Starbases....Warp drive capable?

[MarsWeeps]

So, I was wondering about Starbases...you know, like the large ones that Starships actually fly inside? Are they always in orbit around a planet? Do they have to be? I wonder if they are built in place or if they have some type of propulsion system beyond thrusters, that would allow them to travel to different locations.

While I don't see any warp drive nacelles, I wonder if they have technology that would allow them to be moved great distances? I can see the advantage of having a huge city in space in the middle of nowhere.

 

[DimesDan]

They're probably just built in place and left there.

 

[MarsWeeps]

They're probably just built in place and left there.

But it would seem more efficient to build one close to the necessary resources (a planet) and then move it to where it's needed (Deep Space). Building one in deep space would require a lot of supply runs and not very efficient.

 

[publiusr]

I can imagine parts of it surrounded by tugs--forming a ring around it--all synched to go into that tube like warp effect from TMP.

Erifah had a nice flying starbase concept.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I've never seen engines, warp or otherwise, on any Federation starbase. So I doubt they're designed to move. I don't see the point in it, anyway.

With the Federation being what it is, the resources can come from anywhere, anyway. They have industrial replicators, after all.

 

[Deks]

DS9 for example has relatively obscure thrusters that are used to adjust the station's orbital trajectory... I would imagine that large Federation starbases come equipped with same technology that allows for periodic adjustments to maintain orbit.
As such, I think they could be moved in the same way DS9 was moved - by projecting a subspace field around the station to lower its mass to practically nothing, and then use directional thrusters to move it where they want it to be.

As for deep space construction... hardly that it would require many trips... with replicators and transporters, all you need to do is run to the nearest solar system for harvesting all those Zettajoules of Solar energy that are flowing through the system, or just use bussard collectors that generate power continuously for the ship by gathering background radiation, and you simply convert that energy into desirable matter (replicators were described on several occasions to directly convert energy into matter and back again - as such, they have no need of 'bulk matter' as some people claim, because there's no confirmation or solid evidence they need it in the first place) which can then be auto-assembled by the computer itself. Given that ships are capable of transporting something the size of a shuttlecraft, or even bigger, construction of an actual starbase in deep-space doesn't seem like a big problem).

The self-replicating mines on DS9 were likely powered through a similar method... aka drawing power from the environment (solar, background radiation, etc.), and they also had thrusters for continuous adjustments of their positions.

 

[DimesDan]

But it would seem more efficient to build one close to the necessary resources (a planet) and then move it to where it's needed (Deep Space). Building one in deep space would require a lot of supply runs and not very efficient.

Oh I am sorry, I thought my wording implied that I wasn't sure and I gave what I felt was the most probable explanation to a a unique question.

 

[Longinus]

It might not be possible or practical to create warp core and engines powerful enough to create a warp field of sufficient size.

 

[MarsWeeps]

With the Federation being what it is, the resources can come from anywhere, anyway. They have industrial replicators, after all.

What are industrial replicators and where were they mentioned? It took 18 months to refit the Enterprise and it's a fraction of the size of a starbase. If they had "industrial replicators" why not spit out an entire ship?

 

[Captain Rob]

I would think that the simple answer is that replicator tech in the 23rd Century isn't as advanced as that of the 24th Century.
It would make sense that there are replicators that could spit out large parts or completed modules. That are then transported into place and assembled.
I could see a entire star base station being built by a large group of Excelsior sized manufacturing ships that have their main hulls dedicated to a large interior volume of cargo area with many different sized replicators. Complete with cargo transporters and hangar doors at the sides and ends to spit out the larger parts.
The same process could be used to create a ground located starbase. And the same type of ships would be used for colony construction. The easiest and best way to build things is in a interior climate controlled facility in prefabricated modules.

 

[USS Triumphant]

In the novels, the Corps of Engineers towed Empok Nor to DS9 to use for spare parts. Not canon, but I like to think that starbases come in three varieties: planet bound ones built or at least assembled there, big honking stations like Starbase One that might could be moved but it would be a *massive* undertaking, and then regular spacefaring starbases like Deep Space Station K-7 that were probably built at a shipyard and then towed out - either as a piece, or in large sections for assembly.

It might not be possible or practical to create warp core and engines powerful enough to create a warp field of sufficient size.

Balok, the crew of the Enterprise-J, some Voth, some Kazon, and a contingent of Borg are all here saying they'd like a word with you.

 

[MarsWeeps]

I wonder if Trek will continue with "Warp Drive" or advance to some type of "Jump Gate" technology where you can travel just about anywhere instantly. That would be one way for a Starbase to go wherever needed but also creates it's own set of problems.

Warp Drive is getting stale, it needs an update.

 

[The Wormhole]

If they had "industrial replicators" why not spit out an entire ship?

The TNG Tech Manual says that isn't possible.

 

[Green Shirt]

^How about a really big 3-D printer?

 

[JonnyQuest037]

I wonder if Trek will continue with "Warp Drive" or advance to some type of "Jump Gate" technology where you can travel just about anywhere instantly. That would be one way for a Starbase to go wherever needed but also creates it's own set of problems.

Warp Drive is getting stale, it needs an update.

I doubt they'll do that. Warp drive seems pretty intrinsic to the Trek premise. If they start using Jump Gates, it's more like other science fiction shows like Buck Rogers or Babylon 5.

 

[Captain Rob]

You start doing stuff like that and next thing you know. There's a fleet of strangely modified DeLoreans in the Landing Bay.

 

[MarsWeeps]

I doubt they'll do that. Warp drive seems pretty intrinsic to the Trek premise. If they start using Jump Gates, it's more like other science fiction shows like Buck Rogers or Babylon 5.

Well, they've already used Wormholes to travel to other parts of the Galaxy (DS9) so maybe they can expand upon that a little. They never did explain what "Trans-warp" drive was supposed to be but it sounded like the next step beyond normal warp drive.

 

[at Quark's]

How many "deep space" starbases actually are in deep space ? "Deep Space Nine" (not a starbase, I know) doesn't seem to be too far removed from Bajor ...

 

[TheGoodStuff]

How many "deep space" starbases actually are in deep space ? "Deep Space Nine" (not a starbase, I know) doesn't seem to be too far removed from Bajor ...

But in relation to Federation space DS9 IS in deep space. It as at the very edge of held territory.

As for the OP, I certainly do not think the starbases are capable of movement. It actually seems pointless. Why move something so collossal at warp? If you really need a starbase somewhere else it seems more logical to build it instead of moving another one.

Think of it this way: ESD is fundamental to Earth defense, construction etc etc, you would have no need to move it. If there are huge starbases at key worlds/regions one would have to assume they were built there for a very important reason. If you need one somewhere else, then build it.

 

[MarsWeeps]

As for the OP, I certainly do not think the starbases are capable of movement. It actually seems pointless. Why move something so collossal at warp? If you really need a starbase somewhere else it seems more logical to build it instead of moving another one.

Well how long does it take to build one? I would think years considering the size. It's like a huge city in space. I can think of different galactic emergencies that would benefit from having a huge starbase set up in a few weeks or months instead of years.

Build them where you have the material and personnel resources and then move them to deep space where needed. I think they would be more useful in that regard instead of orbiting a planet. Why build a huge, self contained city in space right next to a planet?