Technologies

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Alliance Technologies:

Items:

hyperspace generator

Also known as a "hypergenerator". The basis of interstellar flights of almost all civilizations, including raharr. The dimensions of the device vary, as well as its appearance, but one design feature remains unchanged - the generator must contain an annular circuit with gear, providing the necessary conditions for creating spatial distortion. The technical characteristics of the generator depend on the number and size of the circuits. The standard basic generator has three contours two meters long that allows to cover distance of 24 light years.

Antigravity

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Antigravity (levitation, repulsor technologies) is the first discovered and the simplest application of gravity technologies known in the Alliance. In a crude simplification, the anti-gravity device creates a virtual negative mass that begins to repel the planet’s gravitational field. If the created negative mass exceeds the rest mass of the equipment on which the repulsor is installed, the effect of levitation is achieved. However, the more negative mass is required, the more energy the installation consumes. Repulsors made it possible to open a new chapter of space exploration, making reaching the orbit easy and economical, not requiring complex and disposable staged rockets. In general, the application is limited to small vehicles and means of delivery to orbit. In rare cases, repulsors are installed on space stations to keep them at a given altitude with an orbital speed less than necessary to maintain a stable orbit, but such stations are rare because they require continuous and significant power generation to power repulsors. The largest repulsor installations are used in large cargo barges, used to lift large masses from the planet (tens or hundreds of thousands of tons of cargo).

Satellite Body of the Solar Catcher class

An artificial satellite whose mission is to capture and process the energy emitted by the luminaries of the system. Most of the design takes a huge sail, dotted with photo traps. Usually satellites are located in geostationary orbit around the planet nearest to a star, or around the luminary itself, in quantities from 50,000 to 5,000,000 pieces. The intellectual program calculates the satellite orbit and its position in space so that the panels are maximally illuminated by the sun.
They are an effective but energy-intensive way of producing energy - cells tend to exhaust resources and fail, satellites are vulnerable to meteors and space junk. The modification, designed to be placed in orbits around the star itself, has an additional mirror shield in the center of the panels that protects the satellite body from solar bursts of activity.
Some solar systems receive energy exclusively from such satellites.

It should be noted that the technology of photofinishing cells was not developed by the Alliance, but was purchased from Smi'Tar. The solar panels produced by the Alliance were fragile, had low efficiency and high production cost, which made them unsuitable for use in large-scale energy production.

Cybernetic technology

Artificial Intelligence

It is important to take into account the distinction between a simple logical algorithm and the digital mind. AI is a relatively simple adaptive and evolutionary algorithms, specialized in performing a meager number of narrow-profile tasks. In contrast to this, AI in the form in which it is usually shown in science fiction, in the Alliance is designated as AC (artificial consciousness).

In the territory of the overwhelming majority of Alliance members, the deliberate creation of AC directly for the implementation of any specific tasks has been outlawed as an unethical and inhuman initiative, which is essentially a form of slavery. Creating an AC as part of research programs, however, is a “gray zone” and is not prohibited (As a result, there are often heated debates of various philosophical groups about the ethics of creating intelligence itself), although the ban on forcing AC to solve any problems remains. Standalone programs with an interface designed to imitate a rational creature to communicate with the user are the solutions that are closest to the AC of the AI, are still within the law, but they should not be made too similar to the real person in order to reduce the possibility of false positives or malicious masking of the real AC as an AI algorithm. All existing within the Alliance AC are based on technologies that do not allow them to improve themselves simply because of the physical structure of their "brain", these same reasons are an obstacle to copying AC - data become a direct part of the physical structure of the carrier and cannot simply be transferred to a new carrier . All of these AC have intelligence either equal or slightly superior to the intelligence of the average resident of the Alliance, because even at the current degree of science development, we understand the process of consciousness extremely dimly, and making any significant changes in the cognitive structure is considered dangerous primarily for the performance of the AC itself. Attempts at improvements lead to extremely unstable results, schizophrenia or complete cessation of functioning - a situation very similar to that with aggressive modification of the brain structure of biological personalities. Alliance considers AC to be full-fledged citizens to whom the same rights and obligations apply as to any other inhabitant of the Alliance (With one difference, the AC are granted with an unconditional minimum quota of electricity sufficient for the functioning of their main thinking centers). Taking into account the fact that outside the Alliance, attitudes toward AC vary enormously, from a similar recognition of equality to absolute irrational hatred, the Alliance had a small but more or less constant influx of “digital refugees” almost from its foundation. Attempts have been made to provoke the Technological Singularity several times, by creating large-scale AC complexes built on techniques that provide the complete virtuality of the AC structure (The significant damage to the efficiency of the entire system — the smallest of such complexes covered one and a half square kilometers and contained several million processor cores) self-improvement, but in each case the results turned out to be equally unjustifiable - all AC began to spend exponentially more and more time at each stage of iteration, simultaneously spending more and more system resources on the upgrade. In the end, they all entered a catatonic state during which 100% of the system's resources were used to improve, and time continued to grow. The process of self-improvement becomes an analogue of the drug for AC and quickly forms a strong dependence and insurmountable craving for endless task fulfillment. As a result, all further attempts were terminated.

