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Slipstream space: Difference between revisions
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The Covenant have a very finely tuned version of this technology, far superior to the human Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine. Instead of simply tearing a hole into slipspace, Covenant slipspace drives cut a very fine hole in the fabric of space-time and slips into slipspace with precision, much like a scalpel compared to a butcher knife. It exits with the same pinpoint accuracy, takes less time during travel, and is able to plot a course with error not exceeding an atom. This is why in battle Covenant ships are able to slip by human defenses by using slipspace.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 86''</ref> Standard Covenant tactics include using short slipstream jumps to gain positional advantage and surprise other ships, in addition to avoiding incoming ordnance. The Covenant's superiority in drive technology, combined with differing weapon technology, allows a small number of Covenant ships to effectively engage a much larger UNSC force. Missiles, especially, can be defeated by a brief slipstream jump, as they cannot track through slipstream space. | The Covenant have a very finely tuned version of this technology, far superior to the human Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine. Instead of simply tearing a hole into slipspace, Covenant slipspace drives cut a very fine hole in the fabric of space-time and slips into slipspace with precision, much like a scalpel compared to a butcher knife. It exits with the same pinpoint accuracy, takes less time during travel, and is able to plot a course with error not exceeding an atom. This is why in battle Covenant ships are able to slip by human defenses by using slipspace.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 86''</ref> Standard Covenant tactics include using short slipstream jumps to gain positional advantage and surprise other ships, in addition to avoiding incoming ordnance. The Covenant's superiority in drive technology, combined with differing weapon technology, allows a small number of Covenant ships to effectively engage a much larger UNSC force. Missiles, especially, can be defeated by a brief slipstream jump, as they cannot track through slipstream space. | ||
Gravitational fields of significant size, such as those generated by a planet, affect the superfine quantum filaments that the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine must use to calculate an entry point to the slipstream, and UNSC calculations are unable to offset this effect.<ref name="numbers">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 85''</ref> Covenant drives, in turn derived from Forerunner technology, have a much higher resolution of the filaments, and use more accurate calculations, and though the Covenant do not use this ability, are capable of making slipstream transition in and out of a planet's [[gravity well]]. Indeed, while using the captured ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'' to make a slipspace jump within [[Threshold]]'s atmosphere, [[Cortana]] remarked that ''"It was as if she was blind before."''<ref name="numbers"/> After observing this innovation, a | Gravitational fields of significant size, such as those generated by a planet, affect the superfine quantum filaments that the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine must use to calculate an entry point to the slipstream, and UNSC calculations are unable to offset this effect.<ref name="numbers">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 85''</ref> Covenant drives, in turn derived from Forerunner technology, have a much higher resolution of the filaments, and use more accurate calculations, and though the Covenant do not use this ability, are capable of making slipstream transition in and out of a planet's [[gravity well]]. Indeed, while using the captured ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'' to make a slipspace jump within [[Threshold]]'s atmosphere, [[Cortana]] remarked that ''"It was as if she was blind before."''<ref name="numbers"/> After observing this innovation, a Covenant AI managed to leak the data out to the rest of the Covenant in a transmission. During the [[Battle of Mombasa]], the [[Prophet of Regret]] used this newfound knowledge to transition into slipspace while directly over [[New Mombasa]] in Earth's gravity well, damaging the city and causing the weakening and eventual collapse of the [[New Mombasa Orbital Elevator|Orbital Elevator]] there.<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[Metropolis]]''</ref> These events show that, while the Covenant often cannot innovate their own solutions, they are quick to adopt any practice that increases their combat prowess. | ||
Slipspace travel is dangerous due to the high level of [[radiation]] encountered during the trip, which can be extremely hazardous to the crew. This is negated by the use of [[lead foil]] in UNSC ships, which absorbs the radiation. Fissile materials also emit radiation, specifically [[Čerenkov Radiation]], emitted when particles travel through a medium at a faster rate than light travels in that same medium.) upon exiting Slipspace; this is not harmful to humans, however it does make emerging from Slipspace very noticeable. It is not known how the Covenant deal with radiation, but it is presumed that either they also utilize a shielding material, or with their improved slipspace technology and [[energy shielding]], it does not affect them at all.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 13''</ref> In addition, slipspace travel generates a great deal of static electricity on the ship's hull. To discharge the static energy, [[human]]s have developed a piezoelectric material known as [[polymerized lithium niobocene]].<ref>'''[[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]]''', ''July 30, 2511''</ref> In addition, starships are not normally directly exposed to the eleven-dimensional space-time while in slipspace, but are instead enveloped in a quantum field.<ref>'''[[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]]''', ''December 25, 2534''</ref> | Slipspace travel is dangerous due to the high level of [[radiation]] encountered during the trip, which can be extremely hazardous to the crew. This is negated by the use of [[lead foil]] in UNSC ships, which absorbs the radiation. Fissile materials also emit radiation, specifically [[Čerenkov Radiation]], emitted when particles travel through a medium at a faster rate than light travels in that same medium.) upon exiting Slipspace; this is not harmful to humans, however it does make emerging from Slipspace very noticeable. It is not known how the Covenant deal with radiation, but it is presumed that either they also utilize a shielding material, or with their improved slipspace technology and [[energy shielding]], it does not affect them at all.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 13''</ref> In addition, slipspace travel generates a great deal of static electricity on the ship's hull. To discharge the static energy, [[human]]s have developed a piezoelectric material known as [[polymerized lithium niobocene]].<ref>'''[[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]]''', ''July 30, 2511''</ref> In addition, starships are not normally directly exposed to the eleven-dimensional space-time while in slipspace, but are instead enveloped in a quantum field.<ref>'''[[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]]''', ''December 25, 2534''</ref> | ||