<!--quoteo(post=1885285:date=Nov 17 2011, 05:26 AM:name=Nil_IQ)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nil_IQ @ Nov 17 2011, 05:26 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1885285"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I keep missing the Mun. I don't know how I'm even supposed to hit it when it won't <i>stay still.</i> Grr.
Space is hard.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Here's how I can get to the Mun pretty reliably. I use the Hohmann transfer orbit, so basically: 1) Get into orbit around Kerbin -The <b>same direction</b> the Mun orbits it -The lower orbit the better, as long as it's above the atmosphere. My sloppy orbits are usually around 100 km, but it still works just fine 2) Thrust in the horizontal direction of your travel -This will cause your apoapsis to move to the opposite side of the planet and rise higher -The goal is to accelerate enough so that your <b>apoapsis is at the orbital distance of the Mun</b> (this is achieved usually somewhere above 3000 m/s velocities) 3) Aim your flight path so that the apoapsis points about 45 degrees ahead of the Mun -It's better to aim more than 45 degrees ahead, rather than less. If you reach the Mun distance a bit early, you can "wait", but if you miss the Mun, you'd have to catch it. And that takes a lot of precious fuel, propably more than you can spare. -Once you reach the Mun's influence, just slow down at the periapsis until you're in orbit. <img src="http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/9706/transfere.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
A good way to get back to Kerbin is to just thrust towards it: -When you're ahead of the Mun (in regards to the <b>direction it is travelling</b>) -When you're at the Mun's orbital line -Until your trajectory shows you're escaping the Mun's influence
This should take you back to orbit around Kerbin. If you're not already, slow down (at the apoapsis for example) enough so that your trajectory takes you through the atmosphere. Eventually you'll slow down enough to land safely.
Yeah, I succeeded in making it to the Mun today, using a guide that told me to do basically what you just said. A helpful tidbit I got from it is that a good way to time your boost is to do it when you see the Mun rise completely above Kerbin while orbiting. So basically, get into orbit, wait for Mun, point + shoot.
Of course I said I made it <i>to </i>the Mun, I then unfortunately didn't manage to slow down enough and created a new crater. My final stage uses just RCS, but I started slowing down too early and wasted all my fuel. I'm confidant that I could have made it intact with the amount of fuel I had.
My trip to the mun involved very little in the way of precision or forethought. Once in orbit I just sped up a little to create an elliptical orbit with its apex roughly near the orbital path of the mun. This being my first trip I had completely missed the mun and I was orbiting in the wrong direction. But once my ship had reached the apex I was easily able to reverse my orbit and round it out so to match the orbit of the mun. Then I just went into fast forward until I caught up to it.
Update: second trip to the mun would have been a perfect landing had it not been for a large hill <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/Sops102/screenshot1.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Well, I finally brought a crew to the Mun's surface (I let them hang out for an hour or so) and safely back to Kerbal for an ocean landing. Next step is to perhaps launch a rescue mission for some of the stranded Ker-men on the Mun from previous missions, then I will prepare for my most ambitious project yet...a landing on the Sun! Grab your sunglasses jebediah, you'll be needing them soon.
That_Annoying_KidSire of TitlesJoin Date: 2003-03-01Member: 14175Members, Constellation
edited December 2011
instead of the sun try for the double mun mission sol --> mun --> sol --> mun Could you make a space station based part that you leave in earth orbit after initial liftoff that can power you up when you return enabling you to leave again???
KSP 0.14 is out featuring permanence and multiple flights!
