Ping is the eyes and ears of spacecraft in orbit. Looking at the 3D navigator will most of the time provide the pilot with all the critical and obvious flight details they need with passive sensors, ping is the active sensors of the spacecraft.
The first version of the command is the loudest, sending out a complete pulse of the area, extending far beyond the passive sensor range. It returns so much data in fact that it has to be narrowed down to find the signature of the type of thing you're looking for.
The second form of the command pings a specific target for more details. When there is a tight grouping of spaceships, it is necessary to use active sensors to differentiate the separate vessels.
SEE ALSO: help space-flight help navigate *Last Updated: 01/04/22 by Mirage*
