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Output of type X vs XII vs Phaser Lance

Discussion in ' Trek Tech ' started by DRACO , Sep 25, 2015 .

DRACO Captain Captain

Anyone come up with some fun numbers to look at? Anything good enough for realistic comparison, for game mechanics?  

Go-Captain Captain Captain

All that really comes to mind is the phaser essay page from DITL. I also compiled a battle facts document, but it focuses mostly on DS9. I forgot I made my own weapon stats , and ship stats .  

publiusr Admiral Admiral

I remember laser lances from the Terran Trade authority--not Trek  

Deks Vice Admiral Admiral

The Type X phaser array on the Galaxy class seems capable of outputting 100 000 TW per second (or about 23.9 megatons per second - though lets' round it up to 24) when you look at how DITL describes them (but those explanations are much more consistent compared to the Technical Manual that only gives them a few GW output - which compared to a single photon torpedo would be thousands of times smaller and doesn't really make any sense). As for Type XII... there is no canonical statement regarding these phasers... and as far as we know, nothing has been mentioned about XII phasers being in use on starships (let alone the Sovereign class). However, given the aspect of technological progression and doing more with less, it stands to reason that if XII were indeed used on starbases before (and we have really no confirmation on this at all), then eventually a starship would be able to house them as well with phaser arrays being made of better materials and more powerful warp cores that fit into the same frame (the Galaxy class for instance received a more powerful warp core in later seasons which also allowed the ship to achieve higher Warp speeds - and probably even churn out more firepower through the phasers - possibly by 50% to twice as much more - although this is speculation). Regarding the power output of XII though - that I don't know. Considering the type of damage DS9 was able to incur with its own phasers on enemy fleets (albeit shown at the time without shield FX for the sake of saving rendering times), they might be on the scale of about 3 to 5 times more powerful... or even 10 times more powerful. Some people think very linearly when it comes to technological development, even though it is currently exponential... but what people also fail to realize is that the more scientific and technical a society becomes, there is an acceleration of acceleration occurring, which could actually indicate something called 'quadratic' development (especially for a culture as the Federation - in which case, XII phasers could be far more powerful)  

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Orange River Media – The Science of Star Trek’s Phasers

Hey guys, Tyler here. Phasers are one of the most iconic pieces of technology in Star Trek . A common standard sidearm in the arsenal of Starfleet and other spacefaring powers, phasers are what are called directed energy weapons.

They inflict damage via a beam or pulse of electromagnetic radiation or high-energy particles. Introduced in Starfleet during the 23 rd century, both phasers and disruptors (a higher-powered weapon class) superseded projectile weapons, which were considered more “primitive.” While most phasers are classified as particle weapons, others are classified as plasma weapons and utilize a completely different form of energy.

Regardless, phasers can pack a powerful punch, with settings ranging from “stun” to, well, “vaporize” and everything in between. But how can a handheld weapon like this store so much energy and inflict so much damage? Today, I’ll attempt to answer this question using both in-universe and real-world scientific concepts. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Predecessors

Before there were phasers, a wide variety of other energy weapons were used by humans during the mid-22 nd century. One standard issue sidearm used by members of both Starfleet and the Earth Cargo Service during this period is the EM-33 pistol. The EM, of course, stands for electromagnetism. We see in other Trek shows that electromagnetic pulses are used to disable enemy weapons, disrupt sensor grids, jam communications, and trigger solar flares.

But based on the special effects in the Enterprise pilot “ Broken Bow ,” the ammunition that EM pistols use is actually the plasma bullet, later identified in “ Shadows of P’Jem .” Indeed, the full name of the EM-33 is the EM-33 Plasma Pistol. Rick Berman and Brannon Braga stated that they intended the EM-33 to be a type of “pulse gun,” the same class that includes plasma rifles.

Plasma weapons are shown to not be particularly high yield but are still capable of killing a target. These weapons seem to be an intermediary step between traditional projectile weapons and phase weapons.

As the name suggests, plasma weapons fire a bolt or stream of plasma, an excited state of matter that consists of ionized gas. Plasma is the most abundant form of ordinary matter in the universe, and it is usually associated with stars.

Other common generators of plasma include lightning strikes, but they can also be artificially generated by subjecting a neutral gas to heat or electric current such as in neon signs. In Star Trek , plasma is used to channel power to systems aboard a starship, and it can be stored in canisters or infusers before being installed in plasma weapons.

Even in the early seasons of Enterprise , though, we see that some plasma weapons like the EM-33 have fallen out of use by the 2150s. The EM-33 in particular has the disadvantage of the user needing to compensate for particle drift. Even after the EM-33 and its ship-mounted counterpart, plasma cannons, are phased out, other plasma weapons like the pulse rifles do stick around.

But the primary replacement for EM pistols and the like appear to be phase-modulated energy weapons or phase weapons. Besides phase cannons mounted on starship hulls, handheld phase weapons generally come in two varieties: particle rifles and phase pistols. Used by both Starfleet and MACO personnel, these weapons utilize a phase modulator to control the blast yield.

While particle weapons generally operate under the same principles as laser phasers—that is, bombarding targets with destructive particle streams—the main differences seem to be general energy output and maximum damage.

Phase pistols have a particle yield that is usually kept under five megajoules, though it can be set as high as ten megajoules. Now, if you’re like me, saying “X number of megajoules” doesn’t really conjure up anything specific. So here are some examples. Five megajoules is higher than the energy released by the explosion of one kilogram of TNT, enough to destroy or even obliterate a small vehicle.

Furthermore, the NX-01’s phase cannons have a maximum power output of 500 gigajoules , equivalent to the yield of the 2020 Beirut explosion. This event killed at least 218 people, injured over 7,000, and further displaced over 300,000, causing $15 billion in property damage.

Phase-Pistols to Phasers

Okay, before this gets too far out of hand, let’s reign things in a bit. We’ve talked about the yields of phase pistols and pulse rifles and all that good stuff, but what exactly is the difference between 22nd-century phase weapons and 23rd-century phase weapons? As it turns out, the main characteristics that separate these two types of weapons are power output and the types of particles that make up the blast stream.

Typical Starfleet phasers invented in the 23 rd century and still used in the 24 th century, known as type 2 phasers, are nadion-based particle weapons. The nadion is a fictitious subatomic particle that, according to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual , is capable of liberating atomic nuclei. The manual indicates that phasers release a beam of nadions that are refracted through superconducting crystals, much in the same way that dilithium crystals help regulate the matter-antimatter reactions in warp cores.

As for power output, as far as I can tell, we’re never explicitly told what a standard-issue phaser’s maximum yield is, but phaser rifles —or type 3 phasers—can output 1.05 megajoules per second. Type 3 phasers also have sixteen power settings, including stun and kill.

They also have fully autonomous recharge capability, multiple-target acquisition, and gyro-stabilization. The much smaller type 1 phaser, which is often used as a “concealed carry” option on more diplomatic missions, has eight power settings that also include stun and kill.

Type 1s are also much less powerful—for example, in the 23 rd century, type 1s lack sufficient power to harm a silicon-based life form such as a Horta. Additionally, 24 th century type 1s can be programmed to fire automatically at set intervals. Oh, and unlike phase-pistols of the 22 nd century, all of these more advanced phasers are powerful enough to vaporize or disintegrate a person.

Real-World Direct Energy Weapons

Another pressing question remains, though—one that in large part motivated me to make this video in the first place: how is it possible for handheld weapons like phasers or even phaser rifles to have such a staggering yield? Keep in mind the analogies I drew earlier when discussing the output of phase pistols and phase cannons.

These weapons operating in the multi-megajoule range may seem like a bit of a pipe dream, given that current efforts to produce weapons of this magnitude involve industrial-sized devices like railguns.

Case in point, in my research, two particular projects caught my eye: the United States Air Force Research Laboratory’s MARAUDER and the United States Navy’s various experiments with laser weapons. Now, I should note that laser weapons have their limits—the Navy’s XN-1 Laser Weapon System only has a yield of 30 KILOWATTS— less than three per cent of the yield of a regular phaser—and concepts for 60 and 100kW upgrades still pale in comparison to their more futuristic counterparts.

This is why even in the 1960s, the writers of forward-looking sci-fi like Star Trek had the foresight to opt for particle weapons instead of laser weapons, whose limits had already become evident. Good on them. But another intermediary concept, the coaxial plasma railgun, has shown some promise. As I mentioned earlier, there’s the U.S. Air Force’s MARAUDER project, which stands for a Magnetically accelerated ring to achieve ultrahigh directed energy and radiation (damn, my government’s at least good at one thing: coming up with acronyms) .

It was designed to accelerate plasma to as fast as 3% the speed of light with a maximum power output of… wait for it …five to ten megajoules. Nice. Now, the only problem is that, like other railgun concepts, MARAUDER has remained at the “R&D” stage for decades , and it’s unclear whether such railguns will actually ever be deployed for practical military use. But initial tests pointing towards success indicate that, at the very least, the theory behind these weapons is sound.

