Atmospheric landing at a specific location

[Sharpy]

How to perform a reentry (of non-aerodynamic craft, not a space plane) so that you land at a desired location? E.g. at KSC, or on one of islands of Laythe, or at a peak of a mountain on Eve.

Especially if I approach on a fairly flat trajectory, to allow for more aerobraking in the shallow layers of the atmosphere, and don't have the delta-V to stop dead above the target, to drop like a rock on the spot.

It took me some 6 tries to finally hit Wastelands on Kerbin, and I still believe luck had more to do with the success than skill.

[moondogccr]

You can try using this to calculate your trajectories

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/104694

[Warzouz]

I don't use tools to do it, so I mess a lot. I made a rocket SSTO, so I have to deorbit and land as near as KSC as possible. Airbrakes helps a lot to tune landing point, but I mus admin, even after donzens of tries, I rarely land on KSC. Most of the time I'm around 50km (which cost around 0.5% compared to KSC landing).

[cicatrix]

My best result - 8 km from the launch pad. With new aero model there are too many variable factors that impact on your landing site. My best result was when I was deorbiting a standard Mk1 capsule with a parachute from 80 km. I don't remember too many specific figures but as I remember I started my deorbit burn 1/4 of Kerbin equator before the KSC (if you see KSC in the middle of the day hemisphere, i.e. it's noon there, the burn started at dawn). The trajectory was very shallow and touched the sea somewhat halfway across the ocean to the east from KSC, probably even farther). Since I use real chute there's a danger of burning it so I had to be very careful. The trick is to travel along the shallow trajectory running over the KSC and then at the right moment BEFORE you fly over it you have to open your chute. You will kill your horizontal speed nearly instantly so you don't have to worry too much about it. Your speed when you fly over the mountain range right before the KSC (assuming you have a prograde orbit) should be 1000~1300 m/s and your altitude ~10 km. You should kill enough of your speed before you reach the KSC to safely deploy the chute but it may take several attempts.

[Warzouz]

...

I don't remember too many specific figures but as I remember I started my deorbit burn 1/4 of Kerbin equator before the KSC (if you see KSC in the middle of the day hemisphere, i.e. it's noon there, the burn started at dawn). The trajectory was very shallow and touched the sea somewhat halfway across the ocean to the east from KSC, probably even farther).

...

I use the same parameters. I start at 90° west to KSC and lower my PE to 6/10km (60m/s deorbit burn). Airbrakes are open nearly all the time. I only cose them if I'm too short.

I also prefer to overshoot, mosly to avoid those dreadfull mountains.

[Sharpy]

Landing at Kerbin isn't that much of a deal.

Drowning on Laythe would be worse. These islands are quite small.