A - D

A

Ablative armour: Armour that protects a starship hull from evaporation. The experimental prototype for this was the USS Prometheus.

Ablative Armour Matrix: Early 25th Century Federation Technology brought back by the Starship Voyager. Generates a nearly-impenetrable armour layer around a Starship. Not in widespread use due to the Federation's Temporal Prime Directive.

Aceton assimilator: Weapon used by the ancient Menthars in their war with the Promellians a thousand years ago. Aceton assimilators could drain power from distant sources (such as a hostile ship), then turn that energy into deadly radiation to kill the ship's crew. Hundreds of thousands of these devices were placed in an asteroid field near Orelious IX, trapping the Promellian cruiser 1,000 years ago.

Adaptive interface link: Computer connection is used to exchange information between two computer systems of different alien origins.

Android: Mechanical life form Appears, reacts, thinks, learns and acts like a human.

Angosian alteration: Used by the Angosians to turn normal men into 'killing machines'. The process alters cell structure using such substances as cryptobiotic, triclenidyl and macrospentol.

Annular confinement beam (ACB): Aiding beam of a transporter. The beam serves two purposes The first is to maintain a 'lock' on the subject, so the transporter knows what to beam out, and what to leave behind. The second purpose is to do the actual transporting, whilst keeping the subject in one piece subjectively.

Antigrav: Portable device used aboard Federation starships for handling cargo and other items too large for a single crewmember to carry. The mechanism after it is called a graviton inverter circuit.

Antigrav thrusters: Thrusters utilizing antigravity to ascent a ship from a planetary surface.

Antimatter: Form of matter, existing of the same particles as normal matter, but with inverse properties (like electrical charge and direction of rotation = spin). If matter and antimatter are brought together, the mass-energy of the matter- and antimatter particles will be converted to pure electromagnetic energy. Because of the giant amounts of energy that are released at these reactions, matter/antimatter-reactors are used as a warp core.

Arch: An arch is a holodeck interface system, which contains the scenario of the running program.

Aqua shuttle: Shuttle, capable of being piloted underwater.

Temporal portal: Developed on the planet Sarpeidon to travel through time. The Time Portal alters a time traveller’s cellular structure, making it possible to survive in earlier environments, but also making it impossible to return to the present without reversing the alteration.

B

Baryon sweep: High-frequency plasma field is used to remove baryon particles from a starship's superstructure. During extended periods of warp flight, baryon particles build up on the starship, requiring periodical decontamination. The procedure is deadly to a starship's crew, requiring the complete evacuation of a starship before the procedure is executed. Baryon particles are a particle family. The baryon-family consists of protons and neutrons, the basic elements of an atom's nuclei, and hyperons, which are highly unstable particles. Logically, the baryon sweep is deadly to humans because it removes all baryon particles it encounters - so all the protons and neutrons in the atoms of humans! A baryon sweep would completely dematerialize a starship, leaving only a cloud of electrons behind.

Biochips: Cybernetic implants surgically imbedded into the bodies of the Borg. They serve to enhance their physical abilities and synthesize any organic molecules needed by their biological tissues. The Borg are dependent on the implants and would die if the biochips are removed.

Biofilter: Part of a transporter, to filter out any harmful substances and/or life forms (like bacteria and viral agents). The filter looks for elements of the pattern, which aren't found in normal beings/equipment, or those of known viruses and bacteria. It can simply erase those parts of the pattern, and those parts of the matter stream won't beam back in. (pattern buffer)

Biomatter: Another name for organic material.

Bio-neural gel packs: Biological computer processors, involving data transmission with neurons (neural cells, which are also responsible for data transmission in humanoid brains). Gel pack technology is more efficient than traditional optical data transmission. The USS Voyager was the first ship to be equipped with this technology. A gel pack contains a gelatinous organic medium. Being biological, gel packs are vulnerable to viral and bacteriological attacks.

Bioship: Spaceship made of biomatter. The bioships of Species 8472 are made of the same material as the aliens themselves and are practically invulnerable.

Bussard collectors: Red areas located in front of the warp nacelles. They collect hydrogen in space by using magnetic fields.

C

Chronitons: Particles that are in a state of temporal flux (out of phase with the space-time-continuum). Chronitons are used to create a temporal vortex for time travel and are also involved with cloaking devices. Chronitons are also used as torpedo charges by the Delta Quadrant race called the Krenim ( chroniton torpedo).

Chroniton torpedo: Torpedo used by the Delta Quadrant race called the Krenim, in a possible or alternative timeline. Chroniton torpedoes are charged with chronitons, which makes the torpedo out of phase with normal space-time, so they can penetrate shielding. This state is called temporal flux. Chroniton torpedoes are not as destructive as quantum torpedoes or tri-cobalt torpedoes but are perfect to use for precision attacks.

Cloaking device: Device, which makes a starship invisible to the naked eye and sensors. The cloaking device is used by Romulan and Klingon warships, but the Delta Quadrant race called the Voth and the Breen also use it. An energy screen is formed by generator coils. Particles and radiation are bent around the ship, making the ship undetectable. However, this property of cloaking is a potential detection manner. Particles cover a long way because of their bending. An observer outside would notice that photons that are affected by the cloaking field arrive later than photons that are not affected. This is compensated by accelerating them temporarily to FTL speeds when they touch the outer regions of the field. To mask the energy emissions from the ship itself, the systems of the ship are powered by 'nullifier cores', which dissipate the energy that is used. The Treaty of Organia forbids the Federation from using cloaking devices, but the Federations made a compromise in the form of the Stealth Drive.                                                                                                                                        

Coaxial warp: Form of warp travel that works by locally folding space. The core of the coaxial warp drive manipulates the geometry of incoming particles, which bends space. The field of bent space is called coaxial space. Starfleet engineers consider this warp drive as hypothetical. The coaxial warp is much faster than the conventional warp, but it's unstable because flows of unstable particles entering the core destabilise the coaxial field.

