I view Traveller Jump as an outgrowth of continuing research into control of gravity. When manipulation and control of gravity became possible, researchers realized that several avenues of achieving Faster Than Light (FTL) speeds became possible. The late twentieth and early twenty-first century saw the emergence of several FTL theories that remain consistent with Einstein's Theory of Relativity. All of them had massive engineering problems to overcome or required the generation and control of massive gravity fields.
The one that produced the jump drive is a variant of the Alcubierre Drive. Space is folded around a minimum volume (100 dTons) leaving a thin "neck" connecting it to realspace. The direction and duration of travel is controlled by the "folds" surrounding the neck. Once formed the bubble can't be steered. However they will eventually decay causing the ship emerge in realspace.
In theory in any distance and duration could be set however in terms of practical operations there are limited islands of stability where consistent folds can be generated. These islands correspond to Jump 1 to 6 all decaying within roughly one week. The islands of higher jump numbers get narrower and harder to hit without higher technology.
The islands of stability for jump are called that because once you are within range of them, the topology of the folds tend to settle into a stable state. Outside of that they tend to rapidly destabilize. Think of it a ball being placed on top of a hill versus being placed near the bottom of a depression. Near the depression you can be a little be off and the ball will naturally settle at the lowest point. Near the hill the ball tends to roll away unless placed "just" right.
Jumpspace is the pinched off bit of realspace that encloses the craft. Jump sickness, it weird appearance are a result of the small volume that makes up the "universe" that surrounds the ship as opposed to being some type of alternate reality.
At the time I wrote this hop and skip drive didn't exist. When I read about them, my thought was they are generated similarly to normal jumps however they exist on separate line of fold topology. One where it very hard to hit the island of stability.
The one that produced the jump drive is a variant of the Alcubierre Drive. Space is folded around a minimum volume (100 dTons) leaving a thin "neck" connecting it to realspace. The direction and duration of travel is controlled by the "folds" surrounding the neck. Once formed the bubble can't be steered. However they will eventually decay causing the ship emerge in realspace.
In theory in any distance and duration could be set however in terms of practical operations there are limited islands of stability where consistent folds can be generated. These islands correspond to Jump 1 to 6 all decaying within roughly one week. The islands of higher jump numbers get narrower and harder to hit without higher technology.
The islands of stability for jump are called that because once you are within range of them, the topology of the folds tend to settle into a stable state. Outside of that they tend to rapidly destabilize. Think of it a ball being placed on top of a hill versus being placed near the bottom of a depression. Near the depression you can be a little be off and the ball will naturally settle at the lowest point. Near the hill the ball tends to roll away unless placed "just" right.
Jumpspace is the pinched off bit of realspace that encloses the craft. Jump sickness, it weird appearance are a result of the small volume that makes up the "universe" that surrounds the ship as opposed to being some type of alternate reality.
At the time I wrote this hop and skip drive didn't exist. When I read about them, my thought was they are generated similarly to normal jumps however they exist on separate line of fold topology. One where it very hard to hit the island of stability.
