FTL Rates For My Fictional Sci-Fi Universe (any good?)

[Spanky The Dolphin]

These are faster-than-light speed rates for a science fiction universe of my own creation (started about 6 years ago). About 90% of everything is still in my head, but there are some things that I've written down.

Some background: The Galactic Republic (I thought of the name before Ep 1 came out, but I'm keeping it) controls about 65% of the Milky Way Galaxy, currently in the year 3045 CE. The Republic was created in 2291, after contact with Earth in the same year.

The Galaxy Police (yes, from Tenchi Muyo!: it's one of my favourite anime, and I liked the name) is a para-military police force that operates within the territory of the Republic, with military grade starships contracted from the Republican Navy.

The technology of the Republic is quite advanced (>Star Trek, <Star Wars). One of the primary races, the Kakarakans from Halkayme achieved space flight in 5764 BCE, and FTL in 5480 BCE.

Well, enjoy. These took some time to calculate. Besides, some feedback could prompt me to write some more stuff.

-Civilian (x1)-
Speed: 394200c

32400 LY/month (30 days) (9934 parsecs/month)
7560 LY/week (7 days) (2318 parsecs/week)
1080 LY/day (24 hr) (331.1 parsecs/day)
45 LY/hr (13.8 parsecs/hr)
0.75 LY/min (0.2299 parsecs/min) (6575.002 light hours/min) (47430 AU/min)
0.0125 LY/sec (109.5667 light hours/sec) (790.5 AU/sec)

Time to travel in a straight line across the Galaxy (100000 LY): 92 days, 14 hours, 13 minutes, 20 seconds.

NOTE: Civilian FTL drives cannot operate any shorter than 17 min, 53 sec at maximum speed. Severe damage can result. Therefore, minimum range at maximum speed is limited to 14.4125 LY (4.4183 parsecs).

-----

-Shipping, class 3 [Normal] (x2)-
Speed: 788400c

64800 LY/month (30 days) (19868 parsecs/month)
15120 LY/week (7 days) (4636 parsecs/week)
2160 LY/day (24 hr) (662.2 parsecs/day)
90 LY/hr (27.6 parsecs/hr)
1.5 LY/min (0.4598 parsecs/min) (13150.004 light hours/min) (94860 AU/min)
0.025 LY/sec (219.1334 light hours/sec) (1581 AU/sec)

Time to travel in a straight line across the Galaxy (100000 LY): 46 days, 7 hours, 6 minutes, 40 seconds.

NOTE: Shipping, class 3 FTL drives cannot operate any shorter than 16 min, 6 sec at maximum speed. Severe damage can result. Therefore, minimum range at maximum speed is limited to 24.15 LY (7.404 parsecs).

-----

-Shipping, class 2 [Express] (x2.5)-
Speed: 985500c

81000 LY/month (30 days) (5795 parsecs/month)
18900 LY/week (7 days) (5795 parsecs/week)
2700 LY/day (24 hr) (827.75 parsecs/day)
112.5 LY/hr (34.5 parsecs/hr)
1.875 LY/min (0.57475 parsecs/min) (16437.505 light hours/min) (118575 AU/min)
0.03125 LY/sec (273.91675 light hours/sec) (1976.25 AU/sec)

Time to travel in a straight line across the Galaxy (100000 LY): 37 days, 0 hours, 53 minutes, 20 seconds.

NOTE: Shipping, class 2 FTL drives cannot operate any shorter than 15 min, 12 sec at maximum speed. Severe damage can result. Therefore, minimum range at maximum speed is limited to 28.5 LY (8.738 parsecs).

-----

-Shipping, class 1 [Urgent] (x3)-
Speed: 1182600c

97200 LY/month (30 days) (29802 parsecs/month)
22680 LY/week (7 days) (6954 parsecs/week)
3240 LY/day (24 hr) (993.3 parsecs/day)
135 LY/hr (41.4 parsecs/hr)
2.25 LY/min (0.6897 parsecs/min) (19725.006 light hours/min) (142290 AU/min)
0.0375 LY/sec (328.7001 light hours/sec) (2371.5 AU/sec)

Time to travel in a straight line across the Galaxy (100000 LY): 30 days, 20 hours, 44 minutes, 27 seconds.

NOTE: Shipping, class 1 FTL drives cannot operate any shorter than 14 min, 18 sec at maximum speed. Severe damage can result. Therefore, minimum range at maximum speed is limited to 32.175 LY (9.865 parsecs).

-----

-Galaxy Police (x4.5)-
Speed: 1773900c

145800 LY/month (30 days) (44703 parsecs/month)
34020 LY/week (7 days) (10431 parsecs/week)
4860 LY/day (24 hr) (1489.95 parsecs/day)
202.5 LY/hr (62.1 parsecs/hr)
3.375 LY/min (1.0346 parsecs/min) (29587.509 light hours/min) (213435 AU/min)
0.0563 LY/sec (493.0502 light hours/sec) (3557.25 AU/sec)

Time to travel in a straight line across the Galaxy (100000 LY): 20 days, 13 hours, 49 minutes, 38 seconds.