The U.S. Department of Defense also experimented with particle beam weapons as part of Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, or “Star Wars” program, in the 1980s. A prototype neutral hydrogen beam launched into space successfully operated for four minutes before returning to Earth intact. The weapon is operated by ionizing hydrogen atoms, stripping electrons off atoms or allowing atoms to capture extra electrons.

The charged particles were then accelerated and neutralized again by adding or removing additional electrons. The electrically charged neutral beam of high-energy protons could thus proceed in a straight line at or near the speed of light and smash into its target to damage it. The pulsed particle beam emitted by such a weapon could theoretically contain over a gigajoule of kinetic energy.

As with plasma railguns, besides initial tests in the latter half of the 20 th century, it’s uncertain if or when large-scale deployment of particle weapons will become a reality. One reason for this? Overheating.

Miniaturization and Thermal Management

Remember, these weapons operate in a manner similar to particle accelerators like the Large Hadron Collider. Particle accelerators use electromagnetic fields to accelerate and direct charged particles along a predetermined path, and they use electrostatic “lenses” to focus these streams to produce collisions.

For example, a cathode ray tube, widely used in many twentieth-century TV and computer monitors, is a very rudimentary type of particle accelerator. But the types of experiments done at the LHC are meant to recreate the conditions that were present at the Big Bang—producing energy yields on the order of…*checks notes*…insane, and temperatures as high as…*checks notes again*…like a bazillion degrees.

One application of particle weapons would be to damage or destroy a target by simply overheating it until it’s no longer operational—something we see quite frequently in Star Trek . But with the power to destroy your target comes the power to destroy yourself.

High-powered particle accelerators are extremely massive—the LHC has a diameter of several kilometres—with highly constricted construction, operation, and maintenance requirements. Thus, it would be very difficult to weaponize such technology in the present or near future. Difficult…but…maybe…not impossible.

It’s perhaps a bit of a stretch, but if the miniaturization of other technologies like transistors has taught us anything, it’s that, “if you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.” Wait, no…that’s not right. “If you can’t stand the heat, innovate ways to manage the heat.” Thermal management is arguably one of the most pressing challenges of the modern-day given our reliance on electronics.

Because the amount of heat output is equivalent to power output, we’ve had to develop techniques for cooling such as heat sinks, thermoelectric coolers, fans, heat pipes, and others.

In the future, it’s likely that we will continue to master engineering on increasingly smaller scales of the universe. Beyond nanotechnology lies pico technology and femtotechnology, which refer to engineering on the scales of 10 -12 and 10 -15 meters respectively.

In theory, by the 23 rd century, even as concepts like Moore’s law reach their physical limits, our materials science may be advanced enough to manage the heat produced by handheld particle weapons. We could manipulate special metals to act as ultra-powerful heat sinks or cold plates, facilitating heat dissipation to cool the components of a phaser or cannon.

These metals would work in conjunction with superconducting crystals to manage the flow of nadions from the energy source towards the target. This complex system of moving parts would be essential in turning the equivalent of a thermonuclear explosion into something more…reasonable.

Admittedly, I mainly focused on Federation weapons in this video, even though phaser technology is quite diverse among various alien races. But the bare-bones, and basic principles are largely the same across different cultures.

Hopefully, this video did serve as an effective overview of how phasers work, the tremendous power they yield, and how future materials science could allow us to manufacture something like them in real life. Just hope you’ll never have to see one pointed at you.

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Phaser Technology

From star trek: theurgy wiki.

Phasers (an acronym for PHAS ed E nergy R ectification) were the most common and standard directed energy weapon in the arsenal of Starfleet and several other powers. Most phasers were classified as particle weapons and fire nadion particle beams. Based on the intensity and field of the beam and a variety of adjustments, a wide variety of effects could be achieved. All Starfleet phasers followed a similar naming convention, with the lowest being handheld and each higher number becoming more powerful and larger in size. After the Type-III, Phasers were too unwieldy to be hand operated and required such power that they were only suitable to be attached to vehicles, vessels, or outposts.

• 1.2.1 Type-II Pulse Phase Pistol
• 1.3.1 Type-III EVA Variant
• 2 Phaser Rifle Evolution
• 4.1 Type-IV Phaser Bank
• 4.2 Type-V Phaser Bank
• 4.3 Type-VI Phaser Bank
• 4.4 Type-VII Phaser Array
• 4.5 Type-VIII Phaser Array
• 4.6 Type-IX Phaser Array
• 4.7 Type-X Phaser Array
• 4.8 Type-XI Phaser Array
• 4.9 Type-XII Phaser Array
• 4.10 Type-XII Pulse Phaser Array
• 4.11 Type-U Pulse Phaser Cannon
• 4.12 Type-U+ Pulse Phaser Cannon
• 4.13 Type-I Rawley Heavy Pulse Phaser Cannon
• 5 Disclaimer Notice

Handheld Phasers

Utilized primarily in defensive situations, Handheld phasers had several applications, from use as a weapon to use as a cutting tool, explosive device, or energy source. Storing considerable energy, most phasers were distinguished by their size and firing capabilities, with all models able to output a focused energy discharge in the form of a beam or steady stream.

Colloquially know as the "Cricket", the type-I phaser was the smallest, most basic weapon carried by Starfleet and other Federation personnel. Easily concealable, the type-I was able to be programmed to fire automatically at set intervals. However, due to the lack of its operating capabilities, longevity, and diversity when compared to its larger brethren, the type-I phasers were typically only carried when it would be inappropriate to carry a larger weapon, such as on diplomatic missions. Because of this, the type-I was synonymous with secret missions and seldom seen in active use.

The type-II was the standard weapon used aboard all Starfleet vessels and bases, as it offered a very favorable compromise between size and power. Originally designed to encompass the type-I, the type-II held a pistol-like grip. By the 2360s, the type-II had evolved past that configuration, becoming a sleek, silver-colored device with a handle flowing into the form of a muzzle cowling and emitter. The type-II phaser was a required piece of equipment for most Starfleet away teams, and was the basic sidearm of Starfleet security teams

With two small buttons for beam width and intensity control and a large one to fire the device, the type-II featured a large, illuminated power level readout. The phaser retained the functionality of the previous designs, but increased the power and versatility. Like their predecessors, these units could be adjusted for use as cutting tools or power sources. They could also be set to overload, becoming a powerful explosive device.

In addition to more variable power settings than the Type-I, Type-II Phasers were able to be set for a "narrow" (affecting a single target) or "wide" beam (affecting two or more targets over a certain area). The frequency of the beam could also be adjusted to make it more effective against certain types of shields and/or force fields.

Type-II Pulse Phase Pistol

During the Dominion War , it became apparent that single beam particle weapons were ineffective against groups of Jem’Hadar. As such, Starfleet Security desired the ability to fire multiple short pulses of energy. The Type-III rifle was easily modified with a change of beam emitter, but due to the smaller size, the Type-II was unable to be modified in such a way.

With the need of a small weapon for use in close quarter situations, this handphaser variant Type-II Pulse Phase Pistol was created. Not only to be easily distinguishable between the conventional Type-II and this pulse fire variant, but to also account for an increased need for stability and accuracy, this new weapon took design elements of more traditional handheld weapons, incorporating a pistol-like grip and hard sight points along the top of the device.

Because of the difference in shape and fire pattern, Starfleet Personnel required further training on this weapon in addition to standard phaser profiency. As such, the type-II Pulse Phase Pistol was standardly reserved for Security and Tactical Conn personnel.

The largest standard phaser issued to Starfleet personnel, the Type-III (or simply referred to as the phaser rifle) was a two handed weapon capable of greater accuracy and longevity than its type-II counterpart. Even though the type-III had a much greater energy reserve, this only translated to an increase of longer periods of fire rather than any rise in output levels over one-handed phasers. Phaser rifles were not standard landing party equipment aboard Starfleet vessels. Typically, rifles were equipped only when firepower heavier than that of the type-II phaser was required.

Originally a bulky device with the capability of its rear handle to be rotated into a shoulder stock, the type-III was more streamlined and smaller by the 2360s. In the early 2370s, the need for accuracy caused the design aesthetic of the weapon to change once again, this time the rifle returned to having a shoulder stock but also incorporated a rear pistol-like and front under barrel grip, a combined sight and tactical light, and an integrated shoulder sling for ease of carrying.

The outbreak of the dominion war caused a need for weapons to fire in multiple bursts rather than just a single beam of energy. Starfleet Security created two new weapons for this purpose - the Type II Pulse Phase Pistol and the Type-III Phaser Compression Rifle. By 2375, the Compression Rifle was removed from service, due to comparable capabilities produced from the standard type-III with a change to its beam emitter. The switch between the angular and smooth beam emitters on the type-III rifles allowed the weapons to fire both single beam and pulses of energy at will by the operator.

After the completion of the dominion war, in the late 2370s, Starfleet Security updated the sights of the type-III to a red holographic style allowing for great accuracy and target acquisition. The integrated flashlight was unaffected.

Type-III EVA Variant

During the 2370s, Starfleet produced an additional variant of the type-III specifically designed for EVA missions. This rifle had unique features including, two pistol-like grips for ease of handling, no trigger guard to allow for use by personnel wearing EVA Suits , and magnetic areas allowing the rifle to be attached to a ship's hull.

