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In Starfleet, the navigator held the position responsible for projecting the course of a starship and for determining a ship's position, velocity, and direction in relationship to a course. The navigator could also use the ship's navigational sensors to determine the positions, speeds, and trajectories of other objects. Additionally, in the 2250s and 2260s, a navigator was in charge of coordinating phaser crews for real and simulated combat and for firing the weapons. (TOS: "The Corbomite Maneuver", "Obsession") By the end of 2266, this last function had shifted to the helmsman. (TOS: "Balance of Terror")

On Earth Starfleet's NX-class starships, navigation was handled by the helmsman. (Star Trek: Enterprise)

On Federation Starfleet vessels of the 23rd century, the navigator was a bridge officer, while the helm officer's role was usually combined with that of the tactical officer. (Star Trek: The Original Series)

By the 24th century, navigator responsibilities were once again merged with those of the helmsman to form the position of flight control officer, or conn. (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Fred Noonan described himself as Amelia Earhart's navigator during their 1937 flight over the Pacific Ocean. (VOY: "The 37's")

The Mikhal Travelers' ships only utilized a pilot and a navigator. (VOY: "Darkling")

After Spock had illegally scramble-fed the USS Enterprise's destination to Talos IV into ship's computers in 2267, the helmsman, Lieutenant Hansen, questioned how he was going to handle the helm if didn't know where the ship was going. Spock assured Hansen that ship's computers will handle the helm and that the "course will be computed and set automatically." After the ship departed for Talos, Hansen later commented that "[it] seems strange with no navigator on duty." (TOS: "The Menagerie, Part I")

In 2268, Spock opined that the M-5 multitronic unit could have taken the Enterprise to its current location as easily as a navigator could have. (TOS: "The Ultimate Computer")

Navigators[]

Starfleet
Other

External link[]

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