Talk:Navigation to other Planets

Other Matters Some that come to mind

• heat/cooling
• light
• waste both from Humans and from spoiled supplies or even washing. With an air tight ship its not like you can throw waste over the leaward side.
  

--Helen 09:37, 5 Feb 2008 (NZDT)

Heat and cooling is either done by rotating your ship like a barbeque spit or using radiating fins, if you're using non-magical methods. Of course there are spells like Resist Cold and Heatproofing which should keep the interior cabin temperature at a comfortable level. Light can be provided artificially but, if you want to take star sights, then you'll have to block out any other lights, including the local Sun, so you can even see the stars. Waste will either have to be recycled or thrown overboard. Purification spells can help in this regard.

Navigation and steering, imo, depends if your ship is using a drive based on Newtonian physics or something else entirely. With a Newtonian drive, since your target is moving, you're actually aiming for where it will be, not where it is at the time of launch. Also, you will need to be have a method to orient your ship in order to execute mid course correction burns, orbital insertions and extractions. Usually the longest part of the ship is taken as the N/S reference (and presumably that is also the direction of thrust) and star sightings are taken to determine what orientation you are in. One star should do it, but it's better to use two or three for more accuracy. Speed is also relevant as you need to be able to match the speed of the object you're attempting to rendezvous with. Too fast, and you'll sail straight past, too slow, and you might not be able to resist gravity.

Andrew ... I just haven't written your article have I?

--Keith 22:03, 4 Feb 2008 (NZDT)