Basic Information
Stardrives and Propulsion
The following methods and engine types can convey you through space. Some are much easier, faster, or realistic than others.
FTL Stardrive types
See also Stardrive and Faster Than Light
- Alcubierre Drive - a spherical spacetime bubble that warps space to allow for FTL travel
- Hyper Drive - uses Hyperspace or Subspace, an exotic layer of space, or possibly even another dimension, where the speed of light is not a barrier to movement
- Jump Drive - folds space or teleports to relocate a ship instantly
- Shortcut Drive - creates or locates a temporary wormhole
- Warp Drive - warps the laws of physics, to enable you to accelerate more readily and exceed the speed of light.
Non-FTL propulsion systems
These systems generally respect Relativity and are non-FTL, but in a few cases they're still fantastical. If you're looking for hard science that can't be doubted, stick with Reaction Engine and [Rocket Engine.
- Applied Phlebotinum
- Atomic Engine
- Diametric Drive - uses Negative Mass to create "free" acceleration
- Differential Sail - uses the cosmic background radiation to provide thrust
- Disjunction Drive
- Electric Propulsion
- EmDrive
- Gravitational Slingshot
- Magnetic Sail
- Metallic Hydrogen Fuel
- Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion
- Nebular Scoop Drive
- Pitch Drive or Bias Drive - varies the local gravitational constant via the Brans-Dicke Theory to provide thrust
- Project Orion
- Reaction Engine
- Reactionless Drive
- Reaction Wheel
- Rocket Engine
- Solar Fuel
- Solar Sail
- Tether Propulsion
Arrival and Landing
Atmospheric Reentry is harsh, and landings can be perilous. The following technologies and techniques may prove helpful:
Helping Hands
Structures and devices that might be useful to your spacecraft
FTL gates and other shortcuts
See also: FTL, Megastructure and Stellar Megastructure
- Alcubierre Rail - a trail that allows for the use of an Alcubierre Drive without the consumption of exotic matter
- Jumpgate - a fixed point that is like a wormhole (see below), or like a cannon that propels ships passing through it. Allows non-FTL ships that pass through it to enter hyperspace or travel faster than light.
- Krasnikov Tube - a one-way artificial curvature of spacetime, vaguely similar to a worm hole, not so much a stardrive as a permanent short-cut maker
- Wormhole - a portal between two points in spacetime, may be natural or man-made. See also Rotating Black Hole
Alternative Launch Systems
The most common spacecraft launch system is some sort of Rocket Engine, but on an established world with structures or megastructures, you have some other options:
- Electromagnetic catapult (railgun, coilgun) (an electric gun)
- High Altitude Platforms to assist initial stage
- Hypersonic skyhook (a fast spinning orbital tether)
- inclined launch rails
- Laser propulsion (Lightcraft) (rockets powered from ground-based lasers)
- Launch loop (a very fast enclosed rotating loop about 80 km tall)
- Orbital ring (a ring around the Earth with spokes hanging down off bearings)
- Space elevator (a geostationary tether to orbit)
- Space fountain (a very tall building held up by a stream of masses fired from base)
- Space gun (Project HARP, ram accelerator) (a chemically powered gun)
Sources
Game and Story Use
- The methods of travel, and types of engines, available in your game will set the tone of how things play out. Travel between meaningful locations may vary from seconds to centuries depending on the propulsion systems allowed in the setting.