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From: brahms@spp2.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: ST III novalization, warp speed and reaching Andromeda
Message-ID: <207@spp2.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 2-Nov-84 15:44:34 EST
Article-I.D.: spp2.207
Posted: Fri Nov  2 15:44:34 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 5-Nov-84 19:52:02 EST
References: <3971@cbscc.UUCP>
Reply-To: brahms@spp2.UUCP (Bradley S. Brahms)
Organization: TRW, Redondo Beach  CA
Lines: 31
Summary: 

[}{]

>	As Zefram Cochrane pointed ou in 2053, actual warp speeds relative
>to the speed of light may be calculated by multiplying the warp factor
>cubed by a variable that accounts for the curvature of space in a fourth
>dimension by the presence of mass; subspace, a continuum in which a vessel
>under warp drive travels, is not curved in a fourth spatial dimension,
>and therefore offers a linear "short cut" between points in our galaxy.
>This variable, called Cochrane's factor and sometimes indicated by the greek
>letter chi (X) [which I can only use a capital X for it], can be as high as
>1,500 in dense dust and gas clouds and as little as 1 in intergalactic
>void.  It is larger neat massive objects such as star and black holes, as
>space is curved around such as objects to an even greater extent.  For
>practical reasons, warp drive is not used in the vicinity of massive objects,
>as the disproportionately high warp speeds tend to produce a "slingshot
>effect," catapulting a starship out of this space-time continuum altogether.
>Between galaxies, where negligible matter exists, space is not perceptibly
>curved, and the short cut afforded by Cochrane's factor disappears.  Warp
>speeds attain their "ideal" (W^3) * c = v values, and the transit time to
>the Andromeda galaxy becomes thousands rather than hundreds of years.

Here is my question:

	In the ST-III Novelization, there are reports of a ship that has
reached the Andromeda galaxy.  With the above formula, which seems much
more reasonable than (W^3)c=v, this would not be possible.
Any ideas or should we just ignore this at not being true ST?

			-- Brad brahms
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