MPDerksen

GENIUS! Just transferred the folder and I'm back up and running. Now I can go back and digest the previous support comments. Thanks,

Okay so I’m printing the above. Very appreciated. I just purchased 1.6 in Steam and so have to start over with a new Career. When I get back this far in the sim I’ll pull this out again. Hopefully soon

Using Version 1.4.x. Perhaps I should upgrade? Wonder if I can/should do that through Steam? My questions are all over the place. I'm going to start a new thread based very specifically on the current mission. I really appreciate the quality of the answers here, and the patience.

Right, making progress. I raised my Ap a bit, time warping, and my intersection is getting closer each round and my target catches up. Stay tuned. (may wish I had added some RAS thrusters on this yet) My orbit remains a bit bigger than that of the target. Do they have to be exact? I'm actually not even sure how close I need to be to the lost derelict to "collect" him. Maybe I'm supposed to EVA over to claim it?

\ Sorry about the watermark... Maybe we take a step back? How do I determine how much dV this thing has? How much is a reasonable range to get into LKO of about 85K? I'm sure many of you will consider the grossly over built for a LKO rescue, but can we just start here, have some success and then refine it? I can get to about 70K before I have to dump off the 4 externals. Then, I'm left with the middle stage to circularize. My hope from there is that I have MORE than enough to learn to meet up with the stranded Kerbal in orbit, get her on board, then land. I've already tested everything (landed fine) without worrying about the interception part. Here is my map of what's going on: my rescue craft is at 3:00, behind the 3 individually stranded 'nauts. I've set the one closest to me as target, and this is now what I see. Next, I'll read up on matching orbits etc. but those orange handles seem VERY far apart, and I've NO idea how to close the distance. (Indeed, I have no idea about many things, but I will say I'm having quite a bit of fun with this....)

This is very helpful. But a clarification: I thought that inclination changes were most effective when you were halfway to the target. Or am I thinking of something different?

Is there a repository, thread or other resource that shows examples of some various craft? From time to time I do see folks drop individual craft files here. I really can’t remember how to actually USE them..... lol, but it’s a start. What I would find helpful as an occasional player, and still Noob, is some ship building help and ideas. Right now, I use a lot more dV than I will when I’m more experienced, but it could be a starting point. I’m not sure I know where to put my science bay, and get it back to Kerbin to collect the points, for example. I’m not sure how to put a wide, stable lander on top of a rocket that has enough fuel to even get me where I want to go. How do we transfer the habitat to Mun to start creating a base? Rather than be super needy and bother the experienced players with my laundry list of questions, I’m hoping to just find a Wiki of examples. Michael (this was posted in “Tutorials” by mistake. Please move to appropriate gameplay section)

makes sense. HOWEVER! don't I need to time it so that when I've crossed that distance, Minmus will be there? I'm not clear on this part.

Please explain what you mean by this. I've seen most of the Scott Manly videos, and think I'm putting my initial burn maneuver in roughly the right place to get out to Minmus distance, but just not getting the encounter. Too late? Too early? Too much inclination? I'm tempted to get something in orbit (anything) and just play with potential nodes to learn. I do not know how to even figure that out (Noob!). I modeled it after the newest Scott video. I may try landing on Mun with it first. With just a single occupant, I carry a pilot. that really limits the amount of science I can return. Can I see a picture of a viable lander with science modules on it that can make it back home?

I would like to think I have a 3-digit IQ, but perhaps not? I spend dV like congress spends tax dollars. Getting to a Mun orbit (and back) is now decently do-able. So I've decided to take the next step and shoot for a Minmus fly-by. Orbit around Kerbin: Check! Extend Orbit to 46M klicks (or whatever): Check! Set a course correction burn half-way to adjust inclination: Utter failure! Pretty sure I may be leaving my Kerbal orbit at the wrong time, but I just can't get an intercept/encounter. Randomly moving things around is more like luck than science, and I want to LEARN what I'm doing, not just get lucky. At this point, I'm not trying to even land. Just pass it to collect some science and practice setting my burns correctly. Second: I have 1 pilot, completely out of fuel, orbiting Mun. Eventually I'll send out something to get close enough that he can EVA over and come home. I have no clue how to build the appropriate rescue craft. Additionally the game is now giving me multiple "rescue" objectives from Kerbal orbit, but I don't know how to build a ship to go get them. Do I just build an orbiter with an empty capsule and an OKTO for control, and learn to get close? If that's it, is there a tutorial about matching orbits? That seems like a really fundamental skill. Last, I still struggle with landing on Mun without hitting too hard. Playing with the Ctrl and Shift keys to keep the touchdown around 5m/s is SO hard. Keep practicing? I'm currently running version 1.4. Do I, perhaps, need an update? I know there are several questions here, but I wasn't sure if it made sense to split everything up. Happy to do that on request. Cheers, Michael

