The United Federation of Planets contracted Solas Tempus's Engineering and Research Arms to investigate the purpose and operation of the Stargates found Nekkar Star System where the Stargate artifacts were found. In the contract with Solas Tempus, the United Federation of Planets ceded control of the star system to Solas Tempus for further study, indicating that the Temporal Reconciliations provided the legal basis for such a decision given the massive release of temporal energy prior to investigation.
Gate Operation
It was discovered fairly early on that the gates had the capacity to warp space-time enough to potentially form a wormhole. Testing was very slow due to not wishing to damage the artifacts. Tests on the objects arranged around the unknown vessel, later found to the Daedalus, were unsuccessful but initial tests on the gates themselves showed they were controlled by a complex computer system implanted through some unknown form of energy crystals. Although the initial power requirements were worked out and the interface for power to the gate was also worked out, the computer system still eluded study.
Damien Smith
A contractor for Solas Tempus at the Blazing Umbra Station worked out a dynamic interface system which was successfully able to make a connection to the gates onboard computer and activate its subroutines. Damien Smith was then able to link the language the gates programming was done into an proto-latin dialect that had not been seen before. After adapting the program interface to a latin based paradigm it was discovered the gate has a robust interface system which allows for its operation.
DHD
The database on board the Daedalus details the gates operation, but not its interface, noting that in most cases the gate it operated through what they called a Dial Home Device. None of these devices were found. Mr. Smith was able to construct a simple mapping of the gates function calls and responses. Using the database information he worked out how various function calls interact with each other to "dial" the gate (lock the gate onto a specific location). Programming a virtual DHD based on his discoveries, gate information, and one of the support vessels found on the Daedalus called a Puddle Jumper which apparently had an inactive DHD built into the cockpit console. The support vessel itself is still being tested and a suitable power source has yet to be found.
Distribution and Use
In 2381 after Damien Simith successfully was able to interface with and activate the gate itself it was decided by Solas Tempus and Prometheus Association that the gates could be used to allow a pivotal mode of transport between facilities. As there were only 47 gates available the major powers agreed to keep the gates largely restricted until such time as a workable way to construct new gates was found.
The gates were placed at Solas Tempus hub facilities and at primary Solas Tempus locations with other gates put at locations requested by the governments represented by the Association.
Construction Materials
After the discovery of how to actually operate a gate, and subsequent use testing. It was decided the Solas Tempus along with the organizations aligned through the Temporal Reconciliations should search for materials to construct their own Stargates based on the designs and actual artifacts found. At this time, as of 2381, there is still no known materials which can store the massive amounts of power required to produce a stable wormhole and hold onto that power in a stable way to create the wormhole. The search is ongoing.