Transporter

The transporter is a device which allows for the movement of people or objects from one location to another. It has seen usage in every generation of Star Trek, though not without some changes.

Nature

There are several seemingly-conflicted accounts of how exactly the transporter functions. The basic theory as to the function of a transporter is something like this:

1. The target object's location is determined by sensors or coordinates are manually specified.
2. The object (presumably) scanned to obtain a "pattern".
3. The object is disassembled into its constituent particles. This occurs at the quantum level.
4. These particles are transmitted by some unknown means to a destination within a 40,000 km range.
5. Using the pattern obtained earlier, the transporter re-constructs the object from the constituent particles "at the quantum level".
6. The re-formed object is functionally identical to the original.

There is some doubt as to the second step in this process; some events suggests that a pattern is not needed. In Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan and in Star Trek: Voyager on numerous occasions, there are times when a complete scan of an object is not possible, but the co-ordinates of the object have been isolated and the beaming process could proceed from there. This seems to invalidate the need for a scan before transport, particularly since in the case of Star Trek 2, the item being beamed was the Genesis Device - for which a complete schematic or pattern was not known.

However, in TNG's "Elementary, my Dear Data", when trying to beam a holographic object off of the grid, Geordi and Data indicated that the pattern-signal was not strong enough, and for this reason they tried to employ pattern-enhancers to aid with the beaming process.

Popular Acceptance

An important implication of How it Works: Point 2 is that the original object/person is destroyed in the process, with the "transported copy" being an exact copy of the original copy. Evidence of this can be seen in the fact that transporter accidents have created altered replicas of their affected "targets"-- such as James T. Kirk and William Riker. Consequently, a whole host of ethical questions can be raised as to whether or not the transporter in effect murders its subjects.

In Star Trek: Enterprise, Captain Jonathan Archer expressed his dislike of the transport system. Though it did exist and function at that time, it was not considered safe, quite like the first boiler-cars. Archer said that he wouldn't trust it with his life or the lives of his men. This was perhaps a justified position, as more than one attempted beam-up resulted in horrific results such as blending a man and his surroundings.

In the next chronological generation, Star Trek: The Original Series, the prevailing attitude has changed significantly. Though there are still cynics - among them the prominent Dr. McCoy - who insist that it is a "Crazy way to travel, spreading a man's molecules all over the universe", but the transporter is used widely, and we never hear mention of the ethical dilemmas involved in its use.

By the time of Star Trek: The Next Generation, transporters -- like warp-drive -- are considered to be a "proven technology". Commander William Riker even describes it as "the safest way to travel." It is notable that this same person was personally involved in the afore-mentioned transporter accident, which clearly showed that the transporter had in fact destroyed and copied him.

Alternative Uses

• Restoration to Previous State* (TNG: Rascals)