Is impulse better than ion drives?

[Admiral Johnason]

I was just wondering which of these sublight drives is faster. I mean in ST:TMP, we seee the Enterprise going from Earth to Saturn in a few minuets, but in ANH, the X-wings were going full thrust and it took them a few minuets to do the trench run. I have heard some conflicting arguments, so I require claraification.

[Darth Garden Gnome]

Actually, that would be in Best of Both Worlds, done by the E-D. That impulse speed, according to a trusted source (Alyeska), was FTL.

Similarly, the Millenium Falcon travelled the distance between the Anoat system to Bespin on ion drive alone. I believe that is a distance of several lightyears; at least it seems that way by looking at the galaxy map (from Star Wars Insider...).

So both "sublight" propulsion sytems can go FTL.

[Alyeska]

I was just wondering which of these sublight drives is faster. I mean in ST:TMP, we seee the Enterprise going from Earth to Saturn in a few minuets, but in ANH, the X-wings were going full thrust and it took them a few minuets to do the trench run. I have heard some conflicting arguments, so I require claraification.

In Best of Both Worlds PT2 the Enterprise-D calculated it would take less then 30 minutes to intercept the Borg Cube at Impulse power. The Borg ship had just passed Mars and the Enterprise-D just entered Sol near Saturn. That shows low level FTL capabilities and massive acceleration on the part of Impulse engines.

[Darth Servo]

I mean in ST:TMP, we seee the Enterprise going from Earth to Saturn in a few minuets.

Wrong. First, it was Jupiter. Second, the scene immediately after the ship flies by the planet, Kirk announces that it has been 1.8 hours since launch.

[Admiral Johnason]

Sorry about that. I must have been thinking about ST:G.

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

How the fuck can IMPULSE engines be FTL?

[Isolder74]

I was just wondering which of these sublight drives is faster. I mean in ST:TMP, we seee the Enterprise going from Earth to Saturn in a few minuets, but in ANH, the X-wings were going full thrust and it took them a few minuets to do the trench run. I have heard some conflicting arguments, so I require claraification.

This Is hard to say. They seem to operate on nearly the same principle. Of course Han can run all of his ship gizmos with his while the Enterprise is lucky to have enough power for a couple of Phaser shots. so it looks like the Star Wars Drive is more efficient.

[Admiral Johnason]

How the fuck can IMPULSE engines be FTL?

They use some kind of space-driver coils or some pseudo-science thingy like that.

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

I was just wondering which of these sublight drives is faster. I mean in ST:TMP, we seee the Enterprise going from Earth to Saturn in a few minuets, but in ANH, the X-wings were going full thrust and it took them a few minuets to do the trench run. I have heard some conflicting arguments, so I require claraification.

USE YOUR BRAIN. Here's a hint, ground attack aircraft don't strafe at mach 2.

[Admiral Johnason]

I was just wondering which of these sublight drives is faster. I mean in ST:TMP, we seee the Enterprise going from Earth to Saturn in a few minuets, but in ANH, the X-wings were going full thrust and it took them a few minuets to do the trench run. I have heard some conflicting arguments, so I require claraification.

USE YOUR BRAIN. Here's a hint, ground attack aircraft don't strafe at mach 2.

There are cases where planes will fly at supersonic speeds close to the deck. And alos, he does say, "We're going in, we're going in full throttel." And I do believe that there was no air resistace and the DS's gravity couldn't effect a X-wing's speed that much.

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

THE X-WINGS CROSSED A FEW HUNDRED FUCKING THOUSAND KM TO GET TO THE DEATH STAR!

[Admiral Johnason]

THE X-WINGS CROSSED A FEW HUNDRED FUCKING THOUSAND KM TO GET TO THE DEATH STAR!

I retract my previous statements in light of this current data.

[Darth Garden Gnome]

Moving at a 100,000km/s isn't a wise idea in a trench thats only 30 meters wide. You know, the whole "If I move the joystick this way for one millisecond, I'll ram into the wall so fast my brain won't have enough time to say 'OH FUCK!'"

When Luke made the full throttle comment, I'm pretty sure he meant within the bounds of SANITY for the mission at hand.

[Admiral Johnason]

Okay.

[Isolder74]

Let us remember when Jets fly supersonic on the deck it usually in areas without lots of physical objects, like trees. No jet pilot would dream of flying that fast in a place like the Grand Canyon, or the Death Star Trench. I think in this case full throttle means full dogfight speed!

[Isolder74]

Darth Garden Gnome types faster than me!

[Admiral Johnason]

Well, what is the maximum speed and impluse drive has ever reached and what is the fastest an ion drive has ever gone?

[Darth Servo]

Well, what is the maximum speed and impluse drive has ever reached and what is the fastest an ion drive has ever gone?

Look here and here for SW examples, here for Trek. Some of those pages need some updating, but its a start.

[Illuminatus Primus]

Similarly, the Millenium Falcon travelled the distance between the Anoat system to Bespin on ion drive alone. I believe that is a distance of several lightyears; at least it seems that way by looking at the galaxy map (from Star Wars Insider...).

That map is hardly in scale or accurate. Either assertion is laughable.

So both "sublight" propulsion sytems can go FTL.

I doubt either one can. Possibly Impulse, doubtful ion engines.

[Illuminatus Primus]

How the fuck can IMPULSE engines be FTL?

There's probably an error or something we're missing.

[Darth Servo]

So both "sublight" propulsion sytems can go FTL.

I doubt either one can. Possibly Impulse, doubtful ion engines.

Then why is it that whenever we actually SEE impulse against any reference point (like a planet or asteroid) the ship only moves at a few kps?

[Illuminatus Primus]

Shhh. Don't bother the poor little Trekkies.

[Alyeska]

Sorry about that. I must have been thinking about ST:G.

ST:G had the Enterprise being able to leave orbit from a Class-M planet and intercept a missile that could reach a star in less then 20 seconds.

[Admiral Johnason]

So both "sublight" propulsion sytems can go FTL.

I doubt either one can. Possibly Impulse, doubtful ion engines.

Then why is it that whenever we actually SEE impulse against any reference point (like a planet or asteroid) the ship only moves at a few kps?

Servo, why do you keep trying to prove that the universe controdictes itself in order to destroy it?

[Alyeska]

So both "sublight" propulsion sytems can go FTL.

I doubt either one can. Possibly Impulse, doubtful ion engines.

Then why is it that whenever we actually SEE impulse against any reference point (like a planet or asteroid) the ship only moves at a few kps?

It depends on the situation at hand. What acceleration are they going at, etc... Its possible to move a couple thousand KM per second and have a planet in the background and not notice the speed because the camera pans with the ship. Anyway, The Search for Spock clearly shows how 1/4 Impulse power in the spacedock indicates acceleration rather than speed.