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Star Trek Uses Shields and Deflector Screens Better Than Any Other Sci-Fi Property

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Star Trek has many high-concept ideas across the franchise's near-60-year history. In fact, because of its longevity, many commonplace concepts in science fiction were created or brought into the mainstream by the series. On such idea, starship shields and deflector screens are deployed better in Star Trek than possibly anywhere else in the genre. On the surface, it may seem like they "never work," but the shields used to protect ships work perfectly … the way the storytellers need them to.

In Star Trek: The Original Series , the 1960s-era budget and technological limitations meant producers and directors had to be creative to showcase ship-to-ship space battles. The most iconic way they created visual drama during them was with the "camera shake" technique. The actors would sway in their chairs or throw themselves violently across the set, depending on how well the shields and deflector screens were at blocking alien ships' attacks. As with anything in the episodes, the main goal is to create exciting visual drama for audiences and keep them tuned in. Yet, good science fiction creates, at least, an internal logic for how their significantly advanced technology (thus, indistinguishable from magic) works. But it goes beyond saying that Star Trek 's shields are made using a "graviton" effect or that it's routed through the ship's "deflector dish." Shields and deflector screens have to work in the way the writers need them to while still making rational sense in the world of Star Trek .

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How Shields and Deflector Screens Work in the Star Trek Universe

Over the nearly six decades of Star Trek stories, the terms "shields," "deflectors," and "deflector screens" are used almost interchangeably. Shields and "screens" are seemingly the same technology, with the latter term being written off as a language quirk on Kirk's Enterprise . In the 1960s, shields may have conjured an image of armor plating of some kind. A screen better conceptualized the idea of a sci-fi force field that reduced incoming damage to the ship. The deflector, however, was a very well-considered concept. Even in the mid-1960s, series creator Gene Roddenberry understood a ship flying through space at a high rate of speed would encounter "space dust" that would pierce through the hull like a microscopic bullet. So, the deflector dish sends out a pulse that pushes dust, debris, or other smaller things out of the ship's way as it travels. It's since evolved to be used as a shield during combat and even a weapon in its own right.

Yet, keen Star Trek fans likely notice that even when "shields are at 80 percent," the ship still seems to take damage. Sparks and crewmembers fly from the impact, and if the budget allows, hull damage can be seen on the ship. This is because the shields, whether on their own or amplified by the deflector dish, don't negate damage. In some cases, they do (whenever the attacking aliens don't need to be a threat within the story). Yet, usually, the energy field that surrounds the ship in a bubble simply reduces damage. Think of it like a video game with a "block" feature that still causes the health bar to drop. It's not as much if the player didn't block, but it doesn't protect them from all damage. This is why when shields are up, Star Trek ships are still battered by enemy weapons, mysterious forces, or energy fields in space.

The shields work on a percentage countdown where a higher number is better. Even with shields at maximum (during a climactic battle, at least), Star Trek ships feel the brunt of phaser blasts and photon torpedoes. Adding the deflector dish allows some of that damage to be reflected into space. Still, even as the shields fall (dramatically) to 50 percent, 20 percent, and so on, they still protect the ship better than they would without them. As evidenced by a number of the series, without any shields, one or two photon torpedoes could ultimately destroy a starship down to the atoms.

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How Star Trek Storytellers Use Deflector Shields and Screens

While some of the more sci-fi purists in the audience may feel this is a cop-out, deflector screens, and shields work only as well as the Star Trek storytellers need them to . There are countless episodes where the shields are working fine one second and, in the next, the ship has lost all power to them or the deflector. The driving force behind these decisions isn't a lack of care about "canon" or anything like that. They are, instead, used to create the most interesting and dramatic circumstance in the story. Sometimes, the captain will push on, even though shields are dangerously low. This is either to create a heroic moment or, in rare cases, allow another character to chastise them for risking the ship for the wrong reasons.

In its second and third waves, Star Trek has employed experts in both science and the franchise canon in an effort to keep things consistent across the series and eras. Yet, these things serve the stories being told, not vice versa. Deep Space Nine 's USS Defiant had "ablative armor," while the NX-01 from Enterprise had "polarized hull plating." These things are technically different than shields and deflector screens. However, they work functionally the same way. How well the work and how much damage the ship sustains depends not on the technical specs of the shields, but the needs of an individual series or story. While the storytellers endeavor to bring consistency to the universe, everything works better when the specific episode or film takes precedence over the "rules" of the technology.

Some level of suspension of disbelief is required of Star Trek viewers, especially where pretend technology like energy shields or deflector screens are concerned. Despite the needs of different stories and eras, these damage reduction elements are applied with relative consistency. Yet, suppose one battle is particularly harrowing or, conversely, far too easy for the crew. In that case, audiences should look for the reason the story requires that rather than taking to social media to lambast the storytellers for getting it "wrong."