So, I learnt the hard way - not a good idea to <b>un</b>deploy your landing gear while on a slope... <img src="http://i.imgur.com/8t61O.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Feeling incredibly guilty for stranding my brave Kerbinaughts on the Mun I decide to launch a daring rescue mission. <img src="http://i.imgur.com/Abqny.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
The approach <img src="http://i.imgur.com/tLv6l.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Fuel is looking low, but otherwise all is looking good and preparing to land. <img src="http://i.imgur.com/S07rF.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
GODAHMIT ANTON! Don't press the red button! <img src="http://i.imgur.com/IxZ7S.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<!--quoteo(post=1886196:date=Nov 22 2011, 06:42 PM:name=Obraxis)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Obraxis @ Nov 22 2011, 06:42 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1886196"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I love this game. I finally made it to the Mun! BUT Crashed into it. I'm working on it though..... :D
I hope they keep developing this game into something bigger. Like, to other systems and stuff. It really has potential!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> As I understand it that's definitely the plan for the game. I think eventually though the plan is to make you perform space missions in order to earn credits that will buy you equipment necessary for solar system external missions.
elodea, that "rescue mission," was that just a bit of storytelling on your part or would you actually have been able to salvage the other crew module somehow?
<!--quoteo(post=1910965:date=Mar 8 2012, 01:34 AM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lolfighter @ Mar 8 2012, 01:34 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1910965"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->elodea, that "rescue mission," was that just a bit of storytelling on your part or would you actually have been able to salvage the other crew module somehow?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Nah i wouldnt have been able to. That doesn't mean you can't actually do something like that though lol. Skip to 3:00 <center><object width="450" height="356"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QHTx_QZc3IU"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QHTx_QZc3IU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" height="356"></embed></object></center>
I haven't had a whack at this since the Mun patch. I decided to toss in my $15 and give it a shot. I didn't have any of my zany custom part addons that I love so very much (a cool looking rocket that explodes is better than a crappy looking one that works!)
Through a bit of knowledge and no small amount of luck, on my very first flight after only a few minor ship revisions:
Sadly, the meager fuel I had left wasn't enough to completely establish a Kerbin reentry trajectory. The fuel shortage required me to use the RCS thrusters to escape the Mun, by slingshotting around it and boosting at maximum speed during the periapsis. The Kerbals would scrape the munar surface at a comfortable altitude of 350m.
Unfortunately, due to the lack of proper maps of the Mun, the Kerbals quickly discovered (at over 650m/s) that their extremely low orbit intersected with a mountain 360m tall.
Oh man, I've tried so hard not to find out anything about the new version, but I couldn't help myself anymore. Looks so awesome, but I just can't buy it right now :|
Retales - it gets better, with 0.14.3 (which is no longer free, FYI), you can support plugins - one of them is called MechJeb, which you can use to easily automate your orbital maneuvers. Extendable solar panels, power systems, satellite relays, etc. :D
<!--quoteo(post=1920901:date=Apr 2 2012, 04:34 PM:name=Temphage)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Temphage @ Apr 2 2012, 04:34 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1920901"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Retales - it gets better, with 0.14.3 (which is no longer free, FYI), you can support plugins - one of them is called MechJeb, which you can use to easily automate your orbital maneuvers. Extendable solar panels, power systems, satellite relays, etc. :D<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Why are you doing this to me?
Alright, here's the thing, all of my Orbital Deathbeams have been put into orbit by sort of cheating - they have a fuel tank on them that's a little too large and was appropriated from another part mod and was never meant to push something around that light. They're also my 'command modules', meaning I didn't have to worry about getting a crew back safely.
So, with that in mind, I thought I'd have a go at putting one into geostationary orbit with a manned craft while leaving as little debris in orbit as possible, and return safely back home.
Here's the abomination unto the lord that is going to slowly crawl its way skyward.
Maneuver into position and deploy the satellite from the internal bay, using the RCS to gently maneuver the mothership out of the way, so as not to disturb its orbit. Unfortunately... it appears the satellite was held together with bits of string (actually I seem to have come across a bug... several pieces disappear as soon as I decouple it).
Well, the contract didn't say the satellite had to be in one PIECE, just in orbit. So like a UPS guy who's smashed your box and is trying to get you to sign for it before you notice, I high-tailed it out of there back to Kerbin.
We packed some doomed Kerbals into a repair ship and nudged the debris back together... (actually I just cheated like mad... would've been great if not for the bug!)
