History Main / StealthInSpace

** Averted in ''Mission of Honor'', where a small number of extremely stealthy ships using a unique drive system are deployed. One of them has a near miss with some unexpected enemy warships, during which the captain is praying that no one gets into a position to see his far side, from which all the heat is being dumped.

* ''VideoGame/{{Allegiance}}'' has cloaking devices equippable for certain ships. They don't make you fully invisible; instead they temporarily reduce your detection signature, meaning enemies must be at a closer range than normal to see you. With a cloaked, stripped-down ship and good piloting you can be right on top of them and they won't know you're there until you start shooting.

** ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'': Alluded to. The Imperial fleet is puzzled by the disappearance of the ''Millennium Falcon'' because it's apparently too small to carry a cloaking device. In reality, it's HiddenInPlainSight, attached to the back of a Star Destroyer's command tower.

* ''VideoGame/{{EliteDangerous}}'' has sensor technology based on heat, and it is possible to mask your heat signature in 2 ways: 1. By shutting down all heat generating systems and allowing the ship to cool down to the surrounding temperature of space, and 2. By closing off the ship's radiators in "Silent running" mode. This will make your ship very hard to target, but has the downside of causing your ship to overheat, with eventual catastrophic consequences. You can stave off this possibility for a time by launching a heat sink unit into space, which will use a coolant purge to dump all your waste heat into a launchable block (with the added benefit of the heat sink being hot enough to be considered a valid target as well).

* A few space vessels in ''VideoGame/EmpireAtWar [[ColonCancer : Forces of Corruption]]'' can cloak. The ''Vengeance''-class frigate and hero ship ''Merciless'' for the Zann Consortium, and the TIE Phantom for the Empire. As well, the original Empire at War mentions cloaking in the profile for one of the planets.

** In "The Nano Flower" by the same author, a scientist in a TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture world is asked whether an alien could have made FirstContact with humanity yet. He responds that there's no possible way an alien vessel could have arrived in the solar system without being detected. As it turns out, the alien actually evolved within the solar system.

* Played realistically ''and'' straight in Creator/JohnVarley's ''RedThunder.'' In the near future, a group of regular joes have figured out a basically-magical space drive, and build a single-stage Earth-To-Mars ship out of the drive and off-the-shelf parts. Partway through their mission, they have to go rescue the Chinese Mars mission, and the only detectors they have on board are radar devices designed for ''ocean-going ships.'' Given that their range is measured in double-digits, it's useless for finding something thousands of miles/kilometers away. Their only long-range detectors are optical telescopes.
** The sequel briefly touches on how the zero-emission mirrored bubbles of the space drive make for great stealth, except that no time is passing for the people inside, and the only way to turn off the bubble is from outside...

* Played semi realistically in the ''Literature/{{Nameless War}}'' setting as it can only be achieved by shutting down and drifting.
** The Flak Cruiser Deimos hides inside a planetary ring formation but her captain, Ronan Crowe is aware that once the ship's heat sink is saturated then even inside the rings his ship will be detected.
* In the Literature/HorusHeresy novel ''Deliverance Lost'', the Raven Guard ship carrying the survivors of the Drop Site Massacre slowly crawls its way out of the Isstvan system under minimal power, hoping to obscure its EM signature against the background radiation of the system.
* ''Literature/TheQuantumThief''-trilogy features Metacloaks used to hide objects in outer space. It's implied that they only work in 180 degree radius, directed at the target their users wish to hide from, and consume immense amounts of energy. Still, it's rather impressive that they apparently even hide the gravitational effects of planet-sized Gubernyas that collapse unstable miniature black holes as their method of propulsion until they're right on top of the enemy, astronomically speaking.

* In ''Fanfic/{{Origins}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[[spoiler:[=/=]''[=Borderlands=]''[=/=]''[=Halo=]'']] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, ''Normandy SR-2.5'' receives a hyper-advanced cloaking device from the Republic Intelligence Service. It uses the traditional AppliedPhlebotinum for "no-blind" ''Star Wars'' cloaking devices ("stygium"), with all its attendant downsides (burnout through use, inability to conceal emissions exceeding normal running, high power consumption relative to ship reactor size). Cerberus uses subterfuge to get their hands on the more-common "hibridium" type (as stygium is specifically noted to be extremely rare), but the whole plan fails as the platform it is mounted on [[StuffBlowingUp explodes]] due to improper construction. The Trans-Galactic Republic also likes to gather intelligence using ''[[VideoGame/TIEFighter Vorknkx]]'' spy ships which have cloaking as well (both hibridium and stygium).