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Deflector shield

The Enterprise deflector shields take a hit from the Klingons .

The deflector shields (or more commonly referred to simply as shields ) are an electromagnetic force field that can be projected around a starship , starbase , or planet by technological means and act as the first form of defense against enemies or natural hazards, using deflection to protect said body from various forms of radiation and matter collisions.

• 1 Description
• 2 Frequencies
• 3.1 Earth and Federation shield types
• 4 Klingon shield types
• 5.1 Connections
• 5.2 External links

Description [ ]

Most starships are fitted with deflector shields, often projected from a deflector dish , to protect them from particle impacts which, particularly at high velocities , could cause huge amounts of damage. While basic deflectors and deflector beams could provide minimal protection from weapons fire and basic mishaps, the majority of advanced starships were also fitted with more powerful shielding which could be activated in tactical situations. However, these shields were sufficiently powerful that they also blocked out transporter beams. ( TNG movie : Star Trek: First Contact , et al.)

Shields could be configured in two forms; ellipsoid form shielding, common in Federation starships in the 24th century , which projected a shield bubble around a starship; or contour-conforming shielding which was projected much closer to the ship's hull , providing more specifically localized protection. Some shielding systems also allowed shielding over specific areas of a ship to be activated or deactivated to provide protection for a specific area only and presumably reduce power consumption not protecting the entire hull. ( TNG movie : Star Trek: First Contact , et al.)

Horta were seemingly invulnerable to even very powerful shields, being capable of passing straight through them with very little effort. ( DS9 novel : Devil in the Sky )

While conducting operations in the Badlands in the early 2370s , the Maquis discovered a way to apply regenerative tuning techniques in order to keep their shields operative in the extreme magnetic and radiation flux of the region. In early 2372 , the USS Enterprise -E applied some of these techniques to their shields while inside the Pantera Nebula . ( TNG eBook : A Sea of Troubles )

In addition to standard deflectors, there a number of other shielding technologies that were developed including:

• Adaptive shielding used by the Borg , which analyze weapons fire and adjust shield frequencies to better resist outside forces. This type of technology appears to rely upon the Collective's considerable processing power to analyze incoming weapons fire. ( TNG episode : " The Best of Both Worlds ", et al.)
• Metaphasic shields , developed by the Ferengi Dr. Reyga , are capable of withstanding the pressure, radiation and energy of a star 's corona. ( TNG episode : " Suspicions ")
• Covariant shielding  was an extremely powerful form of starship deflector shielding technology, difficult to penetrate with conventional weaponry. ( VOY episode : " Tsunkatse ")
• Quantum-vacuum shielding was a type of shielding developed by the Free Rihannsu . It had a hexi-cyclic waveform and drew power from the quantum vacuum. These shields protected the cities on Artaleirh during the Battle of Artaleirh . The shields were installed on the Free Rihannsu starships, as well. ( TOS - Rihannsu novel : The Empty Chair )
• Regenerative shielding   was used on the highly advanced Federation tactical cruiser USS Prometheus . It utilized multi-layered/tier shielding that enabled rapid recharging (regeneration) of resting layers, so if the initial layer taking the brunt of an attack gets depleted another fully charged layer is ready to take over while the initial one recovers.
• Unimatrix shielding  used on the Delta Flyer , was a Borg influenced technology, that utilized Borg algorithms to help optimize shield frequency against incoming attacks. (Although not granting the same level of adaptive frequency invulnerability as true Borg shields, it did however impressively enhance conventional shield defensive strength).

Despite its name - the multi-adaptive shielding , developed by Erin and Magnus Hansen , was a steath system specifically designed and used to mask/shield a vessel from Borg sensors. (and not a conventional defense shield) ( VOY episode : " Dark Frontier ")

Frequencies [ ]

257.4 was the shield frequency of the USS Enterprise -D in 2371. The Klingon Duras sisters had previously captured Geordi La Forge and while under their captivity had Tolian Soran (a scientist they were working with) modify La Forge's VISOR to transmit a video stream to them. When Geordi returned to the ship, the sisters were able to expose the frequency and fire through the Enterprise's shield. ( TNG movie & novelization : Generations )

Earth and Federation shields [ ]

By the 22nd century , humans had only developed basic deflector dish technology , which allowed them to operate more safely at warp speeds , but had to resort to polarized hull plating in tactical situations. Many species in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants had developed more advanced shielding technology by the 2150s , these included the Andorians and the Klingons . ( ENT episodes : " Sleeping Dogs ", " Proving Ground ")

Earth and Federation shield types [ ]

• Thomas Paine -class class IX frigate
• Sovereign -class class XIII - XIV battleship Prometheus-class XIV cruiser

Klingon shield types [ ]

Appendices [ ], connections [ ].

