For example, just prior to the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV in 2552, Commander Jacob Keyes opened up a video link with Admiral H. Face-to-face video conversation is only ever done if abstract concepts need to be communicated.
The message typically consists of a text- or audio-only burst transmission, and transmission time is usually kept as short as possible, due to the immense power requirements of continually keeping the Slipspace rift open. This led to the UNSC's development of slipspace radar in 2554).
#Ftl superluminal drones generator#
The disturbance can be picked up on the recieving ship's gravimetric sensors, instructing it to activate its own Slipstream Packet Generator in order to recieve the message (the recieving ship's gravity silhouette in Slipspace also distorts the ping somewhat, which can be detected by the sender. Next, an intense radar ping is sent through the rift in the direction of the recieving Generator. However, microscopic amounts of negative mass are used to hold the black hole open, and so tunnel into Slipspace in the same manner as starship Shaw-Fujikawa engines. To send a message, particle accelerators in the Generator create a micro-black hole, which under normal circumstances, should evaporate in a fraction of a second because of Hawking Radiation. The theory is simply opening a rift into Slipspace in a similar manner to the COM Launcher, but instead of sending a probe through, sending a burst radio transmission through instead. Though the theory had existed for decades beforehand, it was only the capture of Covenant Slipspace technology that allowed a practical communications system to be developed. The Slipstream Packet Generator, or " Slipbeacon", was developed as an FTL medium-range communications system for ships that could not carry a Slipspace COM Launcher. The result was the creation of the Slipstream Packet Generator. However, the COM Launcher was utterly impractical for ship-to-ship communication across only a few light-years, so the UNSC invested a great deal of effort into developing a medium-range FTL system that could be easily carried by a single ship. Furthermore, they are virtually impossible to intercept and so are perfect for sending long-range, one-way secure messages or information that cannot be transmitted via Slipstream Packets (see below). 2575), they are terrifically fast, and all UNSC outposts and colonies maintain at least one launcher in the event of the local Comms satellites being destroyed in an attack. COM probes are not completely useless: With the latest Slipspace technology (c. Furthermore, while it is far faster than radio, it was still constrained by the comparitvely slow speeds of UNSC Slipspace engines, and was outraced by Covenant transmissions and engines. Unfortunately, the cost to build a Shaw-Fujikawa ultra-precise low-mass launcher is comparable that of a fleet of ships, and even a single probe is worth the value of a capital city on an Outer Colony. If each ship were outfitted with such a device, messages could be delivered without requiring a ship to manually carry the message, especially when the ship is further delayed by the Cole Protocol. The technology was originally thought to be able to revolutionize long-distance communication, being far faster than conventional radio communication. The probe actually navigates through Slipspace and traverses as far and as fast as any UNSC ship. It drops back into normal space at some very distant coordinates. A communications probe launched by an underground gauss accelerator and a Shaw-Fujikawa Slipspace Drive creates a Slipspace rift in high orbit which the COM probe enters like a "bullet" on an ultra-precise trajectory. The Slipspace Communications (COM) Launcher is a communications mechanism invented by the UNSC in 2546 after repurposing ultra-precise Covenant Slipspace technology. The UNSC has two FTL comms systems available to it: The Slipspace COM Launcher and Slipstream Packets.