[Star Trek] Where does the federation generate their energy surplus from? Is dilithium mined (ergo unsustainable) or created using fusion reactors? Where does their fuel come from?
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Dilithium is a mineral that is mined and refined. It is apparently impossible or impractical to make more. It regulates the matter-antimatter annihilation in a warp reactor or similar system. Some warp engines have been improved so the Dilithium decays at a far slower rate.
Fusion reactors are used for sublight propulsion or for generating antimatter, which is effectively an energy storage mechanism that has a much denser and richer fuel, enabling starships to travel faster than light. It’s possible that solar power is also used instead of or with nuclear fusion-based systems for this process.
Dilithium is mined, but it’s also more of an engine component than “fuel”. It gets worn out slowly over time and eventually needs to be replaced (or “recrystallized” once they develop the tech for it) but they only need a relatively tiny amount.
The actual energy comes mostly from fusion reactors (and is used to create antimatter fuel for starships), which run on regular old hydrogen, aka the most common element in the universe.
>Is the federation’s energy system sustainable long term?
No. This is a throughline in Star Trek Discovery.
There are multiple ways of extending the use and life of dilithium, but it it still ultimately not a renewable resource. In the far off future depicted in Discovery, the galaxy has used most of the unrefined dilithium, and then much of what was refined had been destroyed. When a planet made of dilithium is found by USS Discovery, the federation is able to redistribute much of it throughout the galaxy.
Dilithium is used in warp reactors to regulate the A/M reactions, so it is only needed for ships. Though, really, they should come up with something better, as it’s a finite resource. Fusion power is widespread and mentioned many times as part of a ships power system. Realistically, solar/wind/hydro/geothermal would also be used for ‘common’ power requirements, at least, as having a fusion reactor in each house basement seems a bit much. The Federation should be a Kardashev 1+ civilization, at least, close to 2 at most.
Didn’t Scotty discover a way to repair dilithium crystals using the radioactive isotopes from a fission reactor? Uranium is common enough at a galactic scale.
I admit I haven’t watched Discovery, but I find it odd that any material that can be moved by a transporter can’t be replicated provided sufficient energy supplies.
Fusion and solar for stationary installations. The Golden Gate Bridge is covered in solar panels.
Dilithium is an exotic form of quartz whose crystal lattice extends into subspace. This allows it to effectively channel the energy from a matter-antimatter reation like a lens, instead of an explosion you get energized warp plasma, which drives everything and makes consoles explode (“EPS” in EPS conduit means Energized Plasma System).
Now, antimatter must be manufactured, and there’s never been any explanation of that. By our IRL reckoning it takes enormous energy to create antimatter. Surely it take significantly less 200 years in the future but they use so much of it. People have theorized that there are massive solar farms around various stars, generating energy for antimatter production.
Yeah, as long as a random dumb kid doesn’t cry really hard in a very specific planet directly linked to the misunderstood, nearly supernatural lifeforce of the galaxy’s main source of space fuel, the Federation-slash-Galactic energy economy should be enough to sustain itself for a very, very long time.
No economy is truly sustainable indefinitely but anything that can sustain itself for a thousand years is certainly sustainable, just not infinite.
They essentially have infinite fuel, mined from the interstellar medium via each starship’s Bussard collectors. That goes into their fusion reactors, which is the actual base power source.
Dilithium is more of a focusing and control element in the system rather than a fuel. It wears down but isn’t consumed the way a fuel is. It might be better to think of it more akin to a lubricant or coolant than as the power source itself.
The Federation uses fusion for basic power, which in theory can operate forever since hydrogen is what is used. Even starships use fusion (in the form of impulse reactors), however they also draw power from the warp reactor.
To achieve the power needed for warp, dilithium is used to facilitate the antimatter reaction. This, however, is unsustainable. Sometime around the 30th century all dilithium mines will be depleted and the Federation Council will order all its members to pursue alternatives to antimatter warp drives. In the 32nd century the warp drive started being replaced with the pathway drive, which can achieve faster speeds with less reliance on dilithium.
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We are not here to discuss or complain about the real world.
Questions about who would prevail in a conflict/competition (not just combat) fit better on r/whowouldwin. Questions about very open-ended hypotheticals fit better on r/whatiffiction.
