Orbit Inclination

[montyben101]

So currently i have a space station in a 20km circular orbit. I really want to put it into an orbit were i can see the northern lights (a mod). (i will change it, if i do, with a soyuz currently docked)

The thing is i know how i would get up there but i have no idea how i would land my space shuttle? (on the runway)

Edited March 17, 2014 by montyben101

[csiler2]

You would just wait until your space station's orbit lines up over KSC before de-orbiting your shuttle.

[montyben101]

How long would i have to wait? The only thing is that i have the tac life support plugin installed

[Tery215]

it depends on the height

if it's geostationary and above the KSC before the inclination change, after the inclination change it would meet up with KSC twice per revolution

[montyben101]

Its at 20km How long would that be? Ideally im looking at a 60 to 70 degree orbit

Edited March 17, 2014 by montyben101

[Jank]

You really can't already see the auroras if you're 200km up? That's pretty far...

[montyben101]

Wait im being an idiot.... 20km..... *face desk* sorry

[Pecan]

An awful lot of "when to deorbit" a spaceplane/shuttle depends on how it flies once it's back in atmosphere and how much (if any) fuel it has. In the simplest case - deorbit whenever you feel like it and fly through the atmosphere to line-up on approach. In the worst case - it all depends not only on how high your orbit, or its inclination, but where on that orbit you currently are and where its equitorial nodes (AN/DN) are 'around' the planet from KSC.

[montyben101]

WOO HOO Just landed the shuttle after docking with the station in its new 60 degree orbit. I even managed to land the shuttle on the runway!!:D