Bearings and Navigation

Bearings

Bearings are a set of numerical coordinates used to navigate the ship. Directional coordinate system based on the center of the ship. The first set of numbers indicating a 360* horizontal plane, and the second set indicate a 360* vertical plane. 000 mark 000 is directly in front of the ship. 090 mark 000 is to the direct starboard, 180 mark 000 direct aft, 270 mark 000 is direct port. 000 mark 90 is directly above, 000 mark 180 is aft, 000 mark 270 is directly below. 090 mark 090 is a 90 degree angle elevation above the ship to port, 270 mark 090 is a 90 degree angle elevation below the ship to port. Etc. This system is mainly used to describe the location of objects outside of the ship, and sometimes used to re-orient the ship to a different direction relative to it's current one.

Headings

Headings are the absolute direction of the ships flight path. Directional coordinate system based off of the center of the galaxy. 000 mark 000 is a course heading directly towards the center of the galaxy. 180 mark 000, 000 mark 180, or 180 mark 180 is any course heading directly away from the center of the galaxy. 090 mark 000 is a course parallel to the center of the galaxy on the horizontal plane, while 000 mark 090 is a course parallel to the center of the galaxy on the vertical plane. 270 mark 000 and 000 mark 270 are similar but in the opposite direction.

Distances

Distances are determined by using the current warp speed of the ship compared to the time it takes light to travel.

Course Corrections

Monitoring of computer controlled corrections by the computer. Once bearings and headings are entered into the computer and the ship is under way it is up to the flight control officer to continually monitor the course and the corrections the computer is making using the links to the navigational sensors.

Manual corrections

If necessary, it is possible to override computer control and make manual adjustments. This may be done to alter the direction of arrival at the destination, or to compensate for unexpected navigational hazards.