New Star Trek Movie: Story Theories

[Kana]

Originally Posted by Atrocities

3. From Earth to Vulcan in 5 minutes

From one source I have Vulcan is no farther than 20 light years away (looks like between 10 and 15). At a fast enough Warp Factor, that could easily be a short trip. One might have to look on some of the Star Trek sites to see if an actual distance to Vulcan is listed somewhere, and what WF is needed to travel that distance.

[Baron Munchausen]

According to Trek lore Vulcan is supposed to orbit 40 Eridani, which is known to be about 16 light years from our solar system. Covering 16 light years in "five minutes" would require a speed of 1,681,920 times the speed of light. I don't think any warp scale ever used in the Trek universe goes that high. One way or another, either in depicting too high a speed or failing to depict the passage of time correctly, they goofed.

[Atrocities]

Time to get my Trek geekdom on.

I don't care what they say, there is absolutely no way in hell that you can transport from a planet onto a ship traveling at warp speed several, if not dozen, light years from your position. The variables to even consider such a thing boggle the mind. The ships location, speed, space anomalies, the power requirements, the rotation of the planet, etc. I am sorry, but that is one of the most glaring plot holes in the movie.

Would have been better if they just jumped onto a super fast custom made warp shuttle, one where Spock gives Scotty the formula for high yield war drive, and then they beam over from the shuttle while Spock takes it back to Earth.

But just hoping on an old transporter and punching in some numbers then beaming across space to a ship at high warp is just laughable.

[Black_Knyght]

I agree with you there!

That was just entirely too convenient, and a ridiculous stretch just to introduce Old Spock.

But then, dumping Kirk of on the nearest passing planet was ridiculous too. If he was such an issue, toss him in the brig or lock him in his quarters. Ejecting him like garbage was an inane plot device just to connect him and Old Spock without young Spock being around.

[Xrati]

I smell a 'NEW timeline' forming here!!!

[Black_Knyght]

Yep - Word already has it that in the NEXT Star Trek movie they will deal with "an uncertain timeline".....

[Kana]

Originally Posted by Baron Munchausen

According to Trek lore Vulcan is supposed to orbit 40 Eridani, which is known to be about 16 light years from our solar system. Covering 16 light years in "five minutes" would require a speed of 1,681,920 times the speed of light. I don't think any warp scale ever used in the Trek universe goes that high. One way or another, either in depicting too high a speed or failing to depict the passage of time correctly, they goofed.

Warp factor

Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek content. A warp factor is a term indicating velocity in the subspace realm where faster-than-light (FTL) speeds are possible. Starfleet and the Federation has used the Cochrane scale up intil the early 24th century, whereupon a revised scale was put into effect when a more complete understanding of the nature of subspace was reached.

Cochrane scale (22nd and 23rd centuries)

In the 23rd century, the warp factor, WF, was calculated as follows:

WF =

where v is the speed of the signal or starship and c = 3.0x10⁸ m/s (the speed of light). At Warp 1, a starship reaches light-speed, or c; at Warp 6, it reaches 216c. This continues up to a then-theoretical maximum (as of 2295) of 3511c, or Warp 15.2, for ships of any size. The speed of data transmissions through subspace are only limited by the power of the transmission itself.
{Book: Starfleet Dynamics))
FASA Scale (TOS Era)

The FASA published Star Trek roleplaying game had a simple warp scale of

3^wf-1 = X multiples of c.

giving a speed of 1c for Warp 1, 3c for Warp 2; at Warp 6 it reaches 243c.

Revised Cochrane scale (24th century)
In the 24th century, the warp factor, WF, was calculated as follows:

WF =

where v is the speed of the signal or starship and c = 3.0x10⁸ m/s (the speed of light). At Warp 1, a starship reaches light-speed, or c; at Warp 6, a starship reaches a speed approximately 392 times the speed of light. This formula continues up to nine at which point there is no formula - merely a hand drawn curve which approaches infinity. The maximum speed ascertainable appears to be just under Warp 10 (transwarp) - for most civilisations. However The Borg (and a few other races) have broken the transwarp barrier. {Book: Starfleet Dynamics))
Retrieved from "http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Warp_factor"


Using this calculator below. Traveling at Warp 5 for 16 light years will take 46.752 days.

http://home.att.net/~srschmitt/script_warpcalc.html

[Black_Knyght]

Ow !!!


My...brain...hurts now......




( VERY nicely presented though. Kudos!)

[Xrati]

So much for bringing applicational theories to the movies!!!