor (sqrt(1-v^2/c^2))^-1. For small
v values, this increase is negligible, however, for 0.25c it yields
6.7% and increases strongly for higher speeds. Finally, at v=c mass
would become infinite if c could be achieved without warp drive. Actually,
this effect prevents a starship from being accelerated to high speeds
with conventional propulsion, because such a ship would virtually consist
of nothing but fuel. Star Trek alleviates this problem with a subspace
field that lowers the effective mass. Time dilation is another relativistic
effect that occurs if two objects have relative speeds to each other.
For instance, a starship moving at a speed v from the perspective of
an observer is assumed. The observer will perceive time in the starship
slowed down as if time were stretched by the factor (sqrt(1-v^2/c^2))^-1.
Fundamentally, vice versa the starship passengers will see the observer's
time dilated, as long as both stay in their respective frames of reference.
However, as the traveler accelerates and decelerates their starship
and reverses its course, their frame of reference is changed. This explains
the often discussed twin paradox. The traveling twin does actually age
slower than the one who stays on Earth. An extensive explanation can
be found on in Chapter 1.3 of my warp propulsion article.
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Replicator
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Device which is capable of creating matter from raw matter. The working
principle of this device is related to the transporter. The replicator
disassembles and assembles matter in a similar way, the main difference
is that its resolution is limited to the molecular level.
Compared to the transporter, the requirements for a replicator are rather
simple, and it is not plausible why it has been invented about a century
after the transporter. The replicator works on a molecular base, which
is sufficient to create food or articles for daily use. It is necessary
to store suited raw matter, i.e. matter with the molecular composition
required. Usually waste is employed for this purpose. According to the
STTNG Technical Manual, up to 82% of waste on a starship can be recycled
to food. Bon appetit!
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Retinal scan
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Method of confirming a person's identity by scanning the pattern of the eye's retina.
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Rotating phaser frequency
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Method of changing the phaser frequency employed by the Federation in order to avert adaptation of Borg shielding.
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Rotating shield frequency
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Method of changing the deflector shield frequency at random to avoid penetration by enemy weapons.
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Runabout
Canon - Official Star Trek Technology
Vessel with a size between a starship and a shuttlecraft, mainly used
for mid-range personnel transport. Runabouts are equipped with warp
and impulse drive, shields, phasers and optional photon torpedoes. The
station Deep Space Nine accommodates three runabouts.
While runabouts did not exist (or were not shown) in former episodes,
they play an important role in DS9, also considering the large extent
of Federation territory which usually implies travel durations of several
days. They are used for many purposes where a shuttlecraft is too slow
and uncomfortable, while a starship is either not available or is supposed
to perform more important tasks. The Danube class is the only known
type of runabouts so far.
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