strider3

Got it, just had to "install" the DV stuff in the KER UI. Good to go. Still like my little spreadsheet though...kinda proud of that . But I'm easily amused. Thanks gang!

Thanks Kelderek! I'm beginning to understand now. If I do (understand, that is), I should be able to increase the number of trajectories and use the LOC mode, in the PM mod, and see something similar to what you posted to imgur...without using the Next Encounter button?

Hey Chiron0224. I have KER but I don't know how it will tell me how much DeltaV is remaining on my ship? I use the web based Launch Window Planner by AlexMun.

AHAH!! This Precise Maneuver mod is turning out to be quite awesome! Clicking the "Next Enc" button (next encounter) allows you to zoom into the actual encounter area and fine tune your node...sweet! The "Trajectory drawing" buttons, at the bottom are supposed to change the patched conics that were mentioned. Still have no idea about those...and pushing the buttons didn't seem to do anything. You still have to move the maneuver to create an "encounter" before you can use the "Next Enc" button...still...it's a million miles ahead of where I was. SOooo...as far as wish #1...I take it 1.2 does nothing to make the career mode more...sane?

Yep...1.1.3. I have no idea what "patched conics" are...other than how it's spelled. The Precise Maneuver mod UI has "Trajectory Drawing" buttons, at the bottom. I have not touched these as of yet...I'm still trying to learn what all the PM functions actually do. Going to see if I can find some better info on using the PM mod.

I've always just split the burn time with good results? If a 10 second burn (at full throttle) is required, I will split that (5 sec.) and add some seconds to account for my reduction of throttle towards the end of the burn. In this situation I would start my burn 7-8 seconds before the node...but that's just me ;-P

Here's a picture to help explain #2. This is about as close as I can get to the area circled in green. This is the rendezvous point with Duna that I would like to focus on, and zoom into, so I can fine tune my maneuver. As it is it's very hard to tell if my proposed Duna periapsis is on the Kerbol (Day) side or the "night" side. I want the "night" side to more easily enter a standard, West to East orbit.

The problem with that is...I'm not trying to focus on these. I'm trying to focus on the spot where I'm going to intersect with my target...the target is not there yet. It's just an empty place in space, at that point.

I have 2 wishes that will make me believe in Santa Kerbal: 1. A "Career Mode" that makes sense. I want many, many contracts at my "ability" level. I am tired of landing on Kerbin...once...and having my next Contracts sending me into orbit around the Mun. I do not have the Science, ability or Funds to go to the Mun yet! Give me many, many contracts at my level of ability, so that my Science and Funds build at a reasonable rate to PREPARE me for the next level of Contracts. This is the very reason I abandoned "career" mode for "science" mode. I do not like this science sandbox mode...but I hate the current career mode even more. 2. When setting a Maneuver Node, there is no way to "focus" on the actual "encounter" area. This makes precision arrivals at a planet impossible to judge. There should be some way to "focus" on burn "events"...especially on "encounter" events. That way we could zoom in and see exactly how we are "encountering" the target, and make adjustments accordingly. I've been a good boy all year, Santa Kerbal...I only ask for these 2 things.

Plusck, corrected my spreadsheet and my numbers now match yours exactly. Thanks, as always, to all of you! I could list names...but it would go on and on...and you know who you are.

My Apo/Peri is 388 and 343. Ship mass is 28.5.

Could one of you take a look at this initial "Remaining DV" Excel spreadsheet and tell me if I'm on track? http://users.frii.com/viciii3/Total DV calc.xlsx Or, if you have security concerns DL'ing this, here's a picture: Just need to make sure my Excel math skills are up to the task ;-) As always...thank you all.

Houston...we have a problem. I am not in a "standard" orbit around Duna...I'm orbiting East to West and I don't know if any calculator can help me here. My orbit is average 365 km. I'm going to work on an Excel spreadsheet tomorrow and see if I cant get the calculations needed into it. For now...I'm going to warp until I get a decent chance of getting my Kerbals home (sniff).

Uh oh...I unfortunately ended up in an east to west orbit when I arrived at Duna. Now that I have a more precise add-on for tweaking nodes, that should be easier to avoid on future flights but...I think I placed my Kerbals in an awkward situation.

