franchise-star-trek-tng-technical-manual1

15.7 EXTERNAL SUPPORT MODE 15.8 SEPARATED FLIGHT MODEThis is a state of reduced activity that exists when theship is docked at a starbase or other support facility. DuringExternal Support Mode, the ship will typically receive umbilicalsupport for at least a portion of operating power and/or lifesupport, thus enabling a partial or total shutdown of onboardpower generation.External Support Mode rules permit the spacecraft toconduct a cold shutdown of all primary power plants as longas sufficient umbilical support is provided for all remainingpersonnel and systems. These protocols are intended topermit maintenance of critical systems, which would otherwisebe difficult to accomplish during normal service cycles.External Support operational rules include:• Spacecraft must be hard docked to support facility withumbilical connects providing electro plasma system power,environmental support, structural integrity field (SIF) power,and thermal and gravitational control. At least one hardgangway must provide direct shirtsleeve access between thespacecraft and the service facility.• Cold shutdown of all primary power plants is permittedas long as sufficient umbilical support is provided for allonboard activity. It is preferred that at least one auxiliaryfusion generator remain on-line, if possible.• Partial shutdown of environmental support systems ispermitted, allowing atmospheric and water processing to behandled by support facility through umbilical connects. Lifesupport service must continue to be provided for all inhabitedportions of the ship's interior. Onboard ventilator fans, airconditioning,thermal control, and plumbing must be maintained,although specific areas may be shut down as neededfor maintenance work.• Gravitational power generation may be discontinued solong as field energy for synthetic gravity is provided throughumbilical connects.• Cold shutdown of both structural integrity field andinertial damping field is permitted so long as spacecraft remainshard docked to support facility. It is preferred that atleast one SIF generator remain at hot standby.• Cold shutdown of all navigational and tactical deflectorsystems is permitted so long as the spacecraft remains harddocked to the support facility. It is preferred that at least oneSIF generator remain at hot standby.Any time the two major components of the total starshipmust undock and perform different flight tasks, SeparatedFlight Mode is initiated. Benign situations involve a variationon Cruise Mode rules (See: 15.4), while emergency situationsinvolve a follow-on subset of Red Alert rules (See: 15.6).Separation under benign conditions will most often occurduring maintenance layovers and flight dynamics checkouts,when the risk to both spacecraft is negligible. Operationalrules include:• Level 4 automated diagnostic series are run on all ship'sprimary and tactical systems at the beginning of each shift.(Key systems may require more frequent diagnostics perspecific operational and safety rules.)• At least one major power system to remain at operationalstatus at all times. At least one additional power systemto be maintained at standby.• One shuttlebay is maintained at launch readiness withat least one shuttle vehicle maintained at launch minus fiveminutes' status.Emergency situations requiring separation generallyrequire greatly increased activity and energy production, andpersonnel movements within each starship component. Onceseparation is ordered, the following special operational rulesare observed:• Warp power core to be brought to full operatingcondition and maintained at >90% power output. Level 3diagnostics conducted on warp propulsion systems at initiationof Red Alert status, Level 4 series repeated at five-minuteintervals.• Main impulse propulsion system is brought to fulloperating condition. All operational backup reactor units arebrought to hot standby. In actual or potential combat situations,Saucer Module impulse propulsion system is broughtto full operating status.• Saucer Module SIF/IDF systems are set to high outputfor all velocity regimes, including low warp or sublight velocities.During benign situations, Separated Flight Mode may beinitiated by the Commanding Officer, Operations Manager,Chief Engineer, or the Tactical Officer, depending on theexact nature of the vessel separation. In its emergencyversion, this mode may be invoked only by the CommandingOfficer immediately following a transfer of control to the BattleBridge. All automatic preparations, as initiated by the maincomputer, may be made without the actual call for separation,in order to prepare both components for rapid response times.