NOTE: Galaxy Police FTL drives cannot operate any shorter than 11 min, 38 sec at maximum speed. Severe damage can result. Therefore, minimum range at maximum speed is limited to 39.2644 LY (12.04 parsecs).

-----

-Galactic Republican Navy, class 2 [Secondary] (x5.5)-
Speed: 2168100c

178200 LY/month (30 days) (54637 parsecs/month)
41580 LY/week (7 days) (12749 parsecs/week)
5940 LY/day (24 hr) (1821.05 parsecs/day)
247.5 LY/hr (75.9 parsecs/hr)
4.125 LY/min (1.2645 parsecs/min) (36162.511 light hours/min) (260865 AU/min)
0.0688 LY/sec (602.6169 light hours/sec) (4347.75 AU/sec)

Time to travel in a straight line across the Galaxy (100000 LY): 16 days, 20 hours, 2 minutes, 26 seconds.

NOTE: GRN, class 2 FTL drives cannot operate any shorter than 9 min, 51 sec at maximum speed. Severe damage can result. Therefore, minimum range at maximum speed is limited to 40.6338 LY (12.46 parsecs).

-----

-Galactic Republican Navy, class 1 [Primary] (x6)-
Speed: 2365200c

194400 LY/month (30 days) (59604 parsecs/month)
45360 LY/week (7 days) (13908 parsecs/week)
6480 LY/day (24 hr) (1986.6 parsecs/day)
270 LY/hr (82.8 parsecs/hr)
4.5 LY/min (1.3794 parsecs/min) (39450.012 light hours/min) (284580 AU/min)
0.075 LY/sec (657.4002 light hours/sec) (4743 AU/sec)

Time to travel in a straight line across the Galaxy (100000 LY): 15 days, 10 hours, 22 minutes, 14 seconds.

NOTE: GRN, class 1 FTL drives cannot operate any shorter than 8 min, 57 sec at maximum speed. Severe damage can result. Therefore, minimum range at maximum speed is limited to 40.275 LY (12.35 parsecs).

-----

-Special Use (x8)-
Speed: 3153600c

259200 LY/month (30 days) (79472 parsecs/month)
60480 LY/week (7 days) (18544 parsecs/week)
8640 LY/day (24 hr) (2648.8 parsecs/day)
360 LY/hr (110.4 parsecs/hr)
6 LY/min (1.8392 parsecs/min) (52600.016 light hours/min) (379440 AU/min)
0.1 LY/sec (876.5336 light hours/sec) (6324 AU/sec)

Time to travel in a straight line across the Galaxy (100000 LY): 11 days, 13 hours, 46 minutes, 40 seconds.

NOTE: Special Use FTL drives cannot operate any shorter than 5 min, 22 sec at maximum speed. Severe damage can result. Therefore, minimum range at maximum speed is limited to 32.2 LY (9.872 parsecs).

[sgiathach]

Pretty fast... actually it may be even faster than SW hyperdrive, but I don't have the exact figures.

How long would the trip from Earth to Barnard's Star take? - Does the hyperspeed have to be lowered until you "only" covere those 5.5 or whatever LY in the minimum run-time?

Anyway. For my SF universe, I settled the interstellar travel speeds effectively in the 1000c magnitude (IE the fastest ships may reach ~2000c), but as we are currently discussing in the "concepts" thread, it will be based on jumps rather than realspace travel. I didn't want to have too many systems in the scenario, so I had to keep the speeds "lower".

But as for your background, I have a comment:

currently in the year 3045 CE. The Republic was created in 2291, after contact with Earth in the same year.

This doesn't make sense to me. You say that

the Kakarakans from Halkayme achieved space flight in 5764 BCE, and FTL in 5480 BCE.

What did all the spacefaring races do those 5000 years before discovering earth? Wouldn't any of them have had the idea of forming an alliance before that? Why does it always have to be the Terrans who act as catalyst for foundind unions?
Frankly, the rest of your descriptions sounds fun, but this one aspect is pretty chewn through, if not ST plagiarism.

Compare it to a bit of Earth history: this would be as if after 1492, when European nations found they had discovered a new continent, had been inspired by south american indios to unite as Euro-American Republic (or Kingdom, if you will). Does that make sense? I think not.

I'd let your Galactic Republic be founded maybe a few centuries after first FTL flights. The Earth would simply have joined this republic 5000 years later, period. Do the entire SF community a favor and don't make terran mankind the centre of the universe, we have seen that once too often.

cheerio!

[XaLEv]

That's nothing! An Exploration Planetoid from my universe can make 350 gigacee with it's warp drive, and 1.7e29 c with it's fold drive! HAHAHA, my dick is bigger than yours!

Anyway, that's some interesting stuff you got there. Especially how the drives can't operate for less than a certain amount of time. And I agree with sgiathach: For Eris' sake man, don't make us the center of the fucking universe!

[Spanky The Dolphin]

First, a few notes:

Some of the background info is a little old (most of the files are ones I just found again after a few years), and some things have changed over time.

All speeds listed are maximum, but you probably already assumed that.

Special Use drives are x8 faster than civilian drives, not x . Damn bastard sneeked in under my nose.