Cochrane: Unit of subspace distortion named after Zephram Cochrane, the inventor of warp drive. 1 Cochrane is the distortion required to propel a ship at lightspeed (warp 1). Thus, to travel at warp 2 (10x lightspeed), a distortion of 10 Cochrane's is required.

Commlink: Communication link. Established by the commbadges. The communication that is used for comlinks is subspace radio.

Containment field: A specially shaped force field used to isolate dangerous materials like antimatter or biohazard specimens. Containment fields are used in antimatter storage pods to protect a ship against contact with the extremely volatile antimatter. Somewhat different containment fields are used for quarantine isolation and containment of dangerous biological specimens.

Continuum distortion propulsion (CDP): The official name for warp drive.

Cryostasis:  State of low biological activity in a human body. Cryostasis is achieved by preserving bodies in a cooling chamber.

D

Deflector: Starship device used to create a deflector field and the deflector beam.

Deflector beam: Beam generated by the deflector, pushing away distant objects, which lay in the course of the ship.

Deflector field: Gravimetric field, which is the mechanism after a deflector shield. A deflector field pushes away objects/projectiles near a ship and absorbs energy beams. This costs energy, so when the shields deflect a projectile or absorb an energy beam, the shields lose energy. The field is created by the graviton sources of the deflector. The energy output is phase-synchronised through a series of subspace field distortion amplifiers (field strength of 625 millicochranes).

Deflector shielding: Starship protection against projectiles, dust, particles and dangerous radiation’s. Dust and particles are very dangerous when a ship travels at high speed. Even the smallest ones can destroy an entire ship when it's at warp or high impulse speed. The mechanism after the deflector shield is a gravimetric field (deflector field), generated by the deflector.

Delta rays: Type of radiation produced by older engines. Delta rays refer to moderate energy electrons, which have been kicked off a nucleus by the passage of a nearby high-energy charged particle.

Deuterium (chemical name: hydrogen-2): Isotope of hydrogen. Deuterium is used in Federations matter/antimatter reactors and fusion reactors.

Dilithium (chemical name: 2<5>6-dilithium-2<:>1-diallosilicate-1:9:1-heptoferranide): Mineral, used in a warp core to control matter/antimatter-reactions. Beams matter and antimatter are fired against each other, through the crystal grid of dilithium. Dilithium is the only form of matter that is non-reactive with antimatter when it is exposed to an electromagnetic field in the order of megawatts. It permits the antideuterium in the warp core to pass through the crystal without annihilating, making it capable of regulating the entire annihilation process in the warp core. The Federation thought for a long that because of the highly complex molecular structure, dilithium was not synthetically producible. But new techniques, involving theta-energy matrixes and gamma radiation bombardment can do that. Lithium was already used as an antimatter moderator and as collision plates in 20th-century cyclotrons.

Dimensional shifter: Transporting device used by the Ansata. It uses space folding (Elway theorem). Its major side effects are DNA breakdown and accelerated cellular ageing.

Disruptor: Very common type of energy weapon. A disruptor disrupts the molecular structure of an object. At low energy amounts, the object can recover, but at high-energy amounts, the damage is severe. A phaser is a disruptor.

Dreadnought: Self-guided Cardassian missile. The Dreadnought (so-called by the Maquis) is charged with 1000 kilograms of matter and 1000 kilograms of antimatter. Combined with an impact speed on full impulse (150,000 km/sec, half lightspeed), this causes an explosion, which can destroy a small moon. The Dreadnought was sent by the Cardassians to destroy a Maquis target but was intercepted by the Maquis. The Dreadnought is very large, even larger than a shuttlecraft. It is divided into multiple rooms. The computer's artificial intelligence is almost humanoid; it can even lie and divert you and can engage in conversations (even in small talk). It can hail ships on itself. When you enter Dreadnought, the computer scans your DNA structure to identify you. Its warp systems are highly advanced. The Dreadnought has its warp core with a maximum speed of warp 9 and masks its warp trail with an electromagnetic field. Weapons are fired independently. Dreadnought has thoron shock emitters and when you fire on Dreadnought, he emits plasma waves.

Duotronics: Created by Dr Richard Daystrom in 2243, the Duotronic circuit was a revolutionary advance in computer power and speed. Such was the increase in performance possible with this technology that it formed the basis of much of the computing hardware of the time; every Federation Starship computer for eighty years was based on duotronics, and elements of this technology were also used in sensor technology. Duotronics were eventually replaced by Isolinear optical chips in 2329.                                                                                                                                     

Dyson sphere: Ring or shell constructed around a star or black hole. In the ring live people; the ring is powered by the energy emissions of the star/black hole. The construction of these habitats are proposed by the 20th-century physician Dyson, but never taken seriously.

E - H

E

Eichner radiation: Radiation emitted by subspace phase inverters.

