Transwarp and the Transwarp drive were an experimental technology for increasing the efficiency and speed of starship propulsion systems. Though the project showed great promise and was extensively tested on the USS Excelsior, Federation scientists could not make it work successfully and abondoned the project.
An artificially created subspace tunnel, or Transwarp Conduit was used by a Borg ship of unusual and previously unknown design in 2369. The Tranwarp Conduit was capable of defying normal subspace limitations and allowed maximum speeds up to twenty times faster than a Galaxy class starship. This series of transwarp conduits was accessed by an encoded high-energy tachyon pulse.
The actual method or process of using Transwarp drive and Transwarp Conduits is unknown. However Trilithium was used by the Voyager crew in an attempt to recreate the original Tranwarp experiments. Unfortunatly Voyagers tests ended in abject failure. The reason for this being the sudden and spontaneous occupation of every point in the universe when an object reached Warp 10, the theoretical barrier of warp drive.
There is speculation that the original Tranwarp drive was an attempt to create an opening via interphase and travel through another dimension. Since time flowed at a differant rate in this other dimesion a three week journey via interphase would only take three days in real space. However, this is only a stop gap measure and creates unpleasent scenarios akin to the Relativity problems of non-warp interstellar travel.
Other theories include the possibility that the transwarp conduits act as containment fields, much like the Transporters annular confinement field. This containent field would maintain the integrity of the object and keep it from spreading out to occupy every point in the universe.
In 2390 Starfleet is succesfull in developing an experimental transwarp drive. It is installed on a Sovereign class starship, the USS Calhoun. The USS Calhoun is brought to action as a deep-space exploration vessel. On its first mission the vessel visited the Delta Quadrant and made it back home in one piece.
Below is the contents of a memo sent by Fleet Admiral Barclay on 2391.08.26
On May 5, 2390, Starfleet christened the USS Calhoun, registry NX-78546. This experimental Sovereign-class vessel has become Starfleet's prime. It was equipped with the first correctly working transwarp engine. This engine was based on data brought back by the USS Voyager combined with the work of Starfleet's scientists. Voyager's Borg data turned out to be most important for having a breakthrough with the design. A day later, on May 6, the USS Calhoun set off for their first mission, setting up tight diplomatic relations with the Talaxians in the Delta Quadrant. In the long term the mission turned out to be quite successfull, with the Talaxians taking care of building the first Starfleet starbase in the Delta Quadrant.
During the construction of the USS Calhoun with its new transwarp engine, Starfleet realized they would also need a rescue option to get to them, since conventional methods would not be possible. Therefore they used the smaller transwarp engines from earlier experiments to construct a new class of transwarp capable shuttles, the Arrow class runabouts. At this time a total of 5 were built.
On June 7, the USS Epimetheus, the second Prometheus-class vessel, was sent to a remote location well inside the United Federations of Planets' space to be equipped with a transwarp drive. This in order to be able to reach the Delta Quadrant better.
On October 10, 2390, Deep Space Delta One was powered up. It has been graciously built by the Talaxians to give Starfleet a base from which to conduct their explorations and diplomatic missions in the Delta Quadrant. This base became the homebase of Starfleet's only transwarp vessel, the USS Calhoun. When DSD1 was opened it turned out that the USS Epimetheus' retrofitting was going to take quite a while longer then expected due to unforeseen circumstances and technological problems. Starfleet quickly decided to built 5 additional Arrow-class runabouts, which were ready in November that year.
On April 16, 2391, Starfleet finished retrofitting the Prometheus-class USS Epimetheus, with the same transwarp engine as the USS Calhoun had been equipped with. Starfleet now had two transwarp worthy vessels.
Today, August 26, 2391, Starfleet has decided to take the transwarp experiment to the next level. A fleet of transwarp vessels will be formed under my command. The already transwarp capable USS Calhoun and USS Epimetheus will be part of this fleet; other ships that have been selected to be retrofitted with transwarp engines are the USS Atlantis, USS Odyssey, USS Valkyrie and USS Solstice. Admiral Tir and Vice Admiral Graag will be assisting me in running this taskforce.
The main mission of this new fleet, under the name Frontier Fleet, will be the exploration to the uncharted areas of the galaxy. This will mean that the USS Calhoun won't be available at all times to support Deep Space Delta One. Starfleet will send a new command staff to this starbase in due time, while the USS Solstice will be used to maintain the supply line between Pandora Station -which will function as the new fleet's headquarters- in the Alpha Quadrant and Deep Space Delta One in the Delta Quadrant.
