4.2 Deep Space Operations

The most important prerequisite to deep space travel is a flight plan. All ships except military vessels on special missions must file, with the space control of the system they are departing, a flight plan containing a description of the route to be followed, including any stops, and an estimated time of arrival at the final destination. If any major changes have to be made following departure, the space control where the plan was originally filed must be informed via the inroute communications system. A flight plan gives some idea of the traffic flow, and provides a starting-point for a search if the ship is overdue at its destination.

Ships traveling in deep space must be aware of special regions that are proscribed as hazardous or quarantined under Federation mandates. Warning areas are regions where hazardous operations may be taking place, such as gunnery practice or war games. Danger areas include major hazards to navigation, such as novae and black holes, and areas where unusual and possibly hazardous operations take place on a regular basis. Prohibited areas are regions where contact by any spacecraft is forbidden, such as critical Federation installations, and star systems protected under the Prime Directive of Non-interference.

In addition to the special regions set up by the UFP, the star systems in Federation space that are not members have, in some cases, set up their own regulations governing the operation of spacecraft within their zones of influence. For example, the Melkotian system until recently requested that spacecraft not enter its territorial sphere, and placed warning buoys to that end on the border of its space. Detailed information regarding the regulations that apply in such systems can be found in the Space Operations Handbook, under the reference number of the region.

Emergencies in deep space are rare, but when one does occur, immediate action is necessary to prevent possible catastrophe. All spacecraft are required to carry an identification beacon which can be used to transmit an emergency signal, and large spacecraft have in addition a recorder-marker which can be ejected at the first sign of danger. These beacons are to be used only in the event of an emergency which is defined as a situation in which loss of life or the destruction of a ship is imminent and the prompt summoning of assistance is critical. The use of an emergency signal at any other time will result in severe penalties. An emergency immediately takes priority over all other activities. Any spacecraft receiving an emergency signal must make all possible efforts to render assistance. While Star Fleet search and rescue units are dispatched whenever an emergency signal is detected, it may be some time before they arrive; thus the aid that can be provided by other spacecraft in the region of the emergency is critical. The difference of only a few minutes in aid reaching a ship can be crucial. There are severe penalties for the commander of a ship that does not respond to an emergency.