Translation:Alien materials txt/en

UFOpaedia Entry

Proposal

TO: Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command

FROM: Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command

DATE: %02i %s %i

SUB: Proposal: Alien Materials

Commander, as I mentioned in my previous report, the UFO we recovered was plated with a highly interesting alloy which blends plastic and metal together into a single material. These materials seem to be used almost universally throughout the alien technology base. It's advanced stuff, massively versatile and with a thousand possible uses.

I think it warrants the research to see if we can reproduce this stuff in our Workshops, but even if we can't, it seems likely we'll be getting our hands on large quantities of it with every UFO we salvage. We'll definitely be able to find new, human applications for it that will extend and expand our combat capabilities.

--Cdr. Navarre

Result

TO: Base Commander, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command

FROM: Cdr. Paul Navarre, R&D: Engineering Division, PHALANX, Atlantic Operations Command

DATE: %02i %s %i

SUB: Re: Alien Materials

Commander, I think we've uncovered the secret to the alien materials. After some modifications to our Workshop equipment, we should now be able to use the stuff and 'program' it into advanced new shapes.

As I've mentioned before, the alien materials form a 'memory alloy', remembering several shapes that it can change into if the materials are given the right stimulus. Amazingly, the alien alloy can be stimulated by two different things: heat and electricity. Heat is an obvious choice to make the UFO fuselage splay out during atmospheric flight, to provide better lift. Electricity, though, is a new one.

When applying electricity, the alloy responds only to a constant, low-voltage current at a very specific amperage. The material's shape will deform and stay deformed for as long as that current is maintained. Once the current is switched off, the alloy will revert to its normal 'at rest' shape or a heat-induced shape if enough heat is present. The electricity-induced shape takes precedence over the heat-induced shape.

This means that the shape of a UFO fuselage (and anything else made with these materials) can be changed at will, either by a command from the operator or by automated electronics.

This has given us a lot of amazing new ideas. We'll only be able to develop a few of these ideas in time for use in the war, as some of them would take years of research time, but they should nevertheless allow us to build things we could never have attempted before.

Alien Materials should now be available for use in production. Unfortunately, they require a lot of rare and expensive components, some of which can only be found on Earth in trace quantities. There's no way we could obtain the materials needed in quantities that would make non-trivial production possible. We'll have to salvage what we need off the aliens, because we won't be able to produce any of it for the forseeable future.

--Cdr. Navarre

Research Tree Data

(This information for reference only; do not translate or include in-game.)

Prerequisites:
 UFO Theory

Opens:
 Enables production -- Alien Materials
 Enables use of Alien Materials in production
 Alien Aircraft Plating