Electrostatic forcefield: Used as contamination field in the brigs aboard starships, and probably too for emergency forcefields and window forcefields.

EMH: (Emergency Medical Hologram) Holographic, computer-operated medical officer for medical emergencies. It can, just like an android, react, think, learn and act like a human. Every modern Federation starship has one.  

ExoComp: Created by Dr Farallon to assist in the Particle Fountain project on Tyrus VIIA, the exocomp is a small computerized autonomous repair unit.  Each exocomp is equipped with an antigrav unit which allows it to move around under its power, a computer which allows it to analyse and diagnose faults and produce repair strategies independent of outside control, and a replicator unit which allows it to produce a wide variety of tools with which to conduct repairs. 

F

Federation starship registry codes:

-BDR Federation, non-Starfleet, civilian transport

-NX Federation, Starfleet, experimental

-NAR Federation, non-Starfleet, research

-NCC Federation, Starfleet, active service

-NDT Federation, non-Starfleet, transport

-NFT Federation, non-Starfleet, civilian

-NGL Federation, non-Starfleet, freighter

-NSP Federation, Vulcan, science

Ferroplasmic infusion: Procedure to re-liquefy a planetary core when the molten material in it became solid. High-energy plasma is injected into the planetary core through an infusion device, heating the core and re-liquefying it.

Forced quantum singularity drive: (FQSD) Energy source, used in Romulan starships as a warp core. Energy is drained from a quantum singularity, in fact, an artificial black hole.

FTL travel (FTL = Faster Than Light): Travelling faster than the speed of light. The exact definition of FTL travel is travelling from A to B in less time than light, which travels at lightspeed, including leaving our universe and travelling through wormholes or subspace. For FTL travel, the Federation uses warp drive. ( transwarp, alternative warp, coaxial warp)

Fusion reactor: Used as energy source and propulsion system. A fusion reactor brings light atoms together, which produces heavier atoms and large amounts of energy. The usual fuel is deuterium or normal hydrogen, which fuse to helium. Hydrogen fusion is the energy source of stars. Federation fusion reactors use deuterium, with helium as a reaction product. Starships have fusion reactors for auxiliary power and impulse drive (max. cruising speed: 150,000 km/s - half lightspeed). (laser-induced fusion)

G

Genesis device: Short-range torpedo intended to test the Project Genesis terraforming process. The terraforming process involved a massive explosion that reduced the planet to subatomic particles, which were then reassembled according to a pre-programmed matrix.

Genetronic replicator: Device that can replicate a new spinal column.

Gravimetric field: Term used for a graviton field.

Graviton: Particle that carries/transfers gravity forces at lightspeed. A field of gravitons is called a gravity- or gravimetric field

H

Harmonic chamber: Chamber in which harmonic waves stabilise.

Heisenberg compensator: Part of a transporter, to keep the beamed material in his place. In physics, the Heisenberg Principle states that you cannot know both the positions of a subatomic particle and its momentum to a precise degree. The more you know about one, the less you know can about the other. This comes into play when you consider that to know where everything is coming from and going to, you pretty much have to know near-exactly where everything is. By the 24th century, that's no longer a problem. The Heisenberg compensators are used to keep everything in the matter stream exactly where it should be. Nothing is known about how a Heisenberg compensator works. When you compress local space, the position of an object is better known (but makes its speed more unknown). The matter of the transported object is injected in a chamber, where space is compressed. The position of the individual particles becomes better known, compensating for the 'quantum jumps' of them. Note that this doesn't mean that the Heisenberg compensators tell you the vital statistics of the particle; they could very well just compensate for not knowing them and keep the system working just fine.

Helium fusion enhancement: Theoretical technique that would increase the energy output of a dying star by increasing the temperature and pressure inside the star so that the star begins helium fusion, thus increasing the stars useful life.

Holodeck: Room on a starship, in which holographic simulations are created for investigation and entertainment. Starships have 4 main holodecks and several small ones, only suitable for personal use. A holodeck can create simulations in the following ways: -

- The walls can generate holographic images, which appear to extend for an unlimited distance. Holograms can be projected into space.

- Holograms can be augmented with force beams to simulate solid, tangible objects.

- Holograms and force beams can be augmented with replicator technology to provide actual substance. Food on the holodeck would be of this nature.  Most inanimate objects which are likely to be eaten or have properties difficult to simulate (e.g. water) would be simulated in this way. 

- An animate object is comprised of a partially stable form of matter created by the Holodeck replicators for use in the holodeck only. This material is stable only within a holodeck or holosuite and degrades into energy if removed. This is matter held in place by force beams operating at a molecular level, as opposed to replicating the object down to the molecular bonds.

Holomatrix: Combination of all computer (sub) routines from a hologram. The holo matrix forms the personality (if a person is simulated), appearance and function of a hologram.

I-L

I

Impulse drive: Newtonian propulsion for speeds lower than lightspeed. Federation starships use fusion reactors as impulse drives. Deuterium is injected into a reaction chamber. The deuterium is heated to several million degrees Celsius by laser induction, which initiates fusion reactions. The deuterium fuses in the reaction chamber to helium. The helium plasma is then accelerated by the accelerator, which injects the plasma into the driver coils. These coils are almost the same as warp coils, but only smaller (6.5x5.8 metres, 19.5x17.4 feet). The accelerated plasma interacts with the surface of the inner coil hull, creating a subspace field, just like what happens in the warp coils. The subspace field reduces the mass of the starship, which causes the impulse to drive less mass to push around. The final stage is the vectored exhaust director. The VED consists of a series of moveable vanes and channels to expel exhaust products in a controlled manner, which makes it possible to steer the ship.

