jool system relay

[antipro]

hi,

need some suggests... my objective is to have the minimum needed relays to works on jool system with unmanned probes/landers in future missions.
I don't need a complete coverage, ....

anyway I want a simple reliable network that let me land on every moon, without too many complications.

So I thought about to launch a 4xRA-15 main sat into a jool polar orbit to communicate from jool orbit to kerbin and another launch to place 5 smaller 3xHG-5 relays in polar moons orbits,
in order to link between the main relay and the unmanned probes/landers.

my actual situation is this:
I've launched only the main relay

 

 

Before to proceed with the second launch, I'd like to hear your opinions.

is this a good idea or maybe you have some suggests to improve the final result?
I mean, for example, what's the best orbit for the main relay?
Like you see in the screenshots(between Vall and Tylo) is good? I don't know, better larger? closer to jool? better two main sats?

thanks

Edited February 11, 2021 by antipro

[Epicdreamer]

You could place your main relay sats in a polar orbit larger than the radius of the outermost moon orbit. If you place 3 relay sats at equal distance in such an orbit you will have a connection to Kerbin a lot more often than not, where ever you are in the Jool system.

In that case you only have to worry about giving your probes a dish or antenna that can reach those relays, cause they will be quite a distance away....

[Spricigo]

The only suggestion I have is to put all satellites in polar high elliptical orbits.  Coverage will be pitiful on the periapsis side and good on the apoapsis side.  Not 24/7* coverage but close enough. 

If you decide to later visit the other side of the celestial body you may either put extra satellites in a mirrored way (or just reposition the existing ones if you keep enough fuel).  And after that a triangular formation formation of weak relays (1x HG5 each)  will give you a very good network,  with only small gap on the poles once a while. 

*or the kerbin equivalent 6/whatever 

[tseitsei89]

How about putting 3 satellites in very high polar orbit 120 degrees apart from each other?

Only 1 needs to be able to connect back to kerbin since other 2 can always go through that sat. And you get a pretty good coverage. At some points at very low orbits of some moons you get no signal though.

Pretty much the same (not quite as good I think) can be achieved by using only 2 satellites that can both connect back to Kerbin and placing them on very eccentric polar orbit so that SMA of the orbit is close to orthogonal compared to the orbital plane of the moons.

That way 1 of them is always high above Jool and can connect to almost everywhere in the system.

 

If you want better connections you can add 3 more satellites 120 degrees apart on high equatorial orbit (they dont need to be able to connect back to Kerbin directly. Just to the more powerful satellites on polar orbit). This constellation should already give you a very good coverage with 5-6 satellites.

 

Those were the first options that came to mind.

 

[Spricigo]

21 hours ago, antipro said:

So I thought about to launch a 4xRA-15 main sat into a jool polar orbit to communicate from jool orbit to kerbin and another launch to place 5 smaller 3xHG-5 relays in polar moons orbits,
in order to link between the main relay and the unmanned probes/landers.

Out of curiosity,  RA-100 are unavailable?

 And a single RA-2 will give better range and weight than 3xHG-5.