跳跃点 ( Xi'an: uingka2Xa / uingXa (Proper); )是一种十分稳定的虫洞，存在于两个相邻大型重力井之间的，例如恒星或黑洞等天体之间。虫洞可通过Jump Tunnel为其两端的重力井区域提供几乎即时的旅行速度。跳跃点是一种自然现象。[1][2]
如果没有跳跃点，几乎不可能进行星系间的旅行。即使拥有Quantum Drive的技术，飞船也需要花上几十年或更久到达一个新System。跳跃点有许多不同尺寸；而它们的尺寸则限制了可在其中通过的飞船大小。
形成与结构
虽然两个相连的重力井是主要的构成，但是一些大质量亚恒星天体的引力干扰，例如气态巨行星，会完全改变它们的平衡，从而使得跳跃点的入口远离恒星。星系内如果没有大型重力井干扰恒星引力，形成的跳跃点则更加安全和稳定。
跳跃点的出入口由一段四维通道连接，其能够高效地穿过常规时空，这段内部空间叫做Interspace。[3] 作为高纬度的隙空间通道，它将重力井之间的距离几乎无限减少，使得旅行时间趋近于零，但又不是完全瞬时的。
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 地球联合帝国 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