ENGINEERING OPERATIONS AND SAFETY

	All warp propulsion system (WPS) hardware is maintained according 
to standard Starfleet mean time between failures (MTBF) monitoring and 
changeout schedules. Owing to the high usage rate of the matter/antimatter 
reaction assembly (M/ARA), all of its major components have been designed 
for maximum reliability and high MTBF values. Standard in-flight preventative 
maintenance is not intended for the warp engine, since the core and the 
power transfer conduits can be serviced only at a Starfleet yard or starbase 
equipped to perform Class 5 engineering repairs. While docked at one of 
these facilities, the core can be removed and dismantled for replacement of 
such components as the magnetic constrictor coils, refurbishment of interior 
protective coatings, and automated inspection and repair of all critical fuel 
conduits. The typical cycle between major core inspections and repairs is 
10,000 operating hours.

	While the WPS is shut down, the matter and antimatter injectors can 
be entered by starship crew for detailed component inspection and 
replacement. Accessible for preventative maintenance (PM) work in the MRI 
are the inlet manifolds, fuel conditioners, fusion preburner, magnetic quench 
block, transfer duct/gas combiner, nozzle head, and related control 
hardware. Accessible parts within the ARI are the pulsed antimatter gas flow 
separators and injector nozzles. A partial disassembly of the dilithium crystal 
articulation frame is possible in flight for probing by nondestructive testing 
(NDT) methods. Protective surface coatings may be removed and reapplied 
without the need for a starbase layover. Inboard of the reactant injectors, the 
shock attenuation cylinders may be removed and replaced after 5,000 hours.

	Within the warp engine nacelles, most sensor hardware and control 
hardlines are accessible for inspection and replacement. With the core shut 
down and plasma vented overboard, the interior of the warp coils is 
accessible for inspection by flight crews and remote devices. In-flight repair 
of the plasma injectors is possible, although total replacement requires 
starbase assistance. As with other components, protective coatings may be 
refurbished as part of the normal PM program. While at low sublight, crews 
may access the nacelle by way of the maintenance docking port.

	Safety considerations when handling slush and liquid deuterium 
involve extravehicular suit protection for all personnel working around 
cryogenic fluids and semisolids. All refueling operations are to be handled by 
teleoperators, unless problems develop requiring crew investigation. The key 
hazard in exposure to cryogenics involves material embrittlement, even in 
the case of cryoprotective garments. Care should always be taken to avoid 
direct contact, deferring close-quarters handling to specialized collection 
tools and emergency procedures.  Æ