This variant was later removed from service by Starfleet ; however, due to its popularity among officers, there were still many units available in the field. Before the acquisition of the Accipiter rifles Ryuan Sel , the Mistress-of-Arms of the USS Theurgy was known to prefer this weapon.

Phaser Rifle Evolution

All handheld Phasers used a common scale to denote the power output of the weapon, however, not all phasers could achieve the highest settings. Type-I Phasers were only able to reach settings 1-8, whereas type-II and type-III are able to make use of all sixteen.

Vessel-mounted Energy Weaponry

Directed energy weapons projected bolts or beams of focused energy or energized particles at a target. These weapons were commonplace, with most cultures having some form or another of directed energy weapon as the typical armament of their spacecraft, and they drew upon the abundant energy that starships generated. Energy weapons were composed of a type and a delivery method. Federation starships rarely used any other kind of directed energy weaponry than phasers. The delivery method of a phaser described how the emitters were arranged, and how the weapon was set-up to fire.

Cannons were close range, rapid-firing weapons that projected pulses or bolts of energy rather than consistent beams. These were inaccurate at longer ranges, but the volley of quick pulses could be devastating. Banks were a collection of emitters used early on by Starfleet , designed to fire in unison. They produced a focused beam of energy that could inflict considerable damage. Arrays were a more advanced technology, with long strips of linked emitters that shared a power feed, allowing the ship to fire from any point along the strip. This allowed the ship to fire in multiple directions at once, or to adjust and fire on moving targets repeatedly in quick succession.

Originally, starships used phaser banks. Each bank contained one or more phaser emitters from which the beam energy was released. These systems shared common power sources and targeting systems. In the 2270s, phaser power systems of Federation starships were redesigned to channel power directly from the warp core, thereby increasing the power output of phaser banks.

By the 24 th century, the number of emitters in each bank had been increased to the point where they were laid out in long strips called phaser arrays. The arrays aboard a Galaxy-class starship could channel vast energy in a short time frame, capable of cutting through a mile of solid granite in seconds. Starship-mounted phasers were normally set to fire steady streams of phaser energies that would travel along the emitter strip and converge at the best position for targeting. Following the Battle of Wolf-359, Starfleet Engineers were also able to reconfigure the emitters in a different layout that allowed the phaser bank to rapid-fire as phaser cannons.

In addition to the powerful settings, the ship's phasers also had a stun setting that could be used to render lifeforms unconscious when fired at a planetary surface from orbit. It was also possible to configure starship phasers to also fire energy beams for power transfer.

There were many different type-of phasers mounted to starships. As new phaser technology became available, it was placed onto the ships being built at the time. Below are a few examples of phaser types mounted to various ship at the time of their initial construction.

Type-IV Phaser Bank

The smallest phaser bank currently deployed in the Federation , the Type-IV was markedly superior to the Type-III phaser rifle, providing more power, range, accuracy and adaptability. As such, it had been the workhorse of Starfleet 's auxiliary craft fleet for decades, as well as being mounted on a number of ground based vehicles. Only by 2381 is it being replaced by the Type-V array, a weapon of comparable simplicity but greater ability. It was not a very strong offensive measure but was capable of warding a small craft from many natural threats, such as asteroids and debris, and similar sized craft. Type-6 Shuttlecraft were known to operate with Type-IV Phasers.

Type-V Phaser Bank

A phaser bank generally found on small but high-powered Starfleet shuttlecraft, the Type-V was generally considered to be the next feasible replacement for the Type-IV array found on several thousand shuttles throughout the Federation . While not as powerful as the Type-VI or Type-VII, what it lacked in strength and longevity was more than made up for in its simplicity. Indeed, it rivalled even the modern Type-IV variant commonly found on shuttlecraft for ease of construction, maintenance and repair.

Type-VI Phaser Bank

The second largest bank used on small craft such as runabouts, the Type-VI phaser bank was undeniably more powerful than its more dimunitive counterparts, with faster recharge rates, ranges and, of course, offensive capabilities, but lacked several of the advantageous maintenance and power factors found in its Type-VII fellow. Most remarkably, the Type-VI's increase in power over its smaller counterparts was less than the equivalent difference between it and the Type-VII, a characteristic explained by the (then) advanced techniques used in its construction and new methods of energy dissipation.

The Type-VI was not as commonly found as any of its counterparts, primarily due to the detailed work required in constructing it and the real but admittedly barely significant advantage in tactical situations it provided over the Type-V. It had, however, been found to be a suitable armament for some shuttlecraft, its intricate composition easily adaptable to some shuttles' requirements.

Type-VII Phaser Array

The largest emitter used on small craft such as runabouts and light escorts, the Type-VII phaser array was considerably more powerful than its more dimunitive counterparts, with faster recharge rates, ranges and, of course, offensive capabilities.

Recent advances in technology had allowed Starfleet to decrease the overall size of the Type-VII, thereby allowing it to be employed on vessels previously considered to be much too small to cope with the necessary machinery. As such, the Type-VII was markedly superior to the Type-VI phaser array but, due to practical issues, fell a bit short of the standard Type-VIII arrays being deployed on starships as of 2381.

Type-VIII Phaser Array

The Type-VIII was the phaser armament of choice for most of Starfleet 's small-to medium-sized ships. While varying degrees of power and capabilities could be found from class to class - even from ship to ship - the general Type-VIII operating principles remained the same and any deviations in any regard were usually negligible. This phaser type-provided excellent offensive and defensive capabilities for many ship classes that, due to their size, required significant quantities of internal volume for other operations which would otherwise be consumed by larger phaser weaponry.

Originally these weapons were installed in phaser banks aboard ships like the Excelsior-class and Constellation-class. Ships equipped with them as of 2381 were set in the standard array package. The only fighters that held dedicated Type-VIII phaser emitters were the AC-477 Mk I Valravn fighters, and those emitters were prototype-technology as of 2381, mounted on only twenty constructed fighters. On these fighters, the warp drive plasma conduit ran through the primary phaser coupling to double the power of the beams. It is as of yet unknown how the emitters would last in a prolonged engagement.

Type-IX Phaser Array

This was the armament of choice for many of Starfleet 's larger vessels and some of its medium-sized but patrol/combat-oriented craft. While bulkier and more complicated than its Type-VIII counterpart, the Type-IX provided excellent firepower with an impressive rate of fire that could only be bettered by Type-X, Type-XII or Type-U weapons.

Recent advances in weapons technology had allowed Starfleet to reduce the operating size for the Type-IX's components, allowing for this array to be employed as the new phaser weaponry of even refitted 23rd century starships.

Type-X Phaser Array

Until the development of the Type-XII, the Type-X was the heaviest weapon in use aboard Federation vessels, comprising the main armament of the Galaxy class starship. The Type-X had since seen its incorporation into other ship classes, providing significant firepower to some of Starfleet 's largest vessels. Galaxy and Intrepid-class vessels were originally fitted with Type-X Phasers.

Type-XI Phaser Array

Type-XI phaser was used normally for planetary defense. The emitters were designed to minimize atmospheric blooming of the beam. The phaser emitters in the carriages, embedded into the habitat ring of Deep Space 9 , were of this type, modified for use in space.

Type-XII Phaser Array

Previously designated as the 'Type-X+' for security reasons, the Type-XII phaser has been used in dedicated planetary defence arrays and as the main armament of heavy fortified starbases since 2363. It was considered that the Type-XII was unsuitable for use on a starship because the power requirements were too high and the support systems too bulky. However, by 2368 technical improvements had allowed for considerable shrinkage in the size of the equipment, and ship power systems had become capable of supporting the weapon. The main phaser armament of the new Sovereign-class starship therefore comprised Type-XII phaser arrays, as did the armament of the Prometheus -class. These are the most powerful phaser beam emitters currently in use by the Federation , the pulse phaser variant not withstanding.

Type-XII Pulse Phaser Array

This was the kind of phaser arrays that the USS Theurgy had installed, where there were two firing options available. Either beam emission or phaser pulse, depending on the situation. See Type-U below for more info on the pulse phaser kind of setting.

Type-U Pulse Phaser Cannon

A relatively new development in phaser technology , the Type-U pulse phaser was the most combat-focused development of the phaser to date. It combined large, nearly flawless emitter crystals with rapid-discharge EPS banks and high-speed beam focusing coils. The system allowed the charge to be stored in the coils for a few nanoseconds, then released it as a layered pulse. Due to its nature, shields and armour had a harder time dispersing the pulse, resulting in more damage to the target. Pulse phasers were first deployed on the USS Defiant , where they managed to cause significant damage to Jem'Hadar fighters in a short space of time.

