Warp drive

The warp drive is a terran device that allows vessels to enter warp space.

Overview
Terrans developed warp engines by the 23rd century, which allowed the colonization of the Solar System, travel to further star systems (coupled with cryogenic hibernation) and eventually travel to the Koprulu Sector. Upon their botched landing, the exiled terrans had to redesign warp travel (it took them sixty years to redevelop subwarp engines using information taken from the ATLAS). The warp engines require maintenance from specialized engineers called "warp rats" and, if damaged, must be extensively repaired.

Drive failure can have catastrophic consequences, such as violent implosions that can result in the total loss of a ship and its crew. Terran jumps through warp space can be short ranged or long range, the latter being reserved for large ships such as battlecruisers. For these jumps, a few hours are required to charge up the engines, along with plotting the co-ordinates. A long jump can be made instantly in desperate circumstances, but this is regarded as extremely hazardous.