INTRODUCTION

In presenting a variety of abilities for my spaceships, I do not focus much on the mechanics of the star-faring technology that would be required to make my spaceship designs work. Rather, I employ pseudo-technological terms that suggest the function of devices used by my ships as they perform their fictional missions. The terms listed below and their definitions are inspired by numerous science fictions stories and role-playing games. Those interested in my speculations on what sort of technologies may be used for star-faring may wish to read the article So You Want to Be a Speculative Spaceship Designer?

I have organized these terms into five families, each family serving one of the science fiction settings I am currently working in: Star Explorers, Humanasol League Fleet, Interstellar Exploration Corps / Galactic Exploration Corps, Deep Space Exploration Group, and Galactic Travelers. You can read more about my fictional environments in the article Introduction to the Spaceships of David C. Mueller.

TECHNOLOGY LEVEL DEFINITIONS

I enjoy working over a wide spectrum of star-faring technology levels and have created nine distinct levels for my speculative spaceship designs. These levels are defined primarily by how fast vessels can travel:

Tech Level 1 - Basic Sublight: Slower-than-light spaceships that take months to years to travel throughout our solar system. Such technology is currently in available and awaits our courage and commitment to bring it into use.

Tech Level 2 - Intermediate Sublight: Slower-than-light spaceships that take weeks to months to travel throughout our solar system. Such technology may be within our grasp within a century.

Tech Level 3 - Advanced Sublight: Slower-than-light spaceships that are able to travel to nearby star systems over a period of decades. Such technology may be within our grasp within a few centuries.

Tech Level 4 - Basic Faster-Than-Light 1: Starships that can travel up to 0.1 light year per day taking months to traverse the approximately five light years that separate star systems on our part of the Milky Way galaxy. Literary and visual science fiction suggest that humans may have such starships in a century or so.

Tech Level 5 - Basic Faster-Than-Light 2: Starships that can travel up to 1 light year per day taking from weeks to just days to traverse the approximately five light years that separate star systems on our part of the Milky Way galaxy. Literary and visual science fiction suggest that humans may have such starships in a century or so.

Tech Level 6 - Intermediate Faster-Than-Light 1: Starships that can travel up to 10 light years per day taking from days to just hours to traverse the approximately five light years that separate star systems on our part of the Milky Way galaxy. Literary and visual science fiction suggest that humans may have such starships in perhaps two to five centuries from the present.

Tech Level 7 - Intermediate Faster-Than-Light 2: Starships that can travel up to 100 light years per day taking just a few hours to traverse the approximately five light years that separate star systems on our part of the Milky Way galaxy. Literary and visual science fiction suggest that humans may have such starships in perhaps five to ten centuries from the present.

Tech Level 8 - Advanced Faster-Than-Light 1: Starships that can travel up to 1000 light years per day taking just a few minutes to traverse the approximately five light years that separate star systems on our part of the Milky Way galaxy. Literary and visual science fiction suggests that humans may have such starships Literary and visual science fiction suggests that humans may have such starships in perhaps one to five millennia from the present.

Tech Level 9 - Advanced Faster-Than-Light 2: Starships that can travel up to 10,000 light years per day taking just seconds to traverse the approximately five light years that separate star systems on our part of the Milky Way galaxy. Literary and visual science fiction suggests that humans may have such starships Literary and visual science fiction suggests that humans may have such starships in perhaps five to ten millennia from the present.

ELEMENTS OF HUMAN STAR-FARING TECHNOLOGY

Life Support - Most life support systems of human starships are based on a combination of natural and genetically engineered biological components and processes with mechanical components and processes.  The biological components and processes are used primarily for atmosphere generation and production of foodstuffs.  One of the major biological components is the variety of plant life that is seen aboard all Human starships.  Mechanical components and processes are used to circulate the atmosphere throughout a vessel as well as maintain the temperature and pressure needed to keep the atmosphere viable.  Food preparation and distribution is also done via machinery.  A similar combination of biological and mechanical processes is used to manufacture and recycle the plethora of items needed aboard a starship such as equipment and clothing.

Artificial Life - Human starships are dependent on artificial life to help them function.  Most human vessels use sentient computer systems for overall ship control in addition to non-sentient computer systems that govern most ship's sub-systems.  Non-sentient robots, commonly called robs, perform most of the repetitive and dangerous tasks aboard space vessels.  Beside these human scale forms of artificial life, there are the genetically engineered microorganisms and micro-machines that are integral components of such varied ship systems as life support, food production, fabrication, materials recycling and reclamation, internal and external structural components, as well as a variety of medical and scientific instruments.