That's 90% clear. Next step (kinda on my own). I took the lander portion only. 6.74 tonnes wet mass 800 Units of propellant = 4 tonnes wet/dry ratio 6.74/4 = 1.684 --> ln = 0.5218 x9.81 = 5.119 Terrier ISP in VAC is 345 = 1,766 m/sec Why 9.81? Where is the mistake in my math? We're using the same lander/fuel. Yet I see a starting dV of 1,766 m/sec, and you got to the surface with >2K?

getting there indeed. I'm learning at every step. 9.96t and yes, 320 isp for the swivel in vacuum. I'm about to go off grid for vacation. But I'm very interested to see your math when I return.

Am I looking at the wrong place? and yes, your assumption about the x2 is correct.

You are being VERY patient and helpful. I really appreciate it. Here is Slashy's craft, in LMO ~20K over the surface. Next, I need a big burn to incline to land where my mission person is stranded. BTW, I was only 1.2 degrees inclined this time. Way more stable. How do I determine the mass? (Math?). The engine in use is the swivel (you know this, since you built it...) LSP?

I just don't know how to add WWF to my landings, but that's a separate post. Yeah, it will take practice, but I have a current mission to pick up someone stranded on Mun, so I'll get my chance soon. I had suspected that you just lower your Pe to just beyond your target, and burn retro until you fall on it. No? I tried to upload my file on wikisend, but it kept stalling (even though I created an account). I was able to get your version, and it's very close, just better I'm going try to the mission with your ship. But I'm not yet speaking dV very fluently. You say you had 325 m/sec left when you were in LMO. I have your design on the launchpad right now. I see starting levels of 5,400 Liquid Fuel. (what is Oxidizer anyway???) But since dV, as I understand it, is a measure of ability to change the velocity of a mass, we need to know that mass, don't we? For now, I'll simply post my amount of remaining fuel until I understand it better.

Now you’re just showing off.... I’m off for vacation, but I’ll try the throttle trick when i get back. I do seem to fair better each time I venture out.

So much help it's overwhelming!!! LOL @90VG that video was great, but brought up just a few questions. How do you know when your horizontal speed is gone? A few times I was drifting down very gently, but skimming over the surface, so I tip over. Second: The joystick with throttle is genius! I have one around and never even thought of using it. Last, Reaction Wheel? Huh? LOL. I haven't read up on that . @Zhetaan your explanation about orbits was VERY helpful. Next time I'm baffled, I'll screenshot and post, but I think I generally understand better now. Could you please post a picture of what a GOOD orbit to intersect Mun from Kerbin looks like? Assuming the inclination is 0, where do I want my Pe to appear? Slashy, more than happy to share my craft file, if you can explain how I would do that. I got to a stable Mun orbit at about 20K before I had to use my lander fuel last time, so I think I've improved there. To come in for a landing, I just try to keep the Retrograde marker centered and feather the throttle until touchdown. I get what you said about the suicide burns, so I'm trying to get closer to that style, but I know NOTHING about mods, and so I don't know my relative altitude etc. I'm doing all this from the stock software interfaces.