Type-U+ Pulse Phaser Cannon

This weapon worked on the same principles as the Type-U but at a much smaller scale as well as 40 % of the yield. It was an armament commonly found on the Federation 's fleet of fighters and a number of auxiliary craft. The first iteration of the U+ could be seen on either side of the AC-307 Mk II Valkyrie fighter, but a second version was made to be wing-mounted on the AC-409 Mk III Valkyrie . It was the same technology in both versions of the U+ cannons, only on the Mk III , the entire weapon system was mounted on the wings instead of being inside the fuselage of the fighter (as it is in the Mk II ). Furthermore, while the technology was the same, as an upgrade from the Mk II , the warp drive plasma conduit ran through the primary phaser coupling to increase the power of the Mk III ’s phaser cannons, giving it 50 % yield compared to the Type-U.

There were pulse or beam firing options available. Bolts had a firing rate of 5 per second. The beam setting had lower yield but longer range.

Type-I Rawley Heavy Pulse Phaser Cannon

Like the AC-409 Mk III Valkyrie 's wing-mounted pulse phaser cannons, the first and only iteration of the heavy Rawley cannon was also wing-mounted, and it demanded that the warp drive plasma conduit ran through the primary phaser coupling. Unlike the Type-U+, the Rawley cannon had a tendency to overheat during prolonged engagements, instead made for quick strikes and a mandatory cool-down period between such strikes. The benefit was that its yield was higher than the Mk III 's phaser cannons, at the lower firing rate of 3 bolts per second. Their yield was approximately 60 % of the Type-U pulse phaser cannons.

The Rawley cannons did not have a beam firing option available, and they were mounted as standard armament on the AC-347 Knight-class Interceptor . After the refit of the SS Sabine NX-59846 , it also had two of these cannons mounted underneath its wings.

Disclaimer Notice

Some info on Vessel-mounted Phasers used with permission of USS Wolff CO - granted Jan 30, 2017

• Technical Specifications
• Starfleet Information

Starship phasers

Starship phasers are the primary weapons used by the Starfleet of the United Federation of Planets . They use the same operating principles as hand-phasers , but they are much more powerful.

• 1.1 Firepower Examples
• 3 Distribution

The phasers on a Galaxy -class starship can deliver at least a terawatt of power. Because phasers create chain reactions in their targets, the damage they inflict can be disproportionate to the energy delivered.

Firepower Examples

The range of starship phasers is difficult to determine, largely because examples tend to be contradictory. When seen on screen, hostile ships invariably close to within a few kilometers of each other before exchanging phaser fire.

Dialogue often suggests far greater ranges (as much as 300,000 km in TNG "The Wounded") but sometimes indicates much lower ranges (as little as 500 meters for optimum effect in DS9 "The Die is Cast").

From a practical standpoint, ships using lightspeed beam weapons against each other won't be able to engage while using faster-than-light propulsion systems unless the "warp field" generated by the attacker's engines either extends far enough to enclose the target or interacts with the target's own warp field to create a "free fire" path between the two ships.

The use of lightspeed weapons and sensors may also affect range, as sensor lag will reduce accuracy as range increases. If a target is a light-second away, it may have already moved a ship-length or more by the time the attacker receives the sensor data. The target could move another ship-length or more in the amount of time it takes a burst from the attacker's beam weapon to propagate to the target. The combination of sensor and weapon lag could easily cause a miss. The attacker could compensate by predicting the target's position, but evasive maneuvers would make such predictions unreliable. At shorter ranges, there simply won't be enough lag for a target to evade an attack.

Distribution

A Galaxy -class Federation starship primarily relies on two phaser arrays, a dorsal array atop the saucer section and a ventral array on the bottom of the saucer.

In one of the most ridiculed FX goofs in Star Trek history, the ship's phasers were once seen to emerge from the forward torpedo tube of the ship's drive section in TNG "Darmok".

• ST Starship Offense

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Star Trek: How Do Phasers Work?

How these standard issue multi tools of destruction are far more useful than they might seem.

In the world of Star Trek, there can be found a plethora of incredible science fiction technology. Innovations range from warp drives that bend space to allow faster-than-light travel , all the way to the replication of food and drink from light. But while many of these technologies are used primarily for science, exploration, or recreation, the standard issue Starfleet Phasers are creations of attack and defense. So how exactly do these laser beam firing devices work?

At first glance, these weapons seem fairly simple in their application. They can stun an opponent in defense, or on the rare occasion, kill. However, they are interesting as they are far more multipurpose than they appear. Over the years, they have become somewhat of a Starfleet officer's multi tool. They can not only incapacitate enemies, but the technology is also used for a variety of purposes. They are able to melt metals together, heat things up, and even create artwork: burning marks onto canvas with precision.

RELATED: Star Trek: How Does Holodeck Technology Work?

The Weapon Of Starfleet

In terms of their destructive power, as phasers are used mainly as weapons, they are capable of a wide variety of things. On a low setting, they can be used to stun. Depending on the exact level of power the user specifies, this can mean anything from throwing a person backwards to knocking them out completely. A mighty Klingon , for example would be able to withstand a much higher degree of power from a phaser than a human would.

The stun setting on a phaser seems to be an impressive piece of technology . Trained officers must fine tune them to create the desired effect, much like an officer of today knowing the degree of electrical charade to pulse through a taser. On a high setting, these tiny devices are capable of large scale destruction. They can be used to kill, but also completely disintegrate a person if the setting was put high enough, rendering them to Endgame style dust . In the shows, they are suggested to be able to destroy buildings. Commander Data showcases this in the Season 3 The Next Generation episode "Ensigns of Command," where he uses a phaser to destroy an aqueduct.

In addition to their ability to vary their potential destructive capabilities, phasers can also vary their precision. These pocket-sized devices use particles instead of the more traditional energy, or ‘laser beam’ technology. As such, they rely on wavelengths to produces their desired effect. These wavelengths can be altered by the user, much like how a disruptor or works, producing a wave that can affect either a small or large area. This allows the user to aim at very specific targets without affecting anything around it. Phasers are precise enough for a protagonist to cross the line and completely disintegrate a person, without harming those standing directly next to them.

The Creation & Philosophy Of The Phaser

The devices were created, like many other Star Trek technologies, at last minute and with little explanation of how they worked. Rather, the technical details were added as the show developed over time. This is no criticism of The Original Series , as many other shows at the time functioned similarly due to time or budget restrains. When the creators were first fleshing out the idea, the producers had the cast carry what were essentially tranquilizer b-b guns, which would shoot small sedative pellets. This quickly proved to be a terrible idea, as the pellets were stopped by even the most primitive of armor or even clothing. They required skin contact to work (or at least make sense), so the producers chose to make them lasers.

Laser weapons were not only visually interesting, but also made sense for the these futuristic explorers. The issue, however, was that a laser was just as lethal as a gun. Roddenberry wanted the show to highlight his utopian vision of a future that favors peace over violence ( despite Starfleet ultimately being the Federation's Military ). To resolve this, he created a laser that could vary its power. Like many things in Star Trek, there was no real science behind this, at least at the start. Writers later scrambled to try and explain how this could work. They came up with the idea of a particle known as a nadion, and the complex science behind the phasers was born. One technical manual within canon gives the following explanation, and even then the majority of it is technobabble with no further explanation:

‘The Phaser (or the Phased Energy Rectification) uses the Rapid Nadion Effect to transfer and liberate strong nuclear forces through a super-conducting crystal. After this, the energy then passes through a Kawamura-Franklin Circuit, which then monopolarically phases it.’

Phasers have become a staple of the show ever since their introduction. They are both a device of violence, as well as a symbol of a more peaceful future for humanity . While soldiers of today are given guns whose only purpose is to kill, a phaser is a much better alternative. It is able to kill only when necessary, while also providing non-lethal means to incapacitate a foe. It is used as a form of defense, rather than offense. While the technical mechanics of the device have never been fleshed out (and seem to vary from show to show) their core message is a good one. There are always alternatives to killing, something Star Trek holds as one of its core messages.

MORE: Star Trek: Who Was Lwaxana Troi?

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Type 2 phaser

The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 used hand phasers [1] during an attempt to rescue Captain Christopher Pike from the Talosians in 2254 . Phasers could be set to overload, causing an explosion. [2] In the 2260s, Type 1 phasers (sometimes called "Phaser 1") could be attached to a larger mounting frame that increased its capabilities, turning the unit into a Type 2 phaser (aka "Phaser 2"). On Stardate 1672.1 , Lieutenant Sulu used a phaser to heat rocks in order to provide warmth in the subzero temperatures of planet Alfa 177 . [3]

Image Gallery

Hand Phaser ( 2254 ) ( TOS 01 )

Hand Phaser ( TOS 06 )

Type 2 Hand Phaser ( SD   1207.3 ) ( DSC 01 )

Type 2 Hand Phaser ( SD   1207.3 ) ( DSC 02 )

Type 2 Hand Phaser ( SD   1672.1 ) ( TOS 05 )

Type 2 Hand Phaser ( SD   1513.1 ) ( TOS 06 )

Type 2 Hand Phaser ( TOS 07 )

Type 2 Hand Phaser ( TOS 15 )

Notes and References

• ↑ Although the script and dialogue for "The Cage" referred to the energy weapons as "lasers," this was changed retroactively to "phasers" when the series went into production, as the properties of lasers were already a known quantity in the real world, and the writers and production team did not want to restrict future stories. The design of the "lasers" from The Cage was echoed in Star Trek: Discovery , where the weapons were referred to as phasers, reinforcing this retcon .
• ↑ Roddenberry, Gene (Executive Producer). "The Cage" . Star Trek , season 0, episode 0 (Production number 01). Directed by Robert Butler . Written by Gene Roddenberry . Released 1986 . Desilu Productions . 1965 .
• ↑ Roddenberry, Gene (Executive Producer). "The Enemy Within" . Star Trek , season 1, episode 5 (Production number 05). Directed by Leo Penn . Written by Richard Matheson . Desilu Productions . 6 October 1966 .
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TOS Type 2 Phaser Weapon Power

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Instructions for Making a Star Trek Phaser

If you’re curious about the nuts and bolts behind the phaser construction from this week’s episode of The Escapist Show , you’ve come to the right place. Here you’ll find a list of all the materials you’ll need for the project, as well as step-by-step instructions. Please remember to follow all necessary safety precautions and don’t use your phaser to rob a bank, or anything.

