Nacelle damage

[arthur2sheds]

Just a question i want to throw to you guys, its info i need for ships i'm designing.
Take for instance a two nacelled TOS era starship, would it be able to achieve warp speed if only one nacelle was working? I'm doing some designs for long range science vessels and need to know if they could get home with a damaged nacelle.
If it is possible would that also affect power distribution and warp speed?
Thanks in advance guys.

 

[F. King Daniel]

We saw in ENT: "Twilight" that a ship can warp with only one working nacelle, albiet at much-reduced velocity.

 

[Timo]

On the other hand, damage to a nacelle elsewhere in Trek has had the nasty tendency of spreading through the main power system and knocking out pretty much everything - once or twice resulting in total loss of the ship, even. It may actually be quite rare, then, that a two-nacelled ship limps on with one nacelle, or a three-naceller with two.

It might be fun to speculate on the role of individual warp coils there, too. Say, a single nacelle in a Galaxy appears to have eighteen coils. What if the port one loses three and the starboard one seven? Would the crew try and even out the nacelle contents, opening the tops VOY "Nightingale" style and leaving thirteen in each? How many coils can one lose and still be able to generate some sort of a warp field?

Timo Saloniemi

 

[sojourner]

I would think in the Galaxy example you provided the crew would have enough control to just activate individual coils in each nacelle to "even them out" without physically moving coils.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I like to think it depends on both the particular ship design and the extent of the damage. Some ships may be able to keep flying on one nacelle, but others may not.

 

[SWHouston]

I think it would be more in issue of balance. If one of the Nacelles wasn't putting out 100% the other could be reduced. I"m not saying that motion couldn't be maintained with one, I just think it would be that considerable stress would be put on the Helm to maintain a direction.

 

[scotpens]

I think it would be more in issue of balance. If one of the Nacelles wasn't putting out 100% the other could be reduced. I"m not saying that motion couldn't be maintained with one, I just think it would be that considerable stress would be put on the Helm to maintain a direction.

Would left-right “balance” be necessary? We’re talking about generating a warp field — essentially a folding or distortion of space. It’s not the same as creating propulsive thrust in an aircraft — or for sublight speed in a starship, for that matter.

 

[SWHouston]

scotpens,

You certainly make a good point, but, given there are no Rudders or Ailerons, there seems some probable relationship related to direction, in combination with the Warp Field/Deflectoring and a thrust balance. Got to be some way to keep it on a target destination.

 

[CAPTAINMAX]

I think it can warp with one nachelle but at a slower speed becouse it would not behable to maintain the warpfield properly.
I know i`m just talking nonsence but i`m just thinking of a possibility.
some starships have one nachelle only attached to the saucer.

 

[SWHouston]

I'm not sure that if a single Nacelle was big enough, that it would push a "lesser" mass just as fast. I think the Dual Nacelle installation normality, is more related to the virility of Dual Exhaust. It's a lot cooler than just one.

 

[Saturn0660]

I'd guess that the ship could warp, just not very well. Along the lines of same power output required but much much slower speeds.

 

[Starlock]

What if you could balance out the warp field by putting a few Runabouts or Warp Capable Shuttlecraft on that side...?

 

[Vanyel]

I think the only real thing needed is balance. If two coils in one nacelle were damaged beyond their ability to repair outside of spacedock, then disabling the same coils in the other nacelle should provide the balance needed for warp speed. The ship would most likely lose speed and efficiency but I don't see why it couldn't be done. We've seen disabled ships towed in DS9, perhaps the towing ship has nacelles designed to extend their warp field over a larger area and make a warp trip.

 

[Finn]

Wasn't Voyager flying with one working nacelle at one point, I think it was in YoH?

 

[Saturn0660]

Wasn't Voyager flying with one working nacelle at one point, I think it was in YoH?

Yupyup, it was in YoH. Enterprise did it also..

I really see no problems warping that way. It's slow and very "hard" on the remaining nacelle. But it will get your there.

I look at it like jets of today. You can fly missing an engine.
For awhile.