Impulse factor: Unit of speeds slower than light. We speak of full, half and quarter impulse. The velocity of 'full impulse' depends on the ship's maximum impulse speed.

Impulse Speed: Speed lower than lightspeed, or more precise: speed obtained by impulse drive.

Inertial dampers: Starship device that protects against the enormous G-forces that occurs while the ship accelerates or decelerates. The IDs consist of field generators, which produce a forcefield of standard 75 millicochranes, the inertial damping field (IDF). As the ship accelerates or decelerates, the IDF is distorted along a typical force vector. This makes the IDF absorb the G-forces.

Interphase cloaking device: Device that allows travelling through solid matter and high energetic energy fields. A molecular phase inverter moves the ship out of phase with the space-time continuum. An anyone emitter returns the ship back to our reality.

IPS (Impulse Power System): Abbreviation used for impulse drive.

Isolinear optical chip: Computer storage device made of optically refractive material. Used in Federation computers, a key part of optical data processing devices. Isolinear chips work with light signals, instead of 20th-century techniques, which used electronic signals. Light processing was invented in the late nineties of the 20th century.

Impulse drive: Newtonian propulsion for speeds lower than lightspeed. Federation starships use fusion reactors as impulse drives. Deuterium is injected into a reaction chamber. The deuterium is heated to several million degrees Celsius by laser induction, which initiates fusion reactions. The deuterium fuses in the reaction chamber to helium. The helium plasma is then accelerated by the accelerator, which injects the plasma into the driver coils. These coils are almost the same as warp coils, but only smaller (6.5x5.8 metres, 19.5x17.4 feet). The accelerated plasma interacts with the surface of the inner coil hull, creating a subspace field, just like what happens in the warp coils. The subspace field reduces the mass of the starship, which causes the impulse to drive less mass to push around. The final stage is the vectored exhaust director. The VED consists of a series of moveable vanes and channels to expel exhaust products in a controlled manner, which makes it possible to steer the ship.

Impulse factor: Unit of speeds slower than light. We speak of full, half and quarter impulse. The velocity of 'full impulse' depends on the ship's maximum impulse speed.

Impulse Speed: Speed lower than lightspeed, or more precise: speed obtained by impulse drive.

Inertial dampers: Starship device that protects against the enormous G-forces that occurs while the ship accelerates or decelerates. The IDs consist of field generators, which produce a forcefield of standard 75 millicochranes, the inertial damping field (IDF). As the ship accelerates or decelerates, the IDF is distorted along a typical force vector. This makes the IDF absorb the G-forces.

Interphase cloaking device: Device that allows travelling through solid matter and high energetic energy fields. A molecular phase inverter moves the ship out of phase with the space-time continuum. An anyone emitter returns the ship back to our reality.

Ion: Atom, electrically charged by 'missing' or 'extra' electrons around it.

Ion drive: Impulse drive, based on magnetic acceleration exhausting of ions in the plasma. Invented in the nineties of the 20th century. Ion propulsion requires far less energy than propulsion by other engines but is relatively weak.

Ion trail (warp trail): Trail of ions, left by any ship on warp or impulse. Many ships are detected because of their ion trail.

Isolinear optical chip: Computer storage device made of optically refractive material. Used in Federation computers, a key part of optical data processing devices. Isolinear chips work with light signals, instead of 20th-century techniques, which used electronic signals. Light processing was invented in the late nineties of the 20th century.

Isolytic weaponry (subspace weaponry): Weapon technology that uses subspace as a destructive force. The Federation bans Isolytic weaponry because the effects on subspace and the fabric of space-time are unpredictable. A Son'a vessel used isolytic weapons in an attack on the Enterprise-E ('Insurrection')

J

Jefferies tubes: Corridor system onboard starships, used for repairs in delicate parts of the ship, but also as a hiding place in emergency situations.

K

Krieger waves: Energy source, invented by Dr Apgar at Tanga Research Station.

L

Lang-cycle fusion engines: Propulsion system of the 1000-years old Promellian battlecruiser Cleponji.

Laser-induced fusion: Engineering term for controlled nuclear fusion in which the required ignition temperatures are created by powerful lasers. Laser-induced fusion is used in the impulse drive engines of Federation starships, as well as in the power supply reactors on station Deep Space 9.

LCARS (Library Computer Access and Retrieval System): Computer operating system on Federation starships. LCARS supports voice- and manual interface.

Lightspeed (Symbol: c): Physical constant which represents the speed of energy waves and massless particles in a vacuum. Lightspeed is 299,792.458 km/s. The lightspeed barrier cannot be broken by Newtonian propulsion drives.

Lightspeed barrier: Absolute maximum speed for Newtonian travel. Because of relativistic mass increase and slowing time, no Newtonian-travelling object can travel at lightspeed or above. The only Newtonian systems that can travel at lightspeed are massless particles and energy waves.

M-P

M

Magneton: Measurement of the magnetic dipole moment of a particle. In Star Trek, the name 'magnetron' is used for a particle.

Magnetometric-guided charges: 'Depth-charges' used by the Borg.

M/AMR: Abbreviation for matter/antimatter reactor.