• polarized hull plating
• ablative armor

External links [ ]

• Deflector shield article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• 1 Lamarr class
• 2 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 3 Odyssey class

Navigational Deflector

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Components of the system
• 3.1 Enterprise (NX-01)
• 3.2 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
• 3.3 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
• 3.4 USS Defiant (NX-74205)
• 3.5 USS Voyager (NCC-74656)
• 3.6 USS Rosenante (NCC-924650)
• 3.7 Other starships

Introduction [ edit ]

The navigational deflector (also called the deflector dish, the deflector array or the nav deflector) is a component of many starships, and is used to deflect space debris, asteroids, microscopic particles and other objects that might collide with the ship. At warp speed the deflector is virtually indispensable for most starships as even the most minute particle can cause serious damage to a ship when it is traveling at superluminal velocities.

The deflector commonly takes the form of a dish-shaped force beam generator containing heavy-duty subspace accelerators at the extreme forward end of the vessel's secondary hull. It performs its primary function by emitting low-power deflector shields to deflect microscopic particles and higher-powered deflector beams and/or tractor beams to deflect larger objects.

One potential problem of using the deflector is that the deflector beams produced cause a great deal of subspace distortion, which can hinder the effectiveness of a starship's sensors, and as a result of this the long-range sensor arrays are placed in a circular fashion around the deflector. Not only does mounting the sensor arrays in this fashion reduce subspace interference by allowing both the sensors and the deflector beams to point on the same axes, essentially allowing the sensors to look through the distortion. It also allows a rapid reception of data which then could allow the computer to scan far ahead for navigational purposes.

In the event of combat, the navigation deflector performs as the very first stage of a starship's defenses - the deflector can deflect (or at least reduce the damage sustained of) most laser fire and primitive projectile weapons. However, the deflector cannot deflect more complex weaponry such as directed energy weapons or more sophisticated projectile weapons, such as photon torpedoes.

A deflector's energy can be extended outward to protect other ships. In 2266, the USS Enterprise extended its deflector shield around Harry Mudd's class J vessel to temporarily protect it from asteroids while its crew were transported to safety. (TOS: "Mudd's Women")

Ordinarily, Federation starships were equipped with a single external deflector dish. Early versions of this device were sometimes known as a "Metorite Beam" (TOS: "The Cage"). In recent years, some starships are known to have more than one deflector. One example of this is the Intrepid-class, which has its main deflector located between the extreme forwards of decks 10 through 13 while the secondary deflector is located on the extreme forward of deck 6.

The deflector of the Enterprise-E was charged with antiprotons while the Borg were modifying it. This proved to be a potential hazard as particle weapons fire hitting the deflector could destroy much of the ship. It is unkown whether having the deflector charged with antiprotons is standard procedure, or if this was part of the Borg modifications. (Star Trek: First Contact)

Although the navigational deflector is absent from the Miranda-, Constellation- and Soyuz-classes, it is likely that these classes of starship use a tractor beam (with the emitter mounted on the bow of the ship) to perform similar functions to a deflector. Non-Federation starships that do not have navigational deflectors may employ a similar method as well.

Components of the system [ edit ]

The following components work totegether to produce a Deflector field. A deflector field is the energy field created by the deflector array of a starship. A deflector field is typically initialized automatically, though in extreme circumstances, it must be activated manually.

• Booster modulator
• Emitter array
• Force beam generator
• Induction stabilizer

Other uses [ edit ]

Due to its ability to project a wide variety of energies and particles, the navigational deflector is an extremely versatile piece of equipment. Many starship crews have made one-time modifications to the dish to solve whatever problem they may be facing.

Enterprise (NX-01) [ edit ]

In 2154, the navigational deflector of Enterprise NX-01 was used to generate a pulse which destroyed Sphere 41 and thus disrupting the entire network of spheres in the Delphic Expanse. Modifications had to be made, however, to prevent the pulse from rupturing EPS conduits throughout the ship. (ENT: "Countdown", "Zero Hour")

Later that year, the NX-01's deflector was modified to emit a positron burst, which disabled Harrad-Sar's barge when it passed through the grappling line of his ship. (ENT: "Bound")

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) [ edit ]

Failed attempt.The USS Enterprise used its deflector to attempt to shift a large asteroid off course when it threatened the planet Amerind in 2268. The attempt failed and caused damage to the ship's power (TOS: "The Paradise Syndrome").

USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) [ edit ]

• The crew of the USS Enterprise-D used the deflector to channel an extremely large amount of energy at a controlled rate - both as a weapon against a Borg cube in 2366 (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds", "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II") and as an energy source hoping to escape a Tyken's Rift in 2367. (TNG: "Night Terrors") Although the energy beam had a greater power output than the ship's complement of weapons, using the deflector for this purpose was extremely impractical and only ever used on two occasions for three reasons:
• Also in 2367, the Enterprise-D's deflector was modified to amplify and reflect the subspace frequencies produced by a cosmic string fragment to change the trajectory of a group of two-dimensional beings that threatened to destroy the ship. (TNG: "The Loss")
• In 2368, the deflector dish was modified to send 5 beams of light for exactly 8.3 seconds into the clouded atmosphere of Penthara IV, together with a modified phaser blast. This would ionize dust particles in the planet's atmosphere, which would be converted into high-energy plasma. This plasma was then absorbed by the deflector shields of the Enterprise-D and redirected into space. Warp power had to be rerouted to the deflector dish to create enough energy for the massive undertaking. (TNG: "A Matter of Time")

USS Defiant (NX-74205) [ edit ]

• Navigational deflectors can also be used to emit graviton pulses. (DS9: "Once More Unto the Breach")
• During 2372 the deflector of the Defiant was modified in just ten minutes to perform as a single-shot phaser emitter when the ship was under attack from a Jem'Hadar battleship in the atmosphere of a class J gas giant. Only one shot could be fired with this makeshift phaser emitter as it overloaded with the first shot. (DS9: "Starship Down")
• In 2374, the Defiant used its nav deflector to fool the numerous orbital weapon platforms defending one of the planets in the Chin'toka system into destroying their own remote power source by projecting a false Federation warp signature onto the power station. (DS9: "Tears of the Prophets")

USS Voyager (NCC-74656) [ edit ]

• In 2371 the crew of the USS Voyager modifed the ship's main deflector to emit a dampening field and warp particles diverted from the nacelles, along with a Dekyon beam. The navigational array was also part of an analysis for possible issues in regards to being stuck in a type-4 quantum singularity. (VOY: "Parallax")
• The transporter signal was boosted on board Voyager by re-routing the transporters directly through the deflector. (VOY: "Non Sequitur")

The ship's main deflector was modified by Seven of Nine to open a portal into fluidic space. (VOY: "Scorpion, Part II")

• In 2374 a badly damaged Voyager lost its navigational deflector shields along with many other systems during the Year of Hell. Encountering a micro-meteoroid shower, they were unprotected without their deflector and the ship began suffering even more damage. Captain Janeway restored the shields, although she was burned due to a massive fire in the Deflector Room. (VOY: "Year of Hell, Part II")
• Before her time on Voyager, B'Elanna Torres used a deflector array combined with a holoemitter to project a starship into space. (VOY: "Prototype")
• The Borg "children" used a tractor beam in an attempt to steal Voyager's main deflector, to use it as an interplexing beacon for contacting the Borg. (VOY: "Collective")

USS Rosenante (NCC-924650) [ edit ]

• In 2408, the USS Rosenante lost her Navigational Deflector in the Beltanis Stellar Nursery when she was struck by a Class VI Gravimetric Wave generated by a ruptured Subspace bubble . The Rosenante's Engineers salvaged the navigational deflector and it's sub components from the Hulk of the USS Epiphany which had been captured by the Alien probe known as The Harvester .

Other starships [ edit ]

• In 2293, Captains Montgomery Scott and James T. Kirk modified the deflector of the Enterprise-B to produce a resonance burst in order to simulate an antimatter explosion when the ship became caught in the Nexus. (Star Trek Generations)
• A group of Borg attempted to modify the deflector of the USS Enterprise-E to perform as an interplexing beacon so as to contact the Collective of the 21st century. The crew of the Enterprise prevented the attempt by detaching the deflector. The movement controller unit of the Enterprise-E deflector was labeled "AE-35". (Star Trek: First Contact)
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Many science-fiction universes depict exotic defensive shielding technology protecting their vessels from enemy attacks. The different depictions of defensive shielding have varying levels of realism.

For more information, please see the main articles for how the shields of each universe behave:

• Shields in Star Wars
• Shields in Star Trek
• 2.1 Star Wars
• 2.2 Star Trek
• 2.3 Mass Effect
• 4 References

Even though many defensive shield technologies rely on exotic physics, any analysis of defensive shielding technology should take into account real-life physics as much as possible.

• Wesley held it casually while lifting a chair with it, but this proves nothing, since Wesley could presumably lift the weight of the chair himself, allowing momentum to transfer all the way to the deck of the ship.
• Later he left it sitting on a table projecting a force field keeping people out of engineering, and it wasn't knocked off when people tapped the force field. This objection ignores the possibility of the device being secured to the table in some fashion or transferring momentum directly to the doorframe that the field was blocking.
• Wesley later modifies the Enterprise' s own tractor beam to act as a repulsor, and it gives the Enterprise a "push off" from the USS Tsiolkovsky that buys the time the crew needs to save the ship. Far from contradicting the theory that their shields transfer momentum to the ship, this incident only confirms it.