* The difficulty in doing this is acknowledged in ''WebOriginal/OrionsArm''. During the Interplanetary Era the only options were [[ArmorIsUseless hide and seek with bazookas]] or [[WeHaveReserves using tons of ships]]. By the modern era a large empire can usually acquire a few of the reactionless drives developed by the AI Gods, making stealth practical again. In addition the Hider faction has developed a few technologies to limit heat signatures, but they can't eliminate it entirely and it's not like they go to war with anyone. The highest of the high AI Gods have developed [[http://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/493e974094949 "Void Ships,"]] which are ''completely'' undetectable (even by vision) by anyone except those same AI Gods. They operate on principles so advanced that even among the AI Gods, there's only maybe a dozen of them that actually understand how the hell a Void Ship works, and they are not in a hurry to share the technology with anyone else.

** In ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' the Reman ''Scimitar'' defies all previous perceptions of cloaking devices. It is undetectable by all current anti-cloak scanning methods, can fire with accuracy at the Enterprise (though less than it would be able to do if the cloak was off) but retain its shields while cloaked, so taking a few hits wasn't a big deal the way it was with other ships, and it would never be quite clear to an attacker what if any effect the hits were having. It is said the Scimitar is one-of-a-kind [[SuperPrototype if not experimental]], with redundant energy systems and overpacked with weaponry (along with a DoomsdayDevice delivering system), making it a LightningBruiser that outclasses the Enterprise at least three-fold. But its sheer [[AwesomeButImpractical extravagance]] would explain why an entire fleet of them isn't made. Beta canon has other ''Scimitar''-class ships, but they're scaled down and aren't nearly as powerful as the original. They no longer have that advanced cloak or the superweapon.

* ''LightNovel/StarshipOperators'' has a plausible example. The stealth ship moves by initial speed before the jump, and runs with most systems off to reduce emission. Having said that, it takes so long to close to engagement range that the ''Amaterasu''[='s=] crew is able to find and pre-emptively destroy it. And the way it is found is by [[spoiler: the good old "looking out of the window" trick. But note that they used up almost their entire missile ammunition in storage to generate enough back lighting to see the stealth ship.]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

** The original example, from "Balance of Terror", was essentially so the show could do a wartime submarine drama [[RecycledInSpace IN SPACE!]], with the cloak substituting for submersion. The source movie is ''Film/TheEnemyBelow'' and during the initial contact the dialogue between the ships captain and the sonar man is almost identical to the spaceship allegory, including the initial bearing of the shadowy contact, and the ship's course change to determine whether the contact is genuine or a sensor malfunction.

** In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "The Emissary", an old Klingon warship awakens and cloaks to attack. However, as a case of TechnologyMarchesOn, in the 70 years since the warship was constructed, the Federation's sensors have advanced so they can detect the old warship with ease.
*** In one episode, the very flashy, humongous ''Enterprise''-D succeeds in hiding in a starship graveyard by powering down and pretending to be one of the wrecks. While typical scavengers might be drawn to a still-intact ''Galaxy''-class starship, the particular smugglers they were after were only interested in intercepting a pre-arranged transfer of equipment, so they weren't paying attention to the derelicts.
*** In the episode "Peak Performance", the Enterprise was engaged in war games with the far inferior Starfleet ship USS ''Hathaway''. During the simulated engagement, the ''Hathaway'' gained the upper hand when Worf hacked into the ''Enterprise's'' sensors to distract the ''Enterprise''.
*** The episode "Face of the Enemy" has Troi spend time undercover on a Romulan D'deridex class warbird and is informed by another agent that their cloaking device relies on all systems within the ship to be carefully calibrated to work together otherwise various energy spikes will make them easily visible to conventional sensors. Since the calibration threshold is so small, they were able to knock some systems out of alignment just enough so the crew on board don't know what is going on but the Enterprise crew is confused by random readings appearing with no source.
*** "The Pegasus" reveals an explanation for why Starfleet ships don't have cloaking devices, the Treaty of Algernon with the Romulans in the early 2400's prevented The Federation from using cloaking devices or experimenting with the technology, which many felt was a gross strategic weakness. Much later in the timeline (and other timelines) reveal that when the Romulan Empire collapsed the Treaty became void and Starfleet ships started using cloaks like other races. [[WatsonianVsDoylist The Doylist]] explanation for that limitation was that for TNG Creator/GeneRoddenberry felt that Starfleet were explorers and scientists, he didn't like the idea of them sneaking around.
** ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''
*** In "State of Flux", a traitor tells the Kazon how to mask their spacecraft from Voyager's sensors, but Tom Paris happens to see something there using his Mark One Eyeball.
*** "Prophecy" opens with ''Voyager'' under attack from a ''D7''-class Klingon battlecruiser, a TOS-era relic. Naturally, they're able to quickly defeat the cloak and cripple the enemy.

