faster-than-light

Zefram Cochrane is a fictional character from the Star Trek universe who invented the warp drive in 2063, bringing faster-than-light travel technology to humanity; although the technology was clearly developed independently by other races before and since, it is Cochrane's name alone which is inextricably linked with warp drive in the culture of the United Federation of Planets, perhaps because Earth played such a prominent part in the Federation's formation. He was born in 2030 and was presume ...

Including:

• Zefram Cochrane - External link

Read more here: » Zefram Cochrane: Encyclopedia - Zefram Cochrane

In the Homeworld series, the Bentusi are a race of space-faring technology traders, who help the Kushan fleet in their quest to find Hiigara. Calling themselves The Unbound, the Bentusi are a very ancient, wise race who do not claim any planet for themselves, instead opting to live exclusively among the stars. It is interesting to note that it would probably be impossible for the Bentusi to even survive outside of their ships, given that they are physically connected to them. The Bentusi are one of the three races to possess hypersp ...

Including:

• Bentusi - The Unbound
• Bentusi - Bentusi Capabilities
• Bentusi - Bentusi Ships

Read more here: » Bentusi: Encyclopedia - Bentusi

Commander Keen is the main character in a series of video games developed by id Software in the early 1990s, which were successful at replicating the side-scrolling action of the NES Super Mario Bros. games in MS-DOS. The cartoon-style platformers are notable for their pioneering use of EGA graphics and shareware distribution, and because they were the first games by id Software, who went on to develop blockbusters like Doom and Quake. The games were also exciting to the PC gaming community of the time because of John Ca ...

Including:

• Commander Keen - History
• Commander Keen - The story
• Commander Keen - The Keen games
• Commander Keen - Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons
• Commander Keen - Interlude
• Commander Keen - Commander Keen in Goodbye Galaxy!
• Commander Keen - Commander Keen in Aliens Ate My Babysitter
• Commander Keen - Commander Keen GBC
• Commander Keen - Cancelled games
• Commander Keen - Keen in other games
• Commander Keen - Fan-made Keen games

Read more here: » Commander Keen: Encyclopedia - Commander Keen

Wernher Magnus Maximilian Freiherr[1] von Braun (March 23, 1912 – June 16, 1977) was one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Germany and the United States. Originally a German scientist leading Germany's rocket development program before and during the Second World War, he entered the United States at the end of the war through the then-secret Operation Paperclip. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen and wor ...

Including:

• Wernher von Braun - Early life
• Wernher von Braun - German career
• Wernher von Braun - Rocket science and politics
• Wernher von Braun - Arrest by the Nazi regime
• Wernher von Braun - Surrender to the Americans
• Wernher von Braun - American career
• Wernher von Braun - US Army career
• Wernher von Braun - NASA career
• Wernher von Braun - Career after NASA
• Wernher von Braun - Recognition
• Wernher von Braun - Cultural references
• Wernher von Braun - On film and television
• Wernher von Braun - In music
• Wernher von Braun - In computer games
• Wernher von Braun - Notes

Read more here: » Wernher von Braun: Encyclopedia - Wernher von Braun

A tachyon (from the Greek ταχύς takhús, meaning "swift") is any hypothetical particle that travels at superluminal velocity. The first theoretical description of tachyons is attributed to German physicist Arnold Sommerfeld; however, the concept has recurred in a variety of other contexts, such as string theory. Many strange properties have been attributed to tachyons, which also play a role in some popular science fiction. In the language of special relativity, a tachyon is a particle with space-like four-momentum and ima ...

Including:

• Tachyon - Basic properties from a special relativity perspective
• Tachyon - Causality
• Tachyon - Field and string theories
• Tachyon - Tachyons in fiction

Read more here: » Tachyon: Encyclopedia - Tachyon

Appeal to consequences, also known as argumentum ad consequentiam (Latin: argument to the consequences), is an argument that concludes a premise (typically a belief) to be either true or false based on whether the premise leads to desirable or undesirable consequences. This is based on an appeal to emotion and is considered to be a form of logical fallacy, since the appeal of a consequence does not address the truth value of the premise. Moreover, in categorizing consequences as either desirable or undesirable, ...

