Pathfinder Project

• Research and development project under the umbrella of Starfleet Communications (VOY: "Pathfinder")
• Founded 2374, shortly after contact by USS Voyager demonstrated its presence in the Delta Quadrant (VOY: "Message in a Bottle", "Pathfinder")
• Goal of extremely-long-distance subspace communications with USS Voyager approximately 60,000 light years from Federation core territories
• Initial success with using MIDAS Array long-range subspace transponder array coupled with natural subspace distortion to open asynchronous contact (VOY: "Pathfinder", "Life Line")
  • Specifically, exploiting the frame-dragging effect of a class B pulsar to produce a short-term micro-wormhole (VOY: "Life Line")
    • Wormhole maintained stability for 17 hours before collapse (VOY: "Life Line")
  • Initial success singular event on successful pulsar alignment (VOY: "Pathfinder")
  • Later established as 32-day-cyclical event after identifying alternate pulsar in proper alignment and rotation rate (VOY: "Life Line")
• Upon USS Voyager nearing Delta/Beta Quadrant border 30,000 light years from Federation core territories, synchronous communication could be opened for approximately eleven minutes once a day (VOY: "Author, Author")
  • Triaxilated MIDAS Array signal reflected off subspace disruptions formed around rotating quantum singularity (VOY: "Author, Author")