Sensors are the instruments starships use to detect, analyse and track objects, life forms, energy readings and phenomena around them.
A starship carries a range of sensors covering electromagnetic radiation, subspace emissions, life signs, chemical composition and more. Short-range sensors provide detailed scans of nearby ships and planets, while lateral and dedicated science arrays collect data for analysis by the science officer and computer.
Sensors are vital to almost every mission, from surveying new worlds to locating crew members for transport. They can be blinded by nebulae, ion storms, cloaking devices and deliberate jamming, and crews frequently modify them to detect unusual particles or hidden vessels.