ecliptic plane mismatches

Skavookie

Cadet
Suppose a ship wants to enter a system, but it is approaching the system at a significant angle relative to the systems ecliptic plane. How might it maneuver into the ecliptic plane? I'm assuming no "magic physics." All the stories I've read/seen just ignore this problem.
 
Suppose a ship wants to enter a system, but it is approaching the system at a significant angle relative to the systems ecliptic plane. How might it maneuver into the ecliptic plane? I'm assuming no "magic physics." All the stories I've read/seen just ignore this problem.

I wouldn't have thought that you would have to as gravity would do the job for you. I imagine that most, if not all, solar systems would work on the same model as ours and the planets would orbit on very much the same plane and movement (travel) within would be better done outside the plane anyway.
 
Suppose a ship wants to enter a system, but it is approaching the system at a significant angle relative to the systems ecliptic plane. How might it maneuver into the ecliptic plane? I'm assuming no "magic physics." All the stories I've read/seen just ignore this problem.

I don't understand with a means of propulsion (and reverse propulsion) obviously available to such a ship why this would be anything but a trivial issue?
 
I don't understand with a means of propulsion (and reverse propulsion) obviously available to such a ship why this would be anything but a trivial issue?

The ship is using some variation of a Bussard ramjet drive. This is the most plausible method of interstellar travel that has been thought of. The problem with that is Bussard ramjet's (AFAIK) have problems maneuvering once they enter the heliopause of the star they are trying to approach. Maybe I am over thinking this, but I want a plausible solution to this problem, without invoking magic physics.
 
I just figure since interstellar travel is so far beyond our current technology there will be 'like magic' technologies developed between now and then that this won't be an issue.
 
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