VECTOR start_trace;
VECTOR Temp_Vec;

//get the start coordinates for the trace
vec_set(start_trace,Vehicle.x);
vec_sub(start_trace,Planet.x);
vec_normalize(start_trace,vec_length(start_trace)*2);
vec_add(start_trace,Planet.x);

//perform the trace ignoring the vehicle
me=Vehicle;
c_trace(start_trace, Planet.x,IGNORE_ME);

//do angle calculations in a temporary vector
vec_set(Temp_Vec, hit.nx);                     //set to same as captured normal
   vec_rotate(Temp_Vec, vector(90,90,0));         //rotate vector to pan/tilt/roll orientation (needs tinkering)
   vec_to_angle(Temp_Vec, Temp_Vec);           //convert from direction-vector to angle
   ang_add(Temp_Vec, vector(desired_pan,0,0));   //rotate to desired pan

//place results into the vehicle
vec_set(vehicle.pan,Temp_Vec);