Transporter

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The Transporter is a device which allows for the movement of a person, people, or objects from one location to another. It has seen usage in every generation of Star Trek, though not without some changes.



How it Works

There are several seemingly-conflicted accounts of how exactly the transporter functions. The basic theory as to the function of a transporter is something like this:

1.) The object to be 'beamed' is (presumably) scanned to allow for the transporter to read a pattern.

2.) The object is then broken down into its constituent particles. This occurs at the quantum level.

3.) These particles are moved by some unknown means to a target within a 40,000km range.

4.) Using the pattern it was fed earlier, the transporter re-constructs the object from the constituent particles "at the quantum level".

5.) The re-formed object is functionally identical to the original. However, since then, several events have cast doubt on this theory. Firstly, in Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan, and in Star Trek: Voyager on numerous occasions there are references to times where a complete scan of an object has not been made but rather the co-ordinates of the object have been isolated and the beaming process could proceed from there. This seems to invalidate the need for the first item in the transport, particularly since in the case of Star Trek 2, the item being beamed was the Genesis Device - for which a complete schematic or pattern was not known.

Popular Acceptance

In Star Trek:Enterprise, Captain Johnathan Archer expressed his dislike of the transport system. Though it did exist and function at that time, it seemed to be less than safe, quite like the first boiler-cars. Johnathan Archer said that he wouldn't trust it with his life or the life of his men.

In the next chronological generation, Star Trek: The Original Series, this has changed significantly. Though there are still cynics - among them the prominent Dr. McCoy - who insist that it is a "Crazy way to travel, spreading a man's molecules all over the universe.", the transporter is used widely, and we never hear mention of the ethical dilemmas involved in its usage.

By the time of Star Trek: The Next Generation, transporters are considered (like warp-drive) to be 'a proven technology'. It is even remarked by one of the bridge crew that it's "The safest way to travel." This is said despite knowledge of a number of transporter accidents or mishaps including the cloning of a transported individual, and a transfer to an alternate universe.