Frame Shift Drive outfitting icon
Device that allows super cruise travel and hyperspace jumps between star systems.
— In-Game Description
The Frame Shift Drive (FSD) enables ships to travel at incredible speeds within star systems (via supercruise) as well as between star systems (via hyperspace).
Rather than accelerating a ship through space, the frame shift drive moves space around a ship to allow it to travel faster than light without using extreme amounts of energy or experiencing time distortion.
Frame shift drives use a modified Alcubierre Drive design to compress space in front of ships in supercruise.
Frame shift drives enable ships to enter hyperspace, a region with more dimensions than normal space, in which extremely fast travel is possible. Hyperspace jumps rely on quantum mechanics, as the destination of any given jump must be known before the jump is made, and the amount of energy needed to complete the jump is discrete.
While the maximum hyperspace jump range of a ship is limited relative to the Frame Shift Drive's Class, Grade and the total mass and available fuel of the ship, this range can temporarily be increased in one of two ways:
- An FSD injection can be made using various materials to achieve a one-time boost of +25%, +50% or +100% depending on the grade. This can be performed using the Synthesis option in the ships Cargo tab.
- Passing through the polar emission jets of White Dwarf and Neutron stars, while generating strain that slowly damages the drive, can supercharge an FSD. This provides a one time jump range boost of +50% for White Dwarfs and +300% for Neutron stars. While this can be a dangerous maneuver, due to loss of control in the emission jet and the possibility of ship destruction in the event of dropping out of supercruise too close to the star, it is possible for explorers to greatly reduce travel times to distant locations by following 'highways' of nearby Neutron stars.
Weapon hardpoints must be retracted and the Cargo Hatch must be closed for the frame shift drive to activate. Certain Scanners, Heatsink Launchers, and Frame Shift Drive Interdictors, however, still function even during FSD use and Supercruise.
Upgrading the frame shift drive in a ship increases the hyperspace jump range of that ship, which is especially useful for traders, smugglers, and explorers early on in the game.
Lore
Anaconda hyperspace jump
In 3125 AD the original hyperdrives used to be powered by a fuel known as Quirium. It's a high energy density material and was produced by the Galactic Cooperative (GalCop). They kept the secret formula of how to produce it. Most Quirium based hyperdrives had a limited jump range, but some people were able to engineer drives to jump across the galaxy or even to other galaxies. It's rumored to be reverse engineered from captured Thargoid ships.[1]
When GalCop collapsed, it took the secret down with it and drives using it no longer worked. For the next 100 years faster than light travel (FTL) was done using more primitive and slower methods.
During the INRA-Thargoid war, a number of Thargoid ships were captured by the Galactic Cooperative. When GalCop collapsed it fell into the possession of the Alliance. By the 3270's, the Alliance was able to reverse-engineer Thargoid technology to produce the single most consequential hyperdrive innovation in centuries: the Frame Shift Drive. It was introduced to the public by 3290. This reduced travel times in Hyperspace from hours to mere seconds, opening the floodgates for human exploration and expansion. Jump ranges greater than 50 light-years became possible which made the galaxy accessible at much lower cost. Due to the machinations of The Club, however, the Alliance did not leverage FSD technology to gain superiority over the Federation and Empire; instead, the tech fell into the hands of Sirius Corporation, which monopolized it and distributed it to all the powers and factions, ensuring no one gained an advantage.[2]
Traveling to other galaxies is currently not possible with the FSD.
