Subspace (Star Trek)
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In the Star Trek fictional universe, subspace is a feature of space-time which facilitates faster-than-light transit, in the form of interstellar travel or the transmission of information.[1] Subspace obeys different laws of physics. Subspace has also been adopted and used in both the Stargate Atlantis series, and the Descent: Freespace video games.
In most Star Trek series, subspace communications are a means to establish instantaneous contact with people and places that are light-years away. The physics of Star Trek describe infinite speed (expressed as Warp 10) as an impossibility; as such even subspace communications which putatively travel at speeds over Warp 9.9 may take hours or weeks to reach certain destinations and are limited to regions of space previously mapped for subspace channels. However, once the connection is made, communication between the two points often becomes instantaneous.
In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Schisms", life forms that reside in deep levels of subspace are discovered. Chief Engineer LaForge describes subspace as being "like a honey comb with an infinite number of cells, each cell another universe."
References
- ^ "StarTrek.com Official StarTrek Website, Subspace Radio Article". Retrieved 2007-10-22.