Let’s start with a list of the items you’ll need.

• Star Trek toy phaser (www.thinkgeek.com)
• Laser diode module (www.laserdiy.com)
• Laser driver circuit (www.laserdiy.com)
• 4Ω(Ohm) resistor (www.laserdiy.com, www.digikey.com)
• Single channel optoisolator (www.sparkfun.com , www.digikey.com)
• 3v coin cell battery w/ holder (Radio Shack #2032)
• Soldering iron with temperature control
• Screwdrivers
• Wire strippers/cutters
• Sturdy razor or utility knife
• Non-conductive glue (cyanoacrylate recommended)

Safety Equipment:

• Safety glasses, for use with power tools
• Safety goggles, for use with lasers (must block the specific frequency of your laser, and should cover your peripheral vision, too) (Note: I used welding goggles with a special plate. They function both as safety glasses, and very effective laser protection.)

Now that you’ve got the equipment you’ll need, let’s move on to the actual construction.

First Step: Deconstruction

The toy phaser is built to be very sturdy, and it can be a challenge to take apart. The type 1 phaser is detachable, so take it off before using any tools.

Start at the front end, where the “focusing ring” is. There’s a piece holding it in that you’ll have to break. Using a razor blade or utility knife, carefully score the part along the seam. Use a thin screwdriver or other small tool to break it into two pieces. Remove it along with the “focusing ring.”

The bottom portion of the handgrip and rear detail piece are held in place by friction – gently rock them back and forth to remove. There are three small Phillips head screws holding the phaser together, that can be hard to get out without a thin screwdriver. With the screws removed, gently separate the two halves of the phaser.

Watch for springs and small parts, and take note of the mechanical portion of the phaser’s innards. Remove all the mechanical parts, so they won’t be easily lost. Desolder and remove the red LED that comes with the toy – make something else with it.

Step 2: Electronics

You may have noticed two spring-loaded prongs that connect the type 1 phaser to the type 2. Use the multimeter to figure out the polarity of these prongs. Never trust wire color – red isn’t always positive, and black isn’t always negative. Connect these to the input side of the optoisolator, according to the wiring diagram.

For a bigger version of the diagram, click here.

Warning: Due to the potential dangers of lasers at any power range, it is your responsibility to follow all regulations and safeguards required by your local, state, and national government. You assume full responsibility for any face melting or acts of stupidity involving lasers.

The laser module is a delicate device. I constructed mine from its constituent parts, and managed to screw up the lens. Get it pre-built by someone who deals with lasers every day. Connect the positive lead to a 4Ω resistor. This protects the laser diode, so you should never bypass it. Laser diodes don’t work the same way LEDs do – you can’t just hook it up to a battery and expect it to work for very long, if at all. This is why you need a laser driver; it takes the power from your battery and makes it usable to the laser diode in your module.

Since you have an inline resistor, it is safe to bypass the potentiometer on the board. Connect the negative lead directly to the switch, and the positive lead to the pad on the other side of the driver circuit board.

Put on your laser-safe glasses, and hook up a 3v source to the driver circuit (the spring is negative.) You can use the button on the driver board to test your laser module. Be careful – it’s just a quick test of your circuit!

When you’re sure the laser circuit is functioning, it’s time to connect it to the output of the optoisolator.

Connect the chip to the contacts on the switch – the side next to the spring is negative. Finally, connect the coin cell battery to the power driver, remembering that the spring is negative.

Step 3: Making Everything Fit (aka The Tricky Part)

There isn’t a lot of room inside the phaser. Since all the mechanical parts still have to work, it’s going to be a tight fit. Start with the laser module – use a dremel with a grinder to make a cavity.

The cylinder shape is pretty much the exact size of the laser module, and makes quick work out of plastic. Clean up the edges, and make sure the module fits. Glue it in place on one half of the phaser.

While you have the glue out, start gluing down the mess of wires, and the battery holder.

Make sure you don’t have any short circuits along the way. You can glue down the laser driver circuit if you like, but I won’t recommend it. It’s much easier to remove and replace if something breaks, and the driver is a good spot to start troubleshooting. Once everything is in place, replace all the mechanical parts.

There’s a couple of springs that can get frustrating – just be patient, and it will all come together. Once the two halves of the phaser toy are back together, replace the screws, and reattach the type 1 phaser. You now have a working (hopefully burning) phaser!

If you like things pretty, or somehow lost the thrill of burning things with light, you can glue the broken piece from Step 1 and replace it. Just remember that once you do that, you’ll have to break it again when it comes time to change the battery.

Voila! Your very own outer space peacemaker.

Phase cannon

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Phase cannons being deployed

Phase cannons firing

A phase cannon was a phase-modulated directed energy cannon weapon , a type of particle weapon which served as a successor to plasma cannons and as a precursor to the phaser of the 23rd and 24th centuries . The prototypes of ship-mounted phase cannons were first introduced by Starfleet in the mid- 22nd century , designed as the primary defense of NX-class starships and serving as a supplement for the lacking spatial torpedoes of the time. The first NX-class vessel to test and actively use phase cannons in battle was Enterprise NX-01 .

• 2.1 Initial test and early use
• 2.2 New protocols
• 2.3 Later uses and applications
• 2.4 The Expanse
• 3 Alternate timelines
• 4 Background information

Specifications [ ]

Phase cannon schematics

Designed as a starship-based version of the hand-held phase-pistol , the phase cannon was rated for a maximum power output of 500 gigajoules . The cannons of NX-class starships were mounted on retractable turrets which extended from the ship's hull when deployed and rotated as they were being targeted. Like phase-pistols, phase cannons emitted a concentrated beam of energy that could be set at different yields. ( ENT : " Silent Enemy ")

Aboard an NX-class vessel, the assembly was located on F Deck and could be accessed through a hatch within the armory . Instead of drawing power from the EPS grid , as they were designed, armory officer Lieutenant Malcolm Reed tied the turret relays directly into the impulse engines to increase their yield by eighty percent. Inverters were installed to cut in at the first sign of an overload. ( ENT : " Silent Enemy ", " Horizon ") These phase cannon assemblies were equipped with multiphasic emitters and could produce a beam with the maximum yield of 500 gigajoules. ( ENT : " Silent Enemy ") Later it was indicated that they could only emit 80 gigajoules.( ENT : " Cogenitor ") The cannons could also be overloaded by many times their normal maximum output, though this could cause significant feedback damage.

Reed and Tucker examine the phase cannon assembly

When initially installed on the first NX-class vessel in 2151 , the phase cannons were located on the ventral side of the ship. Two were placed at the bow of the vessel, while one was placed at the aft on the ship's starboard side. ( ENT : " Silent Enemy ", " Fallen Hero ") By 2152 the first vessel of this class, the Enterprise NX-01, was outfitted to hold at least four cannons on the dorsal saucer section ; two at the bow and two closer to the stern , with one on each of the catamaran-like sections. ( ENT : " Shockwave, Part II ", " Singularity ") An additional ventral aft cannon was added on the port section of the NX-class some time after the first cannons' installation. ( ENT : " Future Tense ", " Similitude ") Two more cannons were installed on the ventral part of the saucer section, only closer to the bow than the first cannons. ( ENT : " Bounty ", " Storm Front, Part II ") Yet two more pairs of cannons were added to the dorsal and ventral side of the nacelle pylons , near the impulse rockets , some time prior to 2154 . ( ENT : " E² ", " The Aenar ")

Enterprise fires its aft cannon

Phase cannons were generally more powerful than spatial torpedoes and were therefore more effective in a firefight. Initially, Enterprise 's phase cannons could not be fired while the vessel was at warp , as doing so would cause the weapon's particle discharge to destabilize the ship's warp field . This, in turn, would result in serious damage to both of the ship's warp nacelles , and could possibly even destroy them. ( ENT : " Fallen Hero ") By 2152, Enterprise armory officer Malcolm Reed had corrected this problem as the ship was able to fire its phase cannons at warp while it was pursued by a Suliban fleet. ( ENT : " Shockwave, Part II ") Phase cannons took some time to charge when manually activated. This issue was resolved with the implementation of Reed's tactical alert , which brought the weapons automatically online after the alert was given. ( ENT : " Singularity ")

Despite their power, phase cannons were sometimes unable to penetrate the defenses of other alien vessels. Not only did they prove relatively powerless against the shields of the first vessel they were used against, but it would have also taken a sustained beam to punch through the hull of a D5-class battle cruiser . That was assuming, of course, that the battle cruiser remained still long enough, which was unlikely. ( ENT : " Judgment ", " Silent Enemy ") Likewise, the cannons could be easily taken out with a single photon torpedo shot from a Klingon Bird-of-Prey . ( ENT : " The Expanse ") Because of this, Klingons regarded the cannons, which they identified as "low-yield particle cannons", to be of little threat. ( ENT : " Judgment ")

History [ ]

Initial test and early use [ ].