M/ARA (Matter/Antimatter Reaction Assembly): Official name for a warp core in which matter annihilates with antimatter.

Matter/antimatter reactor (M/AMR): Energy source, used by the Federation as warp core and power source on starships. Also used in phasers. Energy is produced by reactions between matter and antimatter particles. In Federation warp core M/AMRs, deuterium and anti-deuterium is used.

Metagenic weapon: Weapon of mass destruction, which spreads genetic viruses in a planet's atmosphere, wiping out the entire biosphere. Because of their immense power, the Federation outlaws these weapons.

Metaphasic shields: A subspace technology, which involves generating metaphasic properties - results in a low intensity, non-propulsive subspace field similar to a warp field. Developed by Ferengi scientist Dr. Reygar to encapsulate a vessel from the extreme radiation and heat generated by stars.

Metryon cascade: Deadly weapon used by the Haakonians.

Metryons Particles: High levels of exposure can infect a humanoid with metrymia, a blood disease that causes its victims' cells to undergo fission. The Haakonians used a deadly weapon called the metryon cascade wipe out Rhinax, a Talaxian moon.

Micronization warp drive: Experimental new type of warp drive, used aboard the Defiant. This warp drive incorporates injection of delta isotopes into the warp plasma. This is because warp speeds above warp 9.5 produce time dilation (time aboard slows down). Delta isotopes have effect on dimensional temporal stability, 'pushing' the Defiant forward in time and thus neutralising the time dilation effect.

Mind sifter: Klingon device used to empty a brain of valuable information. Its side effects include brain damage.

Mobile emitter: Portable holographic projector.                                                                                                                                                            

Multitronic: Developed by Dr. Richard Daystrom in the 2260s, the multitronic computer offered an enormous increase in capability over the duotronic systems in use at the time. Dr Daystrom had developed a method of impressing brain engrams onto the computer's circuits, allowing it to think in the manner of a humanoid mind. The first multitronic system was the M-5, a computer designed to automate most of the functions of a Starship in order to reduce manning levels. The M-5 would be in total control of the ship, making all command decisions.  The M-5 performed superbly in simulations, but when it was tested on board the USS Enterprise the computer rapidly became unstable. It began attacking targets at random, eventually inflicting heavy damage and casualties on a four ship Starfleet taskforce. Dr Daystrom was able to disable the M-5 by convincing it that its actions had been at odds with its basic programming to protect Human life.                       

N

Nadions: Particles produced as the output produced by phasers. Nadions are short living particles possessing special properties related to high-speed interactions with atom nuclei. Among these properties is the ability to liberate and transfer strong nuclear forces within a particular class of superconducting crystals.

Nanites: Term used for microscopic devices equipped with artificial intelligence, with the size of nanometers (1 nanometer is 1/1,000,000,000 part of a meter. Nanotechnology is developed in the late 20th century.

Nanoprobes: Microscopic probes developed by the Borg, which attack at cellular level. Used in the first step of the Borg assimilation process.

Neutrinos: Particles, with almost no mass, travelling at almost the speed of light. Predicted in the 1930's by the famous quantum physician Enrico Fermi, and found in 1956. Stars produce hundreds of billions of neutrinos per second.

Neutronic mine: Borg weapon. It spreads neutrons over a distance of at least 5 light-years. The explosive force is 5 million isotons.

Neutronium: Very cohesive material made of densely packed neutrons, held together by gravity. The material neutron stars are made of.

Newtonian (adjective): A system is Newtonian when it's strictly restricted to the laws of Newton.

Newtonian propulsion: Propulsion, based on the action/reaction laws of Newton. A Newtonian propulsion drive cannot break the lightspeed barrier. Impulse drive is a Newtonian drive.

Non-Newtonian propulsion: Propulsion drive that has no normal action/reaction component associated with it. Non-Newtonian drives can break the lightspeed-barrier, because it 'violates' the action/reaction laws of Newton.

Nullifier cores: Energy sources onboard of cloak capable ships Nullifier cores dissipate the energy they use, so the energy emissions can't be detected from outside the ship.

O

ODN (Optical Data Network): The network of computers on a starship. The ODN has enough processing power on its own to take over limited control of the ship in case of a complete computer failure.

Optronic Emitter: is a piece of optronic technology used in the operations center of Deep Space 9. They produced a low humming noise.

Optronic Integrator: is a piece of optronic circuitry used to facilitate connections in security and communications relays aboard a starship or space station.

Optronic Relay: is a piece of technology that came in many different sizes and was in use since at least as early as the 22nd century.

P

Pattern buffer: Part of a transporter, a cyclotron-like tank which holds the whirling matrix of phased matter in the ACB while the subject is beamed out and beamed in. In order to keep track of where every part of the subject is, the computer constructs a pattern to keep track of what bits of the stream end up where. Similar to this is the transporter ID trace, which is kept for verification purposes for a long time after transport. This is probably a highly compressed sample of the pattern, plus the name of the transportee, logs of the transport cycle, etc.

Phased matter: A very energy-like state of matter somewhat akin to plasma. We can consider phased matter as an intermediate form between matter and energy. Phased matter is supported by relativity, which says that energy and matter are fundamentally the same.

