I know that it is canon to have nebulas in which one cannot go to full impulse, and it makes for good drama to watch, but to play through? Very Boring...as it is I have created this thread while flying through the nebula sections. There is nothing engaging about this mission...really needs to be redesigned. In the first 2 sections I flew to, the nebula (impulse disabling) areas, felt artificially lengthened. If it is going to take someone that much time to fly through, how about throwing some mobs at them?

If it is the mission I am thinking of, you can fly around the nebulas.

Yeah i think you can, that's what i did

I think you are thinking of Briar Patch. Different mission.

Trick: Switch to full engine power, then hit evasive maneuvers. If done right you finish scanning one rock and entering and leaving nebula again in ~20seconds. Emergency Power to engines also helps
I even overtook the fighter in the race to the third rock, tried to destroy him on the way, but he was unkillable (0% hull but still lived)