Defensive Shields in Different Universes

Most starships in Star Wars use deflector shield technology to protect against enemy attacks and navigational hazards. Energy from incoming attacks that cannot be completely deflected is absorbed and stored in heat sinks. The shields can become overloaded if the system absorbs heat more quickly than it can be radiated away. The shield system must be shut down while the systems cool off, or the projectors will burn out and require replacement.

Some starships can make use of the energy absorbed from incoming attacks, at least to a certain extent.

Star Wars shielding technology can be miniaturized enough for use on some droids or onto personal shield devices that can be carried (similar to medieval shields). It can also be placed on platforms that can be carried onto a battlefield, allowing broad areas to be shielded against attack. The technology can also be scaled up to protect entire planets .

At least some Star Wars shields are permeable to slow-moving objects.

Please see the main article on Star Wars shielding for more information.

Most starships in Star Trek use shields to protect against enemy attacks. As the shields take damage, they weaken, and effects from enemy attacks bleed through with greater frequency.

Star Trek shields oscillate in some fashion at specific frequencies. Knowing the frequency of an operating shield will allow an attacker to tune weapons to penetrate the shield easily.

Please see the main article on Star Trek shielding for more information.

Mass Effect

In Mass Effect , shields known as " kinetic barriers " can be created using mass effect fields . These shields can stop or deflect incoming projectiles, but they are ineffective against directed-energy weapons . Barriers are scalable from personal defense shields to starship shields.

• Planetary shield
• ↑ TNG, "The Naked Now"
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What's the difference between Deflectors and Shields (Trek)?

• Thread starter magic9mushroom
• Start date Feb 25, 2011

magic9mushroom

• Feb 25, 2011

Often you hear "shields and deflectors up". Unlike Wars's "deflector shields", Trek's "deflectors" and "shields" appear separate. What are shields, and what are deflectors?  

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magic9mushroom said: Often you hear "shields and deflectors up". Unlike Wars's "deflector shields", Trek's "deflectors" and "shields" appear separate. What are shields, and what are deflectors? Click to expand... Click to shrink...

Deflectors if we take the what the Navigational Deflector does as a cue, appear to be something of buckler or a small active field generated far from the hull to intercept and deflect an incoming attack. While Shields seem to be a much broader defense close to the hull not to mention a less efficient method of preventing incoming fire from touching the ships hull  

Rabe said: Deflectors if we take the what the Navigational Deflector does as a cue, appear to be something of buckler or a small active field generated far from the hull to intercept and deflect an incoming attack. While Shields seem to be a much broader defense close to the hull not to mention a less efficient method of preventing incoming fire from touching the ships hull Click to expand... Click to shrink...

evilauthor said: If we take the the Navigational Deflectors as a cue, the Deflectors are a lesser defense designed more to keep random debris from damaging the ship. Shields are for deliberate attacks. Which makes sense in the way. Shields apparently have some power consumption issues or other limitations such that the users only turn them on when absolutely necessary (ie, when they KNOW they're about to come under attack). Deflectors would be the lower power or otherwise more efficient version that they have turned on all the time. At least, that's my take on it. Click to expand... Click to shrink...

• Feb 26, 2011

They sorta mix and match them in TOS from my memory, so they're more or less the same thing. However, deflectors are for simply deflecting most forms of space hazards, while shields are for combat or greater space hazards.  

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Cortana said: Of course this raises the question, if the deflectors are relatively low powered, why is the deflector dish such a powerful (and somehow versatile) system? Click to expand... Click to shrink...

• Feb 27, 2011

vIsitor said: Well, for starters, it is the single biggest piece of equipment on the ship... Click to expand... Click to shrink...

Dust and ashes

The deflector dish supposedly deflects particles and debris at several thousand times the speed of light. It better be big.  

All I can think of is that the original deflector dishes just did that, but as Federation science advanced they kept discovering other uses and just never changed its name from Deflector Dish to "Do-as-we-wish-dish."  

Stargazer said: The deflector dish supposedly deflects particles and debris at several thousand times the speed of light. It better be big. Click to expand... Click to shrink...

All I can think of is that the original deflector dishes just did that, but as Federation science advanced they kept discovering other uses and just never changed its name from Deflector Dish to "Do-as-we-wish-dish." Click to expand... Click to shrink...

Missing & Presumed Dead

It's a critical system that due to whatever you cant have more than the one. It's probably full of redundancy, both in capacity and hardware. Which not only explains why its so big but why its so versatile.  

