Frame Shift Drive (SCO)

Faster-than-light capable ship drive, featuring experimental overcharge capabilities, necessary for supercruise travel and hyperspace jumps between star systems.

— In-Game Description

The Frame Shift Drive (SCO) is a hyperdrive system manufactured by Achilles Aerospace. It was introduced to the market in 3310 after research on Thargoid Titan travel. The SCO Frame Shift Drive is capable of both supercruise and hyperspace jumps, with an additional capability of supercruise overcharge, allowing faster travel within a star system.

History

From 3297 to 3310, Frame Shift Drives manufactured solely by the Sirius Corporation were in predominant use among human civilisation. In 3308, during the Second Thargoid War, seven Thargoid Titans were observed travelling through interstellar space at faster-than-light speed, towards the core systems. Following the destruction of one of the Titans designated Taranis, Achilles Aerospace announced their research into the Titan's travel technology, requesting independent pilots to collect Titan drive components from the wreckage of Taranis. This initiative was successful, and Achilles Aerospace brought their prototype Frame Shift Drive to market on 10 April 3310. The line of SCO Frame Shift Drives was initially limited to C-rated modules, with safety limits restricting the potential range for hyperspace jumps. A full selection of SCO Frame Shift Drives became available in May 3310, with the safety limits being lifted at the same time.

The first pilots who used Achilles' Frame Shift Drives reported immense mechanical and thermal stress when using the supercruise overcharge function. Ship manufacturers started designing ships that could overcome overcharge stress. The Python MkII was the first ship to be designed around the Achilles Frame Shift Drive, boasting improved performance and reduced fuel consumption.

Usage

In supercruise, the boost function will activate and deactivate Supercruise Overcharge. During an overcharge, the Frame Shift Drive will accelerate rapidly, but there are multiple drawbacks: it will consume large amounts of fuel, generate a thermal load which can overheat the ship, and the ship's controls will suffer interference.

To sustain a supercruise overcharge for a longer period of time, a ship needs to equip heat sink launchers and carry fuel tanks in its optional slots.

After deactivating a supercruise overcharge, there is a cooldown before the ship can start another overcharge. Commanders can see when another ship is in cooldown on their HUD's target info panel.

Supercruise overcharge will be deactivated during an interdiction. If the ship runs low on fuel during supercruise overcharge, it will perform an emergency drop into normal space, leaving a small amount of fuel in the main fuel tank. Emergency dropping during supercruise overcharge will deal severe damage to the ship and its modules.

Benefits

File:SCO leaving planet.gif

An Adder exiting a planet using Supercruise Overcharge.

Supercruise overcharge (SCO) is very beneficial for shorter-distance travel rather than long-distance such as to Hutton Orbital. It can be used for short bursts of speed to overcome the gravity wells of celestial bodies, greatly speeding up the start and end of a typical journey within a system.

For example: the C7 FSD has the slowest and worst acceleration curve. When using the C7 FSD in a star system with a second star that is 182,000ls from the primary star; with normal supercruise the journey is 11 minutes, 30 seconds. If you do use SCO, the journey is just 5 minutes, 30 seconds. So travel time is cut by more than half. For shorter jumps it can cut travel time to 1/10th or less. Leaving a planet's gravity well is reduced from 1-3 minutes to 3 seconds.

Even for exploring. I can take my FC 5 or 6 jumps out and hit tons of unexplored systems and

The SCO enables rapid interplanetary travel for e.g. quick mapping of a star system, exobiology,

Downsides

While using SCO; acceleration increases continuously to the max speed. The boost cannot be throttled. SCO also has a very high fuel consumption. A standard ship's handling is decreased due to turbulence and wobblyness. SCO also generates much heat while activated. If kept unchecked it will destroy the ship.

The Python MkII was designed from the ground up with advanced Supercruise Overcharge capabilities for better handling, heat management, better acceleration and deceleration, and less fuel consumption with SCO. The result is an overall smoother ride.

Specifications

Unlike Frame Shift Drives, you can only install a Frame Shift Drive (SCO) if its size class matches the size of your ship's Frame Shift Drive Internal Compartment.

Class	Rating	Mass (T)	Integrity	Power Draw (MW)	FSD Optimal Mass (T)	Max Fuel Per Jump (T)	Overcharge Max Speed Increase (%)	Overcharge Max Acceleration Rate	Overcharge Heat Generation Rate	Overcharge Control Interference	Value (CR)
2	C	2.50	57	0.25	90	0.90	142	0.090	27.140	0.24	20,829
2	B	2.50	57	0.25	90	0.90	142	0.090	38.000	0.24	62,488
3	C	5.00	70	0.38	150	1.80	120	0.070	37.860	0.29	66,029
3	A	5.00	80	0.45	167.0	1.90	138	0.070	50.350	0.280	594,257
4	C	10.00	80	0.38	525	3.00	100	0.060	42.860	0.35	209,311
4	B	10.00	90	0.38	525	3.00	100	0.060	60.000	0.35	627,932
4	A	10.00	100	0.45	585	3.20	117	0.060	57.000	0.34	1,883,794
5	D	8.00	110	0.50	1050	5.00	80	0.055	98.000	0.40	1,990,542
5	C	20.00	110	0.50	1050	5.00	80	0.055	70.000	0.40	608,221
5	B	20.00	110	0.50	1050	5.00	80	0.055	98.000	0.40	1,990,542
6	D	16.00	130	0.63	1800	8.00	62	0.045	126.000	0.64	6,310,017
6	C	40.00	130	0.63	1800	8.00	62	0.045	90.000	0.64	2,103,340
6	B	40.00	130	0.63	1800	8.00	62	0.045	126.000	0.64	6,310,017
7	E	80.00	131	0.60	1800	8.50	0	0.030	143.930	0.67	6,667,585
7	C	80.00	150	0.75	2700	12.80	46	0.040	92.860	0.64	6,667,585
7	B	80.00	150	0.75	2700	12.80	46	0.040	130.000	0.64	20,002,754
7	A	80.00	164	0.90	3000	13.10	58	0.040	123.500	0.62	60,008,262

Engineering

This module can be modified by Engineers to enhance its abilities.

Modifications

The following modifications can be applied to this module:

• Faster boot sequence
• Increased range
• Shielded

Experimental Effects

The following Experimental Effects can be applied to this module:

• Deep Charge
• Mass Manager
• Double Braced
• Stripped Down
• Thermal Spread

References

<verbatim>wk-style-navbox</verbatim>

<verbatim>wk-style-divclose</verbatim>