franchise-star-trek-tng-technical-manual1

2.6 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES IN SIF/IDF FAILURE2.6 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES IN SIF/IDF FAILUREFailure of the structural integrity field (SIF) or the inertialdamping field (IDF) can have potentially catastrophic consequencesto the starship and to its crew. For this reason,multiple redundancy has been built into these systems, andemergency protocols have been devised to anticipate thepossibility of failure of one or more of these units.The Enterprise is dependent upon its structural integrityfield to maintain the spaceframe during the tremendousaccelerations encountered during impulse flight as well as thedifferential subspace field stresses experienced during warpflight. The inertial damping field also provides vital cushioningto the fragile crew during such maneuvers. Without suchprotection, the spacecraft and crew are unable to surviveaccelerations in excess of 30 m/sec 2 (approximately 3g)without serious structural damage to the spaceframe and severe— probably fatal — injury to the crew. By way of contrast,accelerations considerably in excess of 1,000g are not uncommonwhen under full impulse power. Warp flight operationsdo not produce direct acceleration stresses, but SIF/IDFprotection is needed because of the potential for warp field differentialstresses and local variations in inertial potential.Under Cruise Mode operating protocols, two field generatorsare active at all times, although one unit is sufficient toprovide adequate protection for both spacecraft and crewexcept during extreme maneuvers. In case of failure of onefield generator, a backup unit will automatically engage,keeping the number of active units at two. If a third unit isavailable to be placed in service, Cruise Mode rules allowoperations in progress to continue without interruption.remaining field generators is believed to be immediately imminent.The failure of all five field generators requires an immediateRed Alert status. The Commanding Officer is firstrequired to stabilize the situation, take steps to minimizepotential risk, and then to begin deceleration maneuvers.Severe operational limits are imposed on vehicle maneuvers.Immediate downwarping to sublight must be performed, exceptduring active combat situations. Such downwarping must bea simple field collapse maneuver; differential field maneuversare not permitted.Once the Commanding Officer or supervising OperationsManager has determined that further system failures areno longer an immediate threat, power conservation proceduresare initiated because of the possibility that the ship maybe unable to make a significant change in course or speed fora period of several months. Starfleet Command is notified forpossible assistance or rescue efforts.Until the arrival of assistance, the ship should maintainpower conservation procedures and perform the maximumdeceleration consistent with vehicle and crew safety. Rescueand salvage options include replacement of field generationcomponents, evacuation of crew to permit unprotected decelerationusing the ship's own engines or a tractor beam. Undercertain conditions, it is possible for a rescue vessel to projectan SIF/IDF onto the ship, although this is a difficult andextremely power-intensive procedure. A final option is theevacuation of the crew and abandonment of the spacecraft,although even this option should not preclude the possibilityof salvage at a later date.In the event of failure of two field generators, or in thecase where an additional backup cannot be brought on line,operating rules require a Yellow Alert status to be initiated,and the Commanding Officer is required to make a determinationwhether to allow primary or secondary mission operationsin progress to continue.In the event of failure of three or four field generators, regardlessof the availability of backup units, Yellow Alert statusmust be initiated and the vehicle must attempt to decelerateto an inertially safe condition, subject to sufficient generatorcapacity. If the spacecraft is presently at sublight speed, thatspeed must be reduced to the point where further decelerationcan be absorbed by minimal inertial damping and structuralintegrity capacity. If the spacecraft is traveling at warp, animmediate reduction to sublight must be initiated, subject tomaximum allowable subspace field differentials. Such downwarpingmust be a simple field collapse maneuver; differentialfield maneuvers are not permitted. Operating rules provide forexceptions during combat situations or when the failure of theWe assume that these operating protocols are somewhat conservative. In "Tin Man," the ever resourceful Geordi La Forgewas able to divert some power from the structural integrity field to keep the shields up. The computer warned that doing sowould compromise safety limits, but Geordi was obviously able to keep the ship together and the shields up.