In the fictional Star Trek universe, starships like the Enterprise achieve faster-than-light travel through the use of a propulsion system called a warp drive. The concept of the warp drive was introduced in the original Star Trek series and has become a central element of the franchise's lore.
The warp drive works on the principle of manipulating the fabric of space-time itself. It creates a subspace bubble around the starship, known as a warp field, which allows the ship to move faster than the speed of light without violating the laws of physics.
Within this warp field, space-time is compressed ahead of the starship while being expanded behind it. This warping of space-time creates a "warp bubble" that moves the ship along with it. As a result, the starship essentially rides the wave created by the warp field, allowing it to travel at superluminal speeds.
The warp drive propulsion system relies on a fictional substance called "dilithium crystals" to regulate and control the energy required for warp field generation. Dilithium acts as a catalyst to stabilize the matter-antimatter reactions that power the warp engines.
It's important to note that Star Trek is a work of science fiction, and the concept of warp drive is purely speculative. While it provides an engaging narrative device for interstellar travel in the Star Trek universe, it does not have a basis in our current scientific understanding of physics.