Hyperdrive
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Obi-Wan Kenobi attempts to mend aT-14 hyperdrive generator
Thehyperdrive,[1] also known aswarp drive,[2] was apropulsion system that allowed astarship to reachlightspeed and traverse the void between stars in the alternate dimension ofhyperspace. As a consequence, the hyperdrive was a key instrument in shapinggalactic society, trade,politics, and war.[1]
The hyperdrive required a functionalhyperdrive motivator to operate. The vessel then traveled along a programmed course until it dropped back into normal space—realspace—at its destination.[3]
A hyperdrive only functioned to keep a vessel in hyperspace, and should a hyperdrive be forcibly deactivated or destroyed during transit, the ship was violently and instantly pulled back into realspace.[4][5]
Being short-range craft, moststarfighters lacked a hyperdrive. This was notably the case with theGalactic Empire'sTIE fighters, which had to be ferried to combat zones aboard larger ships. However, theX-wing andA-wing starfighters used by theRebel Alliance were fitted with hyperdrives, allowing them to make long-range jumps.[6]
Upon entering hyperspace, a ship emittedcronau radiation, which was possible to detect with specializedsensor suites.[7]
Large objects in normal space cast "mass shadows" in hyperspace, thus hyperspace jumps required accurate plotting to avoid collisions, which were often fatal.[8]
Later technologies could pull vessels out of hyperspace. For instance,interdiction fields createdgravitational shadows, simulating mass, in the path of an oncoming vessel, yanking the vessel out of hyperspace.[8] Imperial technologists developed the widely usedInterdictor vessels and their various sub-models, some of the most effective interdiction technologies.[7]
History[]
Pre-hyperdrive technologies[]
A Mythrol being frozen in carbonite in an advanced mini freezing station
In the ancient times, due to the lack of hyperdrive technologies the earliestspacers usedgeneration ships to travel throughthe galaxy and traverse the vast distances from oneplanet to another.[9] Most notable for being used by a patriarch of theCoruscanti to blaze theKoros Trunk Line,[10] generation ships were soon replaced bysleeper ships following the invention ofcarbonite by thescientists on the planetKoros Major.[9] The liquid substance was made out ofcarbon gas and could be turned into a solid block through rapid freezing,[11] encasing anorganic safely inside and placing them incryo-cycle stasis to preserve their vitality. The process, known ascarbon-freezing[12] ushered in a new era of space exploration and inadvertently helped the formation of theGalactic Republic as the people of the galaxy came closer together. However, carbon freezing resulted in brutal–though short term–side effects includinghibernation sickness[13] which left the victim disoriented and blind.[14]
Early developments[]
- "When I was young, I was told amazing stories of creatures that lived in the stars, traveled between the worlds. Old pilots said it was the purrgil who inspired us to jump from system to system. But I don't believe it."
- ―Hera Syndulla[15]
Purrgil's use of simu-tunnels provided researchers with a clue on solving the space travel problem
While practical, neither generation nor sleeper ships were actually efficient for long-term commercial or civilian use, leading scientists to research for an alternative mode of interplanetary transportation. Scientists studying the species of space whale known aspurrgil eventually suspected[16] that their mode of long-range transportation, the creation ofsimu-tunnel,[17] actually passed through a dimension ofspace-time parallel to the one accessible by most organics,[18] through which the distance betweengravity wells–astronomical objects inrealspace–was shorter[19] as the laws of realspace spacetime didn't apply.[20]
By studying the behavior of purrgil,[16] scientists discovered that hyperspace could be accessed by molecular displacement, which could only be achieved by breaking thespeed of light.[18] As hyperspace was coterminous with realspace–meaning that every point in realspace had its equivalent in hyperspace in the form ofmass shadows–it was possible to use the dimension to travel from one point to the other in a shorter period of time without needing to actually cover the distance between them.[19] According to legend, this technology was in fact developed by the mythical species ofRakatans, native to the planetLehon.[21] Developing hyperdrive technology on the planetDevaron independently from extraterrestrial assistance, theDevaronians had explored and interacted with the galaxy before the Galactic Republic ever made contact with their region of space. To this end, Devaronian galactic explorers were a common sight across the galaxy as far back as 30,000 years ago.[10] As early as27,000 BBY, theGossam Courivers reached the planetFelucia with the use of atumbledrive propulsionengine.[22] Eventually,Corellianengineers independently from theirDuros counterparts developed the technology necessary to access the dimension, and dubbed it the hyperdrive–in contrast with standard engines, which were namedsublight engines.[21]
Galactic exploration using the hyperdrive[]
Republic Pathfinder teams explored new worlds and blazed hyperlanes during the Great Hyperspace Rush
Once hyperdrives made faster-than-light travel possible, galactic civilization flourished throughout ancient history. The Old Republic sent pioneering scout ships to explore the galaxy[23] as increasing numbers of civilians from theCore Worlds sought a better life.[24] The Devaronians were among the early explorers along what became theCorellian Trade Spinehyperspace route.[10] Early hyperdrive routes were blazed by scouts such as theSan Tekka clan by usinghyperspace sextants or simply following purrgil in their travels.[25] The latter practice demonstrated the species' tendency to feed on the gasClouzon-36, which formed in places subject to intense interstellar energy, likeKessel or theRedhurne system. Knowledge of this practice led humans to discover the mineralcoaxium which also formed in the same places and like Clouzon fuel faster and better hyperdrive jumps.[26] Unfortunately, the faster-than-light travel also created new possibilites for war, as thenow-mythologicalGreat Hyperspace War between the Republic andSith Empire proved just over 5,000 years ago.[21]
Prospectors and explorers started using the primitive hyperspace paths and the advanced hyperdrives of the time to explore the vastness of space, ushering in theGreat Hyperspace Rush. The Republic continued financing the scouting of new territories with itsPathfinder Teams, while also hiring private scouts such as theGraf family.[27] The development of major hyperlanes such as thePerlemian Trade Route andHydian Way further accelerated galactic expansion.[7]
Operation[]
Ships without a hyperdrive relied on external hyperdrive equipment.
