跳躍點 ( Xi'an: uingka2Xa / uingXa (Proper); )是一種十分穩定的蟲洞，存在於兩個相鄰大型重力井之間的，例如恆星或黑洞等天體之間。蟲洞可通過Jump Tunnel為其兩端的重力井區域提供幾乎即時的旅行速度。跳躍點是一種自然現象。[1][2]
如果沒有跳躍點，幾乎不可能進行星系間的旅行。即使擁有Quantum Drive的技術，飛船也需要花上幾十年或更久到達一個新System。跳躍點有許多不同尺寸；而它們的尺寸則限制了可在其中通過的飛船大小。
形成與結構
雖然兩個相連的重力井是主要的構成，但是一些大質量亞恆星天體的引力干擾，例如氣態巨行星，會完全改變它們的平衡，從而使得跳躍點的入口遠離恆星。星系內如果沒有大型重力井幹擾恆星引力，形成的跳躍點則更加安全和穩定。
跳躍點的出入口由一段四維通道連接，其能夠高效地穿過常規時空，這段內部空間叫做Interspace。[3] 作為高緯度的隙空間通道，它將重力井之間的距離幾乎無限減少，使得旅行時間趨近於零，但又不是完全瞬時的。
Travelling
Travelling through jump points is not completely safe. Attempting a premature exit of the wormhole could dis-aggregate the ship immediately. Jump points are also subject to gravitational currents that push the foreign matter towards the exit. However, interspace is not completely empty, and collision with certain macro molecular particles could devastate the ship's shields and result in the immediate death of the crew.
A successful voyage through a jump point requires the traveller to surf along the ripples of the interspace tunnel without colliding with the tunnel's walls. Already known jump points have been mapped and can be navigated by the ship's autopilot.
Known, stabilized jump points are marked off with large structures and usually patrolled to ensure that they have been legally and safely traversed.[4]
Discovery and reward
Explorers have the opportunity to record newly discovered jump points and earn a reward. A Jump-Point Discovery Submission Form must be filed at the nearest UEE Civic Center for review by the Department of Transportation & Navigation. Multiple submissions of the same jump point will be recognized on a first-come/first-serve basis.[5]
Discovery of a new jump point alone is not enough to warrant payment. You must successfully traverse the jump point and return along the same route.[5]
To earn payment for the discovery you must fill out the Jump-Point Discovery Submission Form and detail the following:
- Describe the method used to discover the jump-point.
- Describe the scans used to find the jump point.
- Detail the angle and position of your ship when the jump point appeared.
- Submit flight path data from a UEE approved NavDrive (allowed NavData formats are PRE, R2F, TJ, VCE).
Trivia
- Scientists in the UEE have been studying interspace travel for centuries and are still trying to understand why jump points appear where they do with the hopes of improving detection of them (as well as the possible creation of them) but have as of yet been unable to do so.[2]
References
- ↑
- ↑ 2.0 2.1
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ 5.0 5.1