<!--quoteo(post=1921764:date=Apr 4 2012, 11:03 AM:name=elodea)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (elodea @ Apr 4 2012, 11:03 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1921764"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Would have been a supremely awesome feat if you did nudge them back together manually :p<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> I thought about briefly mounting a repair / rescue mission, but the idea of corralling bits of ###### in space with RCS thrusters sounds mind-breakingly frustrating.
Holy smokes. A <a href="http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=12319" target="_blank">new update</a> again. I finally reached a point where I can no longer resist, so I bought the game. Screw everything else. Among other things (like jet-engines and horizontal take-off), there's apparently a new moon! :O
I won't be looking into the new moon any more on the internet, until I can land on it myself!
Not really - 0.15 got held up a lot so they cut some content for the next version, so the atmospheric engines aren't really functioning like they wanted them to. Regardless, there's a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerospike_engine" target="_blank">toroidal aerospike engine</a> for leaving the upper atmosphere, but it really is just a super-high-efficiency rocket engine. No Bussard Ramjets though.
And now, in my typical fashion of form far, far over function, I present for your consideration: The XF-27 Stingray II.
Unfortunately, it needs to fall off the end of the runway to take off, and the flight profile tends to be completely uncontrollable, suggesting only madmen (madkerbals?) would dare fly it.
It does, however, look completely <b>awesome</b>, and comes armed to the teeth, can supercruise at high altitudes, and has long-range endurance.
Finally, to make up for the sheer insanity of the flight controls, it comes equipped with a crew-capsule ejection system, with an almost 100% success rate. Almost.
I wasn't referring to bussard ramjets though, I meant regular air breathing ramjets for the first stage of flight. You launch the spaceplane from a catapult to give it the required initial velocity, then accelerate to whatever speed the ramjet can reach before switching to rocket-powered flight. I think ramjets can reach higher altitudes and speeds than jet engines with moving parts can, while being more fuel-efficient than rocket engines.
Comments
Space is hard.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Here's how I can get to the Mun pretty reliably. I use the Hohmann transfer orbit, so basically:
1) Get into orbit around Kerbin
-The <b>same direction</b> the Mun orbits it
-The lower orbit the better, as long as it's above the atmosphere. My sloppy orbits are usually around 100 km, but it still works just fine
2) Thrust in the horizontal direction of your travel
-This will cause your apoapsis to move to the opposite side of the planet and rise higher
-The goal is to accelerate enough so that your <b>apoapsis is at the orbital distance of the Mun</b> (this is achieved usually somewhere above 3000 m/s velocities)
3) Aim your flight path so that the apoapsis points about 45 degrees ahead of the Mun
-It's better to aim more than 45 degrees ahead, rather than less. If you reach the Mun distance a bit early, you can "wait", but if you miss the Mun, you'd have to catch it. And that takes a lot of precious fuel, propably more than you can spare.
-Once you reach the Mun's influence, just slow down at the periapsis until you're in orbit.
<img src="http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/9706/transfere.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
A good way to get back to Kerbin is to just thrust towards it:
-When you're ahead of the Mun (in regards to the <b>direction it is travelling</b>)
-When you're at the Mun's orbital line
-Until your trajectory shows you're escaping the Mun's influence
This should take you back to orbit around Kerbin. If you're not already, slow down (at the apoapsis for example) enough so that your trajectory takes you through the atmosphere. Eventually you'll slow down enough to land safely.
Of course I said I made it <i>to </i>the Mun, I then unfortunately didn't manage to slow down enough and created a new crater. My final stage uses just RCS, but I started slowing down too early and wasted all my fuel. I'm confidant that I could have made it intact with the amount of fuel I had.
Update: second trip to the mun would have been a perfect landing had it not been for a large hill
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/Sops102/screenshot1.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
I hope they keep developing this game into something bigger. Like, to other systems and stuff. It really has potential!
So, I learnt the hard way - not a good idea to <b>un</b>deploy your landing gear while on a slope...
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/8t61O.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Feeling incredibly guilty for stranding my brave Kerbinaughts on the Mun I decide to launch a daring rescue mission.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/Abqny.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
The approach
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/tLv6l.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Fuel is looking low, but otherwise all is looking good and preparing to land.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/S07rF.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
GODAHMIT ANTON! Don't press the red button!
