Orbit

The orbital path for the four planets of the Lima Sierra system

Orbit was a term used to describe the movement of an object in space which had a repetitive pattern with a distinct center with respect to its flight path. This directly referred to such natural examples as a moon orbiting a planet, to the same planet orbiting a star, and so forth. (ENT: "The Andorian Incident"; TNG: "Force of Nature") The general failure of an object to maintain its orbit was referred to as having a decaying orbit. (TOS: "The Naked Time", "The Galileo Seven"; TNG: "Symbiosis", "Deja Q", et al.) To enter orbit in the event of an emergency was referred to as a emergency orbit. (TAS: "Beyond the Farthest Star"; TNG: "Legacy") When a ship left orbit it was generally termed as "break(ing) orbit". (ENT: "Minefield"; TNG: "The Arsenal of Freedom", et al.)

According to Captain James T. Kirk, a starship "can be maintained in orbit for several months [..] with automatic controls." (TOS: "This Side of Paradise")

For example, according to Neelix, before the 22nd century, the Great Wall of China "was one of the only manmade objects that could be seen from Earth's orbit with the naked eye." As well, another one of the objects that could be seen from orbit was the Millennium Gate, which was constructed in the early 21st century. (VOY: "11:59")

Earth's orbit around the sun was approximately 200,000,000 kilometers, which was roughly same diameter of the Dyson sphere encountered by the USS Enterprise-D in 2369. (TNG: "Relics")

In 2267, the orbit of Gamma Hydra IV carried the planet directly through the path of a rogue comet's trail. (TOS: "The Deadly Years")

The same year, the shock caused by the explosion of Ceti Alpha VI caused the orbit of Ceti Alpha V to shift and everything on the planet was laid to waste. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

Terminology[]

Orbits