The first phase cannon test…

…and the explosive results

Enterprise was originally designed to carry three phase cannons. However, due to Enterprise 's premature launch in 2151, Jupiter Station did not get the chance to install the cannons, though Enterprise was given one of the prototypes. On August 30 th , 2151, Malcolm Reed and Trip Tucker were given the job of installing the prototype, as well as building two more from scratch. Leading the Engineering team, they were able to accomplish the installation – two forward cannons, one aft – in 48 hours, a job that would have taken the armory team at Jupiter Station at least a week.

The initial test of Enterprise 's phase cannons was conducted on September 1 st , on an lifeless moon . The first shot was only to have "shaved" a few meters off the top of a mountain peak equivalent to Mount McKinley , but the blast was so powerful that it formed a new crater on the surface. The resulting overload of the phase modulators caused a plasma recoil that blew out relays across decks C and D. Following this, it was determined that the blast yield of the shot was ten times what was expected. It was then that the crew realized that the cannons had been manipulated by a mysterious alien race.

When the alien beings attacked Enterprise , the cannons proved ineffective against the alien vessel's shielding. Reed and Tucker then caused another overload, this time intentionally, while repolarizing the gravity plating to absorb the plasma recoil and shunt the resultant energy to strengthen structural integrity . The resulting overload again increased the cannon's blast yield, which disabled the aliens' shields and allowed Enterprise to gain the upper hand. ( ENT : " Silent Enemy ")

In February of the following year, Enterprise used its aft phase cannon to disable the shields and engines of a Mazarite ship, although Enterprise had to drop to impulse to do so. Travis Mayweather recounted this incident to his brother, Paul , in January of 2153 . ( ENT : " Fallen Hero ", " Horizon ")

Shortly thereafter, the forward cannons were used to disable a cloaked Suliban vessel hidden within a binary star system . While an assault team was on the ship acquiring information, the cannons were again used on the Suliban ship to collapse a corridor containing several Suliban, clearing the way for the assault team to escape. ( ENT : " Shockwave ")

Later, while escaping the Suliban helix , Enterprise used its aft cannon on the pursuing Suliban cell ships while at warp speed. The cannons destroyed at least one of the ships. ( ENT : " Shockwave, Part II ")

New protocols [ ]

Phase cannons fire on an asteroid

In August of 2152, Reed proposed new tactical protocols that would increase the efficiency of Enterprise 's weapons, including the phase cannons. While under the influence of radiation emitted from a nearby singularity , Reed implemented the new protocols without Captain Archer 's permission.

Later, with the rest of the crew having succumbed to the radiation, Archer and T'Pol attempted to navigate Enterprise away from the singularity as quickly as possible by piloting the starship through a field of debris. When the need arose to use weapons against a large meteoroid that was in the ship's path, T'Pol worried that the phase cannons could not be charged in time. However, when a smaller piece of the meteoroid collided with the ship, Reed's tactical protocols initiated and the phase cannons were automatically brought online. T'Pol then used the cannons to destroy the remaining meteoroids, allowing Enterprise to safely escape the singularity. Following this incident, Reed's new security protocols were made standard procedure. ( ENT : " Singularity ", " Cease Fire ")

Later uses and applications [ ]

The following month, the cannons were used in an attempt to disable the engines of a Retellian freighter which had captured Commander Tucker. Although the cannons appeared to disable the freighter's port warp nacelle, it was merely a ruse by the freighter's pilot, Goff , to disable Enterprise 's own warp engines. ( ENT : " Precious Cargo ") Later, Commander Tucker threatened to use Enterprise 's cannons on Vulcan and Andorian vessels if they attempted to enter orbit of Weytahn . ( ENT : " Cease Fire ") Not long afterwards, a vessel crewed by noncorporeal beings were able to take Enterprise 's cannons off-line and capture the ship, although Enterprise ultimately escaped. ( ENT : " The Crossing ")

The ship's aft phase cannons were later used in defense against a group of Suliban cell ships which were pursuing Enterprise in an attempt to capture the Earth vessel in the ship's launch bay . The cannons destroyed at least one cell ship; several Tholian ships took care of the rest. ( ENT : " Future Tense ")

The cannons were later used in battle against a Klingon Bird-of-Prey commanded by Duras , although they did negligible damage. ( ENT : " Judgment ") In March of 2153 , the cannons were used to disable the weapons of Arctic One , which had been taken over by the Borg . Later, after several spatial torpedoes were used to weaken Arctic One , a single, final shot from a phase cannon destroyed the transport . ( ENT : " Regeneration ") Later that same month, the cannons were used to destroy a decoy device which was generating a false Tellarite warp signature and preventing Enterprise from locating the Tellarite ship which had captured Captain Archer. ( ENT : " Bounty ")

By 2153, phase cannons were installed on several other classes of Starfleet vessels as well, including Intrepid -type and another type of starships. ( ENT : " The Expanse ")

The Expanse [ ]

Phase cannons proved to be vital part of Enterprise 's weapons complement during the starship's search for the Xindi weapon in the Delphic Expanse . ( ENT Season 3 )

During the Xindi incident , a phase cannon emitter aboard Shuttlepod 1 was used to destroy the locking mechanism of a Delphic Expanse sphere so the vehicle could gain entrance. Later, Enterprise fired its cannons at the sphere to lure an Osaarian pirate ship into close vicinity of Enterprise so Hoshi Sato could download information on the Xindi from the pirate ship's computer banks. Although the first attempt using a single, minimum yield blast from one cannon did not succeed, a second blast using both cannons destroyed the sphere's portal and got the Osaarians to attack Enterprise , allowing Sato to successfully download the information they needed. ( ENT : " Anomaly (ENT) ") The cannons were later used against two Xindi-Reptilian vessels who were attempting to retrieve their spy, Rajiin , from Enterprise . ( ENT : " Rajiin ")

Phase cannons used on particles covering the ship's hull

Several months later, when Enterprise entered a polaric field and its hull was bombarded with nucleonic particles , the aft cannons were redirected towards the back end of the hull and used to blast away the particulates which had accumulated on the ship's launch bay doors. This allowed for the launch of the ship's shuttlepods , which were then used to tow Enterprise a small distance, giving the larger vessel a strong enough momentum to clear the polaric field. ( ENT : " Similitude ")

The cannons were later used to quell attacking Triannon ships who were defending themselves against Enterprise while the starship was under the control of D'Jamat and his religious sect. After Archer reclaimed command of Enterprise , he had the cannons powered down to prove the starship was no longer a threat. ( ENT : " Chosen Realm ")

As Enterprise pressed forward into the Delphic Expanse in search of the Xindi weapon , the ship came into contact with a number of debilitating spatial anomalies . One severe encounter in December of 2153 disabled all of the ship's weapons, including the phase cannons. Fortunately, the Andorian warship Kumari , under the command of Shran , was nearby to lend assistance. Shran assigned his tactical officer , Lieutenant Talas , to assist Lieutenant Reed in repairing the weapons. With Talas's help, the phase cannons were not only operational within a short period of time, but were also working at 94% efficiency. This was an improvement, as Reed was never able to exceed 93% efficiency from the cannons. Soon after the phase cannons were brought back on-line, they were used to disable two Xindi-Reptilian vessels, allowing the Kumari to seize the prototype of the Xindi weapon. ( ENT : " Proving Ground ")

Shortly afterwards, the cannons were again used to disable another Xindi vessel, this time belonging to the Xindi-Primate Degra . He and his crew were then captured in order to gain information on the whereabouts of the Xindi weapon. ( ENT : " Stratagem ") The following month, the cannons were again used in an attempt to disable the engines of a Xindi-Insectoid vessel, but they proved ineffective. ( ENT : " Hatchery ")

Enterprise suffered severe damage following a battle with Xindi-Reptilian and Xindi-Insectoid vessels near the red giant , Azati Prime , resulting in the loss of the ship's weapons, including phase cannons. Following their repair, the cannons were used against an Illyrian starship while an Enterprise boarding party stole the alien ship's primary warp coil . During the assault, T'Pol had Reed adjust the cannons to a narrow confinement beam and disable the Illyrian ship's power junction, allowing the boarding party to remove the warp coil and transport it and the party back to Enterprise . ( ENT : " Azati Prime ", " Damage ") Nonetheless, at least two of the front cannons were not operational until two days after the Xindi attack. ( ENT : " The Forgotten ")

