The teleporter was a technology found by the Boys from the Dwarf aboard the wreckage of the Simulant Battle Cruiser.

It was first seen when the Simulant Captain used it to beam aboard Starbug, breaking their ruse of the Vindaloovians. ("Gunmen of the Apocalypse")

In a later episode, they go back to scavenge whatever they can from the ruins of the battle cruiser, but are ambushed by the Simulant Lieutenant. Whilst Arnold Rimmer escaped in the escape pod, the others used the teleporter to warp back to Starbug as the Simulant ship disintegrated around them. They later use the teleporter to escape Rimmerworld, but find themselves in the future accidentally where Lister is missing... ("Rimmerworld")

Trivia

• The Time Drive they obtain in the next episode could only travel through time and not space. However, in "Tikka to Ride", the Time Drive can travel through both time and space. The battle with their future selves created the time paradox which enlarged Starbug, may also have altered the Time Drive (since elements of their resurrection including technology obtained by their future selves). Another explanation is that the Time Drive utilised components from the teleporter.