franchise-star-trek-tng-technical-manual1

1.4 CONSTRUCTION CHRONOLOGYprogramming and tests continue. First habitat module swapoutby transporter successful. Transporter tests complete. FinalSIF and inertial damping field hookups complete. Commsystem 90% complete. Impulse power to phasers certified.30% of lifeboats delivered and docked. USS Galaxy islaunched from orbital dock on maneuvering thrusters.2357Hull integrity complete; all SIF and IDF systems operational.Warp nacelles buttoned up and certified for flight. Finalimpulse system adjustments underway. Computer coresubspace field shielding problem arises on Enterprise only;threatened one-third of power systems on starship, traced toconflicting power-up procedures, then fixed. Comm systemcomplete after minor rerouting to avoid computer problem.Photon torpedo system remote firing successful. Defensiveshields final hookup complete. Sensor pallets certified. USSGalaxy is commissioned; declared deep-spaceworthy andwarp-capable; moves to outer solar system.smoothed out by computer adjustments to warp geometrycontrol software. Skin reinforcements and frame stiffeningperformed during dock layovers. Final hull coatings andmarkings applied. Live-fire phaser and photon torpedo exercisestest crew and systems. Low-level defensive shieldpower deficiencies appear; enhanced shield generatorsdesigns put into work. All lifeboats and auxiliary spacecraftdocked, including flight-qualified captain's yacht. Operationalbridge module docked.4 OCTOBER 2363The USS Enterprise is officially commissioned in a ceremonyat the Utopia Pianitia Fleet Yards. The USS Galaxy and USSYamato send congratulatory messages via subspace radio.2358Tests continue on total warp and impulse propulsion systems.All other internal spacecraft systems powered up; crosssystemtests continue. New flight software installed in allthree computer cores. Ejectable bridge module docked.Minimum flight test program crew completes preliminarytraining aboard ship. Captain's yacht test article docked,nonflightversion. USS Enterpriser launched; leaves dock onmaneuvering thrusters.2359Flight test crew continues developmental shakedown trials inMars space. USS Enterprise computers receive continuousperformance updates from USS Ga/axyorbiting Pluto. Tasksinclude extensive sensor operations, simulated emergencyconditions, simulated combat exercises, and power systemstress analysis. Warp field coils receive first power, nonpropulsive,Warp 1 equivalent. Power conditioning of warp coilscontinues up through Warp 8 equivalent. Performance analysiscontinues on all vehicle components. Main computersdeveloping "systems awareness," learning and recordinghow ship behaves as a total entity. USS Enterprise declareddeep-spaceworthy and warp-capable. Yellow warp-stressvisibility hull coatings applied.2360-2363USS Enterprise achieves warp flight in outer solar system.Initial vibration difficulties transitioning to higher warp factorsGiven the existence of matter replication devices (like the show's "food replicator" terminals), a very logical question is: "Whycan'tthey just replicate entire starships?" The real reason is that such an ability would allow us to create entire fleets ofstarshipsat the touch of a button. This might be great for Federation defense and science programs, but makes for poor drama. Forthis reason, starship construction facilities (seen at Utopia Pianitia in "Booby Trap" and Earth Station McKinieyin "Family") havebeen depicted as construction platforms rather than large replicators. We assume that replication is practical for relatively smallitems, but that energy costs would be prohibitive for routine replication of larger objects. (Jon Singer points out that if you couldmake a starship at the push of a button, you wouldn 't need to....)