* In ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' they frequently reference ships flying on a "Stealth Vector", presumably flying on the other side of planets and other large objects as often as possible. It rarely, if ever, works: hiding behind something only prevents things on the other side detecting you, and you can't see them either so you don't know if they changed course for some reason and are about to turn up where they can see you.
* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica1978''. In "Take The Celestra", TheStarscream sends his captain off in a shuttle in the wrong direction to the fleet, 'goes dark' by shutting down the navigational beacons, scanners and running lights, then flies off using the thrusters so the shuttle can't find its way back. They do find their way back, and [[NiceJobFixingItVillain thanks to the scanners being turned off the mutinous crew don't know it]].
* ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' has the Blackbird, which use carbon composite plating to avoid DRADIS detection, and is painted black to reduce the sunlight deflected. Both it and Stealthstar (different craft) got destroyed pretty quickly, though. Largely because since it ''was'' a stealth craft, a Cylon Raider flew right into it.

* The difficulty of stealth in space is acknowledged in the pilot episode of ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' when the crew's attempt to avoid detection from the Alliance by hiding among the wreckage of a larger ship is foiled by the heat coming off their ship. They only get away by the use of a "cry-baby" - a device rigged to send off the signal of a freighter full of passengers that needed help, which they knew (hoped) the Alliance would go help rather than them.

** The series favors misdirection over outright stealth. In TheMovie, ''Film/{{Serenity}}'' slips past Alliance ships twice in one go; the first time, they descend toward a planet, presumably losing themselves in the traffic above it, but the Alliance follows their "pulse beacon" and locks onto it with a missile....only for Mal to reveal that he'd removed said pulse beacon and was carrying it with him to keep the Alliance ship from launching a missile at ''Serenity.'' Later, as they escape the planet and slip out in the orbital traffic again, the Operative tries to track them via their navigation satellite's trajectory, as ''Serenity'' is a registered transport, only to discover ''seven'' different nav-sat trajectories belonging to ''Serenity'', six of them being decoys (the audience was treated to six barrels with blinking lights and thrusters being jettisoned from Serenity as it broke orbit).

** When coming off of Miranda, they do the same thing...only once they're through, they ''shoot at'' the Reavers, eliciting the response they want...an all out dash to Mr. Universe's planet. Said planet has a whole mess of EM interference, so much so that the Alliance fleet gathered to head ''Serenity'' off doesn't know it's being chased by Reavers until the first Reaver ship emerges.

** Shown in "Objects In Space", where Jubal Early ''was'' able to sneak up on ''Serenity'' by hiding in their heat wake. Wash noticed something funny about the sensor readings, but he dismissed them, probably for that exact reason.

*** In that situation, though, it's because nobody on the ship was paying attention--presumably if Wash was in the pilot's seat instead of playing...[[CalvinBall whatever game that was]], he'd have seen it sooner. The proximity alert which still notified them in plenty of time to avoid a collision.

* ''Series/BlakesSeven''.
** In "Time Squad", the Liberator approaches Saurian Major from Federation space, figuring their attention will be towards neutral space. So they don't have a space traffic control system?
** In "Duel", the Liberator orbits close to a planet to hide them from long range detection, as [[SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale opposed to hiding in deep space]]. However [[TheDragon Space Commander Travis]] has already tracked them down and uses the planet to hide his attack run. He's only detected because some of the crew have teleported down to the planet, where they look up at the night sky and [[OhCrap see the lights of the drive units closing in on the Liberator]].
** In "Volcano", the Liberator is in geostationary orbit so it can only scan one half of a planet at the time. Servalan has a battlefleet in the same orbit on the other side of the planet, until it's time to strike. It also helps that the man in charge of the planet's detection grid is in league with her.
** In "Stardrive", Avon decides to sneak past the detection grid of a planet by hugging close to an asteroid. SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome and the ''Scorpio'' side-swipes the asteroid, severely damaging the ship.
** In Season B, Avon invents a [[InvisibilityCloak deflector shield]] that can mask the Liberator from anything except a short-range scan. A couple of episodes later they're caught in a massive ambush [[LensmanArmsRace thanks to the Federation developing a similar device,]] and [[AntiHero Avon expresses disappointment]] that he can't sell his invention to them.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

** In ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' the Reman ''Scimitar'' defies all previous perceptions of cloaking devices. It is undetectable by all current anti-cloak scanning methods, can fire with accuracy at the Enterprise (though less than it would be able to do if the cloak was off) but retain its shields while cloaked, so taking a few hits wasn't a big deal the way it was with other ships, and it would never be quite clear to an attacker what if any effect the hits were having. It is said the Scimitar is one-of-a-kind [[SuperPrototype if not experimental]], with redundant energy systems and overpacked with weaponry (along with a DoomsdayDevice delivering system), making it a LightningBruiser that outclasses the Enterprise at least three-fold. But its sheer [[AwesomeButImpractical extravagance]] would explain why an entire fleet of them isn't made.

