Growing Young...

[2 of 10]

Part of Einsteins theorie of relativity is that as an object approaches the speed of light, elapsed time actually in a ship getting to the speed of light will actually slow down, that would also include the human aging process.

So, my question is that if you are indeed on a ship like Voyager that is going a many times the speed of light, what would that do to the aging process (Please don't mention "Threshold"..) After being on a Starship for several years, much of the time travelling at faster then light speed, they could turn up back on Earth much younger then their counterparts, they left behind, any thoughts???

 

[-Brett-]

Einstein's theory doesn't cover faster than light.

The idea behind warp drive is that the writers are cheating on Einstein. He doesn't apply at warp speeds. Time passes at the same rate on the ship as the rest of the universe.

 

[2 of 10]

^^
Thanks for the reply, I thought there was more to the theory. I was hoping that someone better versed than I would in Einsteins TOR
would respond to my question, thanks again...

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Einstein's theory doesn't cover faster than light.

The idea behind warp drive is that the writers are cheating on Einstein. He doesn't apply at warp speeds. Time passes at the same rate on the ship as the rest of the universe.

What about impulse travel, though?

 

[Deks]

Einstein's theory doesn't cover faster than light.

The idea behind warp drive is that the writers are cheating on Einstein. He doesn't apply at warp speeds. Time passes at the same rate on the ship as the rest of the universe.

What about impulse travel, though?

Maximum impulse velocity is much lower than the speed of light (1/4 c if I recall from some sources), and even if it was faster, the ship would compensate for any relativistic effect through a use of low-level subspace warp field (which work when not traveling at Warp) just as it's done for actual warp travel.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Thanks for the info about the low-level field. I'd been wondering about that!

BTW, what is the source that gives the information about the max impulse speed? I'm not doubting you; I'm just curious.

 

[Deks]

Memory alpha for the most part.
It's not canon, but there was no official on-screen mentioning just how fast a full impulse velocity was, so they made an approximation on the velocities mentioned in TMP apparently, and since according to LaForge, Impulse tech didn't really change in the meantime (apart from probably being more efficient), there is a good possibility the hypothetical estimate at memory alpha is correct.

I always associated the max Impulse velocity that it equates the speed of light because of something I was studying at high school at the time and mentioned various impulses which usually travel at the speed of light.

Then after people assumed that warp 1 is actually the speed of light (which never made sense to me given then fact in FC they spoke about breaking the light barrier and going FASTER than light ... not AS fast as light ... but faster ... and there was mentioning that the Phoenix was approaching light speed before they jumped to warp but this was implied more that light speed was the ultimate limit the ship had to reach before engaging the Warp drive itself).

So ... the 1/4 c being the max impulse velocity is also subject to discussion.

I also find it a bit strange to set max. impulse velocity so low when they can use the same technology that prevents relativistic effects when at Warp to travel at light speed as a maximum impulse.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I find that strange as well, and that's why I wanted to know how well-established the source of that speed was.

Personally, the "light barrier" reference makes me think of the top speed of impulse as .99 c--beyond that, it takes an extra "push" to break the barrier.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Einstein's theory doesn't cover faster than light.

The idea behind warp drive is that the writers are cheating on Einstein. He doesn't apply at warp speeds. Time passes at the same rate on the ship as the rest of the universe.

What about impulse travel, though?

Maximum impulse velocity is much lower than the speed of light (1/4 c if I recall from some sources), and even if it was faster, the ship would compensate for any relativistic effect through a use of low-level subspace warp field (which work when not traveling at Warp) just as it's done for actual warp travel.

I always thought that full impulse speed was intentionally limited, at the factory, to 1/4c just so a starship would not have to face relativistic effects.

 

[Deks]

But for SF, relativistic effects are a non-issue given the fact they have the tech to nullify them at warp.
Same principles can be adapted to high/maximum impulse velocities (if they are in the 0.99c range) with a creation of a low subspace field when not using warp-drive.

Warp/subspace fields were created when ships were not traveling at warp velocities on numerous occasions.
Having a low level one which is activated at the necessary velocity is actually prudent.

I do find it very doable that the maximum impulse velocity could be 0.99 c after all, and that in order to go past it, you have to engage the Warp drive, which would mean that Warp 1 would put you well past the light speed ... possibly in the 'twice as fast' range.

 

[FordSVT]

Warp drives are not either on or off though. It might be less efficient, but if it takes 1000 Cochranes of warp energy (for example) to reach warp one, then certainly the engines could produce half that.

I was under the impression in FC that that was what was happening: the warp engines were gradually increasing their output, moving the ship faster and faster until crossing the light barrier plus a little.