Phaser (Phased Energy Rectification): the most common weapon of the Federation. The name 'phaser' is not derived from 'laser', but called so after its mechanism. The phaser array is powered by plasma managed through a series of physical irises and magnetic switching gates. When firing, energy is conveyed from flow regulators to the plasma distribution manifold. This injects the plasma into the prefire chamber, a crystal sphere made of LiCu 518 (forced-matrix formula: Li>>:Si::Fe>:>:O) reinforced with hafniumtritonide. Here undergoes the plasma the electromagnetic energy shift associated with the rapid nadion effect.

The energy is confined for a time between 0.05 and 1.3 nanoseconds, and then released. The rapid confinement and releasement is required to produce the rapid nadion effect. The beam energy is controlled by the relative proportion of protonic charge that will be created and pulse frequency in the final emitter stage. There are four types of phasers: the phaser pistol, the phaser rifle, the starship phaser and the phaser cannon. The first two are handheld phasers; the last two are used as starship weaponry  Phaser bank Array of starship phasers. Every Federation starship has phaser banks.

Phaser cannon Weapon: used in Defiant-class starships. A phaser cannon takes a large amount of phased matter from usually warp- or impulse engines. Then it's bundled in a solid shell. An emitter fires rapidly pulses of it.

Phaser pistol: Handheld phaser, held as a pistol. Produces a phaser beam.

Phaser rifle: Rifle that fires a miniature version of photon torpedoes. The name 'phaser rifle' is deceptive.

Phase transition coils: Parts of a transporter, in which phased matter is injected to be converted back to normal matter.

Photons: Particles that carry electromagnetic energy. Electromagnetic radiation is considerable as a flow of photons. The phenomenon’s magnetism and electricity are interactions of photons. Forms of electromagnetic energy (from low energy to high energy) are ELF radiation (Extreme Low Frequency), radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays and gamma radiation.

Photon torpedo: Most common torpedo. Matter and antimatter are combined in the reaction chamber. The standard amount of antimatter is 1.5 kilograms. The energy that is released is confined by a forcefield. When the onboard circuitry registers an impact, the field collapses and the energy is released. Photon torpedoes are very common in the galaxy. Photon torpedoes are warp capable, so they can be launched when the firing is at warp. They use a warp-sustaining engine.

Plasma: High energetic form of matter that exists as a mix of free atom nuclei and free electrons. Deuterium (hydrogen-2)-plasma is used as fuel for the warp drive. Plasma is also used in ion drive as magnetic field generator and as torpedo charge (plasma torpedo). Plasma arises naturally when the temperature of a substance is several millions degrees Celsius.

Plasma injectors: Part of the warp drive that injects matter in the matter/antimatter reactor. There are matter- and antimatter injectors.

Polaric ions: Very unstable, caused a disaster on the planet, killing all life and vegetation on the planet's surface. The Federation prohibited experiments with polaric ions in 2268.

Polarons: Particles to force a shapeshifter to return to his liquid state.

Polaron beam: Beam of polaron particles. The Borg use polaron beams for scanning. The Swarm uses polaron beams to set the shielding of a ship at a rotating modulation, which makes a ship a lot easier to detect. They also use it as some kind of lattice, connecting each ship with each other.

Positronic brain: Advanced-computing device that uses the decay of positrons to form sophisticated neural network systems. Long thought to be impossible, the positronic brain was first postulated in the 20th century by Isaac Asimov and finally made practical in the 24th century by Noonien Soong. Positronic brains were used in Soong's androids, Data and Lore.                                                                                                                                                                          

Power transfer conduits: Conduit system on a starship, which transfers high-energetic plasma from the warp core to the warp nacelles.

Preanimated matter: Matter that is very close to being classified as a form of life, but doesn't quite make the grade.

Pressor beam: repulsor beam.

Primary hull: Other name for the saucer section on a starship.

Protomatter: An unstable form of matter used by David Marcus as a short cut in the construction of the Genesis Device.

Pulse cannon: Other name for phaser cannon.

Q-Z

Q

Quad: Unit of computer measurement, like the unit 'byte' in the 20th century. The isolinear chips in the computers have a capacity of 2.15 kiloquad.

Quad-cobalt torpedo: Torpedo charged with quad-cobalt, far more destructive than photon torpedoes and more destructive than tri-cobalt torpedoes. Upon impact, quad-cobalt is fused with hydrogen. This creates a highly unstable compound, which is then mixed with plasma of its warp engines. 250 times as destructive as a photon torpedo and thereby the most destructive torpedo of Starfleet.

Quantum torpedo: Very destructive torpedo. Energy is released from quantum vacuum energy (also known as zero point energy, in real life!). Quantum torpedoes are 5 times as destructive as photon torpedoes

R

Reflex-quintronics: Computer technology incorporating duotronic drivers, isolinear optical chips, bio-neural gel packs and advances in Cytherian computer technology. This artificial intelligence-technology responds to external stimuli on an instinctive level. One of the consequences of RQs is auto-repair of damaged systems. However the computer is equipped with artificial intelligence, the computer cannot make his own decisions; he's still restricted to his programs. Defiant-class starships are equipped with reflex-quintronic computers.

Regenerative shielding: Shielding which can regenerate on his own.