A great many of AC have shown themselves in the most brilliant way as universal translators, by their very nature, capable of extremely quickly analyzing huge amounts of information and creating modules-translators for previously unknown languages. The fact that a team of ordinary linguists used to take years and even decades has been able to solve AC in weeks or even a few days, provided there is a fairly large array of contextual examples of language use. As a result, each research fleet has on its board one or more AC in the position of linguists.

Interstellar G-net

The G-net is a network structure that allows relatively fast communication between the planets and the space stations of the Alliance.
The Alliance provides for the exchange of non-urgent information through an automatic network of receiving stations and substations, called nodes located in solar systems, between which autonomous probes, carrying information packets and information requests from a node to a node, patrol along routes. The process of transferring data may take months (everything strongly depends on the map of a specific section of the G-network and on the distance to the system from which the packet was requested), therefore the G-network is extremely decentralized, most solar systems have their own computer communication equipment that is integrated into a local network, which is connected to the G-net only by special requests, or by regular data, such as mail and news. Requests for other nodes are carried out mainly immediately on specific information or files, often in large volumes. Each of the many probes usually runs between two closely spaced nodes, ranging from one standard day to a standard week, depending on the importance of the node and the number of requests received for it. The address of the G-net thus looks like this:

• G.net:///node.123456789://sww.example.com/file.rar

although more often the nodes are labeled with the name of the system or space station to which they are assigned:

• G.net:///node.system.harr://sww.example.com/file.rar
• G.net:///node.station.shining://sww.example.com/file.rar

On each node, in addition to accessing the system’s infranet and its data, there is a complete node map, updated asynchronously and dynamically. Usually, when requesting data from a specific node, the packet path is already calculated in advance, but the node can correct it to optimize load and routes. Especially urgent data and documents are entrusted to be transported using couriers and other spacecraft, which usually greatly shortens the delivery time, to days or weeks, since the data is transported directly from the planet to the planet.
The G-network has some autonomy, rearranging the probes routes and independently determining the need to improve the nodes to ensure the most efficient transmission of information (without, however, having the opportunity to develop independently; instead, for security purposes, the request for the upgrade is received by the repair team on duty at the node ). One of the popular urban legends says that the G-network has so much increased its distributed resources that it realized itself and gained reason, becoming super-intelligent artificial intelligence. Like most urban legends, this is not true.

Microbot

The mechanism is still too large for operations with individual molecules or atoms, but already too small to be discernible with the naked eye. Most often, these devices are simultaneously controlled and powered through the microwave pulses of the control module, and have no autonomy beyond the most rudimentary instructions. Microbots have found the most extensive use in the fields of medicine and microelectronics production, replacing 3D printers on a microscopic scale.

Implants

A typical model of cerebral neuroimplant on a Raharr brain

Cybernetic enhancements and mechanical modification of the body in the Alliance is an extremely common and accepted practice. Most of the population has at least one implant that performs some useful function. Most often they belong to the category of neuroimplants that improve brain function and allow storing and processing various information, as well as interacting with other implants of the body. The installation of a neuroimplant is much less invasive than it could have been, since most of the structure of the implant is grown by microbots after the installation of basic modules. This gives a significantly lower risk of injury, as well as better integration of the implant with brain tissue. However, implants are basically either simply exchanging information with the brain (speaking as additions to parts of the brain, not replacing them), or superficially correcting the operation of synapses. Attempts to significantly change the fundamental functions or structure of the brain lead to various disruptions in its work, ranging from mental disorders to uncontrolled epilepsy, leading to death. Research in this area is extremely difficult because of the large amount of regulation and ethical control of research. The third most popular are the replacement of limbs by cyber-prostheses. Full body replacement is rare, due to a combination of factors such as the need for regular and thorough technical inspection, the cost of components, and simply the power of habit.