(Posted this while you were replying, GoSlash.) You should have seen the original...6,348 M/S! LOL. I was not in the perfect phase angle by any means. As I said, all hypothetical. I'm just trying to figure out, in any situation, if I have enough fuel to make a burn or not. I realize there is much rocket science for a "true" answer. I'd like some way of deciding "yes, I can make this burn, as is" or "Nope, your screwed on fuel". You had me at "natural log". Hopefully Excel has that formula, somewhere ;-). I knew there wouldn't be an easy answer because...well...it IS rocket science! Thanks gang.

Here's a scenario (these are made up numbers for an example)...I'm in orbit around Duna and trying to get home to Kerbin. I created a maneuver node and it's calling for 3,200 M/S for the burn. I have 1,353 liquid fuel and an RE-L10 "Poodle" engine. Is there some calculation I can make which tells me if I have enough fuel, with this engine at full thrust, to complete the burn? Thanks, Vic the Newbal

Thanks Zhetaan...that did the trick. One more question about "calculators". Can I ignore their results completely and just try and burn back to Kerbin? If I wait for the phase angle to be close...I'll be orbiting Duna forever LOL. I'm going to just try it as soon as I get Precise Maneuver or Precise Node working. I just can't deal with the squirrely stock maneuver node anymore.

Made it to Duna! Now it looks like it will be a long time before I can get back? The angles are all wrong according to the calculator and I'm going to have to do a lot of fooling around to find a burn that will get me close to Kerbin...or wait the phase angle out. 5thHoreman...I never seem to have any luck searching for mods at Curseforge? Neither PreciseNode or Precisemaneuver shows up when searching...I'll try Google.

My Son just came by and did almost everything you guys mentioned. The first words were "forget the calculator as the final word" and proceeded to move my wonderfully placed node until I got a capture. It ain't pretty and he told me to do a correction burn on the way as it is MUCH easier to grab and move the node while away from other bodies. So, as always, it comes back to the "pilot" to get what they want done. I should also note that I didn't install the LWP mod, as yet (trying to keep Mods to a minimum) but went to the web app. 5thHorseman: I never mind a good Mod suggestion and, after dealing with the imprecise maneuver node controls, I will definitely look into the 2 mods you mentioned. As always, thank you all!! I'll let you know how this first trip to Duna goes.

I did notice, just now, that the planner mentions an "insertion DeltaV" and "Insertion inclination"...which seems to indicate that I'm expected to do a second burn to insert into Duna orbit?

HMmmm, I tried the Transfer Window Planner...with the same basic result. The numbers given by it changed a bit...but I still don't get "captured" by Duna? This is my first attempt at leaving the Kerbin/Minmus/Mun area. I guess I'll have to bring extra fuel and correct on the way? It's a tad bit disappointing that neither of these calculators are working for me...although I might not be doing something correctly. It seems pretty straightforward, however.

That was my guess too...but I'm not sure. I will check out the Transfer Window Planner. Thanks Chiron0224!!

I am trying to use the Interplanetary Calculator to set up my burn from Kerbin orbit to Duna. For some reason I cannot seem to get an intercept even though I am at the coordinates required by the calculator. As you can see in the images, I am almost exactly at the required place and situation but I cannot get any closer than over 2 million kilometers? Any ideas on why this is not getting me into a Duna intercept? Thanks gang, as always. Vic the Newbal

I do have struts on the bottom of each booster with the radial attachment near the top. I will add some between the ADTP-2-3 and the lower Jumbo 64 tank and play with the gimbals on the 1st stage. Thanks!

One thing I have noticed since upgrading to 1.1.3 is a lot of "wobble" in ships which, in the past, were very stable. What changed? Anywho, IMHO whatever was changed is a bit...aggravating? I'm no rocket construction engineer (as I've proven to you over and over LOL) but let me give you an example of the latest problem. The screenshot below is of a craft I've built to, eventually, bring fuel tanks for attachment to my Sunoco Minmus refueling station, in orbit around...guess (I crack myself up!). This is not a new "layout" for me as I've used many similar builds in the past...but now they have a pronounced "wobble" problem. I don't understand why...they have, what I assume are, solid attachments at the decoupler/separator points. If the "long, skinny" at the top is a problem, I don't see how going all "Rockomax" would help (I want to bring a Rockomax Jumbo64 to the station on each flight)...it would only be "skinnier"? ? Anywho...this one only wobbles in one spot...right at the Rockomax/Kerbodyne connection. I can alleviate the wobble problem by going Kerbodyne all the way to the one Jumbo I'm trying to bring to the station, but that craft has so much mass it is ungainly. What am I doing wrong now?