Game Tutorial Mun pt.2 Running out of fuel

[Telesto]

I just bought the game via Steam after getting pretty far on the V0.9 Career mode. So I'm starting again from scratch.

I'm having trouble completing the above tutorial and attempting to land near the KSC without running out of fuel.

I'm finding it tricky to get the balance between controlling my landing point and managing fuel in contrast to just dropping randomly straight through the atmosphere at 90degrees to save fuel.

Has anyone found a way to complete this tutorial with a controlled, repeatable descent to the KSC without running out of fuel?

Edited May 9, 2015 by Telesto

[Anquietas314]

I'm finding it tricky to get the balance between controlling my landing point and managing fuel in contrast to just dropping randomly straight through the atmosphere at 90degrees to save fuel.

In short, you're doing it wrong! You want to be lowering your periapsis to anywhere between 30 and 40km for your reentry and then let the atmosphere slow you down. Landing at KSC is just a matter of choosing where in your orbit to do your deorbit burn (if you're in a circular orbit, above the giant crater you can't miss is a good place to start, although I haven't quite managed to nail it reliably in 1.0's atmosphere yet). With a bit of practice (and quicksaves!) you should be able to do it.

It'll also save you some fuel if you use the atmosphere to aerobrake when returning from Mun; aim for around a 40-45km periapsis for that. Don't expect the engine you have to be useful in the atmosphere though; because of changes in 1.0, engines' thrust varies with atmosphere density instead of just using more fuel; the terrier in particular is nearly completely useless at sea level. Instead just decouple it once you've committed to reentry.

Edited May 9, 2015 by armagheddonsgw

[Telesto]

Are you suggesting that prior to re-entry I "dip into" Kerbins atmosphere on an elliptical orbit at a periapsis of 30-40km over a number of orbits then just before my orbit becomes a terminal decline I then adjust my final re-entry to coincide with the exact thickness of atmosphere that I land safely back at the KSC? WOW!

I've never managed to recover a craft back into stable orbit after hitting Kerbins atmosphere. If I get below 60km its the ground or bust (or the mountains or the sea)

Addendum

I've never persevered with trying to land in a specific place on Kerbin as the fuel required to do so after a mission (to enable a stable Kerbin orbit and subsequent controlled landing) is huge in comparison to just landing "wherever".

I even put a space station into Geostationary orbit to try to do this but again the uncertainty of the atmosphere and fuel costs to use it as a pre-landing stop-off were HUGE.

I do like your idea of coming in and using the crater as a marker though. With practice (as you say) and managing to avoid the Westerly mountains and the sea to the East could be a good marker.

It's very tough to estimate the rotation of Kerbin on the long return journey to time it right though.

Edited May 9, 2015 by Telesto

[Anquietas314]

Are you suggesting that prior to re-entry I "dip into" Kerbins atmosphere on an elliptical orbit at a periapsis of 30-40km over a number of orbits then just before my orbit becomes a terminal decline I then adjust my final re-entry to coincide with the exact thickness of atmosphere that I land safely back at the KSC? WOW!

Err, yeah essentially. I think the tutorial requires you to raise your periapsis out of the atmosphere though so it's a full orbit before you go for reentry.

I've never managed to recover a craft back into stable orbit after hitting Kerbins atmosphere. If I get below 60km its the ground or bust (or the mountains or the sea)

Coming back from Mun you should have enough momentum to fling you out of the atmosphere again; the key is not to go too deep. Quicksave (F5) just after leaving Mun's sphere of influence and then just quickload (F9) if it turns out you went too deep. You'll probably want to raise your periapsis when you get to apoapsis after each pass though - periapsis drops a little during an aerobrake.

[Reddeyfish]

I've never managed to recover a craft back into stable orbit after hitting Kerbins atmosphere. If I get below 60km its the ground or bust (or the mountains or the sea)

For Aerobraking/Aerocapture, once you've lowered your apoapsis to where you want it, you'll need to do a prograde burn at your apoapsis so that you can raise your periapsis above the atmosphere, which stops the atmospheric braking.

[Telesto]

For Aerobraking/Aerocapture, once you've lowered your

peri? apoapsis

to where you want it, you'll need to do a prograde burn at your apoapsis so that you can raise your periapsis above the atmosphere, which stops the atmospheric braking.

Have you managed to accomplish this on the Mun tutorial pt.2 without running out of fuel?

Edited May 9, 2015 by Telesto