Specifications
| Class | Rating | Mass (T) | Integrity | Power Draw |
FSD Optimal Mass (T) |
Max Fuel Per Jump (T) |
Value (CR) | Jump distance with ship mass = optimal mass for C rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | E | 2.50 | A | 0.160 | 48.0 | 0.60 | 1,978 | |
| 2 | D | 1.00 | A | 0.180 | 54.0 | 0.60 | 5,934 | |
| 2 | C | 2.50 | A | 0.200 | 60.0 | 0.60 | 17,803 | |
| 2 | B | 4.00 | A | 0.250 | 75.0 | 0.80 | 53,408 | |
| 2 | A | 2.50 | A | 0.300 | 90.0 | 0.90 | 160,224 | |
| 3 | E | 5.00 | A | 0.240 | 80.0 | 1.20 | 6,271 | |
| 3 | D | 2.00 | A | 0.270 | 90.0 | 1.20 | 18,812 | |
| 3 | C | 5.00 | A | 0.300 | 100.0 | 1.20 | 56,435 | |
| 3 | B | 8.00 | A | 0.380 | 125.0 | 1.50 | 169,304 | |
| 3 | A | 5.00 | A | 0.450 | 150.0 | 1.80 | 507,912 | |
| 4 | E | 10.00 | A | 0.240 | 280.0 | 2.00 | 19,878 | 20.9 |
| 4 | D | 4.00 | A | 0.270 | 315.0 | 2.00 | 59,633 | 24.5 |
| 4 | C | 5.00 | A | 0.300 | 350.0 | 2.00 | 178,898 | 30.0 |
| 4 | B | 16.00 | A | 0.380 | 438.0 | 2.50 | 536,693 | 37.6 |
| 4 | A | 10.00 | A | 0.450 | 525.0 | 3.00 | 1,610,080 | 45.0 |
| 5 | E | 20.00 | A | 0.320 | 560.0 | 3.30 | 63,013 | |
| 5 | D | 8.00 | A | 0.360 | 630.0 | 3.30 | 189,036 | |
| 5 | C | 10.00 | A | 0.400 | 700.0 | 3.30 | 567,106 | |
| 5 | B | 32.00 | A | 0.500 | 875.0 | 4.10 | 1,701,318 | |
| 5 | A | 20.00 | A | 0.600 | 1,050.0 | 5.00 | 5,103,953 | |
| 6 | E | 40.00 | A | 0.400 | 960.0 | 5.30 | 199,747 | |
| 6 | D | 16.00 | A | 0.450 | 1,080.0 | 5.30 | 599,242 | |
| 6 | C | 40.00 | A | 0.500 | 1,200.0 | 5.30 | 1,797,726 | |
| 6 | B | 64.00 | A | 0.630 | 1,500.0 | 6.60 | 5,393,177 | |
| 6 | A | 40.00 | A | 0.750 | 1,800.0 | 8.00 | 16,179,531 | |
| 7 | E | 80.00 | A | 0.480 | 1,440.0 | 8.50 | 633,200 | |
| 7 | D | 32.00 | A | 0.540 | 1,620.0 | 8.50 | 1,899,600 | |
| 7 | C | 80.00 | A | 0.600 | 1,800.0 | 8.50 | 5,698,790 | |
| 7 | B | 128.00 | A | 0.600 | 2,250.0 | 10.60 | 17,096,370 | |
| 7 | A | 80.00 | A | 0.900 | 2,700.0 | 12.80 | 51,289,110 |
Engineer Modifications
The following modifications can be applied to this module by Engineers to enhance it's abilities:
Purchase Locations
This is a very incomplete list. The best way to find where to buy FSD's is to filter your system economy to high tech and most places will have high level FSD's.
