I thought I knew SCANsat... but then I found this

[Syntax]

I thought I knew SCANsat... but then I found this, and I honestly don't get it. There is so much data here, and all the people responding are so excited about it... and I don't understand what the data means or why it pleases people or how it could be useful to me.

I know that different scanner parts have different ideal orbit altitudes, and that small adjustments to that altitude will make for more complete scans of the surface, but this... this is something more, no?

I think of myself as fairly well versed in KSP and its mechanics (orbital mechanics and game mechanics), but the significance of these graphs continues to elude me. I know some have to do with other mods that I don't use (KSPI, MKS, Karbonite, EPL), but what about the base SCANsat stuff?

For example, what are the "Ideal Zones" graphs about? I don't think I know how to even read them properly, let alone what they describe.

And what the heck is a resonance structure? (And Sidelaps?)

And why was it not important to the author to include the data pertaining to the Kerbin system? Or did he, and I just missed it?

Any help with understanding all this will be much appreciated.

 

[zer0Kerbal]

suggestion @Syntax, post this in the SCANSat thread.

[somnambulist]

I'm not sure if those numbers are still 100% relevant -- ScanSat just went through a major update, adding new scanners with different altitude requirements and different FOVs. e.g., the first radar altimetry part you unlock in the tech tree now has an FOV of 1.5° instead of 5°