Lots to cover this morning! Skipping to the results, I brought my Scientist home with 445 science from a successful landing on Mun. I actually targeted, and landed directly in the big crater like I wanted. However, I used almost all my fuel, in spite of the comments that this design is over-kill. So I need some idea where to improve. Yes, I found the shroud. It looked like a standard nosecone. Still ended up with 5 degrees of inclination. Piloting skills needed. This time, I made a low, 20-30K orbit around Mun before my main fuel tanks were empty, so that's progress. I wasted a bunch on landing and return. Other than to return to a few of the Missions, to make money, I still have a stranded Engineer in a highly inclined orbit around Mun, and I'm sure I could repeat what I did last night, find a completely different Biome and get another batch of science. Yes? A last question: Other than fuel cost, is there anything really different about a Minmus trip? Should I wait until it shows up in the Missions to get the cash for doing it? Note that I'm playing Career mode.

can a pilot collect the data and just not "restore" the Goo and Science Jr? Or do I have to have a Scientist just to even collect?

Here is my current unlocked Tech Tree. I don't see any shrouding in my options, yet. Also, while you guys are more efficient, I've made 6 runs to the Mun, and back, and nearly run out of fuel each. That's a primary reason I'm asking for some help, to find where it's being wasted. Note that my decoupler is right below the MK1. I don't try to bring home the Science Jr or Service Bay. As soon as I'm lined up for reentry, (so i don't need any more electrical), I dump them. This is why I'm using the OKTO and an Scientist, instead of a pilot. I need to capture all the science before I come home. I don't want to beam it over either, since I don't get as much that way. Would a "reaction wheel" help? How about moving the batteries into the service bay?

Okay, let's give this a go then. I don't believe I used "Toggle Snap" to a hexagon so my six boosters might not be aligned perfectly. I figured that doing them as sets of 2 was sufficient. Feedback most welcome.

starting to all make sense. I concur that a perfectly aligned launch (no inclination) is the goal, but I still struggle with staying true East. I also think I'm making sense of all that data I see on the screen, from Blue to Brown. But what is the Purple arcs I see? Last, if I post a picture of the rocket I'm using, does that provide more information than if I just list out the components? I like my design, which I stole, then tweaked. For a lander, i have an LV-909 terrier under a Rockomax X-200-8 fuel tank, with SIX LT-1 landing legs. Spring and Damper strength were both set to "1", but I've raised the Damper to 1.5 and lowered the Spring to .75. On that I have the service bay for my OKTO and science equipment. Then a Science Jr, Decoupler, Heat Shield (for once...) and the MK1. I have solar panels and batteries, 3 each, around the fuel tank. Maybe that's over kill and I should move just 1-2 batteries inside the service bay to reduce the drag on liftoff? SO much to learn, but yes, this is still VERY fun.

All very helpful and makes a lot of sense. I don’t know why, but my ship, at launch, tends to roll slightly North each time. I know about, and try to, launch due East and follow the steps above. I’m using a fairly standard rocket with 3 sets of 2 boosters and asparagus staging. I just dump 2 at a time as I go up, but the roll is happening before I let go of the first set. I have 6 wings at the bottom to keep it straight. Does a picture help? Anyway, that’s why I have AN and DN once I get into orbit. I’m really glad Invision posted those pics. Referencing the one with the target orbits at Mun: I see the DN, which I am very familiar with and the blue Ap, which I get is my current Apoapsis around Kerbin. Then I see a Purple Ap, and the Brown Pe. All very cluttered in my head. Taking the advice above, I believe the one I care about is the Brown Pe (assuming that’s my Mun Periapsis post maneuver). Often, mine ends up 0.5-1.0M miles from Mun, and then I spend a tremendous amount of fuel to make that my Mun Ap, and bring around a Mun Pe. I need to get much closer, but get lost HOW to get it closer. I understand the Prograde and Retrograde, and how they effect my orbit. I also understand Normal and Anti-Normal, I think. The “light blue ones” are basically my swing to the left and right, yes? Last, as posted by Wolf, #3 above, I DID leave a Kerbal stranded. I ran out of fuel orbiting Mun, tumbling terribly. When I realized I had launched my Engineer instead of my Scientist, I moved on, thinking it would be a fun rescue mission later. I think I primarily need 2 things. 1. Slow down, and make sure my craft and crew are right for the mission. 2. Practice and enjoy it

You were totally right. The first of each saved fine. Taking 2 Goo from the same place etc. Nice catch.

Right. So I'll get a bit more practice. Seems I forgot the heat shield.....