Astrogation

Astrogation, short for astronavigation, is the planning of a route through space and the actual navigation of spacecraft, either subluminal maneuvering in interplanetary travel or the calculations used to perform slipstream space jumps in interstellar travel.

In context of spacecraft maneuvering in conventional space, several UNSC Naval commanders have been remarked as being particularly proficient in astrogation. Captain Jacob Keyes was credited as a skilled astronavigator, due to his daring maneuvers, particularly the "Keyes Loop" he performed during the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV. Admiral Preston Cole was also renowned for his skills in using effective tactics, including gravity-assist maneuvers, in space battles.

While most other operations involved in operating a spacecraft, including maneuvering in normal space, can be performed by a human pilot, the successful execution of slipspace jumps requires a navigation computer or a shipboard artificial intelligence. Despite the necessity for a computer to perform the jump itself, UNSC Navy personnel are taught the basic calculations involved in slipspace jumps. In the late 25th century, then-crewman apprentice Preston Cole gained recognition for coming up with a new way to calculate Shaw-Fujikawa jump parameters. Additionally, there have been instances of individual ship captains performing slipspace jump calculations on their own, usually to execute a nonstandard or experimental jump, but the results of these have often been disastrous or uncertain, including Admiral Cole's possible in-atmosphere jump during the Battle of Psi Serpentis.