This Warp 5 speed limit – whats up with that?
In “Force of Nature” [TNG] it is discovered that within the Hekaras Corridor, a region of space where warp travel is hindered except for a narrow path, the intense use of warp drives in an already sensitive area can, over time, cause subspace rifts to form, where subspace manifests itself in real space on a macroscopic scale. To alleviate the problem the Federation imposed a speed limit of Warp 5 on all starships which remained in place until at least the following year. In “The Pegasus” [TNG] Admiral Pressman gives Picard permission to travel faster than Warp 5 for the duration of the mission. In “Eye of the Beholder” [TNG] Picard is given permission to exceed the speed limit to delivery needed medical supplies. There is a general assumption is that engine modifications later solved the problem; there has been no further mention of the speed limit. This is fueled by rumors that Voyager’s back story includes an updated warp core that is “environmentally friendly.