Including:

• Appeal to consequences - General form
• Appeal to consequences - Positive form
• Appeal to consequences - Negative form

Read more here: » Appeal to consequences: Encyclopedia - Appeal to consequences

In physics, a wormhole is a hypothetical topological feature of spacetime that is essentially a "shortcut" through space and time. A wormhole has at least two mouths which are connected to a single throat. If the wormhole is traversible, matter can 'travel' from one mouth to the other by passing through the throat. The name "wormhole" comes from the following analogy used to explain the phenomenon: imagine that the universe is the skin of an apple, and a worm is traveling over its surface. The distance from one side of t ...

Including:

• Wormhole - Definition
• Wormhole - Wormhole types
• Wormhole - Theoretical basis
• Wormhole - Traversable wormholes
• Wormhole - Wormholes and faster-than-light space travel
• Wormhole - Wormholes and time travel
• Wormhole - Schwarzschild wormholes
• Wormhole - Wormhole Metrics
• Wormhole - Wormholes in fiction

Read more here: » Wormhole: Encyclopedia - Wormhole

The Galactic Leyline is a treasure shrouded in myth; rumors and superstition surround the Galactic Leyline, and popular opinion claims that the Leyline is a immense treasure of valuable metal or mineral. The Galactic Leyline is actually an intelligent library created by an advanced but now-extinct race. This race possessed an unsurpassed knowledge of science, technology, and reality. Drawing upon Feng Shui, the word leyline means "a place where Ki collects." By manipulating the Ki lines (the timelines, referring to the idea tha ...

See also:

Outlaw Star, Outlaw Star - Synopsis, Outlaw Star - Characters, Outlaw Star - Minor Characters, Outlaw Star - The XGP15A-II - Outlaw Star, Outlaw Star - Ships, Outlaw Star - Planets and Space Stations, Outlaw Star - Races, Outlaw Star - The Galactic Leyline, Outlaw Star - Episode List, Outlaw Star - Theme Songs, Outlaw Star - Banned Episode

Read more here: » Outlaw Star: Encyclopedia II - Outlaw Star - The Galactic Leyline

Different authors and different stories will, of course, imagine different kinds of starships. Certain common elements are found in most fiction that discusses starships. Fiction that discusses slower-than-light starships is relatively rare, since the time scales are so long. Faster-than-light starships are often imagined as analogous to sea-going ships. Starships are typically large, multi-passenger vehicles (cf starfighter). They range in size from small personal yachts and courier ships, up to vast bulk containers (used for intrasy ...

See also:

Starship, Starship - Fictional starships, Starship - Famous fictional starships, Starship - External link

Read more here: » Starship: Encyclopedia II - Starship - Fictional starships

Speed of light - Constant velocity from all reference frames. It is important to realise that the speed of light is not a "speed limit" in the conventional sense. An observer chasing a beam of light will measure it moving away from him at the same speed as a stationary observer. This leads to some unusual consequences for velocities. Most individuals are accustomed to the addition rule of velocities: if two cars approach each other from opposite directions, each travelling at a speed of 50 kilometres per h ...

See also:

Speed of light, Speed of light - Overview, Speed of light - Communications, Speed of light - Physics, Speed of light - Constant velocity from all reference frames, Speed of light - Interaction with transparent materials, Speed of light - Faster-than-light observations and experiments, Speed of light - Light-slowing experiments, Speed of light - History, Speed of light - Medieval and early modern theories, Speed of light - Measurement of the speed of light, Speed of light - Relativity

Read more here: » Speed of light: Encyclopedia II - Speed of light - Physics

Kramer and his father had been working together with their company Total Multimedia on a data compression and transmission project which Kramer apparently believed could result in faster-than-light speed communications (their work also involved a long-running family effort to discredit Albert Einstein's theories). Moreover, Kramer thought he was in contact with extra-terrestrial aliens. A bankruptcy re-organization of his company resulted in the hiring of a former MCI Communications vice president, Peter Olson, who turned out to be an enthus ...

