Tractor Beams

Starfleet missions sometimes require manipulation of relatively large objects in proximity to a starship. Such operations can take the form of towing another ship, modifying the speed or trajectory of a small asteroid, or holding a piece of instrumentation at a fixed position relative to the ship. The execution of such missions generally requires the use of tractor beam remote manipulators.

Tractor emitters employ superimposed subspace / gravaton force beams whose interface patterns are focused on a remote target, resulting in significant spatial stress being applied on the target. By controlling the focal point and interference patterns, it is possible to use this stress pattern to draw an object toward the ship. Conversely, it is also possible to invert the interference patterns and move the focal point to actually push an object.

Tractor Beam Emitters

Tractor beam emitters are located on key positions on a ship's exterior hull, permitting objects at almost any relative bearing to be manipulated. The emitters are directly mounted to primary structural members of a ship's framework, due to the significant mechanical stress and inertial potential imbalance created by tractor beam usage. Additional structural reinforcement and inertial potential cancellation is provided by tying the tractor beam emitters into the structural integrity field (SIF) network by means of molybdenum-jacketed wave guides.

Effective tractor emitter beam range varies with payload mass and desired delta-v (chance in relative velocity). Assuming a nominal 5 m/sec² delta-v, the primary tractor emitters can be used with a payload approaching 7,500,000 metric tonnes at less than 1,000 meters. Conversely, that same delta-v can be imparted to an object massing about one metric ton at ranges approaching 20,000 kilometers.