Replicator: Device to reproduce specific objects. Replicators are based on transporter technology. A sample object is first 'scanned' into the memory of a computer. Because even a simple object takes up an enormous amount of memory, the object is only resolved at a molecular level, not a quantum level. Further, the data must be compressed using a glossy algorithm, meaning that small, undetectable approximations are made to the data. This gives the computer a pattern to create a duplicate of the original. Starships have a small supply of bulk material that is constantly recycled into needed materials and items. When a request is made at a replicator terminal, the wave guide conduit system on the ship relays a small amount of bulk material to the replicator, which uses it to create the materials called for in the pattern. The object is then beamed in at the terminal. To prevent replicating living beings, which is found ethically wrong in the Star Trek universe, replicators operate at molecular scale and not quantum scale, which is necessary to correctly replicate actually living organisms.

Rotating modulation: State of shielding. When a shield is at a rotating modulation, the shield frequency pulsates from x to -x and back again. A ship with shields at rotating modulation is very easy to detect.

S

Saucer section: The saucer of a starship. It has the bridge in it.

Secondary hull: Other name for the Star Drive section on a starship.

Shield frequency: Value that represents the energy of a deflector shield. Expressed in Hertz (Hz). An object can penetrate the shield when it has the same frequency as the shielding.

Shield nutation: Technique that is used to make it more difficult to penetrate shielding. The mechanism after shield nutation is a randomly changing shield frequency.

Soliton waves: Non-decaying energy waves.

Static warp shell: Symmetrical subspace bubble, often toroidal or spherical in 3-dimensional perspective. Static warp shells cannot be used for propulsion applications - warp propulsion requires an asymmetrical field.

Structural integrity field: Force field in a starship hull, to increase the strength of the hull. If the structural integrity field collapses, the hull will be compromised.

Sub-impulse speed: Other word for sublight speed. The term 'sub-impulse raider' is used for Bajoran raiders without warp capabilities.

Sublight speed: Speed lower than lightspeed.

Subspace radio: Form of communication via subspace. Electromagnetic signals travel through subspace rather than through normal relativistic space, so the signal is not limited by the light speed barrier. The signal travels faster than light: warp 9.9997. With relays and boosters, the signal travels at warp 9.9999. Sending the signal into the subspace domain is done by creating a subspace distortion, which propagates in much the same way as an electromagnetic field. A large amount of energy is needed to send a signal any large distance and the more energy that is available, the deeper the signal can be forced into subspace. However, the signal dissipates over time, eventually releasing the energy that is left as an electromagnetic field. A more powerful initial signal can travel farther before this happens, but there is a limit; too much energy and the level of subspace that is used won't be tightly coupled to our own space-time any more, and the signal will probably go awry.

Subspace resonator: Field-manipulation device that is apparently capable to create warp fields.

Subspace transporter: Transporter that transports objects/persons through subspace, instead of through normal space. A subspace transporter has a range of several light-years, while a Galaxy-class starship transporter has a maximum range of 40,000 km. Another advantage of using a subspace transporter is that it can cross deflector shields. It is, of course, possible that a subspace transporter does use an ACB, but that there is compensated for the distortion. Before transporting, the transport subject must be put in a state of quantum flux, which is considered to be very dangerous. The Federation abandoned the technology because it found the technology unreliable.

T

Tanium: Material used in starship hulls. The Federation uses tritanium in their starship hulls, and a Delta Quadrant race called the Hirogen uses monotanium. Tanium has never been mentioned in Star Trek, but it the 'basic element' of the materials mentioned above. These materials are then probably all alloys.

Temporal shielding: Starship shielding that prevents chroniton torpedoes from penetrating the ship's deflector shields. Invented by the crew of Voyager.

Transphasic Torpedo: Near the end of 2377, the point to which Admiral Janeway had travelled back in time, the Admiral introduced Captain Janeway to this technology, for use in reaching a Borg transwarp hub accessing the Borg transwarp network to return to Earth. When entering the nebula where the transwarp hub was located, one transphasic torpedo was enough to destroy a Borg cube. Despite three cubes destroyed, the Collective had not yet adapted to the torpedoes when the Voyager fired at the interspacial manifolds in the transwarp network. All remaining torpedoes are now in the hands of Starfleet. (VOY: "Endgame").

Temporal transceiver: Communication device, which sends transmissions back or forward through time.

Tetryons: Particles, which are stable in subspace but unstable in normal space. They appear to be the main mediating particles of subspace interactions with normal space.

Thrusters: Newtonian starship propulsion system based on chemical reactions - just like 20th century rocket propulsion. Federation thrusters use hydrazine as fuel. Thrusters are much slower than impulse drive and are used, for example, at docking procedures.

Torpedo Starship weapon: that exists as a 'box', charged with a high-energetic charge and is used to disable enemy ships. Torpedoes can, not like phasers, also be fired at warp speed, because torpedoes have a warp-sustaining engine. The Federation uses multiple sorts of torpedoes: photon torpedoes, quantum torpedoes, tri-cobalt torpedoes, and quad-cobalt torpedoes.

Tox Uthat: Device which can halt fusion reactions in a star, making the star die in a nova or supernova.

Tractor beam: Beam existing of gravitons, to pull ships or other objects towards the ship who uses it.

Transceiver: Long-range communications device.

Translocator: Transporter technology used by different species.

Transporter: Device used to transport people or objects over great distances in a brief time. We have some evidence of the inner workings of transporters, but not much. They employ Heisenberg compensators, pattern buffers, phase transition coils, biofilters, matter streams, confinement beams, and matter-energy converters, and phased matter.