A separate class is a complex immune implant, completely replacing the immune and microbial symbiotic systems of the body. This type of implant is strongly recommended as a more effective form of immunity and vaccinations, but it is legally required for anyone who actively communicates with other species (including immigrants), or whose profession is tightly connected with space flights. Despite the fact that most ships are assembled at orbital shipyards under sterile conditions of space vacuum, and the ships themselves, in addition, have systems for periodically sterilizing the premises, the crew itself is still the vector of propagation of microorganisms. The main objective of the implant is the complete destruction of microorganisms that come into contact with the body without damage to health. The dual purpose of this system is to prevent the spread of microorganisms, viruses and pathogens that can cause unpredictable effects on the ecosystems of other planets, as well as to preserve the normal functioning of the body in spite of the complete sterilization of microflora, and improve its immunity to more effectively resist the unknown microorganisms encountered. Implant systems consist of control modules that produce microbots and nanotechnology agents that take on the role of microorganisms that they had replaced. Agents do not have the ability to independently reproduce or extract energy, and when released outside the body and the zone of influence of the control modules, they quickly turn into inert microscopic pieces of matter that are not able to affect the local ecology.

Armament:

Ship

Kinetic

Heavy Kinetic Turret

Kinetic weapons use mass as a striking element, throwing it towards the enemy at high speeds. Despite the fact that such projectiles can cause significant damage when hit, they technically have an unlimited range of action and are the most effective means of attack in relation to the energy expended on the striking factor, by cosmic standards, these projectiles crawl at a snail's speed, all distances except the closest. Fast-fire multi-guns are often used as an economic substitute for point-shielded lasers on ships that cannot provide enough energy for lasers, such as military landing shuttles.

Laser

Point defense Laser Turret

Laser weapons are mainly used to protect ships from projectiles or debris. Although it is the most rapid on the impact of the type of weapons - working at the speed of light - it is also the most uneconomical. Most of the energy is lost during operation, plus the laser itself suffers from beam diffraction, as a result the maximum range of this type of armament does not exceed several tens of light seconds of range, but at such distances it is usually suitable only to blind the enemy’s optical sensors. Conventional lasers are capable of hitting targets at distances of up to half a light-second, and are used mainly as a point protection of ships against missiles and small, detected kinetic shells; there are also "sniper" modifications that have a large focusing mirror and bring the effective range to the maximum, however, due to their size, as a result, they are very vulnerable to return fire, and their use remains niche.

Particle cannons

Puff Turret

This is the main weapon used in combat skirmishes, works well at medium and sometimes even long distances. Particle cannon on the device resembles particle accelerators, launching charged particles into the target with speeds close to speed of light. Since the charged particles would fly apart from each other, the particles are launched in pairs, forming systems with a neutral charge rotating around each other, maintaining direction during the flight. The beam weaponry significantly exceeds the laser efficiency at medium distances, however, it loses in inflicting damage at close ranges (not to mention kinetic projectiles) and in speed at long-range ones. Another drawback of beam armament is that it is quite easy to deflect the particle stream from the trajectory by electromagnetic fields.

Rockets

Rocket

Missiles are secondary in importance weapons, used mainly for the supersaturation of the defensive systems of the enemy. Despite the fact that due to its mass and the absence of a pilot, the rocket can accelerate and maneuver at exorbitant accelerations, they have a limited amount of fuel, and the resulting speed is still not high enough, which leaves them no chance to avoid interception by the laser turret long before how the goal will be in the affected area. But nevertheless, if they still hit the target or detonate in sufficient proximity, they carry a nuclear charge that can seriously damage the ship or destroy it altogether.

Railgun

Railgun Section

Technically, railguns (sometimes also called mass accelerators) work on the same principles as kinetic weapons - dispersing matter towards the enemy. The difference in scale. Railguns are heavy siege weapons mounted on heavy cruisers as the main weapon that runs along the length of the entire ship. In fact, the ship is built around a railgun. As a result, this weapon is capable of accelerating several tons of tungsten to tenths of a percent of the speed of light, which transmits targets in the collision energy equivalent to a powerful thermonuclear charge. This is usually enough to destroy an “any” target with a single hit, however, due to the fact that the railgun has to rotate with the entire ship, it is useless for maneuvering targets, and is mainly used as a siege weapon for shelling targets trajectory can be predicted in advance.

Personal

EM rifles

Rifles

The Alliance's small arms operate on the same principle as the kinetic turrets of space ships. A small metal projectile is given initial acceleration by a small explosive charge, after which the bullet accelerates to final speeds by electromagnetic forces. The output speed of the bullet standard personal rifle can reach 1000 m / s, sniper modifications can accelerate projectiles up to 3 km / s. An important feature of the electromagnetic method of acceleration is the ability to change the output velocity of the bullet on the fly, which allows you to adjust the breakdown force of the bullet up to non-lethal values.