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/IxZ7S.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
I hope they keep developing this game into something bigger. Like, to other systems and stuff. It really has potential!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
As I understand it that's definitely the plan for the game. I think eventually though the plan is to make you perform space missions in order to earn credits that will buy you equipment necessary for solar system external missions.
Nah i wouldnt have been able to. That doesn't mean you can't actually do something like that though lol. Skip to 3:00
<center><object width="450" height="356"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QHTx_QZc3IU"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QHTx_QZc3IU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" height="356"></embed></object></center>
Through a bit of knowledge and no small amount of luck, on my very first flight after only a few minor ship revisions:
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/iwkEz.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Sadly, the meager fuel I had left wasn't enough to completely establish a Kerbin reentry trajectory. The fuel shortage required me to use the RCS thrusters to escape the Mun, by slingshotting around it and boosting at maximum speed during the periapsis. The Kerbals would scrape the munar surface at a comfortable altitude of 350m.
Unfortunately, due to the lack of proper maps of the Mun, the Kerbals quickly discovered (at over 650m/s) that their extremely low orbit intersected with a mountain 360m tall.
Why are you doing this to me?
That and my geosynchronous array of TERROR CANNONS. I mean, communications satellites.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/9booX.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Those are... communication... beams.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/D9Y0Z.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
So, with that in mind, I thought I'd have a go at putting one into geostationary orbit with a manned craft while leaving as little debris in orbit as possible, and return safely back home.
Here's the abomination unto the lord that is going to slowly crawl its way skyward.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/KbwOG.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Here's revolting statistics about this disgusting behemoth, and the satellite, safely tucked inside the internal payload bay.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/6dhsx.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /><img src="http://i.imgur.com/0L4qW.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<!--sizeo:5--><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->HERE WE GO!<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/5zfTG.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
###### <b>###### <i>######</i></b>!
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/QTlaU.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<b>EJECT!</b>
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/hPU8l.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Okay, that was close. We'll just write off the $72m rocket and satellite and next time, remember to bolt down our SRBs...
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/7iFWx.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/r4NGq.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Dump some excess weight (and blowoff panels are the coolest goddamn thing *ever*)...
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/y3NF8.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Maneuver into position and deploy the satellite from the internal bay, using the RCS to gently maneuver the mothership out of the way, so as not to disturb its orbit. Unfortunately... it appears the satellite was held together with bits of string (actually I seem to have come across a bug... several pieces disappear as soon as I decouple it).
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/0jHCZ.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Well, the contract didn't say the satellite had to be in one PIECE, just in orbit. So like a UPS guy who's smashed your box and is trying to get you to sign for it before you notice, I high-tailed it out of there back to Kerbin.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/KV2ET.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
We packed some doomed Kerbals into a repair ship and nudged the debris back together... (actually I just cheated like mad... would've been great if not for the bug!)
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/zzMbj.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Horray! I did a thing! Mostly.
I thought about briefly mounting a repair / rescue mission, but the idea of corralling bits of ###### in space with RCS thrusters sounds mind-breakingly frustrating.
I won't be looking into the new moon any more on the internet, until I can land on it myself!
Speaking of spaceplanes, does the game have ramjets now or something similar?
And now, in my typical fashion of form far, far over function, I present for your consideration: The XF-27 Stingray II.
Unfortunately, it needs to fall off the end of the runway to take off, and the flight profile tends to be completely uncontrollable, suggesting only madmen (madkerbals?) would dare fly it.
It does, however, look completely <b>awesome</b>, and comes armed to the teeth, can supercruise at high altitudes, and has long-range endurance.
Finally, to make up for the sheer insanity of the flight controls, it comes equipped with a crew-capsule ejection system, with an almost 100% success rate. Almost.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/H7yoC.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Munlanding!! Woo! Had enough fuel left to return home too.
I'm waiting for proper re-entry physics. I think I hit the atmosphere doing 6km/s straight down. Splashed down just off the coast.
--Scythe--