jump gate n.

a device that opens up a portal into hyperspace n., or otherwise enables (nearly) instantaneous travel; the gateway thus opened up; cf. gate n.

Chiefly associated with the US TV series Babylon 5.

FTL

  • 1993 W. R. Forstchen Napoleon Wager i. 16 page image William R. Forstchen bibliography

    The cargo ship, which had followed them through the jump gate, snapped past, decelerating out of translight. The ship, however, did not kick in its sublight retro thrust but continued to race straight in toward the planet at a significant portion of light-speed, a maneuver that was all but suicidal. Which was exactly the intent.

  • 1995 L. Tilton Accusations (Babylon 5) 11 Lois Tilton bibliography

    β€˜We’re trying to make it back to the jump gate,’ the desperate pilot reported.

  • 1997 J. Killick Signs & Portents (Babylon 5) 88

    But before her ship can leave Babylon 5 space, a Vorlon ship appears out of the jumpgate.

  • 2000 K. MacLeod Cosmonaut Keep (2001) 47 Ken MacLeod bibliography

    He’d have been absolutely fucking delighted with one that could be traversed with some kind of warp-drive or jumpgates or wormholes or similar fanciful mechanism.

  • 2003 β€˜L. Hogan’ Enemies 101 Emily Devenport bibliography

    The good old days when the worst that could happen to him was to get sucked into a malformed jump gate and crushed by a singularity.

  • 2003 P. Sarath More to Glory in S. Lee & S. Miller Low Port 188

    My favorite part is serving on the bridge. I can’t touch anything, but I can watch. I love when we hit the jump gate.


Research requirements

antedating 1993

Earliest cite

William R. Forstchen, The Napoleon Wager

Research History
Alexx Kay submitted a 1997 cite from Jane Killick's "Signs and Portents".
Tall Walt submitted a 1995 cite from Lois Tilton's "Accusations".
Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 2001 reprint of Ken McLeod's "Cosmonaut Keep".
Douglas Winston submitted a 2003 cite from Patrice Sarath's "More to Glory".
Michael Dolbear submitted a 2003 cite from "Lee Hogan"'s "Enemies".
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 1993 cite from William R. Forstchen.

We would like cites of any date from other sources, particularly non-Babylon 5 stories. We would also like to check the Babylon 5 script books, which contain earlier drafts of B5 material, and may contain antedatings.

Last modified 2021-10-27 16:23:57
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.