Hyperdrives consisted of two basic parts: anavigation computer and the actual reactor assembly[28]–also known as the hyperdrive generator.[29] The navicomputer calculated a safe path through hyperspace by comparing the pilot's desired path with known hyperlanes[28] and dangers already present along the way such assupernovas andasteroid fields to ensure a safe journey,[30] while the reactor handled the work of generating enough power to perform a jump without straining the ship's main reactor.[28] Species in theUnknown Regions such as theChiss did not use a hyperdrive, and instead usedForce-sensitive beings who were capable of seeing the safest path through the normally difficult ,to impossible, to traverse through (with a standard navicomputer) unknown regions.[31] In the past other force sensitives have been known to use this method, such asMari San Tekka, who was used by the marauders known as theNihil to create paths for their uniquepath drive,[32] a hyperdrive unhindered by the normal operating rules of a hyperdrive.Darth Vader used this method.[33]
Most modern hyperdrive reactors had a main chamber coated in coaxium, which significanty improved their efficiency. Larger models such as theSSP05[28] and theT-14[29] functioned by stacking several stabilizer plates on top of each other and channelinghypermatter through ultra-thin effect channels passing through them. Hypermatter, whose energy output was controlled by the navicomputer, reached the ship's main engines and charged theions already present there, powering them for the jump to lightspeed; ahyperdrive motivator controlled the jump based onsensor output and ensured a risk-free trip and return to realspace.[28] Smaller ships such asstarfighters[34] orbombers ditched the hyperdrive reactor altogether and instead relied only on the motivator, with power provided by the ship's standard reactor. Examples of standalone motivators were theR300-H hyperdrive motivator of theBTL-A4 Y-wing starfighter[35] and theGBk-585 hyperdrive motivator of theT-65B X-wing starfighter.[34]
Advanced operation[]
During theClone Wars, amicrojump was used to rescueJedi MasterEeth Koth from the forces of theConfederacy of Independent Systems in orbit ofSaleucami. Using the exact coordinates ofGeneralGrievous'command ship,Anakin Skywalker precisely jumped through hyperspace, arriving meters away from his target, undetected.[37] The same precise jumping technique was used byHan Solo to infiltrate theFirst OrdersuperweaponStarkiller Base, since the planet's shields were using a fractional refresh rate that would keep anything below light speed from passing through.[38] Without careful planning, using the hyperdrive in such a manner could result in the loss of a ship due to the nature ofmass shadows, but the most gifted pilots like Solo and Skywalker could use those characteristics of space to their advantage.[37][38]
Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo used a directed hyperspace jump to ram and cripple the dreadnoughtSupremacy.
