From the series, we know that the Explorer-class starships were conceived to operate with four antimatter reactors (two being sufficient for normal operation and the two additional reactors being required to power their linear FTLs). But, in Episode 1, the two additional reactors are repurposed to power the newly installed prototype jump drive, a task that it has been mentioned they weren't intended for. In later episodes, the Celestia is refitted with two separate jump drives to double it's jump range and we know that the end of Episode 14 that the Aurora was beginning the process of performing a similar refit at Karuzara. But, can the four antimatter reactors of the original Explorer-class design recharge two separate jump drives at the same time? Or must the drives be recharged consecutively? Or are the reactors replaced with newer, more efficient models in the refit?
Now, in Episode 4, the Aurora is able to reach a velocity of .82c while on her mission to intercept the Takaran com drone, but only because the reactors one and two are pushed to 120% of their capacity. Could newer, more efficient reactors, possibly of a Takaran design, cause a vessel with the Aurora's Electrically Accelerated Propellant Drive (EAPD) to attain that velocity or higher without having to be pushed above 100%? Or could a shortcut such as tying in a mini-ZPED into the loop make it possible without having to push the reactors that high at all?
Furthermore, in Episode 1, when Captain Roberts has his pre-launch meeting with Commander Montero and Chief Petal, Chief Petal mentions that without the additional two reactors that Doctor Sorenson's Special Projects team has commandeered for the jump drive that the Aurora will be unable to obtain FTL. Does that mean the Aurora has already had to mass cancelling field generators and FTLs installed before she departed the OAP? Are these systems still installed or are they removed as part of the refit at Karuzara?
More power = greater thrust = greater ACCELERATION. The Aurora could simply continue to accelerate at any rate, and eventually achieve any speed up to but just below the speed of light. Of course, there are other considerations. Like the increase in mass as it accelerates, how much of your propellant you're going to burn achieving your target speed, how much gravity are you fighting (or being helped by) and how much propellant you will use to decelerate later.
The FTL systems were installed, however, the emitter array was removed when they later installed a secondary 'redundant' array. When the Takarans refit the Aurora, her jump drives were rebuilt to increase their single jump range. This necessitated removal of the mass-cancelling field generators in order to make room for the larger jump field generators. End result, no more linear FTL stuff.
The decision to install the jump drive in the Aurora came after her linear FTL systems were installed. The Celestia never had her linear FTL stuff installed. The second STS team already knew the system would work, due to the successes of the first team.
The goal during the Explorer class refits was to increase what they call a "One minute jump range." Since they couldn't get more power into the jump system without completely redesigning the entire system and building it from scratch, (which they could do, but it would take a long time) they took a short cut. They pulled the jump field systems from the Karuzara, which no longer needs to jump. The Karuzara used thirty-some-odd jump drives (field generator, emitter array, energy bank) used in synch. (Much as the Aurora uses two separate jump systems in synch, port and starboard.) By installing a second jump drive (complete with it's own pair of field generators, emitter array, and energy bank) the Celestia got not only the ability to execute 2 max-range jumps back-to-back (within a single minute) but it gives her a redundant jump system. End result, she can jump 30ly (in two 15ly jumps) in one minute. (Although she would more likely jump no more than 28ly, in order to have power left over in each jump drive to make an escape jump with either system should she jump into trouble.)
They can only recharge one system per antimatter reactor. (Remember, the Explore class ships have 2 jump drives working in sync.) The Explorer class ships have 4 antimatter reactors, so if they shut down all non-essential systems and operated from just their two backup fusion reactors, they could recharge all 4 jump drives (two pairs) at the same time.
From my understanding the reactors are the same / on par with the original reactors (they could possibly be Jung reactors or the old ones from the PC Tug sent).
My understanding of basic circuitry would suggest that the Celestia can jump twice as far from fully charged, then needs to spend twice the normal time because they will be charging an additional sets of jump capacitors.
It is exponentially harder to accelerate the closer to light speed you go, so throwing in a mini-zped will only speed the aurora up to maybe 86% and a second mini-zped to maybe 88% (at which point you start to run out of propellant/mass cancelling becomes more and more necessary)
No it means that 2x reactors were being used by the Jump project that would have otherwise been available for other tasks. FTL fields and generators were never installed on the Aurora.
