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Jupiter exploration strategy in RSS/RO


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Hello.

The question is, plainly put, what is the most effective exploration strategy for Jupiter (in terms of getting more science and perhaps some fun along the way)?
I'm currently playing RSS/RO/RP-0 build (not sure what the exact versions are, KSP is 1.2.2), and I have a probe that just left Earth's SOI with slightly more than 4k of delta-v on board; its current Jupiter periapsis is ~ 2200 km with an orbit a few degrees off the satellites' plane.
Initially, I was planning to capture into satellites' plane and then one by one catch them on flybys. But now I'm more inclined to go more inclined: that is, polar (Juno style). That way I would get all the Jupiter's biomes (closing the Gestalt) and I'd also be able to catch Callisto and Ganymede (perhaps even Europa?) flybys as well (by looking for the encounter at ascending/descending nodes). Then the next probe that would enter the system might not bother with Jupiter, and go for satellites right away (e.g. for orbiting etc.).

What do you guys think?

Edited by paladin17
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Welcome to the forums! :) This is more the place for general KSP advice, and not for detailed help with highly complex mods like Realism Overhaul. For that, you might want to hit up the related discussion thread in the add-on section.

That said, your plan sounds decent so far. If you can use one or two close flybys to cheaply bend your polar orbit into one that's coplanar with the major satellites, you should be able to grab them all eventually. Think Cassini - bouncing from moon to moon for years in flyby after flyby.

Missions like the current in-planning Europa Clipper even study singular moons without orbiting them. As long as you get enough flybys at the right times, you can map the entire body just as well.

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