6.1 IPS Fuel Supply

The fuel supplies for the various IPS's are contained within the various sections, in nanotube fuel storage pods. Redundant cross-feeds within all three spacecraft and fuel management routines in the main computers perform all fuel handling operations during flight and starbase resupply stopovers. While the PDT feeds the Upper and Lower Engineering section impulse reactors, separate hydrogen-ice tanks feed the main impulse engines located on the saucer section, as well as boron ballast tanks. In the event that deuterium must be used instead of hydrogen in the main impulse engine reactors, backup lines will pass deuterium from the PDT through a set of heaters to transform it to a gaseous state for use.

As with the PDT, the other fuel tank (Helium-3) is constructed of forced-matrix cortanium and stainless steel, with foamed silicon-carbide insulation laid down in alternating parallel\biased layers and phase-transition bonded. Standard phaser cutters make penetrations for supply vessels, vent lines and sensors. They are installed by Yard transporters and may be transporter-removed for servicing at maintenance docks.

Emergency flight rules allow for the injection of minute amounts of antimatter into the impulse reaction chamber in the event that short periods of major overthrust are needed.