Sensor systems are used to provide analysis of the ship's operating environment. Effectively the the vessel's eyes and ears, sensory systems are vital to core operations.

Sensor systems are used across a range of key vessel systems including:

Navigation

Sensor systems are used to fix the vessel's position in space in order to ensure effective navigation

Tactical

Near-range sensory systems are used to determine the location and range of tactically-significant objects around the vessel and to assist the targeting and deployment of weapons and countermeasures

Exploration

A range of sensory systems are used to provide detailed analysis of spatial and planetary phenomenon encountered to further scientific discovery and assist operations 

sensor types

There are two broad groups of sensor systems:

long-range sensors

Primarily EM (radio) telescope equipment used to analyse distant stellar phenomenon

near-range sensors

Equipment used to analyse planetary phenomenon and the vessel's immediate operating environment

tactical applications

Tactical sensory systems are used to provide information about the vessel's operating environment. This information is used to track tactically significant objects (such as other vessels) and, if necessary, to provide targeting data to weapons systems.

There are two major types of sensory tactical sensory operations:

active

Uses various forms of electromagnetic or other radation to provide information. The emission of this radiation during operation makes the vessel detectable by other vessels.

passive

Uses receptive equipent to analyse emissions from other objects, not requiring the emmission of radition or energy. While this doesn't expose the vessel to detection, passive analysis is significantly more difficult as a consequence.