Shuttlecraft going to warp??

[dregj]

I always wondered do the shuttles have warp capabilities?
Certain ancillary material suggested they could go at warp 2,and they did seem to have warp nacelles.
But i don't recall them ever being shown doing the warp stretch.
Also i seem to recall Wesley and picard in a shuttle with picard going on about impulse only ships,the implication being that their current ship only has impulse.

 

[Herbert]

Previous topic on this subject
https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/can-shuttlecrafts-go-to-warp.305956/

 

[F. King Daniel]

Yes. Next Gen was just a little weird about it, and never ever depicted a shuttlecraft at warp. But TOS had shuttles chase the Enterprise at warp, and Discovery has gone back further with the idea of warp shuttles. Only show where the explictly can't is ENT.

Imagine if the shuttles, which have near identical warp nacelles to their mothership (at least in the case of the season one shuttle), couldn't? What sense does that make?

 

[somebuddyX]

It's obviously yes but what comes to my mind were the shuttles in "Skin of Evil" and "Parallels" which were returning to the Enterprise from wherever. Also the runabouts could and they're just big shuttles. What could be an issue is a disconnect between what the VFX guys did and what the writers intended. Maybe the writers wanted shuttles without warp engines for some stories but they already had the shuttle set and model so they made do. It also could just be not realising how goddamn big space really is and thinking a Trek at impulse would get you there quick smart.

 

[dregj]

The dropping people off and rendezvousing with shuttles that they do in the show would be almost completely pointless if they were only at impulse.Seems like it would only save them a few minutes and they be limited to one star system.I do recall cases of geordi returning from holiday from risa in a shuttle that was not in the same solar system
(minds eye?maybe)
Also when they gave Scotty a shuttle in relics I don't think they did it to keep him in one star system.He even mentions he might go to his retirement planet at some point but not right now.Difficult to do when you're stuck at impulse.

 

[JesterFace]

Shuttles have those warp nacelle style things so that makes one wonder why wouldn't they be able to warp, at least warp 1?
Could there be another purpose for the nacelles?

 

[Ray Hardgrit]

Apparently the nacelles with glowy blue bits are warp nacelles and the ones without are impulse nacelles.

The Type 6 shuttle introduced in season 5 has "two 1250 millicochrane warp engines" according to Riker in The Outcast.

 

[Ottens]

I know for certain Andrew Probert designed the first TNG shuttle to be warp-capable. He even planned space for a little warp core (notice the circle in the top view) that could be ejected in case of emergency.

The two shuttlecraft Rick Sternbach designed later in the show had warp nacelles as well, although the way the life-sized mock-ups were created there was no obvious space for a miniature warp core in any of the shuttles.

More info on the designs here.

 

[dregj]

They really should have shown one warping along just once.
i think some of the writers weren't up on star trek lore as they should

 

[XCV330]

I have never seen anything that made it seem like shuttles could not travel at warp.

I will not repeat myself where this discussion played out in the last thread but I will say there is plenty of evidence to suggest impulse can also be FTL, just not nearly as fast.

 

[dregj]

The main evidence was that stupid discussion wesley and picard have in Samaritan snare.Picard harps on about impulse only craft while there stuck in the shuttle for 6 hours.heavily implying their shuttles dont have warp.
(it was an early episodes so it can be forgiven)
a fan theory was the nacelles generate a warp field allowing the ship to go fast but not up to warp one???

 

[Angry Fanboy]

TNG shuttles onwards can travel at warp - it makes virtually no sense otherwise the way they're used for interstellar travel.

They probably need to be capable of a decent warp factor as well because even warp 1 or 2 isn't really feasible.

I seem to think the standard Threshold-type VOY shuttles can reach warp 7 (I might be making this up...) but if so it's likely TNG shuttles were good for warp 4/5 a few years earlier.

 

[Orphalesion]

TNG shuttles onwards can travel at warp - it makes virtually no sense otherwise the way they're used for interstellar travel.

They probably need to be capable of a decent warp factor as well because even warp 1 or 2 isn't really feasible.

I seem to think the standard Threshold-type VOY shuttles can reach warp 7 (I might be making this up...) but if so it's likely TNG shuttles were good for warp 4/5 a few years earlier.

It still makes them an odd choice for interstellar travel, considering how small and how fragile they are portrayed as.

And of course, if the shuttles have warp drive at their size...well then Galaxy Class Saucer Sections, and possibly life pods, ought to have it too, really.

 

[Legate Duhmar]

Shuttles have those warp nacelle style things so that makes one wonder why wouldn't they be able to warp, at least warp 1?
Could there be another purpose for the nacelles?

The frustrating thing is that all of these questions are answered in the Star Trek TNG technical manual. Smaller shuttlepods do not have warp power and are only used to ferry people short distances often when transporters are not able to function safely. They are seen rarely in TNG but appear in 'Power Play' when Riker Troi and Data need to travel down to a planet without beaming.

Larger shuttles, often called Type 6 or Type 7 shuttles do have limited warp power and can travel warp 1.5 for 48 hours uninterrupted or warp 2.0 for 36 hours uninterrupted. These are the shuttles most seen on TNG and what people normally think of when they hear 'shuttle'. I really appreciated the time and effort production staff in TNG put into creating a functional and consistent universe and fictional technology. It was a real labour of love and shows with the quality and enduring impact of the show.

 

[publiusr]

I know for certain Andrew Probert designed the first TNG shuttle to be warp-capable. He even planned space for a little warp core (notice the circle in the top view) that could be ejected in case of emergency.

The two shuttlecraft Rick Sternbach designed later in the show had warp nacelles as well, although the way the life-sized mock-ups were created there was no obvious space for a miniature warp core in any of the shuttles.

More info on the designs here.

Looks like a single wrap around nacelle

 

[somebuddyX]

I have never seen anything that made it seem like shuttles could not travel at warp.

I will not repeat myself where this discussion played out in the last thread but I will say there is plenty of evidence to suggest impulse can also be FTL, just not nearly as fast.

That's an interesting idea. I don't know if I've thought about it for Star Trek but I thought similarly for in The Empire Strikes Back for how they made it to Bespin.

 

[dregj]

That's an interesting idea. I don't know if I've thought about it for Star Trek but I thought similarly for in The Empire Strikes Back for how they made it to Bespin.

I always assumed (and its not backed up by the dialogue in the film) that the hyperdrive was twitchy, intermittently functioning, otherwise they'd have spent 100 years going there in normal space .WE might be straying off topic

 

[somebuddyX]

I always assumed (and its not backed up by the dialogue in the film) that the hyperdrive was twitchy, intermittently functioning, otherwise they'd have spent 100 years going there in normal space .WE might be straying off topic

 

[Forbin]

Looks like a single wrap around nacelle

Nope. Look at the front view. There's a shot of the reaer end of the model here:
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Type_7_shuttlecraft

 

[valkyrie013]

Enterprise had the pods with no nacelles, but there was the NX alpha etc. That was warp capable
The type F from Tos had both nacelles and a impulse thrusters on the back of the main hull. So yes warp capable.
Discos were capable as shown on screen. And apparently better than warp 5 because there going between systems at a reasonable time.

Warp 2 is just dirt slow .. If your dropped off close to a system, sure but your ship is in system A but you need to go to system B .. At warp 2 that'll take MONTHS