Artificial Gravity Generation - All Human starships at Tech Level 4 or above are equipped with artificial gravity generators. These devices create artificial gravity fields within a ship hull or portion of a hull.  They are usually located in several locations on a starship and are also used to create inertia dampening fields.  The use of a number of gravity generators aboard a vessel often results in different directions being used as "down" in different parts of the ship.  

Hull Construction - Tech Levels 1 thru 3 use hull made from are metal spaceframes clad in metal plating. At Levels 4 thru 6, the metal spaceframes are clad in metallic-ceramic hull plating. For Tech Level 7 vessels, the metal spaceframes are clad in a type of hull plating that consists in part of artificial, silicon-based life-forms that are self repairing material and combine the properties of metal and ceramic. Tech 7 hull plating requires less internal bracing than those of lower tech levels, but they require a constant low level energy input to keep their shape. At Tech Levels 8 and 9, the metal spaceframe and plating are replaced by thin shells made of super-advanced self-repairing materials akin to those used for the plating Tech Level 7 ships. Like Tech Level 7 plating, Tech Level 8 and 9 hulls require a constant energy input to keep their shape.

Power Generation -Tech Levels 1 and 2 use hydrogen power cells, nuclear fission reactors, and nuclear fusion reactors to generate power. Tech Levels 3 thru 6 use advanced fusion reactors, matter/anti-matter reactors, or more exotic mass energy conversion technology. Tech Level 7 uses mass energy converters and dark matter reactors. Tech Levels 8 and 9 use energy extracted from the ever-present quantum foam that underlies the structure of space-time.

Matter Fuel Collection - Tech Levels 1 and 2 are unable to refuel while in flight and thus must be fueled before each mission. Tech Levels 3 thru 6 employ matter intakes that use magnetic fields to scoop up interstellar gas and dust and compress the material the use as fuel.  Matter intakes can also draw material out of the atmosphere of a gas giant. Tech Level 7 uses dark matter collectors and mass-energy intakes. A Mass-energy intake combines a matter intake with the advanced energy absorber mentioned below. Tech Levels 8 and 9 abandon the need for matter fuel collection altogether.

Energy Collection - Tech Levels 1 and 2 use basic solar arrays. Tech Levels 3 thru 5 use advanced solar arrays that can efficiently collect large amounts of energy when in close orbit around a star. Tech Levels 6 and 7 use the more advanced energy absorber that can efficiently collect large amounts of energy from such locales as the inner regions of star systems, nearby high-energy interstellar phenomena, and even in orbit of gas giant planets. Tech Levels 8 and 9 use a device that extracts energy directly from quantum foam as mentioned above.

Slower-Than-Light Propulsion - Tech Levels 1 and 2 use chemical and nuclear powered engines. Tech Levels 3 thru 5 use advanced fusion engines. Tech Level 6 uses advanced fusion engines and basic gravitic engines. Such early gravitic engines use beams of artificial gravity to pull a vessel towards objects more massive than itself at faster speeds than natural gravity alone can produce. They also can create some thrust independent of other objects. Gravitic engines are entirely energy driven with no need for fuel as a reactant.  Early gravitic engines are capable of sublight speeds up to 0.10c. Tech Level 7 uses intermediate gravitic engines that are less dependent on more massive objects and are capable of sublight speeds up to 0.25c. Tech Levels 8 and 9 use advanced gravitic engines and space-fold initiator technology described below.

Faster-Than-Light Propulsion - Tech Levels 1 thru 3 are incapable of faster-than-light travel. Tech Levels 4 thru 7 use a device that creates a tunnel of warped space through which a vessel travels at faster-than-light speeds. The performance of the warp-tunnel generator is based on the following factors:

1) The accuracy of the direction that the tunnel of warped space is pointed in: improves at higher tech levels

2) The length of the tunnel of warped space: ranges from fractions of a light year at lower tech levels to tens of light years at higher tech levels

3) The amount of time a vessel can spend inside the tunnel of warped space the tunnel collapses: ranges from seconds at lower tech levels to hours at higher tech levels

4) The time it takes to recharge the warp-tunnel generator: ranges from days to hours depending on the tech level and available energy sources in the locale where a vessel generates the tunnel of warped space. Higher tech level ships are capable of charging up all their warp-tunnel generators at once and then using them in succession to cut down time between uses of the generators.

5) The amount of time required for navigational purposes before and after transiting through the tunnel of warped space: ranges from hours at lower tech levels to minutes at higher tech levels

6) The distance a vessel must be from a massive object like a planet or star before using the warp-tunnel generator: ranges from the outer regions of a star system at lower tech levels to between planetary orbits in the inner regions of a star system at higher tech levels.

