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Up is an illusion in space
(lemmy.world)
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this post was submitted on 20 Jun 2024
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Idk, most navigation would be along or close to the ecliptic plane of the system, wouldn't it
If you are going to and from points within a solar system, probably but not necessarily. Every transfer made between gravitational influences increases the chance that you will enter at an angle to the equatorial plane, especially if the two influences are not coplanar traveling between solar systems would likely have you entering at a significant angle. Furthermore, approaching a ship at a low velocity means slowing down as you approach them, so even if you do approach coplanar, it would be engines first and not nose first (unless star trek vessels have an ability to reverse their propulsors? I don't know if that's ever been shown aside from by approaching things nose first). The expanse showed this aspect of space interaction well with the flip and burn maneuvers
Starfleet ships basically maneuver like they're weightless ~~massless?~~, which, mathematically, they probably are. Inertial Dampeners are mostly mentioned in reference to stopping Worf from smashing into all the science stations every time the ship accelerates, but if inertia isn't affecting the ship, they can basically do whatever they want. Even a tiny amount of thrust would be enough to put them in reverse from Full Impulse. Add to this that the ships aren't held together by their superstructures, but by their Structural Integrity Fields, and really, a Starfleet vessel could be constructed in basically any shape. They just look like they have a front and an up because humans like it that way
Id also propose that the ships are built with up and down with the additional factor of navigation. Humans typically spend their entire lives in gravity so it's probably easier for humans to navigate a massive ship when it is built like it's in gravity so the crew onboard can focus on their jobs instead of figuring out what direction is the engine room. Additionally we always see that every ship in the show also has artificial gravity onboard. Making a amorphously designed ship even more confusing to navigate/traverse.
FYI, there is only one solar system in the universe.
Source:
But that still means they shouldn't always meet with both having the same side 'up.' Sometimes one should be 180 degrees from the other.
How do we know that all the alien ships we're seeing for the first time aren't actually upsidedown?
But shouldn't they stay that way because that's their standard?
Another question for you- Would it be close to the system's ecliptic plane so that you have a per-system standard or would it be close to the galactic plane for an intergalactic standard? Maybe some civilizations would choose one and some the other.
Assuming orbital mechanics matter, which in Star Trek they dont seem to matter.