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ENT 1x01 said: TUCKER: Warp four. We'll be going to four point five as soon as we clear Jupiter. Think you can handle it? TRAVIS: Four point five. REED: Pardon me, but if I don't realign the deflector, the first grain of space dust we come across will blow a hole through this ship the size of your fist. TUCKER: Keep your shirt on, Lieutenant. Your equipment'll be here in the morning. Click to expand... Click to shrink...

Evil EVE Piwate

I always thought it was two words seperated from the same phrase in most cases. Deflector shields being the full name of the ships defensive fields used in combat (known nowadays as just shields) and "raise deflectors" or "raise shields" meaning the same thing just quicker to say and a matter of preference. The deflector dish was a seperate thing used to move crap out of the way during high STL and FTL travel and they just switched to mostly using "raise shields" to remove the confusion.  

Maybe the deflector is just a kind force field plow, that due to the navigational realities of carrying relativistic momentum needs to be projected well ahead of the ship. So far ahead in fact that it would be beyond the range of the combat shields emiters  

Rabe said: Maybe the deflector is just a kind force field plow, that due to the navigational realities of carrying relativistic momentum needs to be projected well ahead of the ship. So far ahead in fact that it would be beyond the range of the combat shields emiters Click to expand... Click to shrink...

Kor said: Sort of, theres plenty of material here some is canon some is not though. http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Navigational_deflector Click to expand... Click to shrink...

According to this: http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Deflector_shield "deflector shield", "shield" and "screen" are synonymous. No idea about the canonicity of this though.  

Kor said: I always thought it was two words seperated from the same phrase in most cases. Deflector shields being the full name of the ships defensive fields used in combat (known nowadays as just shields) and "raise deflectors" or "raise shields" meaning the same thing just quicker to say and a matter of preference. Click to expand... Click to shrink...

The scalpel.

• Feb 28, 2011

No. People literally say "deflectors and shields up", which unambiguously identifies two separate entities. Click to expand... Click to shrink...

Shepard1707

No really, what.

The size of the deflector dish, as well as it's versatility, are partly the result of it's role in FTL, wich is to clear out not just mundane debris, but also to keep superluminal anomalies from seriously ruining your day. Considering how often the Enterprise runs into the more serious of these kinds of thing, I imagine that more minor anomalies are actually quite common. We can see this taken to it's extreme confusion in the use of Quantum Slipstream, which steamrolls space before a warping ship to allow for even higher speeds. (It's also one of the few things to come from voyager wich I consider both cool and absolutely canon)  

I imagine the discrepancy partly comes from TOS using the term "deflector shields", while in TNG+ they typically talk about "navigational deflectors". The navigational deflectors isn't a shield system, per se, they're more like a inversee tractor beam trying to push stuff out of the way of the ship.  

Deflector Shields: The Best Offense Is a Good Defense

• First Online: 25 August 2016

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• Mark E. Lasbury 2  

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Deflector shields in Star Trek are mainly directed toward absorbing fire from hostile ships or deflecting large objects from the path of the ship. However, there are also navigational deflector shields that protect the ship from small objects that might be encountered while the ship is under power. This is more similar to the shields currently being developed by the engineers and scientists of the various space programs. It is cosmic radiation that poses the greatest to the astronauts that will be traveling to Mars in the near future. Secondary to this is the threat posed by small micrometeroids that could do damage to the hull. Traditional shielding is adequate for the solid objects, but some measure of deflecting shield will be necessary to move charged particles and electromagnetic waves from harming the human on board. Using the Earth as a model, several laboratories are developing superconducting magnetic shields to deflect charged nuclei and EM waves in the cosmic radiation. Plasma shields also help deflect charged particles, and even better, models of Moon mini-magnetospheres show that magnetic shields will build plasma shields over time, confining the plasma within the magnetic field lines.

Lasers!? Lasers can’t even penetrate our navigation shields. Don’t they know that? —Captain Jean Luc Picard TNG: The Outrageous Okona

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Lasbury, M.E. (2017). Deflector Shields: The Best Offense Is a Good Defense. In: The Realization of Star Trek Technologies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40914-6_4

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Star Trek Starship Deflector Shields

• 1.1 Shield Generator
• 2.1 Covariant Shields
• 2.2 Metaphasic Shields

Deflector Shields

Deflector shields (so called because they deflect energy and physical objects from the ship to save it from harm, not because they have anything to do with the navigational deflector) are a ship's primary form of defense. They (and related types of technology, such as multiphasic force fields) are fields of highly focused spatial distortion created by shield generators and focused by subspace field amplifiers, within which generators maintain an energetic graviton field. Shield grids on the exterior of the hull shape the shield to conform to the ship (collectively, the shield grids are referred to as the shield matrix). When energy or physical objects impact the shield, its field energy is concentrated at the point of impact to resist the intrusion. Impacts are accompanied by a quick flash of Cerenkov radiation which humanoids perceive as a flash of colored light (blue for Starfleet shields, sometimes different colors for other species' shields.)

