INTRODUCTION TO FLIGHT OPERATIONS

	Operations aboard the USS Enterprise are divided into three general 
categories: flight operations, primary mission operations, and secondary 
mission operations.
	Flight operations are those that relate directly to the function of the 
starship itself. These include power generation, propulsion, environmental 
support, utilities, and other systems that are required to maintain the 
spaceworthiness of the vehicle.
	Mission operations are those tasks that have been assigned to the 
ship and its crew. Mission operations are divided into two categories, 
primary and secondary missions.
	Primary missions are those whose execution is under current direct 
supervision of the Main Bridge. Primary missions often require flight control 
of the spacecraft, or use of significant fractions of the shipÕs sensors or other 
resources.
	Secondary missions are those that are not under direct supervision 
of the Main Bridge. These operations are usually run in parallel with and are 
designed not to impact upon primary mission operations. Secondary 
missions are typically long-term scientific or cultural studies that are run 
semiautonomously by specialized mission teams.
	It is not uncommon for a dozen secondary missions to be running 
concurrently. It is also not uncommon for a secondary mission to be 
designated as a primary mission for a specified period of time. For example, 
the launch of a specialized instrument probe is a primary mission when 
controlled by the Main Bridge, but the subsequent data collection phase, 
supervised by a specialized mission team, might be treated as a secondary 
mission.  Æ