There is, in short, competence and competence. The Accord on the Law of Free Space is rather generously written, to cover all our polities at whatever stage of progress they may be and however much investment in training they can afford. The Imperial Navigation Act is rather more tightly written, on the other hand, insofar as reserving their spaceways for those who can meet a certain higher standard allows them to have nice things, sadly compromised by the realities of free trade and passage.

The Fraternal Order of Astrogators and Sailing Masters, on the gripping hand, considers anyone who cannot complete an interstellar voyage using naught but a printed ephemeris, slipstick, stopwatch, and sextant to be a disgrace to the profession.