[JennyGracie (OP)]

Matthew has this thought...

We always see starships popping in and out of warp within solar systems in sci fi. From my understanding you would need to create a huge gravitational force to use a ‘warp’ drive, so surely this would throw the solar system into chaos and change all sorts of orbits!?

But what's your view on it?

[Halc]

We always see starships popping in and out of warp within solar systems in sci fi. From my understanding you would need to create a huge gravitational force to use a ‘warp’ drive, so surely this would throw the solar system into chaos and change all sorts of orbits!?

I think you'd have to ask the writers of Star Trek, but the answer usually depends on how it fits in with today's plot and not so much on any actual physics.  The writers rarely let physics get in their way if it contradicts what they want to depict.

[Janus]

Matthew has this thought...

We always see starships popping in and out of warp within solar systems in sci fi. From my understanding you would need to create a huge gravitational force to use a ‘warp’ drive, so surely this would throw the solar system into chaos and change all sorts of orbits!?

But what's your view on it?

Since we don't have any verified theories behind how such "warp" drives would actually function, it's pretty much left up to the imaginations of the SF writers.

I will say this however, If the space-drive works by curving space-time, this can be a localized effect.   Space-time is highly curved near a black hole, but if you move away from it gravity is not any more than it would be for a non-black hole object of equal mass.  So theoretically, you could have a black hole with a total mass equal to that of a small asteroid, with highly curved space-time near it, but if one passes through our solar system, it would not have any greater effect on the planets' orbits than a small asteroid would.   
So for these SF vehicles we just assume that they have come up with a means of curving space locally.  (how this is accomplished is a mystery)
The main purpose of these drives in SF is as a plot device that allows for our characters to get from system to system within the time limits imposed by the story.  They are not meant to be rigorous in their scientific accuracy.

[Bill S]

Give 'em time, man, they're workin' on it!

https://www.space.com/17628-warp-drive-possible-interstellar-spaceflight.html

A warp drive would manipulate space-time itself to move a starship, taking advantage of a loophole in the laws of physics that prevent anything from moving faster than light. A concept for a real-life warp drive was suggested in 1994 by Mexican physicist Miguel Alcubierre; however, subsequent calculations found that such a device would require prohibitive amounts of energy.

[Bill S]

There are similarities between the “Star Trek type” warp drive and speculations about the use of wormholes as modes of time travel.  In the latter case, the warp drive must, if it is to be of any practical use, circumvent the effects of time dilation, and time dilation is what creates the time difference between the two mouths of the wormhole after one has been taken on its journey at close to the speed of light. 

This is fine, as Sci. Fi. but one has to wonder if serious scientists who talk about it, might be “ahead of their time”.

[Janus]

Give 'em time, man, they're workin' on it!

https://www.space.com/17628-warp-drive-possible-interstellar-spaceflight.html

A warp drive would manipulate space-time itself to move a starship, taking advantage of a loophole in the laws of physics that prevent anything from moving faster than light. A concept for a real-life warp drive was suggested in 1994 by Mexican physicist Miguel Alcubierre; however, subsequent calculations found that such a device would require prohibitive amounts of energy.

The problem is that this relies on the use of "exotic" matter (such as matter with negative mass), for which there is, of yet, no evidence of existence.  There is also the argument that it is based  entirely on classical physics and does not take QM into account.  The solution that allows for this type of drive may vanish if we are ever able reconcile QR and QM.

[evan_au]

The solution that allows for this type of drive may vanish if we are ever able reconcile QR and QM.

We have fairly thoroughly explored classical ways of exceeding the speed of light (short of diving beyond the event horizon of a black hole).

So that probably leaves quantum effects

A hopelessly optimistic alternative view is that if and when we manage to reconcile relativity and quantum theory, we may understand both of them well enough to see how to achieve faster-than-light travel.

Even faster-than-light communication would be a big bonus.

[Bill S]

Even faster-than-light communication would be a big bonus.

Possibly; but there could be some inconvenient knock-on effects on time!

[yor_on]

You're thinking in terms of relativity Bill?
A 'entanglement' is 'instant'

Presuming time don't go 'backwards' I think we can allow a entanglement.