Phase cannons strike the Xindi weapon

Later, the cannons were deployed as defense against a group Kovaalan ships within a nebula . Disturbance from the nebula interfered with the cannons' targeting scanners, making it necessary for its target to be within close range. ( ENT : " E² ") Soon after, Enterprise participated in a major battle in which the starship's phase cannons were used against Xindi-Insectoid and Reptilian vessels as they escorted the weapon away from the Xindi Council planet . At least one Insectoid ship was damaged after being struck by a phase cannon beam. ( ENT : " The Council ") A short time later, Enterprise 's original forward phase cannons (coupled with photonic torpedoes ) were used in an attempt to destroy the Xindi weapon before it could be launched against Earth. Again, at least one Xindi-Insectoid ship was destroyed by the phase cannons during this battle. Also during the battle, phase cannons were used in defense against the lead Reptilian ship while a team of MACOs infiltrated the ship to rescue Ensign Sato. ( ENT : " Countdown ")

By the time Enterprise had completed its mission in the Expanse and returned to Earth in 2154 , Starfleet, upon the recommendation of Captain Archer, had developed pulsed phase cannons . These advanced phase cannons were installed aboard the Columbia NX-02 . ( ENT : " Home ")

During the Augment Crisis of May 2154, Captain Archer was trapped within the central core of Cold Station 12 , where he was in danger of being infected with the thousands of deadly pathogens stored there. With interference from the core preventing his transport , Enterprise 's phase cannons were used to open the core's outer hatch, decompressing the core and blowing Archer into space. After being exposed to the vacuum of space for only an instant, Archer was transported back to the safety of Enterprise .

Klingon Bird-of-Prey struck by a phase cannon

Later, Enterprise was able to stop the Augments from using pathogens stolen from the station to infect a Klingon colony . In retaliation, the Augments – aboard a stolen Klingon Bird-of-Prey – attacked Enterprise , disabling all weapons save for the ship's aft cannon, which was then used to destroy the Klingon ship's main plasma junction and disable the vessel. ( ENT : " The Augments ")

Enterprise later employed the cannons against a fleet of Vulcan warships which attacked the Starfleet vessel to drive it away from their planet , as per orders from Administrator V'Las . However, Enterprise proved to be no match for the Vulcans and was forced to retreat. ( ENT : " Awakening ") A short time later, the cannons were again used against the Vulcans to defend Andorian ships during a skirmish near Regulus , but the weapons were unable to penetrate the Vulcan ships' shields. ( ENT : " Kir'Shara ")

In November of that year, Enterprise used the cannons in an attempt to disable what appeared to be an Andorian warship which had attacked them without provocation. The cannons proved ineffective against the Andorian ship's shields, and even after Commander Shran supplied Enterprise with the coordinates for the attacking vessel's shield generator , the shields remained intact. The attacking vessel was ultimately forced to withdraw due to a fluctuation in its power grid, and it was later discovered that it was actually a drone ship controlled by the Romulans and capable of disguising itself as other vessels using holographic technology . ( ENT : " Babel One ")

The drone ship was able to simulate phase cannon fire using tri-phasic emitters , as evidenced by its attack on a Rigelian scoutship while disguising itself as Enterprise . Later, the real Enterprise intercepted the drone ship a second time, using phase cannons to disable its holographic emitters. Without its camouflage, however, the drone ship proved far too maneuverable for Enterprise to lock onto it in order to disable the drone's weapons. This forced the Starfleet vessel to shut down its own weapons and divert power to its hull plating . ( ENT : " United ") Enterprise later employed phase cannons when facing off against two drone ships, but it was only through the assistance of Jhamel and the sacrifice of Gareb , two Aenar , that the drone ships were destroyed. ( ENT : " The Aenar ")

Later that month, Enterprise fired phase cannons at a Klingon Bird-of-Prey which had attacked the Starfleet vessel near the wreckage of a Rigelian freighter , but they were unable to prevent a Klingon boarding party from transporting aboard Enterprise and sabotaging its warp matrix . ( ENT : " Affliction ")

Both Enterprise and Columbia used their phase cannons against three Klingon battle cruisers that were attempting to eradicate Qu'Vat Colony . Although Columbia managed to disable one of the Klingon ships, the cannons for the most part were ineffective against the battle cruiser's shields. Retaliation from the Klingons resulted in the loss of Columbia 's weapons and Enterprise 's aft phase cannons. Ultimately, however, a peaceful resolution was found and the colony was spared. ( ENT : " Divergence ")

In December 2154, Captain Archer, while under the influence of pheromones secreted by the three Orion slave girls aboard Enterprise , ordered Reed to fire the phase cannons at an attacking science vessel despite the fact that it was of no threat to Enterprise due to its low-yield weaponry. Because a single phase cannon hit would destroy the vessel, Reed refused to follow Archer's orders. Archer began to aim the cannons himself, but, as T'Pol had predicted, the science vessel ceased its attack and moved off. ( ENT : " Bound ")

In 2256 , the USS Shenzhou was known to have been armed with phase cannons. First officer Michael Burnham suggested they be targeted at an unknown object of possible Klingon origin as a way of luring the Klingons out from hiding. ( DIS : " The Vulcan Hello ")

Alternate timelines [ ]

The two ventral bow cannons hit a Stuka

In 1944 of an alternate timeline in which Earth's history had been altered as a result of the Temporal Cold War , Enterprise 's original forward phase cannons were used in an attempt to prevent Shuttlepod 1 , which had been hijacked by Silik , from reaching Earth. The cannons managed to damage the pod, but it was able to land on Earth nonetheless. ( ENT : " Storm Front ") Soon after, the cannons were used to subdue a squadron of Stukas , allowing Enterprise to destroy the facility housing the Na'kuhl and their temporal conduit and returning the timeline to normal. ( ENT : " Storm Front, Part II ")

In 2154, an Enterprise from an alternate timeline carried the same complement of weapons as Enterprise of 2154, despite the former vessel having been in existence for 120 years. Thus, the alternate Enterprise continued to use phase cannons, although they now fired a blue beam of energy rather than an orange beam. ( ENT : " E² ")

In an alternate timeline in which Earth was destroyed by the Xindi weapon, phase cannons were still a Starfleet vessel's primary line of defense in 2165 . In that year, Enterprise 's cannons were used to knock out the engines of a Yridian ship. Later, Enterprise and the remaining Starfleet vessels used phase cannons against invading Xindi-Reptilian and Insectoid warships. Enterprise 's cannons were disabled in the attack. ( ENT : " Twilight ")

Background information [ ]

Phase cannons were introduced in " Silent Enemy ", twelve episodes into Star Trek: Enterprise 's first season . Prior to this, Enterprise utilized plasma cannons (seen only once, in " Broken Bow "). The phase cannons were designed as an early version of the ship-mounted phaser technology seen on Star Trek: The Original Series , the Star Trek: The Next Generation -era series, and the Star Trek films .

There is much confusion as to exactly how many phase cannons were installed aboard Enterprise during the course of the series. In "Silent Enemy", it was specifically stated that Enterprise had been designed to carry three cannons. The ports for these cannons were located on the ventral (bottom) part of the ship, with two at the bow and one at the aft (the latter seen in " Fallen Hero "). One of the cannons initially installed was a prototype built by Starfleet engineers; the other two were built from scratch by Tucker and Reed. However, in " Shockwave, Part II " (the opening episode for season two ), phase cannon-like beams were fired from several areas on the dorsal (top) section of the ship. These weapons were later specifically referred to as phase cannons in " Singularity ". This would seem to imply that at least two more cannons were built from scratch and Enterprise refitted to carry them.

Phase cannons were also seen being fired from the very front of the bottom part of the saucer section near the end of season two. There were also cannons seen fired from ship's warp nacelle pylons during season three , but whether these were also made from scratch or whether they were installed during the ship's refit in preparation to search for the Xindi weapon is not clear.

There is a possibility that some of the phase cannons seen fired were the result of special effects errors. Another possibility is that some of the energy beams seen were actually the plasma cannons which Enterprise had utilized prior to the installation of the phase cannons, although the effect used was the sustained, orange beam associated with the phase cannon as opposed to the short, red bursts seen used by the plasma cannon. For this reason and those listed above, and because most were specified as being phase cannons, we must assume that all these energy effects shown were meant to be phase cannons. Then again, the shuttlepods had similar effects for their weapons, but these were specifically referred to as plasma cannons in " Awakening ".