Transwarp: Form of FTL travel that is per definition faster than Federation warp technologies. Transwarp propulsion drives are defined as drives that can exceed warp 10, but is mostly defined as drives that are simply significantly faster than Federation propulsion. The Borg use transwarp propulsion and a Delta Quadrant race called the Voth use transwarp too.

Transwarp conduit: Transwarp drive used by the Borg. They're like custom-made wormholes that, once created, stay in place and can be used repeatedly. The conduits are opened by broadcasting a tachyon signature, which sucks the ship in. The first step is bringing the ship on any speed higher than warp 2, using 'classic' warp drive. Then a subspace field forms. The second step is to emit tachyons, which will open the 'subspace wormhole'.

Transwarp speed: Speed higher than achieved by conventional warp. It is said that transwarp speed are speeds above warp 10 but a better approximation of this term is to say that transwarp speeds are all speeds above Federation warp speeds.

Tri-cobalt torpedo: Torpedo charged with tri-cobalt. Far more destructive as photon torpedoes. In a tri-cobalt torpedo, quantum filaments and tri-cobalt are mixed with each other. Then antimatter is added, causing a highly destructive explosion.

Tricorder: Handheld device, used for field measurements. Tricorders can identify things as particles, chemical substances and atmospheric composition. It also has a tactical database. A medical tricorder is identical, but is programmed for use in sickbay and has a small handheld sensor probe.

Turbolift: Elevator system of starships. It has a maximum acceleration of 10 km/s per second.

U

Unimatrix shielding: Type of shielding, invented by Lt. Cmdr. Tuvok aboard Voyager.

Universal translator: Highly advanced computer program onboard Federation starships and integrated in commbadges, to translate any known alien languages into English

V

Varon-T disruptor: Weapon. It disrupts the body from inside out, making it an extreme painful way to die.

Verdions: Particles, generated in the cores or surfaces of white dwarf stars.

Vinculum: Borg device, serving as central processing unit in Borg ships. It's responsible for the neural links between drones, which forms the Collective. It also searches actively for signs of individuality among Borg drones, wiping it out, bringing order in chaos. The vinculum also identifies Borg drones that left the Collective and re-assimilate in the Collective by creating a subspace link with the neural implant of the drone. The neural patterns of the drone are then adjusted. The link cannot be severed without chronic neural damage. The vinculum is hard to de-activate. The vinculum has the ability to re-route its internal circuitry.

W

Warp: Form of FTL-travel that is used by many species around the galaxy. It covers 'classic warp', that is used by the Federation, and 'transwarp', that is lot faster and is used by civilizations one step higher than Federation. Transwarp requires an other technology.

Warp coils: Parts of warp drive, in which plasma is injected, creating the warp field. The warp field coils are the heaviest parts of a starship, with a weight of 34,375,000 kilos. They measure 21x43 meters (63x129 feet). There are 18 coils per nacelle, forming a corridor where the plasma flows through.

Warp core: Central part of warp drive. The warp core produces energy to form the warp field. Federation uses a matter/antimatter reactor, the Romulans use FQSD.

Warp drive (Continuum Distortion Propulsion Drive): Non-Newtonian propulsion system used by the Federation to travel at speeds higher than lightspeed. A powerful, asymmetric subspace field is established around the ship by the warp nacelles. The field is composed of nested layers, each pushing against the one beyond it. This drives the ship forward, at a speed faster than light. First, matter and antimatter react with each other in the warp core. The annihilation produces very large amounts of high energetic gamma radiation. The radiation then is 'condensed' into a plasma state, which carries the full energy (matter is easier to conduct than radiation). The power transfer conduits transfer the plasma to the nacelles. Injectors feed the plasma into warp field coil segments.

The coils generate subspace fields by the interaction of the exotic materials of it (verterium- cortenide) with the plasma. The coils are energized at specific time intervals, creating multiple field layers. These pulses also cause the push of the nested fields, moving the ship forward. The warp field wraps around the ship in a two-lobed bubble, as seen below at warp field. The shape of the ship determines the efficiency of the field, explaining why the Enterprise has such a sleek design. Meanwhile, the subspace field reduces the inertial mass of the ship, aiding in maneuvering. In fact, a small subspace field is kept around the ship at impulse speeds, so the impulse drives have less mass to push around. However, this is only a side effect and is NOT the mechanism used to allow FTL travel.

Warp field: The subspace field composed of nested layers, which allows a starship to travel at warp speed. The figure below shows roughly the shape of a warp field, displaying one layer.

Warp nacelle: Warp field generator, powered by a tuned plasma stream from the warp core matter/antimatter reactor. Injectors feed the plasma into warp field coil segments at specific times, causing pulses to run the length of the nacelle, front to back. Federation starships have usually 2 nacelles, but some starship classes have 3 or even 4 nacelles. This is not necessarily better, but it helps to shape the warp field.

Warp reactor: The matter/antimatter reactor in the warp core.

Warp signature: Specific property of the warp field of a starship. Races are often identified because of their warp signature.

Warp-sustaining engine: Engine on board of torpedoes, which allow torpedoes to travel at higher warp than the ship from which it is launched for a brief period. This allows firing torpedoes while at warp. A warp-sustaining engine might use the warp field energy of the starship to create his own.

Weather modification net: Controls the weather and climate of Earth, one is also place on Risa turning a cold fridgid moon into a tropical paradise.

X

Y

Yuri vector field control: is a piece of technology that was integral for the maintenance of a wormhole.

Z