I am looking for ideas how to implement following in 2D space. Unfortunately I don't know much about AI/path finding/autonomous control yet.

Let's say this ship can move freely but it has mass and momentum. Also, external forces might affect it (explosions etc). The player can set a target for the ship at any time and it should reach that spot and stop.

Without physics this would be simple, just point to the direction and go. But how to deal with existing momentum and then stopping on the spot? I don't want to modify ship's placement directly.

edit: Just to make clear, the physics related math of the ship itself is not the problem.