Complicating matters, however, is Reed's line in " The Expanse " (the last episode of the second season) stating that a shot from a Klingon vessel had taken out "both forward phase cannons", after which the ship must go straight to firing torpedoes. Then there is T'Pol's line in " The Forgotten " (a third season episode) in which she states that Reed had been able to bring "both forward phase cannons online". These lines of dialogue suggest (although they do not confirm) that the ship still only had two phase cannons at the front of the ship; this, however, contradicts what was seen in previous episodes. Further complicating things is Reed's line in " The Augments " (a season four episode) in which he states "the aft cannon [is] online, but just barely". Again, this indicates the ship still only had one aft cannon as in the beginning despite visual evidence to the contrary. It also contradicts dialogue from later episodes (specifically " Divergence " and " Bound "), in which Reed uses the plural form for the aft cannons, proving the ship does indeed have more than one aft cannon. Also, rotating phase cannons are clearly seen on the far bow of the ship's ventral (in front of the originally-installed forward cannons) in " Storm Front, Part II ", although it can be assumed that they were installed sometime between "The Forgotten" (when there were apparently only two forward cannons) and " Storm Front ".

The last reference to the ship's phase cannons occurred in " Bound ", set in 2154. It is unclear whether or not the cannons continued to be used afterwards, although the presence of phase-pistols in the 2161 -based holodeck scenes in " These Are the Voyages... " make it likely that phase cannons were used until at least that point. It is unknown at which point in time phase cannons were replaced, or if the laser weapons seen in the pilots for the original series were their immediate successor.

• 1 Abdullah bin al-Hussein

Screen Rant

Jess bush’s nurse chapel will shoot from the hip in star trek: strange new worlds season 3 bts .

Nurse Christine Chapel can fight when she has to, and Chapel looks like she might get to shoot a phaser in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3.

• Nurse Christine Chapel is seen with a phaser in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, currently in production and highly anticipated.
• Jess Bush shared a behind-the-scenes photo in costume as Nurse Chapel with a witty caption, showcasing her waist holster and phaser.
• Strange New Worlds has been renewed for season 4 by Paramount+ and is currently filming episode 8 of season 3, with production ending in May.

Nurse Christine Chapel looks to be sporting a phaser in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3. Now in production in Toronto, Strange New Worlds season 3 is highly anticipated , especially after the recent news that Strange New Worlds has been renewed for season 4 by Paramount+. Strange New Worlds is currently filming episode 8 of season 3, and the end of production in May is now in sight.

On her Instagram Reels, Jess Bush (@onejessa) shared a behind-the-scenes video selfie in costume as Nurse Christine Chapel . Bush shows off Chapel's waist holster and phaser with the caption, "Eatin' cookies, zappin' crookies." Check out Jess' post below:

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 - Everything We Know

Nurse chapel is an action hero (when she has to be) in star trek: strange new worlds, chapel is a klingon war veteran.

The potential for Nurse Christine Chapel to get in a phaser fight in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 is exciting because action is a new facet the series has added to the beloved Star Trek legacy character. Nurse Chapel as played by Majel Barrett Roddenberry never saw action in Star Trek: The Original Series. The younger version of Christine played by Jess Bush in Strange New Worlds has a background as a Klingon War veteran, and she has already survived some harrowing incidents in the past two seasons.

More action for Jess Bush in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 is a thrilling possibility.

In Strange New Worlds season 1, Nurse Chapel fought space pirates who hijacked the USS Enterprise, and she also managed to outmaneuver a baby Gorn and survive. In Strange New Worlds season 2's premiere, Chapel and Dr. Joseph M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) used a super soldier serum to defeat Klingons in hand-to-hand combat. Strange New Worlds season 2 also revealed Chapel's traumatic Klingon War experience. And, in Strange New Worlds season 2's finale , Chapel and Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) faced an armored, adult Gorn in outer space and won. More action for Jess Bush in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 is a thrilling possibility.

Source: Instagram

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is streaming on Paramount+

Japanese satellite will beam solar power to Earth in 2025

Japan's upcoming space-based solar power demonstration will beam power to Earth next year.

LONDON — Japan is on track to beam solar power from space to Earth next year, two years after a similar feat was achieved by U.S. engineers. The development marks an important step toward a possible space-based solar power station that could help wean the world off fossil fuels amid the intensifying battle against climate change . 

Speaking at the International Conference on Energy from Space, held here this week, Koichi Ijichi, an adviser at the Japanese research institute Japan Space Systems, outlined Japan's road map toward an orbital demonstration of a miniature space-based solar power plant that will wirelessly transmit energy from low Earth orbit to Earth.

"It will be a small satellite, about 180 kilograms [400 pounds], that will transmit about 1 kilowatt of power from the altitude of 400 kilometers [250 miles]," Ijichi said at the conference. 

Related: Space-based solar power may be one step closer to reality, thanks to this key test (video)

One kilowatt is about the amount of power needed to run a household appliance, such as a small dishwasher, for about an hour, depending on its size. Therefore, the demonstration is nowhere near the scale required for commercial use.

The spacecraft will use a 22-square-foot (2 square meters) onboard photovoltaic panel to charge a battery. The accumulated energy will then be transformed into microwaves and beamed toward a receiving antenna on Earth . Because the spacecraft travels very fast — around 17,400 mph (28,000 km/h) — antenna elements will have to be spread over a distance of about 25 miles (40 km), spaced 3 miles (5 km) apart, to allow enough energy to be transmitted.

"The transmission will take only a few minutes," Ijichi said. "But once the battery is empty, it will take several days to recharge."

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The mission, part of a project called OHISAMA (Japanese for "sun"), is on track for launch in 2025. The researchers have already demonstrated wireless transmission of solar power on the ground from a stationary source, and they plan to conduct a transmission from an aircraft in December. The aircraft will be fitted with an identical photovoltaic panel as will be flown on the spacecraft and will beam down power over a distance of 3 to 4 miles (5 to 7 km), according to Ijichi.

From concept to reality 

Space-based solar power generation, first described in 1968 by former Apollo engineer

Peter Glaser , has been considered science fiction. Although theoretically feasible, the technology has been seen as impractical and too costly, as it requires enormous structures to be assembled in orbit to produce the required power output. 

But according to the experts speaking at the conference, that situation has changed as a result of recent technological advances and the urgency to decarbonize the world's power supply to thwart climate change.

Unlike most renewable power generation technologies used on Earth, including solar power and wind energy, space-based solar power could be available constantly, as it would not depend on weather and the time of the day. Currently, nuclear power plants or gas- and coal-fired power stations are used to cover demand when the wind stops blowing or after sunset. Improvements in technology could help partially solve the problem in the future. But some pieces of the puzzle are still missing to secure a seamless carbon-neutral power supply by the middle of this century as stipulated in international climate change agreements.

Developments in robotic technologies, improvements in the efficiency of wireless power transmission and, most importantly, the arrival of SpaceX's giant rocket Starship could allow space-based solar power to become a reality, the experts said at the conference. 

Last year, a satellite built by Caltech engineers as part of the Space Solar Power Demonstrator mission beamed solar power from space for the first time . The mission, which concluded in January, was celebrated as a major milestone. 

Many more space-based solar power demonstration projects are in the pipeline. The technology is studied by space and research agencies all over the world, including the European Space Agency , the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the U.S. Air Force. Commercial companies and startups are also developing concepts, harnessing the availability of Starship and the emergence of advanced space robotics.

— Can space-based solar power really work? Here are the pros and cons.

— A solar power plant in space? The UK wants to build one by 2035.

— Space-based solar power could really work, experiment shows  

However, not everyone is enthusiastic about the potential of space-based solar power. In January, NASA released a report questioning the feasibility of the technology . The difficulty and amount of energy required to build, launch and assemble orbital power stations mean the energy they produce would be too expensive — 61 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared with as little as 5 cents per kilowatt-hour for Earth-based solar or wind energy. 

In addition, the overall carbon footprint of the power production and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated by rockets taking those assemblies into orbit make space-based solar power much less climate-friendly than technologies used on Earth. For example, a gigawatt-scale spaceborne solar power station, such as the CASSIOPeiA concept plant proposed by the U.K. firm Space Solar, would need 68 Starships to get to space. 

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Tereza is a London-based science and technology journalist, aspiring fiction writer and amateur gymnast. Originally from Prague, the Czech Republic, she spent the first seven years of her career working as a reporter, script-writer and presenter for various TV programmes of the Czech Public Service Television. She later took a career break to pursue further education and added a Master's in Science from the International Space University, France, to her Bachelor's in Journalism and Master's in Cultural Anthropology from Prague's Charles University. She worked as a reporter at the Engineering and Technology magazine, freelanced for a range of publications including Live Science, Space.com, Professional Engineering, Via Satellite and Space News and served as a maternity cover science editor at the European Space Agency.

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• Classical Motion This will be interesting to see. Especially the receiving antenna if I understood correctly. Does the orbit need to be synced, or phased with antenna location? And maybe angle? I think I understand this concept, to replace fossil fuel. And eventually 24/7 solar power from space in the future. Unfortunately replacing fossil fuel is not the problem. If we replaced all fossil fuel tomorrow............how are you going to meet demand? And believe it or not, demand is just beginning. And to my way of thinking and I know I am weird, but reflecting sunlight to this "over-warmed planet", is not a good idea. Solar would only be green is if catches incident light. As for space reflectors, if we could orientate(can) and focus(doubtful) sunlight, it might be useful for clearing our space debris. A focused beam should illuminate the small stuff, maybe even accelerate/ionize it to de-orbit. Cleaning up some of our mess might be done with light beams. Reply

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