Federation impulse engines are primary means of propelling starship during sublight operations. In Federation starships, the impulse drive is essentially an augmented fusion rocket, usually consisting of one or more fusion reactors, an accelerator-generator, a driver coil assembly and a vectored thrust nozzle to direct the plasma exhaust. The fusion reaction generates a highly energized plasma. This plasma, ("electro-plasma") can be employed for propulsion, or can be diverted through the EPS to the power transfer grid, via EPS conduits, so as to supply other systems. The accelerated plasma is passed through the driver coils, thereby generating a subspace field which improves the propulsive effect.
Impulse engine can be used to maintain warp speed (TNG "Encounter at Farpoint"), but with lower efficiency than warp drive - that seems to suggest that warp drive is using EM field to generate warp field; other option is using gravitational distortion to acheve warp flight. Therefore, impulse engines and warp drive have similar model of operation, and while impulse drive is more effective in STL flight, it can be used as FTL drive; similarly, warp drive seems to supplement impulse drive in more demanding situations, and can be used for sublight propulsion.
Impulse speeds are inconsistent - a reference made in "Fair Haven" indicated that USS Voyager's impulse power would not be enough to outrun an approaching neutronic storm that was traveling at a velocity of 200,000 kilometers per second (447,387,258 miles per hour), or roughly 2/3 the speed of light. However, it is also commented in "Timeless" that at full impulse, Voyager can travel at roughly 80% light speed at impulse. It is possible that in "Fair Haven" case impulse drive was damaged; however, it is also possible that warp drive supplements impulse drive, therefore allowing starship to achieve greater speeds than possible by using impulse drive only.
Also, Enterprise D needed 23 minutes 17 seconds or 0.388 hours from Saturn to Mars (or Earth, as they were going to intercept cube). Minimum possible distance from Mars to Saturn is 1 097 900 000 km; that translates into speed of 3.5 x 10e10 kilometers per hour. Speed of light is around 1 080 000 000 kilometers per hour; this means that Enterprise-D was actually able to achieve faster-than-light velocity by using its impulse drive, as before that Riker gave command to "slow down to impulse" near Saturn.
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