Shields are activated, or "raised," whenever threats to the ship become apparent. This could be an enemy attack, potentially dangerous emissions from a nearby star, or the presence of some enormous spacefaring creature. Shield modulation frequencies shift at random to prevent an enemy from adjusting the frequency of its weapons to penetrate the shield without resistance (on the other hand, adjusting the shields to match the frequency of a weapon can strengthen them against it). Raised shields interfere with sensors, so shield frequency rotation creates electromagnetic "windows" to which sensors automatically recalibrate to minimize this effect. (In game terms, shields without such windows impose a -1D penalty on all Sensors Tests (minimum of 1D is still rolled); Tests made when windows exist are rolled normally.) Often, however, Silent Running mode ( See Operations Systems ) comes into effect when shields are raised, so only passive sensor use is allowed anyway. Shields completely block transporters; no one can transport onto or off of a ship whose shields are raised.

Shields also interfere with warp travel. Software which controls warp drive and shield operation compensates for this effect. Without such measures, use of shields reduces a ship's Standard, Sustainable, and Maximum warp speeds by one-third.

Shields would interfere with outgoing attacks, except that Starfleet has anticipated and corrected for these problems. Torpedoes are equipped with shield transponders which allow them to pass through the shields unimpeded. (It might be possible to interfere with the transponder's signal, causing it to explode, but no workable means has yet been developed to take advantage of this idea.) Beam weapons' frequencies are set by the tactical computers to match that of the shields, so they pass through unhindered. (Theoretically, a ship could gauge another ships' shield frequency and sensing the frequency of outgoing beam weapon attacks, but rapid shield frequency changes during combat generally eliminates any chance of making practical use of this theory.)

Shield Generator

Advanced shield variants.

Since shields are so important to the integrity of a ship and the safety of its crew, much research has gone into improving them or developing new, more powerful types of shields. Players may buy the following types of advanced shields for their ships with the Game Master's permission.

Covariant Shields

Covariant shields use an advanced, tetryon-based technology. They work like normal shields, but with one additional benefit: they interfere with sensors. They have the same effect as a sensor-reflective hull ( See Specialized Hulls ) when active.

Metaphasic Shields

Developed in 2369 by a Ferengi scientist, Dr. Reyga, the metaphasic shield generates overlapping low-level subspace fields. This causes anything within those fields to partially enter subspace, which provides high level protection against phenomena in normal space. Metaphasic shields Protection is triple that of a normal defector shield. Among other things, this allows a ship with a metaphasic shield to safely enter and spend time in the corona of stars. (For obvious reasons, metaphasic shields can significantly unbalance a game; Game Masters should be very, very cautious about allowing players to have metaphasic shields for their ship.)

• Spacedock: The Advanced Starship and Construction Manual (pages 72-75, 125-126)
• thedemonapostle

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Navigation was the science of locating the position and plotting the course of ships , aircraft , and spacecraft ; in the last case, the term was sometimes referred to as astrogation . Travel from one star system to another was called intersystem navigation .

By the mid- 23rd century , the Medeusans had developed interstellar navigation to a fine art. During this time, Hikaru Sulu was considered a specialist in space navigation and weapons . ( TOS : " Is There in Truth No Beauty? ", " The Way to Eden ")

It was also at this time that the Federation maintained an automatic communications and astrogation station on the uninhabited planetoid of Gamma II . ( TOS : " The Gamesters of Triskelion ")

Lieutenant Commander T. Grodnick was an Instructor of Astrogation at Starfleet Academy in 2285 . ( Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan )

• 1 Navigating
• 2 Alternative navigation
• 3.1 Measurements
• 3.2 Occupations
• 4 Related links
• 5 External links

Navigating [ ]

In the era of pre-spacefaring Humanity , the navigator was responsible for navigating either sea vessels or aircraft. ( VOY : " The 37's ")

A sextant being used to navigate a Bajoran lightship

Also during more ancient times on Earth , mariners navigated by the stars . Later, maps and globes were used, and with the advent of more advanced technologies such as the compass , sextant – and much later, RADAR and SONAR , Earth navigators gained access to more precise tools. ( VOY : " Year of Hell "; ENT : " Borderland "; DS9 : " Explorers ")

Once beings began to travel the stars, the navigator, or "astrogation plotter", continued the role in space , while new technologies were developed to aid the role.

An early form of space navigation technology, referred to by Chakotay as "the old-fashioned way", were optical scanners . ( VOY : " Unity ") LIDAR , which used lasers , was another form of air and extra-atmospheric detection and ranging – especially for navigation – technology. ( VOY : " One Small Step ")

By the 22nd century , auto-navigation systems were utilized aboard starships. ( ENT : " Doctor's Orders ", et al.)

