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In Voyager's Year of Hell, Part I, Chakotay suggests abandoning a very damaged Voyager and, using shuttles and escape pods, rendezvousing on the other side of Krenim space.

Voyager escape pod

Assuming Krenim space is about 15,000 light years across (5,000 parsecs as per Memory Alpha), it would take many thousands of years to travel that far at less-than-light speeds.

So, do escape pods possess warp engines or other means of traveling FTL?

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  • Despite this, it is my sense that the whole warp system is fairly bulky, requiring a lot of "plumbing" so a plausible argument is that an escape pod is to small to have its own warp drive. I could see a temporary warp field supplied by the host ship with a fairly short half-life, probably not lasting long enough to do any sort of interstellar traveling which would seem sufficient to me anyway -- they are emergency vehicles used to reach a nearby target.
    – releseabe
    Dec 21, 2019 at 7:44

2 Answers 2

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Yes, escape pods are capable of warp. This was established in the Next Generation episode Angel One (Memory Alpha).

From Memory Alpha:

Escape pods, also known as rescue pods, of the Odin were capable of traveling at warp 1 for extended periods. It took them 5 months and 14 days to reach the nearest inhabited planet Angel I in 2357. (TNG: "Angel One")

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  • 6
    Though if you really need to get someone somewhere fast, a Class 8 Probe is capable of warp 9, though it's probably a lot less comfortable.
    – Lèse majesté
    Nov 23, 2011 at 12:30
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    It was also detailed in the Tech Manual for the Galaxy class starships.
    – Brian Knoblauch
    Nov 23, 2011 at 13:39
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Top answer is incorrect. They specifically say in Angel One (TNG) that Odin's escape pods are "sub-light" for short periods. Sub-light meaning they can go just UNDER light speed, and therefore under warp. That's why it took them months to get to nearest habitable planet.

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  • Hi, welcome to SF&F. Indeed it appears that the Escape Pod article on Memory Alpha has been changed since the previous answer was posted. Of course it's possible that Voyager's pod are more capable...
    – DavidW
    Dec 21, 2019 at 4:18

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