Tech Levels 8 and 9 use a device that works on different cosmological principles than the warp-tunnel generator.  It creates a virtual fold in space between the ship's current location and its target location.  Transition through a space fold is almost instantaneous and the navigation time following the space fold is usually measured in seconds.  Space folds can be performed in rapid succession if the ship has enough power reserves.  The distance in real space that can be bypassed by the space fold initiator is dependent upon how much power can be shunted into the device.  The amount of power needed to operate a space fold initiator is much more than that required for a warp-tunnel generator.  Only ships capable of extracting energy from quantum foam can generate the magnitude of energy needed to create a space fold.  A space fold initiator is capable of transiting a vessel orbiting a star or planet directly into orbit of another star or planet.  It can also transport a vessel to an underground cavern or underwater location.

Faster-Than-Light Communications -Tech Levels 4 thru 7 use faster than light particles called tachyons to transmit messages at faster-than-light speeds. This transmitter is capable of transmitting messages from hundreds of light years a day at lower tech levels to to thousands of light years per day at higher tech levels.  It is dependent upon a network of relay stations with the distance between relays directly affecting transmission speed. Tech Levels 8 and 9 use a device that sends a message through a space fold. It is capable of almost instantaneous transmission of messages over large interstellar distances and does not require a network of relay stations.  However, it requires much more power to use than tachyon transmission technology. Only ships capable of extracting energy from quantum foam can generate the magnitude of energy needed to send messages via space fold. 

Teleportation Systems - The ability to teleport life forms only exists in the Deep Space Exploration Group fictional setting. At Tech Levels 6, the teleporter is able to transport life forms from one teleporter unit to another at a maximum distance of a few thousand kilometers. At Tech Level 7, the teleportation range increases slightly and adds the ability to transport life forms to a target location with no receiving unit necessary. At both tech levels, the teleporter cannot be used when a vessel has engaged its warp-tunnel generator or energy screen generators.

Defensive Systems - There are three types of defensive systems outfitted on Human starships. One system deflects dust and small asteroids from a vessel's flight path and is used primarily as a navigational tool. The second uses an energy field to screen a vessel from high-energy emissions such as cosmic rays and weapons fire from an enemy ship. The third shrouds a vessel from the sensor systems of less advanced sentient species.

Tech Level 1 has no navigational deflectors. Tech Levels 2 and 3 use a primitive device that projects a magnetic field ahead of a vessel. Tech Levels 4 thru 7 use a more sophisticated deflector that pushes objects away from a vessel's flight path using artificial gravity beams.  The size of objects that can be moved increases as the tech level increases. Tech Levels 8 and 9 generate energy fields strong enough to withstand most common navigational hazards.

Tech Levels 1 and 2 have no energy-based screens. Tech Levels 3 thru 5 use polarized hull plating to provide a basic level of protection. Tech Levels 6 and 7 use energy screen generators that can deflect a variety of high energy sources as well as provide a barrier to small objects such as attacking craft and ordnance. Tech Level 7 adds the ability to allow a vessel to briefly pass through high energy plasma and similar phenomena. Tech Levels 8 and 9 use phase shifting energy shell generators that produce fields strong enough to withstand most high energy sources as well as providing vessels the ability to pass through solid objects including planetary cores and stellar atmospheres. Employing the phase-shifting function requires tremendous energy output to operate and can be used for only short periods of time. Only ships capable of extracting energy from quantum foam can generate the magnitude of energy needed to operate phase-shifting energy shells.

Tech Levels 1 thru 3 have no stealth abilities. Tech Levels 4 thru 6 have stealth abilities limited to hiding a vessel from the sensor systems of Tech Level 3 and below. Tech Levels 7 thru 9 use a stealth field projector that not only hides a vessel from sentient species at more primitive star-faring technology levels, but also partially veils a vessel from those at the same tech level. A stealth field projector operates in two ways. It surrounds a vessel in an ovoid field that mimics its surroundings and projects seemingly solid holograms of the ship up to thousands of kilometers from the actual vessel.  At Tech Level 7, the stealth field projector can only be used for short periods of time due to its high energy demands. Tech Levels 8 and 9 are not bound by this since they have a virtually infinite supply of energy via quantum foam extraction.

Tech Level 5 Weapons Systems

Missile Launcher - fires chemically fueled, electronically guided rockets at a target. Warheads types include conventional high-explosives, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, anti-matter, and gravitic charges. It is used as a medium to long range weapon of medium to heavy strength.