See also:

Philip Taylor Kramer, Philip Taylor Kramer - Total Multimedia, Philip Taylor Kramer - Death

Read more here: » Philip Taylor Kramer: Encyclopedia II - Philip Taylor Kramer - Total Multimedia

The game takes place in 2114, forty-two years after the events in System Shock. The game is mostly set onboard the Tri-Optimum starship Von Braun, the first faster-than-light starship in human history. The player is a United National Nominate (UNN) soldier, based aboard the military starship Rickenbacker. The Rickenbacker is piggy-backed onto the Von Braun, providing escort for its maiden voyage into the unknown. Five months into the voyage, the player wakes up in a cryo-tube on the medical deck of the Von Braun, with a new cybernetic interf ...

See also:

System Shock 2, System Shock 2 - Plotline, System Shock 2 - Fan Modifications, System Shock 2 - Criticisms, System Shock 2 - Enemies, System Shock 2 - Future of the System Shock series

Read more here: » System Shock 2: Encyclopedia II - System Shock 2 - Plotline

Prior to the Hiigaran exile, the Bentusi were a prominent military force in the Homeworld universe. They had emerged early on the galactic stage, and were the first race to discover a far-jumper, a powerful hyperspace core capable of hurling ships over incredible distances. Using the power of the far-jumper, the Bentusi quickly established the Old Trade Routes, and spread their influence across the galaxy. Soon after the establishment of the Trade Routes, the Bentusi took upon themselves the mantle of "Galactic Peacekeepers". Using the far-j ...

See also:

Bentusi, Bentusi - The Unbound, Bentusi - Bentusi Capabilities, Bentusi - Bentusi Ships

Read more here: » Bentusi: Encyclopedia II - Bentusi - Bentusi Capabilities

Serenity is the story of the captain and crew of a transport and cargo ship 500 years in the future. Their lives of petty crime are interrupted by a psychic passenger who carries a dangerous secret. The resources of Earth have been depleted, and humanity has moved to another star system and terraformed many of the planets. All the planets are controlled by the supposedly peace-loving yet still rather authoritarian Alliance. But a frontier justice still holds sway farther from the "core planets", where outlaws like the crew of < ...

See also:

Serenity film, Serenity film - Story, Serenity film - Production, Serenity film - Marketing campaign, Serenity film - Sneak previews, Serenity film - Viral marketing, Serenity film - Critical and popular reception, Serenity film - DVD release, Serenity film - Serenity comics, Serenity film - Future culture, Serenity film - Sequel rumors, Serenity film - Trivia, Serenity film - Awards

Read more here: » Serenity film: Encyclopedia II - Serenity film - Story

Robotech made some considerable alterations to the Macross storyline and this affected the role and purpose of the SDF-1 Macross. To understand the role that it played, the similarities and differences between Robotech and Macross in relation to the spacecraft need explaining. SDF-1 Macross - Similarities. A massive alien spaceship, 1210 meters (3/4 mile) long, crashed onto an unsuspecting Earth in the year 1999, on an island in the Pacific Ocean. Inspection of the wreckage showed that the spaceship was manned by giant aliens several times larger than humans and that their technol ...

