inertial damper n.
a device or system that partially negates the effects of inertia, used especially to protect those on board a spaceship from the effects of rapid changes in acceleration
Apparently coined by Star Trek writers. Memory Alpha: ‘According to the Star Trek Encyclopedia (2nd ed. [1994], p. 205), inertial dampers were “invented” by Star Trek writers to explain how the crew avoided becoming “chunky salsa” when starships accelerated or decelerated.’
Memory Alpha
Star Trek
-
1992 Cost of Living (episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation) (transcript of episode)
The inertial dampers shouldn’t fail without kicking in the automatic bypass. I want to know what went wrong.
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1992
page image
E. H. Wong
bibliography
Look how fast they start, stop, and accelerate… They must use inertial dampers, too, to quickly achieve sub-relativistic velocities.
Rescue in Aboriginal Science Fiction Winter 75/2 -
1998
Greg Cox
bibliography
Kirk felt a slight tug of centrifugal force as the Enterprise spun around on its axis, then leaped forward at warp speed, pushing the limits of its inertial dampers.
Assignment: Eternity v. 73 -
1998
bibliography
The ship’s artificial gravity field and inertial dampers compensated for the buffeting.
Spectre ii. 22 -
1998
bibliography
With a gentle lag of the inertial dampers, he felt the St. Lawrence bank to port.
Spectre xix. 226 -
2005
What I wouldn’t give for a Starfleet-issue inertial damper right about now.
Home Fires in Breakdowns 24
Research requirements
any evidence 1992
Earliest cite
"Cost of Living", an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation"
Research History
Suggested by Jeffrey Glen Jackson.Cite submitted have tended to be from Star Trek related works: Adam Buchbinder submitted a 2005 cite from Dayton Ward and Kevin Dilmore's "Home Fires"
Non-Trek sources:
Ralf Brown located non-Trek cites in etexts of the following works:
Anderson Gentry, "The Crider Chronicles" (2005)
John Ringo, "When the Devil_Dances" (2002) and "A Hymn Before Battle (2000)
E.S. Strout, "Blue Shift" (in Planet Magazine #33, March Quarter, 2002)
We would like to get cites from printed editions of these works (and any others not listed).
Last modified 2020-12-27 10:24:49
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