Multiphase tractor beam

A multiphase tractor beam.

The multiphase tractor beam was a tractor beam technology invented by Hannah Bates, that required a power source such as a warp core to power the generation of tractor beam pulses capable of moving massive objects, such as stellar core fragments.

In 2368, a tractor beam emitter of the USS Enterprise-D was used to generate a multiphase tractor beam to alter the trajectory of a core fragments by 1.21 degrees to save the Genome colony on Moab IV. The emitter system of the Enterprise was not efficient enough to handle the required ammount of energy. Attempts to increase transfer efficiency would have resulted in the emitter overloading. Inspired by visor technology, Geordi La Forge invented a method of sending the energy through the tractor beam system in high-energy surge pulses, short enough not to overload them. The compressed data pulse routines of visor technology were adapted into the warp plasma conduits to achieve this. Modifications were also applied to avoid a tractor-force rebounding. It was possible to use the emitter circuits to radiate at 390% over standard levels. The frequency of the pulses was increased to allow an additional 10%, which resulted in the loss of two emitter circuits and a near ship-wide life support failure. (TNG: "The Masterpiece Society")