Disappearing planetary encounters?

[SpacedInvader]

I'm sure this has been answered a few times over the years, but for some reason I've been unable to find threads about it. Anyway, here's the problem: I've launched a Moho impactor probe with somewhat limited dV, had Mechjeb send it off into interplanetary space using the advanced interplanetary transfer mode, and all seemed fine at first with a nice clean trajectory leading me dead center into Moho. A few days after crossing the SoI boundary to a Kerbol orbit, I checked to make sure the orbit would still encounter Moho, only to find out that not only will it not hit the planet, but an encounter with the SoI is a several hundred dV correction away from my original orbit. After doing this correction, I thought it best if I come back to the craft after a month to make sure there is still going to be an impact on arrival, only to find out that I need another correction. The problem is that now I've got ~250 less dV than I need for the correction, forcing me to either fail the contract I'm trying to complete or cheat and use infinite fuel to make the correction.

I'm left wondering now where I'm going wrong in this equation... Both transfer window planners that I'm using (MechJeb and the one by TriggerAu) indicate that I left with plenty of dV to run into Moho without a problem. Furthermore, I've had intercepting orbits set up twice now, only to have them vanish without warning. It's been a while since I've played KSP, so I can't remember if this is an issues I've had in the past or not, but I really don't think it is, or else I would have started a thread about it back then. Are disappearing planetary encounters really a thing, or is there a factor I'm not accounting for here?

[TheXRuler]

Mhhh well one big problem with the calculation system is that if you leave the SOI of one body at high time warp, it is quite likely quite drastically change your resulting orbit, since the game needs a little time to recalculate your orbit in the new SOI. Sometimes, due to this, you will actually enter the SOI at another place, resulting in a different orbit. At least that is what I took from someone elses explanation. Anyhow I recommend using Kerbal Alarm Clock to set up timers killing your timewarp whenever you will switch between SOI's.

Apart from that, MechJeb isn't actually as good as you would think, and while I also use it a lot of the time I almost always use mechjeb to tell me exactly when and roughly how I should execute my manoeuvre, then tweak it manually to my satisfaction.

[SpacedInvader]

Mhhh well one big problem with the calculation system is that if you leave the SOI of one body at high time warp, it is quite likely quite drastically change your resulting orbit, since the game needs a little time to recalculate your orbit in the new SOI. Sometimes, due to this, you will actually enter the SOI at another place, resulting in a different orbit. At least that is what I took from someone elses explanation. Anyhow I recommend using Kerbal Alarm Clock to set up timers killing your timewarp whenever you will switch between SOI's.

Apart from that, MechJeb isn't actually as good as you would think, and while I also use it a lot of the time I almost always use mechjeb to tell me exactly when and roughly how I should execute my manoeuvre, then tweak it manually to my satisfaction.

I already use KAC, and did not time warp through the SOI change, also, I often tweak MJ's output to suit what I really want out of maneuvers. I guess I'm technically already ahead of you on both of these counts...

[Superfluous J]

Make a quicksave and then time warp out to Moho. There is a modreate chance that the encounter still exists but the game just doesn't see it. Manually slow down as you get close to see.

If so, it's a bug, and it's one that I've even seen in the livestreams so

If not, then you somehow lost your encounter so just fiddle with a mid-course correction to nail it. You *should* be close, close enough that the fuel to fix it should be marginal.

[eddiew]

Happens to me all the time, I either HyperEdit or infinite-fuel it back into shape because I consider it a bug and not my fault... however I believe it's on the "fixed" list of 1.0?

[Superfluous J]

Happens to me all the time, I either HyperEdit or infinite-fuel it back into shape because I consider it a bug and not my fault... however I believe it's on the "fixed" list of 1.0?

I saw it in the official 1.0 stream yesterday. I don't remember whose stream it was in but it was unmistakable.

[SpacedInvader]

I saw it in the official 1.0 stream yesterday. I don't remember whose stream it was in but it was unmistakable.

Is there a list published somewhere describing all of the bug fixes in 1.0? All I've been able to find so far is new features when I really care about memory management and stability...

[eddiew]

I saw it in the official 1.0 stream yesterday. I don't remember whose stream it was in but it was unmistakable.

That makes me a sad space otter*

* (Sad pandas are overdone. Including sad space pandas. I have free'd myself from pandahood and chosen a new destiny. My mind is free now. And I crave sushi.)

[MassoudGL]

I still get this bug strangely.

[Superfluous J]

I still get this bug strangely.

Not strange at all to still get a bug they haven't fixed yet.

[SpacedInvader]

I know this is very much a necro, but upon returning to the game again after some time away, I'm experiencing this once again. I have tried making a quicksave and then fast forwarding to the time the encounter was originally scheduled to happen and have found that it has indeed disappeared, with my probe missing Eve by several hundred thousand Km when the original encounter should have resulted in a near-space fly-by within 200km and not nearly enough dV remaining to get the thing back on course. I just want to see if anyone else is experiencing this issue still and/or if there is a solution that has been found in the intervening time.

Thanks.

Edited February 4, 2017 by SpacedInvader

[SpacedInvader]

I know this is a necro, but has this been fixed yet?

[ClockworkJeb]

4 years on from the original thread and this has not been fixed. Trying to set up a Dres encounter and the closest approach indicators just disappear randomly. 

This is a pain in the cheeks and has happened on almost every interplanetary mission I have ever done.

[James Kerman]

Welcome to the forum @ClockworkJeb.

I'm sorry to hear you are still having this problem. I have not seen this issue in my own game for many years. Could you expand a little on your KSP setup? Namely which version are you playing and any mods you are running.