| System | Station | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| LTT 18486 | Boswell Platform | A,B,C,D |
| Belu | Covey Gateway | A,B,C,D |
| Ch'i Lingo | Linenger Port | A,C,D,E |
| Eravate | Cleve Hub | A,C,D,E |
| Shinrarta Dezhra | Jameson Memorial | A,B,C,D,E |
| Ross 695 | Bresnik Orbital | A |
| LTT 7548 | Boltzmann Gateway | E,D,C,B,A |
| Hixkar | Dobrovolski Gateway | E,D,C,B |
| LHS 3447 | Worlidge Terminal | E,D,C,B,A |
| Momus Reach | Tartarus Point | E,D,C,B |
| Witchhaul | Hornby Terminal | D,C,B |
| Wolf 1301 | Saunders's Dive | E,D,C |
| Aulin | Aulin Enterprise | E,D,C,B |
| Turnon | Hurston Hub | D,C,B,A |
| System | Station | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| LTT 18486 | Boswell Platform | A,C,D,E |
| Belu | Covey Gateway | A,B,C,D,E |
| Ch'i Lingo | Linenger Port | A,B,C,D,E |
| Eravate | Cleve Hub | A,B,C,D,E |
| Shinrarta Dezhra | Jameson Memorial | A,B,C,D,E |
| Ross 33 | Crown City | F,E,D,C,B,A |
| LTT 7548 | Boltzmann Gateway | E,D,C,B,A |
| LHS 3447 | Worlidge Terminal | E,D,C,B,A |
| Witchhaul | Hornby Terminal | E,D,C,B,A |
| Dzacani | Hanke-Woods | E,D,C,B,A |
| Aulin | Aulin Enterprise | E,D,C,B,A |
| Wolf 1301 | Saunders's Dive | E,D,C,B |
| Hixkar | Dobrovolski Gateway | E,D,C,A |
| Ross 695 | Bresnik Orbital | A |
| Turnon | Hurston Hub | E,D,C,B |
| System | Station | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Ch'i Lingo | Linenger Port | A,C |
| Eravate | Cleve Hub | B,C,D,E |
| Xihe | Zhen Dock | A |
| Shinrarta Dezhra | Jameson Memorial | A,B,C,D,E |
| Ross 695 | Bresnik Orbital | A |
| Hixkar | Dobrovolski Gateway | B,A |
| Ongkampan | Fawcett Gateway | E,D,C,B,A |
| LTT 7548 | Boltzmann Gateway | E,D,C,B,A |
| LHS 3447 | Worlidge Terminal | E,D,C |
| Kremainn | Wohler Terminal | C,B |
| Aulin | Aulin Enterprise | E,D,C,A |
| Thiin | Brandenstein Enterprise | C,B,A |
| Ngaledi | Smith Enterprise | B,A |
| Turnon | Hurston Hub | D,C,B,A |
| System | Station | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Shinrarta Dezhra | Jameson Memorial | A,B,C,D,E |
| Ross 695 | Bresnik Orbital | A |
| BD+24 543 | Proteus Orbital | B,E |
| Hiranyaksha | Watts Ring | A |
| Sol | Abraham Lincoln | A,B |
| Esumindii | Nourse City | B,C,D,E |
| Ho Hsi | Hand Ring | B |
| Votatini | Valigursky Orbital | B,C,D,E |
| Njiri | Helin Dock | B,C,D,E |
| Kupana | Hume Port | A,B |
| System | Station | Rating | Date Seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vaka | Zenbei Orbital | A | Jun 21, 2015 |
| Meliontit | Abe Hub | A,B | |
| Esumindii | Nourse City | A,B | |
| LP 291-34 | Garratt City | A,B,C,D | Okt 29, 2015 |
Hyperspace Fuel Equation
With the help of the formula below the effective fuel consumption of a ship travelling in hyperspace can be calculated. The formula is speculative and was in part deduced from user experimentation.
Formula
Documentation
- f = fuel consumed per jump in tons
- l = linear constant. This constant depends upon the rating of the frame shift drive.
Rating A B C D E Linear Constant 12 10 8 10 11
- d = jump distance in light years
- mShip = the mass of the entire ship including its cargo in tons and before fuel is consumed for the hyperspace jump itself
- mOpt = the optimal mass of the frameshift drive in tons as indicated in-game by the outfitters. The total mass of the ship can exceed this value.
- p = power constant. This constant depends upon the class of the frame shift drive.
Class 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Power Constant 2.00 2.15 2.30 2.45 2.60 2.75 2.90
Notes
- Being close to any mass will affect the FSD charge time. While being next to a heavier ship will merely make it charge slower, the FSD will get mass-locked should the ship be next to something extremely massive (station, asteroid field, etc.) and will be unable to charge at all.
- The FSD generates a small amount of heat while it charges up for the impending jump, especially in the proximity of stars.
- For the original documentation of the hyperspace fuel equation, see this reddit post.
References
Videos
Gallery