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Dilithium is a mineral that is mined and refined. It is apparently impossible or impractical to make more. It regulates the matter-antimatter annihilation in a warp reactor or similar system. Some warp engines have been improved so the Dilithium decays at a far slower rate.
Fusion reactors are used for sublight propulsion or for generating antimatter, which is effectively an energy storage mechanism that has a much denser and richer fuel, enabling starships to travel faster than light. It’s possible that solar power is also used instead of or with nuclear fusion-based systems for this process.
Dilithium is mined, it can’t be replicated. It’s not a fuel source, it’s something used in warp drive technology.
Dilithium is mined, but it’s also more of an engine component than “fuel”. It gets worn out slowly over time and eventually needs to be replaced (or “recrystallized” once they develop the tech for it) but they only need a relatively tiny amount.
The actual energy comes mostly from fusion reactors (and is used to create antimatter fuel for starships), which run on regular old hydrogen, aka the most common element in the universe.
Dilithium is used to build the warp core, it’s not used up like fuel, though has to be replaced occassionally like any other part of a machine.
Post 2286, the Federation develops recrystallisation technology, allowing it to recycle depleted dilithium indefinitely.
The fuel for warpcores is antimatter, which is produced on planets with energy generated by fusion reactors.
>Is the federation’s energy system sustainable long term?
No. This is a throughline in Star Trek Discovery.
There are multiple ways of extending the use and life of dilithium, but it it still ultimately not a renewable resource. In the far off future depicted in Discovery, the galaxy has used most of the unrefined dilithium, and then much of what was refined had been destroyed. When a planet made of dilithium is found by USS Discovery, the federation is able to redistribute much of it throughout the galaxy.
Dilithium is used in warp reactors to regulate the A/M reactions, so it is only needed for ships. Though, really, they should come up with something better, as it’s a finite resource. Fusion power is widespread and mentioned many times as part of a ships power system. Realistically, solar/wind/hydro/geothermal would also be used for ‘common’ power requirements, at least, as having a fusion reactor in each house basement seems a bit much. The Federation should be a Kardashev 1+ civilization, at least, close to 2 at most.
Didn’t Scotty discover a way to repair dilithium crystals using the radioactive isotopes from a fission reactor? Uranium is common enough at a galactic scale.
I admit I haven’t watched Discovery, but I find it odd that any material that can be moved by a transporter can’t be replicated provided sufficient energy supplies.
I was under the assumption that Dilithium is used for Warp Drive Technology.
But the Federation has many different types of energy production.
That only Dilithium is used for Warp Drives.
Fusion and solar for stationary installations. The Golden Gate Bridge is covered in solar panels.
Dilithium is an exotic form of quartz whose crystal lattice extends into subspace. This allows it to effectively channel the energy from a matter-antimatter reation like a lens, instead of an explosion you get energized warp plasma, which drives everything and makes consoles explode (“EPS” in EPS conduit means Energized Plasma System).
Now, antimatter must be manufactured, and there’s never been any explanation of that. By our IRL reckoning it takes enormous energy to create antimatter. Surely it take significantly less 200 years in the future but they use so much of it. People have theorized that there are massive solar farms around various stars, generating energy for antimatter production.
Yeah, as long as a random dumb kid doesn’t cry really hard in a very specific planet directly linked to the misunderstood, nearly supernatural lifeforce of the galaxy’s main source of space fuel, the Federation-slash-Galactic energy economy should be enough to sustain itself for a very, very long time.
No economy is truly sustainable indefinitely but anything that can sustain itself for a thousand years is certainly sustainable, just not infinite.
They essentially have infinite fuel, mined from the interstellar medium via each starship’s Bussard collectors. That goes into their fusion reactors, which is the actual base power source.
Dilithium is more of a focusing and control element in the system rather than a fuel. It wears down but isn’t consumed the way a fuel is. It might be better to think of it more akin to a lubricant or coolant than as the power source itself.
The Federation uses fusion for basic power, which in theory can operate forever since hydrogen is what is used. Even starships use fusion (in the form of impulse reactors), however they also draw power from the warp reactor.
To achieve the power needed for warp, dilithium is used to facilitate the antimatter reaction. This, however, is unsustainable. Sometime around the 30th century all dilithium mines will be depleted and the Federation Council will order all its members to pursue alternatives to antimatter warp drives. In the 32nd century the warp drive started being replaced with the pathway drive, which can achieve faster speeds with less reliance on dilithium.