Ideas For Sci-Fi Space Travel

ImperiumSega138

ImperiumSega138

"Once more, unto the breach"
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Hello everyone!
This time round I need a little community brain power to help me with FTL space travel. Like what science fiction engines are there out there for this kind of thing? I've heard of Ion Engines but I don't know how they might "work" (sci-fi terminology and technobabble required, please?) But not just Ion Engines, what others are there out there and I would like to find out some basic info on each one so I can figure out which ones would work best in my WIP.
Many thanks,

ImperiumSega138
 
Nevermind.
 
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Ion engines provide a minscule amount of acceleration. Their advantage is they fire for a very long time, which slowly builds up the change in velocity (Delta V).

Other than the fact they sound kinda cool, they are not an FTL drive, nor are ever likely to be.

This link provides the outline of most of the 'conventional' types of FTL already described in various fictional mediums.

5 Faster-Than-Light Travel Methods and Their Plausibility
 
Ftl travel is quite tricky without some dilithium crystals.
 
Actually, a shortcut is just to rely on good old jargon:

In the 15th Qa'nthu Quadrant, faster than light travel was achieved using carefully-balanced quinti-dimension stress actuators. These, by focussing the ultraionic signature waves created in black holes, allowed a starship to momentarily sublime into the fifth dimension, escaping the constraints of real spacetime volume and hence distance, and reappear anywhere along the pulsed ultraionic curve.
 
I think, and as close to "actual" science as possible, I may opt for something similar to Star Trek's "Warp Drive" ( or "Alcubierre Drive"). The bending of spacetime in front and behind the spaceship (the easiest way to imagine this is apparently like a surfer on a wave, its not the surfer that's moving but the wave he's riding, propelling him along). But to explain it I may have to rely on some good old jargon like Justin mentioned above. :)
 
There is no FTL that is based on actual science. The best you can do is come up with a new set of physics that doesn't seem to grossly contradict causality and energy requirements.
 
Create your own FTL drive. Keep your details vague. If your Matrix Inversion drive engines are able to use a resonance that jumps your vessels into FTL travel then so be it.

What's a matrix inversion drive? Who knows?

Your characters do. It was basic stuff in their academy studies. But your readers don't need to know what sort of matrix is being inverted or how this causes the forward thrust or jump that allows for FTL to be viable.

Just create it if you need it. You're a fiction writer. Get fictitious. LOL.

;)
 
If you want to add credibility to FTL theories - below is a schematic for the latest on where we are at - basically green looks promising avenues to pursue - blue now considered very unlikely and the yellow should really be blue, but used this graphic for something else ;) .... good luck...

faster-then-light-methods.jpg
 
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