The Warp Project, alternately called the Alcubierre Project, was an effort by the Compact Navy to implement the Acubierre Theory of faster-than-light travel. The theory came about in during the middle years of the World War Era by NASA engineer Miguel Alcubierre. As wormhole travel, Projection Drive, and hypergates became commonplace, warp research was abandoned.
In the 420s IE, an engineer named Peter Lancaster developed practical applications for such technology. The Navy wanted this as warp drive was “less noisy” than projection drive and allowed a ship to drop into normal space closer to a planet or moon, giving a tactical advantage in a combat situation.
The first warp ship was the Alcubierre, a small sphere with no sublight or projection drives. The ship made a two-week run from Jupiter to Trantor, a distance of two light-years. The Alcubierre also participated in the rescue of John Farno, stranded on Farigha at the start of the Gelt Incursion.
After the failed invasion of Anacreon, the Warp Project fell under the command of Rear Admiral Quentin Austin.
Appearances: No Marigolds in the Promised Land, Broken Skies, Warped