Anti-Matter Cannon - fires individual balls of anti-matter at a target using an electromagnetic accelerator. It is used as a short to medium range weapon of heavy strength.

Particle Beam Projector - fires a stream of protons, neutrons or alpha particles at near light speed at a target. It is used as a short range weapon of medium strength.

Needle Gun - fires a rapid stream of metallic needles at a target using an electromagnetic accelerator. It is used as a short range weapon most effective when used against smaller targets like fighters and missiles.

Ball Bearing Gun - fires a rapid stream of ball bearings at a target using an electromagnetic accelerator. It is used as a short range point defense weapon when used against smaller targets like fighters and missiles.

Tech Level 6 Weapons Systems

Plasma Bolt Launcher - fires concentrated balls of white-hot plasma at a target.  It is a line of sight weapon that cannot track targets.  It is used as a medium to long range weapon of medium to heavy strength.

Anti-Matter Torpedo Launcher - fires a small torpedo propelled by a gravitic engine at a target. The torpedo can track targets and has an anti-matter warhead. It is used as a medium to long range weapon of medium to heavy strength.

Gravitic Ram - fires a stream of highly energized gravitons at a target. The gravitons slam into the target like wrecking balls. The gravitic ram is used as a short to medium range weapon of medium to heavy strength.

Phased Energy Beam Emitter - fires a phased energy beam at a target. It is used as a short to medium range weapon of medium to heavy strength.

Tech Level 7 Weapons Systems

Directed Plasma Bolt Launcher - fires concentrated balls of white-hot plasma at a target.  The plasma bolts are directed by gravity beams and are able to track targets to some extent. The directed plasma bolt launcher is used as a medium to long range weapon of medium to heavy strength.

Quantum Burst Launcher - fires concentrated balls of quantum flux / zero-point energy at a target.  The quantum flux balls are directed by gravity beams and are able to track targets to some extent.  The quantum burst launcher is used as a medium to long range weapon of medium to heavy strength.

Gravitic Oscillator - fires a stream of rapidly alternating highly energized gravitons at a target. The gravitons shake the target at a variety of force levels varying from moderate to severe. The gravitic oscillator is used as a short to medium range weapon of medium to heavy strength.

Dark Matter Beam Emitter - fires a stream of high energy dark matter particles at a target. It is used as a short to medium range weapon of medium to heavy strength.

Tech Level 8 Weapons Systems

Quantum Bulb Distributor - fires concentrated balls of quantum flux / zero-point energy at a target. The quantum bulbs are transported to or inside the target be the space fold initiator of the firing vessel.  It is used as a medium to long range weapon of medium to heavy strength.

Space-Time Disruptor Beam - fires an energy beam that disrupts space-time around a target. When used at low power, this device disorients a target vessel without causing damage. When used at high power, this device destroys a target vessel by severely distorting the space-time around. The space-time disruptor beam is used as a short to medium range weapon of medium to heavy strength.

STAR-FARING TECHNOLOGY OF "STAR EXPLORERS" SETTING

This is the setting for Starship Inquiry. It is at the lower end of Tech Level 5 and is the most primitive of the fictional environments I am currently working in.

Hull Construction - Metal spaceframe clad in metallic-ceramic hull plating
Power Generation - Hyper-Fusion Reactor
Matter Fuel Collection - Matter Intake
Energy Collection - Advanced Solar Array
Slower-Than-Light Propulsion - Sublight Engine (advanced fusion)
Faster-Than-Light Propulsion - Warp-Jump Generator
Faster-Than-Light Communications - Tachyon Transmitter
Defensive Systems - Navigational Deflector and Hull Plating Polarizer
Long Range Primary Weapon System - Nuclear Fusion and Anti-Matter Warhead Missile Launcher
Short Range Point Defense Weapon System - Ball Bearing Gun

STAR-FARING TECHNOLOGY OF "HUMANASOL LEAGUE FLEET" SETTING

This is the setting for all the Humanasol League Fleet starships. It is at the upper end of Tech Level 5 and is the most militaristic of the fictional environments I am currently working in.

