Transwarp

Transwarp is a fictional term used to in Star Trek. Within Star Trek chronology, the term was 'first' used in Star Trek: The Search for Spock.

(The description below is written within a Trek context, but is by no means part of official Trek canon. Comment is invited.)

(In that fictional context) transwarp is a field of structural astrophysics dealing with warp field manipulation, and its specialized application as a catalyst for the formation of trans-locational conduits.

A transwarp system is designed to gather layers of subspace into a highly-structured, multi-layer flight envelope, for the purpose of propelling a starship at high velocities. In many ways, the initial formation of a transwarp flight envelope resembles conventional warp flight.

However, where warp drive seeks to propel a starship through layer manipulation, transwarp drive merely uses layers as a catalyst for the formation of a conduit.

By focusing layers into nested conical shapes, a transwarp drive system creates a peak point of warp energy, which penetrates spacetime through dimensional lattices that cannot be accessed through subspace directly. This peak opens out at another location, in effect providing a direct connection between remote areas of space.

A transwarp system then stabilizes the resulting translocational conduit, apply conventional warp field manipulation to its inner boundary layers. This stabilization sequence is necessary to facilitate safe passage to the opposite end.

A transwarp drive system was tested unsuccessfully on the USS Excelsior.

In 2372 Tom Paris was the first human ever to reach transwarp, he was flying the USS Voyager shuttle Cochrane