Failing Miserably

[rosetto 0]

It seemed to be another of history's ill-fated contradictions as our martian pored over his studies of the Impulse Drives in current operation and Impulsor Calculus class that he had taken as a sophomore.

 

Excerpt from Impulsor Calculus Studies:

A reactionless drive is any form of propulsion not based around expulsion of fuel or reaction mass. This is exactly what Cochrane proposed with his impulsor coils. The underlying problem with reactionless drives is that breaking the law of conservation of momentum shatters the entire mathematical framework of physics. However, what is learned from Cochrane's Impulsor calculus is that a mass can have (and be 'given') velocity without the necessity of acceleration. Impulsor calculus doesn't shatter these mathematical concepts. They remain true within the relativistic view of the space-time continuum. The impulsor coils and therefore the math explaining them, punch through these definitions when these reactions cross the boundary of sub-space.

 

Excerpt from Memory Alpha Data banks:

The impulse drive is a propulsion system used for sublight speeds. In Federation starships, the impulse drive is essentially an augmented fusion rocket, usually consisting of one or more fusion reactors, an accelerator-generator, a driver coil assembly and a vectored thrust nozzle to direct the plasma exhaust. The fusion reaction generates a highly energized plasma. This plasma, ("electro-plasma") can be employed for propulsion, or can be diverted through the EPS to the power transfer grid, via EPS conduits, so as to supply other systems. The accelerated plasma is passed through the driver coils, thereby generating a subspace field which improves the propulsive effect.

 

The confused student stared at the two excerpts he had retrieved attempting to rationalize what seemed to be contradictions in definitions. And then it finally dawned on him. The Impulse Drive units were BOTH a reaction and reactionless system. These drives were not a closed system and even though the plasma energy was accelerated and used to excite the drive coils, it was expelled from the system when used for the purpose of propulsion. There was not a contradiction!

 

It was onto the Warp Drive systems! Rosetto was elated that he could finally move forward with his studies...

Edited May 2, 2010 by rosetto