Any tips for interplanetary ships?

[PlatinumBlast]

So, you see, I have been to Eve and Duna before in KSP, however, that was on infinite fuel, as a kind of training mission. The problem I have here, though, is that I actually cannot manage to build a spacecraft of such proportions. Any tips? I know the obvious answer is: Scott Manley Tutorials, but I can't really follow him that well. Besides, I want this to be a custom rocket, and not me just copying somebody else. I hope this isn't a too jumbled up question, but if it is, then please just ask me about what you don't understand.

[Blaarkies]

TL;DR
Going from low Mun orbit, out and into Minmus orbit is the "same" as going interplanetary. Practice doing that in one burn (from the Mun), with minimal course corrections on the way (less than 100m/s dv)
Once you get comfortable with that, you will realize that going to Duna is the same thing, except that the parent body is now the Sun instead

So in that example,

• Kerbin is like the Sun
• Mun is like Kerbin
• Minmus is like Duna

Note: These numbers are estimates, you will most probably have to add/subtract a bit from the numbers i am stating
When in low orbit around the Mun, place a maneuver node ahead of you.

• Pull the prograde  marker until the node has like 300m/s dv
• This should project a brown dotted line trajectory out of Mun orbit
• Click and hold on the maneuver node's inner gray circle, and drag it forwards on your orbit
• Keep moving the node until the project escape point is parallel to the Mun's movement around Kerbin
  • This will give you the most amount of speed when exiting Mun gravity
• Now you might find that, your projected trajectory does not rendezvous with Minmus
  • Drag on the prograde marker to adjust your projected orbit so that it barely touches Minmus' orbit
  • It should be much easier now to determine if you should be leaving Mun earlier, or later
  • Right-click on your node, here you can set the node forwards/backwards in time by 1 full orbit period
  • If you need to leave the Mun later, just add a few orbit to the node
  • Remember to do the first steps again, adjust the angle of your exit so that it is parallel etc.
• When you have something sufficiently close, do the burn
• After that, it will be much easier to see what you need to correct for
  • Remember that inclination changes /  are much cheaper when you are far from the gravity well (kerbin)
  • /  are more effective deep in the gravity well (if you are intending to go higher towards minmus)
  • / should be used very sparingly, it is hard to pin down their best use case here 

Coming back from Minmus to Mun follows the same steps, just the opposite direction. You don't have to master these before going interplanetary, but it is a very easy way to try that out.

Edited May 14, 2019 by Blaarkies
added wall of text

[Vanamonde]

Make a tractor ship. 

Then dock payloads to it as separate launches. 

 

Bring the tractor ship back to load up and send out again. That's how I do it.

[TheTripleAce3]

On 5/14/2019 at 2:42 AM, Blaarkies said:

• • / should be used very sparingly, it is hard to pin down their best use case here 

Once your trajectory crosses the Target's orbit, these become more useful. 

"Radial out" makes you go slower so you arrive later, this allows the target to catch up to you if your initial trajectory was too fast and you still have a long ways to go.

"Radial in" makes you go faster so you reach the target's position if it was slightly ahead of yours.

 

Definitely more advanced than pro/retrograde but definitely important.

[Wintermancer]

As you asked for some basic tips only and want to design yourself - here you go. 

• Use NERV engines ( aka. nucular, they are called nucular! ) for your Ship.
  • They only need Liquid Fuel no Oxidizer ( better safe to mention it )
  • They need cooling ( actually not - but please consider cooling )
• Go Apollo Style
  • Design a Lander specifically to land on *insert target planet/moon* and ascent to low Orbit again.
  • Lander does not go back to Kerbin, so have enough seats in your transfer ship.
  • If target location has atmosphere a chute can lower Delta/v requirements for landings a lot.
• Consider Aerobraking / Gravity assist
  • If you arrive from interplanetary space consider Aerobraking or gravity assist for breaking maneuver
  • Needs some try and error but saves a lot of Delta/v
• Use the proper ejection angle
  • Don't just "fly there" - fly there at the right angle!
  • Please refer here for further instructions and calculations: http://ksp.olex.biz/

If you have any further questions on this please feel free to ask