See also:

SDF-1 Macross, SDF-1 Macross - History and background, SDF-1 Macross - Similarities, SDF-1 Macross - Differences, SDF-1 Macross - Continuing in the Macross universe, SDF-1 Macross - Where the Robotech universe branches off, SDF-1 Macross - Features, SDF-1 Macross - Armament, SDF-1 Macross - Defenses, SDF-1 Macross - Aircraft and mecha complement

Read more here: » SDF-1 Macross: Encyclopedia II - SDF-1 Macross - History and background

Orbiter is a first-person perspective space flight simulator. It is function-oriented, with the interface focused on maneuvering the spacecraft, rather than perspective-oriented, as in Celestia. Orbiter allows any user to explore the solar system on a number of spacecraft, both realistic, such as the Space Shuttle Atlantis, and fictional, such as the Delta-glider. Orbiter contains the realism necessary to re-enact historical space flights while the ability to fly more futuristic ships allows the player to make timely travel aro ...

See also:

Orbiter sim, Orbiter sim - About the simulator, Orbiter sim - Included spacecraft, Orbiter sim - Orbiter add-ons, Orbiter sim - Reviews

Read more here: » Orbiter sim: Encyclopedia II - Orbiter sim - About the simulator

Serenity is the story of the captain and crew of a transport and cargo ship 500 years in the future. Their lives of petty crime are interrupted by a psychic passenger who carries a dangerous secret. The resources of Earth have been depleted, and humanity has moved to another star system and terraformed many of the planets. All the planets are controlled by the supposedly peace-loving yet still rather authoritarian Alliance. But a frontier justice still holds sway farther from the "core planets", where outlaws like the crew of < ...

See also:

Serenity film, Serenity film - Story, Serenity film - Production, Serenity film - Marketing campaign, Serenity film - Sneak previews, Serenity film - Viral marketing, Serenity film - Critical and popular reception, Serenity film - DVD release, Serenity film - Serenity comics, Serenity film - Future culture, Serenity film - Sequel rumors, Serenity film - Trivia

Read more here: » Serenity film: Encyclopedia II - Serenity film - Story

A century in the future humans land on Venus and colonize it. Below the surface, thousands of miles of artificial tunnels are discovered. They are believed to have been built thousands of years ago by an alien species known as the Heechee, but little else is known about them. That is, until an explorer discovers a Heechee ship, intact and operational, in one of the tunnels. Rather than report his findings, he climbs in and activate it. The ship launches and goes into "TAU Space," a faster-than-light travel method. It arrives at a huge space ...

See also:

Gateway computer game, Gateway computer game - Gateway backstory, Gateway computer game - External link

Read more here: » Gateway computer game: Encyclopedia II - Gateway computer game - Gateway backstory

In the game, the player takes the role of an unnamed 23rd century spaceship captain in the Earth Commonwealth Navy. The primary opponents were rebellious insurgents called the Indies, a group distinguished by their elaborately and colourfully painted ships. I-War was different from most other space combat games in that player commanded a big, 162 meter long corvette named the Dreadnaught, and because the space ships flew according to Newton's laws of motion. In other words, the flight model took into account inertia caus ...

See also:

I-War Independence War, I-War Independence War - Overview, I-War Independence War - Player ship, I-War Independence War - CGI and cutscenes, I-War Independence War - Characters factions and spaceships, I-War Independence War - Development, I-War Independence War - Defiance, I-War Independence War - Mods, I-War Independence War - Trivia, I-War Independence War - Credits, I-War Independence War - I-War, I-War Independence War - Defiance

Read more here: » I-War Independence War: Encyclopedia II - I-War Independence War - Overview

Hard science fiction used to be largely a literary genre, as the complexities of physics were initially perceived to be poorly suited to other media. This perception has been somewhat modified in the latter parts of the 20th century and the early 21st century. Hard science fiction - Film. One notable early exception to the rule that hard SF is essentially a prose form is 2001: A Space Odyssey, though the movie does not present the scientific detail (from physics, computer science, and other fields) ...

See also:

Hard science fiction, Hard science fiction - Hard SF authors, Hard science fiction - Hard science fiction in other media, Hard science fiction - Film, Hard science fiction - Television, Hard science fiction - Manga, Hard science fiction - Anime, Hard science fiction - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Hard science fiction: Encyclopedia II - Hard science fiction - Hard science fiction in other media