Trivia: The episode "Patterns of Force" was aired only once on German TV, after which it was prohibited to be broadcast by any German TV station again to this day, because of its Nazi theme.
Trivia: Some parts of the film Kirk and Spock watch are historical footage, some of it is made specially for this episode. If you look very closely you can see the Fuhrer Adolf Hitler in a car at one of his ceremonies. Beware he is hard to spot, because most of the time his head is behind some flags. (00:06:20)
Trivia: The front of the Ekosian Chancellery is an actual office building of Paramount Pictures.
Trivia: Banned in Germany until mid 1990.
Trivia: When Kirk is donning the Gestapo uniform, Spock says, "You should make a very convincing Nazi." Although the look Kirk gives him is funny, it should be remembered that both William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy were both Jewish.
Chosen answer: If they're in orbit, they're being pulled along by the planet's gravity well, therefore, impulse engines would only be used for minor corrections and would be "on standby" while in orbit, but not active. (Like keeping your car idling without revving the engine and creating plumes of exhaust).
Captain Defenestrator
Thank you for the info.
Movie Nut