Caplan Thruster

Template:StubTemplate:!TechnologyThe Caplan Thruster is a type of stellar engine, utilized to move star systems over a slow period of time. The first working prototype was created in the Meral System as a test for the viability of the Project Alazar plan.

Design

The Caplan Thruster utilizes a dyson swarm focusing a large fraction of a star's light onto one area of a star, massively heating it and throwing material into space. This material is then collected by a magnetic ramjet, confining it in a small area. The helium in the mix is fused into oxygen and fired out of the system at at least 1% lightspeed. The hydrogen is dumped back into the star.

Uses

This type of stellar engine has a high rate of acceleration compared to other stellar engines such as the Shkadov Thruster, and can therefore hypothetically reverse a sunlike star's orbit around a normal spiral galaxy in less than a million years, or eject the star from the galaxy in the same amount of time. The second use was used in Project Alazar to push the Ardaya System out of the Myrmidan Galaxy to escape the Somnar Hive.

Other uses include the sneaky Meral Colony Project, sneakily pushing the orange dwarf Meral towards the Avana Galaxy and possibly beyond as a "Gardener Ship" to colonize far beyond the Florathel Galaxy. The vast majority of the UNFG supports this initiative, but it was """"canceled"""" just before launch to keep its trajectory secret so antagonistic and imperialist nations such as the Empire of Mankind which are currently trying to conquer the galaxy could not attempt to destroy the craft.

The Caplan Thruster's main use is to accellerate a star system enough to activate the Quantum Jump Drive, allowing it to exceed the speed of light. The Meral Colony Project was done in just such a way.