Hull Construction - Metal spaceframe clad in metallic-ceramic hull plating
Power Generation - Anti-Matter Reactor
Matter Fuel Collection - Matter Intake
Slower-Than-Light Propulsion - Sublight Engine (advanced fusion)
Faster-Than-Light Propulsion - Warp-Jump Generator
Faster-Than-Light Communications - Tachyon Transmitter
Defensive Systems - Navigational Deflector and Hull Plating Polarizer
Long Range Weapon System - Anti-Matter and Early Gravitic Warhead Missile Launcher
Medium Range Heavy Weapon System - Anti-Matter Cannon
Short Range Medium Weapon System - Particle Beam Projector
Short Point Defense Weapon System - Needle Gun

STAR-FARING TECHNOLOGY OF "INTERSTELLAR EXPLORATION CORPS / GALACTIC EXPLORATION CORPS" SETTING

This is the setting for Interstellar Exploration Vessel Large Leviathan and Interstellar Exploration Vessel Small Ursula K LeGuin at Tech Level 6, Galactic Exploration Vessel Large Empyrean and Galactic Exploration Vessel Small Catalyst at Tech Level 7. I consider it the most realistic of the higher technology fictional environments I am currently working in.

Hull Construction Tech Level 6 - Metal spaceframe clad in metallic-ceramic hull plating
Hull Construction Tech Level 7 - Metal spaceframe clad in reactive catalytic hull plating
Power Generation Tech Levels 6 & 7 - Mass Energy Converter
Matter Fuel Collection Tech Level 6 - Matter Accumulator
Energy Collection Tech Level 6 - Energy Absorber Array
Matter Fuel Collection and Energy Collection Tech Level 7 - Mass-Energy Intake
Slower-Than-Light Propulsion Tech Level 6 - Gravitic Impeller
Slower-Than-Light Propulsion Tech Level 7 - Gravitic Director
Faster-Than-Light Propulsion Tech Levels 6 & 7 - Hyperspace Tunnel Inductor
Faster-Than-Light Communications Tech Levels 6 & 7 - Hyperwave Transmitter
Defensive Systems Tech Level 6 - Gravitic Repeller and Force Shell Generator
Defensive Systems Tech Level 7 - Gravitic Repeller, Force Shell Generator, and Stealth Field Generator
Weapons Systems Tech Level 6 - Gravitic Ram and Plasma Bolt Launcher
Weapons Systems Tech Level 7 - Gravitic Oscillator and Directed Plasma Bolt Launcher

STAR-FARING TECHNOLOGY OF "DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION GROUP" SETTING

This is the setting for Deep Space Explorer Aquarius at Tech Level 6 and Deep Space Explorer Inspiration at Tech Level 7. Of the fictional environments I am currently working in, it is the one most like "Star Trek."

Hull Construction Tech Level 6 - Metal spaceframe clad in metallic-ceramic hull plating
Hull Construction Tech Level 7 - Metal spaceframe clad in molecular fluidic hull plating
Power Generation Tech Level 6 - Anti-Matter Reactor
Power Generation Tech Level 7 - Dark Matter Reactor
Matter Fuel Collection Tech Level 6 - Matter Collector
Matter Fuel Collection Tech Level 7 - Dark Matter Collector
Slower-Than-Light Propulsion Tech Level 6 - Normalspace Engine (advanced fusion)
Slower-Than-Light Propulsion Tech Level 7 - Normalspace Propulsor (gravitic)
Faster-Than-Light Propulsion Tech Levels 6 & 7 - Superspace Leap Propagator
Faster-Than-Light Communications Tech Levels 6 & 7 - Superspace Communicator
Defensive Systems Tech Level 6 - Navigational Diverter and Deflector Shield Generator
Defensive Systems Tech Level 7 - Navigational Diverter and Deflector Shield Generator, and Chameleon Cloak Propagator
Weapons Systems Tech Level 6 - Phased Energy Beam Emitter and Anti-Matter Torpedo Launcher
Weapons Systems Tech Level 7 - Dark Matter Beam Emitter and Quantum Burst Launcher
Teleportation Tech Level 6 - Site to Site Teleporter
Teleportation Tech Level 7 - Site to Target Teleporter

STAR-FARING TECHNOLOGY TERMS FOR "GALACTIC TRAVELERS" SETTING

This is the setting for Tech Level 8 vessels Category 6 Galactic Traveler Olaf Stapledon, Category 7 Galactic Traveler Core of Curiosity, Category 7 Galactic Traveler Glory of Gladness, Category 8 Galactic Traveler Radiant Dawn, and Category 9 Galactic Traveler Extents of Imagination. It is the most exotic of the fictional environments I am currently working in with the most fantastic technology.

Hull Construction - Quantum-Fluidic Hull Shell
Power Generation - Quantum Foam Energy Extractor
Slower-Than-Light and Faster-Than-Light Propulsion - Space-Fold Initiator
Faster-Than-Light Communications - Ertrinocom
Defensive Systems - Phase-Shifting Energy Shell Generator and Scenery Veil Enfolder
Weapons Systems - Space-Time Disruptor Beam and Quantum Bulb Distributor