The astrogator, a 23rd century navigational component

The astrogator plotted courses aboard Constitution -class starships and Class F shuttlecraft during the mid- 23rd century . ( TOS : " And the Children Shall Lead ", " Metamorphosis ")

Subspace sensors later became a key external component in assisting starship navigation. ( VOY : " Year of Hell ", " The Fight ") When the USS Enterprise was taken beyond the galactic barrier , they were unable to return because of the lack of reference points on which to plot a return course; this arose from the extreme sensory distortion, caused by the initial crossing of the barrier. ( TOS : " Is There in Truth No Beauty? ") Photic sonar was also used during this period. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture )

In 2367 , navigation on Galaxy -class starships was managed by the navigational subsystem . In that year, when Data hijacked the USS Enterprise -D , he issued a command override on this subsystem giving him complete control of the system from the bridge . ( TNG : " Brothers ")

Alternative navigation [ ]

On occasion, when navigational sensors became inaccurate, inoperative or obsolete, alternative means could be used to assist in navigation.

In 2268 , the Federation considered the possibility of employing Medeusan navigators aboard starships as a means of solving many navigational problems. ( TOS : " Is There in Truth No Beauty? ") Prior to this, the ship's computer banks were utilized to "solve our problems of navigation." ( TOS : " The Way to Eden ") During a ruse performed by Captain James T. Kirk in 2268 , where the USS Enterprise crossed into the Romulan Neutral Zone , Kirk explained to the Romulan Commander that the inadvertent excursion across the zone was due to an " instrument failure caused navigational error. " When the Romulan Commander questioned how an instrument failure as radical as Kirk suggested went unnoticed until you were well past the neutral zone, Kirk explained that " Accidents happen. Backup systems malfunction. We were due for overhaul two months ago. " When again questioned by the Romulan Commander regarding the Enterprise 's ability to navigate with said malfunction, Kirk explained that " the error was corrected. " ( TOS : " The Enterprise Incident ")

During the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor , Kira Nerys learned "a little trick" that was used to evade the Cardassian ships while hiding in the Badlands . In effort to compensate for the limited sensor range in the Badland, the Bajoran pilots used an active scan system to navigate, a system which worked by echo location . According to Kira, this was accomplished by sending out " a modulated tetryon pulse and if it reflects off the hull of a ship we can approximate its location. " To prevent the pulses from giving away the ship's position, they would alter course and speed following every scan . ( DS9 : " Starship Down ")

In 2374 , Seven of Nine and Harry Kim merged Starfleet and Borg ingenuity to create this new technology that incorporated "returning to that tried-and-true method" of navigating by the stars. The technology worked by using the astrometric sensors to measure the radiative flux of up to three billion stars at one time. The ship's computer would then calculate the ship's position relative to the center of the galaxy . The new mapping technology was considered to be ten times more accurate than current technology, and was able to eliminate five years from the ship's journey to Earth through the Delta Quadrant . ( VOY : " Year of Hell ")

The following year , when the USS Voyager became trapped in chaotic space , it was suggested that the ship "drop a series of beacons " to assist in their navigation out of that region of space. ( VOY : " The Fight ")

Terminology [ ]

Measurements [ ].

Navigational terms on a display

• Declination

Occupations [ ]

• Astrogation plotter
• Flight control officer

Related links [ ]

• Circumnavigation
• Coordinates
• Galactic plane
• Navigational computer
• Navigational control
• Navigational control post
• Navigational control satellite
• Navigational deflector
• Navigational log
• Navigational scan
• Navigational sensor
• Navigation beacon
• Navigation beam
• Navigation console
• Navigation grid

External links [ ]

• Navigation at Wikipedia
• Astrogation at Wikipedia
• Celestial navigation at Wikipedia
• 1 Daniels (Crewman)
• 2 Jamaharon

Brooke Shields Elected President of Actors’ Equity Association

By Ethan Shanfeld

Ethan Shanfeld

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Brooke Shields has been elected president of Actors’ Equity Association, the union that represents more than 51,000 professional stage actors and managers. She will serve a four-year term.

Rashaan James II was elected eastern regional vice president; Sarah LaBarr was elected central regional vice president, without opposition; and Jeffrey Landman was elected western regional vice president, without opposition.

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In April, Shields posted a video announcing her candidacy , saying she hoped to use her star power to lobby for the union and increase the value of being a member.

“I want Equity to be in the position to command the respect that we deserve, whether it’s at the bargaining table or in DC or in every state house and city hall across the country, where we want to lobby for arts funding,” Shields said. “I want to use all of the goodwill, and the advantages that I have built up in my career over the years, to be able to grow the value of being an Equity member.”

View the full list of officers and councilors elected to Actors’ Equity seats here .

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