Bridge
Dimensional bridges are connections between the same physical coordinates in two different dimensions. Their connections traverse a pocket dimension known as T-Space. A machine used to open a bridge is known as a bridge generator, and a targeting computer is required to calculate the route through T-Space. In humanity, the creation of bridges is strictly regulated under the Dimensional Security Accords due to the risk of a dimensional incursion.
Bridges are kept open just long enough to pass through and no longer, both for security and cost reasons; the duration varies, from a few seconds to pass an expeditionary drone through, to 5-10 minutes for expeditionary team personnel, to tens of minutes for the movement of heavy dimensional mining equipment. The energy cost alone of opening a bridge varies, but is usually around U€50-70 million; while every second after a bridge is open costs around U€1 million in energy. Any manned expeditions are also subject to a minimum keep-alive time for the safety of personnel, which is fixed at 5 minutes (300 seconds).
FAQs
Why does IRTO maintain multiple bridge laboratories, considering the cost required to build and operate them? Why not just operate a single lab with more frequent operations, saving on construction and maintenance costs? Firstly, IRTO bridge laboratories are managed and maintained by signatory countries. Separate bridge laboratories allows countries to maintain sovereignty over their own exophysical science.
Secondly, IRTO bridge laboratories are not just machines, but also fully-fledged scientific institutions. While the same might not be able to be said for private corporate labs that are designed for mining operations, IRTO continues to carry on this tradition, making their labs invaluable even when not operating bridges.
Thirdly, bridge laboratories often go long periods between their short active times (“pulses”), one of the main reasons behind this is that each time a bridge generator runs the system requires time to cool down and must be thoroughly inspected.