* Averted in ''Fanfic/RocketshipVoyager''. It's pointed out that even when ''Voyager'' doesn't have its [[RetroRocket Cochrane Drive engaged]], they can still be detected by the heat generated by their power and life support systems. Later the Caretaker shows them an experimental cloaking device which he points out is useless for any practical purpose, as the user can't see out anymore than an observer could see in.

* In ''Fanfic/{{Origins}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[[spoiler:[=/=]''[=Borderlands=]''[=/=]''[=Halo=]'']] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover, ''Normandy SR-2.5'' receives a hyper-advanced cloaking device from the Republic Intelligence Service. It uses the traditional AppliedPhlebotinum for "no-blind" ''Star Wars'' cloaking devices ("stygium"), with all its attendant downsides (burnout through use, inability to conceal emissions exceeding normal running, high power consumption relative to ship reactor size). Cerberus uses subterfuge to get their hands on the more-common "hibridium" type (as stygium is specifically noted to be extremely rare), but the whole plan fails as the platform it is mounted on [[StuffBlowingUp explodes]] due to improper construction. The Trans-Galactic Republic also likes to gather intelligence using ''[[VideoGame/TIEFighter Vorknkx]]'' spy ships which have cloaking as well (both hibridium and stygium).

[[folder:Film]]

** In ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'', the Klingons have figured out a way to attack the enemy despite not being able to fire while cloaked. They build giant cleave ships that ram the enemy while cloaked. The cloak is eventually dropped, but it's typically far too late for the enemy ship. It doesn't turn out too well for them the first time, as the ship being rammed engages self-destruct, while wipes out the cleave ship as well. The second time is much more successful. At the same time, that particular cloak has already been overcome thanks to the titular ship working out a sensor algorithm to scan for cloaks.

** In ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' the idea of a ship that can fire while cloaked, the Reman ''Scimitar'', comes up. It fires almost constantly as it attacks the ''Enterprise'', enabling it to track it and is able to maintain fairly accurate return fire (though less than it would be able to do if the cloak was off). However, unlike other ships in the franchise, the ''Scimitar'' could retain its shields while cloaked, so taking a few hits wasn't a big deal the way it was with other ships, and it would never be quite clear to an attacker what if any effect the hits were having. (It also has a much bigger power plant than most starships, turning into a LightningBruiser that can -- and does -- have the defenses and weapons to win three-on-one fights.)

* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''
** In "State of Flux", a traitor tells the Kazon how to mask their spacecraft from Voyager's sensors, but Tom Paris happens to see something there using his Mark One Eyeball.
** "Prophecy" opens with ''Voyager'' under attack from a ''D7''-class Klingon battlecruiser, a TOS-era relic. Naturally, they're able to quickly defeat the cloak and cripple the enemy.
** Occasionally, someone will attempt to "hide" their ship over a planet's magnetic pole. Some types of sensors appear to become slightly confused by the power discharges common in such places.
* In ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'', the Klingons have figured out a way to attack the enemy despite not being able to fire while cloaked. They build giant cleave ships that ram the enemy while cloaked. The cloak is eventually dropped, but it's typically far too late for the enemy ship. It doesn't turn out too well for them the first time, as the ship being rammed engages self-destruct, while wipes out the cleave ship as well. The second time is much more successful. At the same time, that particular cloak has already been overcome thanks to the titular ship working out a sensor algorithm to scan for cloaks.
* In ''Series/StarTrekPicard'', a Romulan modifies his ship's cloaking device to project a false image of the ship ahead of his target, while remaining hidden behind them. This allows him to surprise them when they assume to have dealt a serious blow to the false image.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Stars}}'', the FogOfWar prevents detecting ships until they are within range of a ship or planet scanner. Applying cloaking fields, or playing as a Hyper Stealth race, reduces the effective range of enemy scanners for detecting your ships.

** The ''The Last Theorem'' subverted and lampshaded this trope. The Grand Galactics ordered One Point Five's armada to immediately slow down, and to remain undetected from [[spoiler:humans]]. They immediately decelerate, but wonder how are they suppose to keep themselves hidden if gigajoules of energy were poured out from 154 spaceships at once. They, of course, then get detected.