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From: chenr@tilt.FUN (Ray Chen)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Antimatter and Dilithium
Message-ID: <220@tilt.FUN>
Date: Tue, 18-Dec-84 22:33:04 EST
Article-I.D.: tilt.220
Posted: Tue Dec 18 22:33:04 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Dec-84 00:32:10 EST
References: <2642@dartvax.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Princeton University EECS Dept
Lines: 10

Dilithium, for some magical reason, is able to focus, channel, and control
the power liberated by a matter/anti-matter reaction much, MUCH better than
anything else.  So, "present-day" equipment is geared towards dilithium.
A starship is sure to have backup power distribution mechanisms but there's
no reason to believe that one of them doesn't use dilithium.  According to
the "literature", top warp speed in the pre-dilithium days was warp 4.8.
Large power systems without dilithium in them are "now" obsolete.

	Ray Chen
	princeton!tilt!chenr