Main article:Holdo maneuver
In34 ABY,[39]ResistanceVice AdmiralAmilyn Holdo executed a hyperspace jump with thecruiserRaddus that was directly aimed at theFirst OrderflagshipSupremacy, causing the enemy ship to be sliced apart in the resulting collision.[40]
During theMission to Sinta Glacier Colony,Poe Dameron usedHyperspace skipping to escape First Order pursuers.[41]
Classes[]
The Carrion Spike had a Class 1 rating; as such it was the fastest ship officially assigned to the Imperial Navy
A numerical "class" rating denoted the speed of a hyperdrive:[42] the lower the class, the faster the engine. Most civilian ships used hyperdrives rated Class Three or higher, while government, diplomatic, and military ships were equipped with Class Two or Class One hyperdrives.[43] With its Class One hyperdrive, theCarrion Spike was the fastest ship in theImperial Navy,[7] while top-of-the-linecapital ships such as theImperial I-class Star Destroyer featured Class 2 hyperdrives. TheFirst Death Star, meanwhile, had a mere Class 4 hyperdrive.[44] TheT-14 hyperdrive generator equipped onJ-type 327 Nubian royal starships was rated Class 1.8.[45] Some ships, such asNakari Kelen'sDesert Jewel or Han Solo'sMillennium Falcon, had exceptionally fast hyperdrives—Class 0.8[46] and 0.5 respectively.[47] TheSupremacy, meanwhile, had a staggering hyperdrive Class of 0.3.[48]
By3 ABY,[49] acontract broker for theMiyuki Trade League namedReess Passik had acquired a class-one hyperdrive that been stolen from the Galactic Empire. As a result the Empire dispatched a number of ships andstormtroopers toAchra Station in theAkiva system where Passik was storing the hypderdrive. Shortly after, Passik hiredKay Vess,ND-5, andHondo Ohnaka to smuggle the hyperdrive past the Imperial patrols and to him atHauler's Keep in theKhepi system ofWild Space. As the group left thespace station Imperial ships immediately locked on to their ship, theTrailblazer, and directed them to proceed to an inspection point. The group however managed to make it past the checkpoint and jump to the Khepi system where they were targeted by members of thePyke Syndicate who were looking to steal the valuable hyperdrive. The group eventually managed to make it to the station and transfer the hyperdrive to Passik.[50]
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Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "The Kyber Saber Crystal Chase"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "A Perilous Rescue"
- Star Wars: Visions — "THE TWINS"
- "THE TWINS" —Big Gangan Vol.09
Sources[]
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Non-canon sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑1.01.1
Hyperdrive in theDatabank(backup link) - ↑
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew — "Very Interesting, As an Astrogation Problem" — During theescape from the observatory moon, one of theAurebesh readouts on thecockpit monitor includes the words "WARP DRIVE" and WARP" - ↑Star Wars: Episode VThe Empire Strikes Back
- ↑Star Wars Battlefront II
- ↑
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Victory and Death" - ↑Star Wars: Ships of the Galaxy
- ↑7.07.17.27.3Tarkin
- ↑8.08.1Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Incredible Cross-Sections
- ↑9.09.1Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 36Guide to the Galaxy: The Deep Core
- ↑10.010.110.2Nexus of Power
- ↑The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want to Be a Jedi?
- ↑Star Wars: Episode VThe Empire Strikes Back
- ↑Return of the Jedi: Beware the Power of the Dark Side!
- ↑Star Wars: Episode VIReturn of the Jedi
- ↑Star Wars Rebels — "The Call"
- ↑16.016.1 Star Wars Rebels (@starwarsrebels) onFacebook (post onFebruary 11,2016):"The purrgil didn't invent the technology, but inspired it. Much like how humans studied birds to achieve flight."(screenshot)
- ↑Star Wars: Creatures Big & Small
- ↑18.018.1Star Wars: Geektionary: The Galaxy from A - Z
- ↑19.019.1YT-1300 Millennium Falcon Owners' Workshop Manual
- ↑Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition
- ↑21.021.121.2Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 47Secrets of Spaceflight: Hyperspace
- ↑Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 21Guide to the Galaxy: Visiting Felucia
- ↑The Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure
- ↑Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure
- ↑Solo: A Star Wars Story: Tales from Vandor
- ↑"Explosives, Heavy Weapons, and Power Sources" —Star Wars Encyclopedia
- ↑The High Republic: Quest for Planet X
- ↑28.028.128.228.328.4YT-1300 Millennium Falcon Owners' Workshop Manual
- ↑29.029.1Ultimate Star Wars
- ↑Star Wars: Episode IVA New Hope
- ↑Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil
- ↑The High Republic: Out of the Shadows
- ↑Thrawn: Alliances
- ↑34.034.1Star Wars: X-Wing Deluxe Book and Model Set
- ↑Star Wars: Card TraderSet:Blueprints, Card:Y-wing Starfighter
- ↑Adventures in Wild Space: The Snare
- ↑37.037.1Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Grievous Intrigue"
- ↑38.038.1Star Wars: Episode VIIThe Force Awakens
- ↑Star Wars: Galactic Atlas places the events ofStar Wars: Episode VIIThe Force Awakens in34 ABY.Star Wars: Episode VIIIThe Last Jedi takes place immediately after the end ofThe Force Awakens.
- ↑Star Wars: Episode VIIIThe Last Jedi
- ↑Star Wars: Episode IXThe Rise of Skywalker
- ↑Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles (second edition)
- ↑Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition
- ↑Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles
- ↑Ultimate Star Wars
- ↑Heir to the Jedi
- ↑Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- ↑Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles second edition
- ↑ Visit a Galaxy Far, Far Away with our Star Wars liveblog direct from San Diego Comic-Con 2024! onPopverse: "We're beginning our journey three years after the Battle of Yavin" (backup link archived onJanuary 22,2025) dates the events ofStar Wars Outlaws to3 ABY.
- ↑Star Wars Outlaws
External links[]
- Related categories:
- Hyperdrive units
- Related Categories:
- Hyperdrive units