Also, only about 20-25 ships in the Galaxy have Special Use level drives, due to cost and government restrictions. SU drives can only be used about 100 times, then have to be replaced.

Halkayme is on the other side of the Galaxy from Earth, ruled by the Holy Kakarakan Empire (not a theocracy, but blessed by the religion). The Empire was a founding member of the Republic, but also functions as an independent government in its own territory. The Empire is very influential in the Republic, possibly number one. Human states are only about third or fourth in terms of influence.

The largest and number one industry in the Republic is mining.

How long would the trip from Earth to Barnard's Star take? - Does the hyperspeed have to be lowered until you "only" cover those 5.5 or whatever LY in the minimum run-time?

(bolding mine)

I'll use civilian drives for the examples, BTW.

Pretty much. Basically, for everything within the min. range at max. speed (~14.4 light years), the trip has to be the min. operation time (~18 minutes).

Hope that makes sense.

But as for your background, I have a comment:

currently in the year 3045 CE. The Republic was created in 2291, after contact with Earth in the same year.

This doesn't make sense to me. You say that

the Kakarakans from Halkayme achieved space flight in 5764 BCE, and FTL in 5480 BCE.

What did all the spacefaring races do those 5000 years before discovering earth? Wouldn't any of them have had the idea of forming an alliance before that? Why does it always have to be the Terrans who act as catalyst for foundind unions?
Frankly, the rest of your descriptions sounds fun, but this one aspect is pretty chewn through, if not ST plagiarism.

A "stellar government" was established rather early on (after the Kakarakan Empire discontinued its imperialist expansion: it eventually got too complicated for one government). The actual expansion of the pre-Republic system was fairly gradual, with the government prefering to establish its jurisdiction under newer territories before expanding. There were also periods where there was little to no expansion (economic slumps, war, etc...).

By the time contact with Humans occured, the government was somewhat overdue for some reorganization (which happened every so often, with a lot of input coming from newer members).

Humans, while not responsible for "creating" the Galactic Republic, were quite influential in the reorganization. The goverment was established as a full capitalist republic, with a better internal structure than the semi-awkward union of semi-separate governments of before.

Humans were able to push forward several items that would make their new galactic presence a little easier: having English being one of the five standard languages for govt. documents and transcriptions; and the GR using Earth measurements as standard (time, SI, etc...). English was overal similar in syntax and length to the other four main galactic languages, and measurements are relatively easy to convert and adapt to. Before that, the govt. relied on local measurement systems, and Earth came along at the right time with their decimalised SI measurements. (Besides, I've got to have some things my way. )

Yearly checks and updates have allowed the Rupublic to remain extremely stable for the 700 year history of its current incarnation.

The formation of the Galaxy Police was to reduce the strain put on the Republican Navy, and to reduce direct conflict with local law enforcement groups. While GP headquarters are located at Alpha Centauri, the Republic as a whole was responsible for its creation.

The Sol system was already largly colonized by mankind (Island 3 colonies around Earth, states on Luna, Mars, the Jovian/Saturian moons, and both the Asteroid and Kuiper belts being mined). Contact with a local species that had expanded so much inside its system (there were few other species around Sol) prompted the govt. to start reorganization.

Despite this, the Sol System is not the centre of the Republic, whose capital is about 25,000 light years from Sol.

Summary: Humans were only influential in the reorganization of the galactic government that occured right after contact.

Just keep in mind that the bulk of this universe was created about 4-6 years ago, with most ongoing work being in minor detales.

That's probably why it has a lot of influence from Star Wars and anime, though I can see how its setting bares some resemblance to Star Trek.

Hope that helps.

[SirNitram]

This is why I don't bother with going faster than light. Someone always says they can go faster.

I just go to the destination...

[phongn]

This is why I don't bother with going faster than light. Someone always says they can go faster.

I just go to the destination...

Ah, the Graeme Dice school of interstellar transit, yes?

[SirNitram]

This is why I don't bother with going faster than light. Someone always says they can go faster.

I just go to the destination...

Ah, the Graeme Dice school of interstellar transit, yes?

Hey, I learned from the best.

[sgiathach]

Careful with the languages, dude.
Compare to the state here and now: New Scandinavian (i.e. Danish, Swedish and Norse) is even more straightforward in grammar than English, pronunciation rules are a LOT simpler (English has the weirdest pron. rules in the world), and it is generally easier to learn.
Did that make Scandinavian make a worldwide Lingua Franca?
No. There are only about 20 million native speakers, and maybe as many who learned it as foreign language.

Conclusion: grammar etc. of a language are important to an extent, but so is the number of native speakers, when it comes to establishing it as lingua franca. If only one of these aspects mattered, we'd be learning either Scandinavian or Chinese.

An age-old interstellar union is likely to count billiards of citizens, whereas the few billion earthlings should compare to the whole like, say, Hungarians to the rest of Earth.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Aw, come on. Throw me a frickin' bone, here.

I'm just asking to have my cake. It's not like I'm begging to eat it.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

-Now bumped for extra freshness.-

[NecronLord]

Throws bone.