The Silence and I wrote:LadyTevar wrote:I believe in one of TOS episodes, the one where the 'Slingshot Manuever' was discovered, the Enterprise was in Earth's atmosphere, low enough that a 1960's fighter interceptor was able to get close to eyeball it.
Aye, that's true, good call. If the relatively flimsy Constitution can enter and leave atmosphere without prep. time, I suppose most Fed. ships could pull it off.
Episode was Tomorrow is Yesterday, with minor damages and very low power the Enterprise managed to achieve escape velocity, and a little more:
"We're too low in the atmosphere to retain this orbit.
Engineering reports we have sufficient impulse power
to achieve escape velocity.
Give us some altitude, Sulu.
Yes, sir.
Helm answering.
She's sluggish, sir."
......
"Mr. Sulu, can you gain altitude faster?
I want to outdistance him.
Picking up, sir. She's still slow in responding.
Blackjack, this is Bluejay 4.
U.F.O. is picking up speed and climbing"
Later era ships have more power and stronger SIF, they should be able to handle atmospheric entry and exit.
The gas giant DID give them some shielding problems (which means Star Trek shields still have problems with nebulas and gas giants), since the Jem Hadar blew apart the Defiant's bridge before even knocking down the Defiant's shields...
