Jump to content

Search the Community

Showing results for tags 'orbit'.

  • Search By Tags

    Type tags separated by commas.
  • Search By Author

Content Type


Forums

  • General
    • Announcements
    • Welcome Aboard
  • Kerbal Space Program 2
    • KSP2 Dev Updates
    • KSP2 Discussion
    • KSP2 Suggestions and Development Discussion
    • Challenges & Mission Ideas
    • The KSP2 Spacecraft Exchange
    • Mission Reports
    • KSP2 Prelaunch Archive
  • Kerbal Space Program 2 Gameplay & Technical Support
    • KSP2 Gameplay Questions and Tutorials
    • KSP2 Technical Support (PC, unmodded installs)
    • KSP2 Technical Support (PC, modded installs)
  • Kerbal Space Program 2 Mods
    • KSP2 Mod Discussions
    • KSP2 Mod Releases
    • KSP2 Mod Development
  • Kerbal Space Program 1
    • KSP1 The Daily Kerbal
    • KSP1 Discussion
    • KSP1 Suggestions & Development Discussion
    • KSP1 Challenges & Mission ideas
    • KSP1 The Spacecraft Exchange
    • KSP1 Mission Reports
    • KSP1 Gameplay and Technical Support
    • KSP1 Mods
    • KSP1 Expansions
  • Community
    • Science & Spaceflight
    • Kerbal Network
    • The Lounge
    • KSP Fan Works
  • International
    • International
  • KerbalEDU
    • KerbalEDU
    • KerbalEDU Website

Categories

There are no results to display.


Find results in...

Find results that contain...


Date Created

  • Start

    End


Last Updated

  • Start

    End


Filter by number of...

Joined

  • Start

    End


Group


Website URL


Skype


Twitter


About me


Location


Interests

  1. This has probably come up before; It's a fairly obvious use of the KSP UI, so I'm probably not the first one to stumble across it. But it provides a way to set up a simple, equidistant satellite array, using just the KSP User interface, without having to calculate orbital periods. As I understand it, the typical method for, say, spacing four satellites in a circular orbit is to do the following. Launch all four satellites on a single bus vehicle, reach the desired circular orbit, and circularize. Release the first Satellite. Based on the period of the original orbit, calculate the semimajor axis of a new orbit that has ¾ the period of the original orbit (5/4 also works, but we'll use ¾ for the example) and burn to put your bus in that orbit. Go around that orbit once. When you return to your starting point, recircularize. Assuming you used the ¾ period orbit, you will now be at a point 90° ahead of the original satellite. Release the second Satellite. Repeat steps 3 through 6 for the other two satellites, then head home. What we'll be doing here is eliminating any of the calculation of step 3: As long as your initial orbit is circular, you can use KSP's maneuver node and close-approach UI to evenly space out your satellites, without calculating delta-V, and without calculating the details of your phasing orbit. To do this, we have to come to realize two things; KSP's Close-approach markers are /always/ shown based on your presumed orbit after the last maneuver node on your path. By right-clicking on a Maneuver node, it will pop up a pair of buttons marked - and + that allow you to advance or retract a node one orbit at a time. What this allows us to do is the following: Deploy First Satellite and Target it. Create Node 1 to Roughly Estimate Phasing Orbit. Create Node 2 at 0.0 m/s for manipulating Closest Approach. Use Node 2 to Advance the Phasing Orbit. Fine-Tune Node 1 to refine the close-approach. Execute Node 1, Phase, and Recircularize. So here's an example, beginning to set up a four-satellite constellation using the above method. 1. Deploying the first Satellite Once the spacecraft reaches its target circular orbit, deploy the first satellite. It is then necessary to set the first satellite as a target in the KSP UI, so its close-approach markers can be used. 2. Create Maneuver Node 1 Create a maneuver node far enough in the future that you are comfortable manipulating it without catching up to it. I believe the one I've created here is about 10 minutes ahead of my spacecraft. Adjust the PRO and RETRO handles on the maneuver node to create a phasing orbit that has /approximately/ the phasing you want. It's fine if it's a rough approximation, because we're going to refine it later. 3. Create Maneuver Node 2 (0.0 m/s) Now create a second maneuver node further along the path of the phasing orbit. This maneuver node will have a 0.0 m/s value, and will be used to help refine Maneuver Node 1. 4. Use Maneuver Node 2 to advance the Closest Approach After placing Node 2, the Close-Approach Markers in the UI will show the closest approach after one orbit. Activate Node 2, then right-click on it to bring up the Orbit-advance buttons. (Upper-left image). Since we're doing 90° spacing, We'll want to click on the advance button three more times (Upper Right, Lower left, and Lower right) to show the spacing after four rounds of the phasing orbit. 5. Fine-Tune Node 1 to refine the Close Approach Now go back to Node 1 and adjust its Prograde and Retrograde handles to fine-tune the close approach. By doing this, we're adjusting the period of the phasing orbit to get it closer to ¾ the period of the target orbit. Once the markers match up, you're golden. 6. Execute Node 1 and Phase. Now you're ready. You can kill Node 2 now if you so desire; it's still at 0.0 m/s. Execute node 1 to enter the phasing orbit, go around once, and re-circularize when you reach the starting position. Once done, things look like this: The red and green lines solid lines are actually generated by the AntennaRange mod, here, they also serve to highlight the final positions of the Bus (where the green line crosses) and the fisrst satellite (where the red line crosses.). The bus is now 90° ahead of the target. You may now deploy Satellite 2, and repeat. And that's basically the method there. Note that I haven't checked the periapse or apoapse altitudes of the phasing orbits, everything was just done with the maneuver node UI. This method can similarly be used to space any number of satellites; If I'd needed to space five satellites, after placing Node 2, I'd crank it forward four more orbits in step 3. For Six, I'd need to crank Node 2 forward five more orbits, and so on. This method will also work if the phasing orbit is /larger/ than the target orbit; If I'd done the method above with a larger phasing orbit, I'd wind up putting the second satellite 90° behind the target. It also has its utility for Rendezvous; Make your orbit cross the target orbit. Place Node 1 where your orbit crosses the target orbit. Pull prograde or retrograde to spend as little delta-V as you feel comfortable using, and use node 2 to crank the intercept forward orbits until the close-approach markers are close enough, then go back to adjust Node 1's Prograde and Retrograde handles. Execute Node 1. On the orbit where Node 2 now exists, you'll have your close-approach. Hopefully, this has been helpful. Any questions?
×
×
  • Create New...