Tracking Station -> planning mode (even before building and launching a ship)

[Unheld]

Hello everybody

After working for a time with the precise node plugin and the Launch window planner I wondered about planning multiple gravity assists in the rosetta style.

One problem for me is to determine the overall required delta_v.

And the other one is that I need a ship already in orbit, because in my naivety, I plan the transfers with the maneuver nodes (and high conics number).

So I got the following idea:

What If in the tracking station there were a button to switch to planning mode?

It would give you the mapview as always (without the ships), but with an editor window, where you can:

1. enter a specific time or date, after which the planets/moons alignment is set to what it would be at this time.

2. you enter (some) parameters of a prelimenary orbit (around the planet/moon of your choice) which than is drawn like usual

From that on you can create and adjust your conics with maneuver nodes like always.

An info-panel gives you all the required dv and infos like precise node.

Then when you have set up your desired trajectories with all the nodes you can than save them and later import them to the desired craft, which can be entirely build after planning and setting up the mission.

(Maybe the import option will add a new maneuver node needed to achieve the prelimenary orbit.)

I belive that such a planning option for the tracking station would make "simple" planetary transfers much easier and intuitive and would enable one to create more complex missions with multiple flybys and gravity assists.

Basically the only new thing (in addition to precise node) would be to set up everything (very far) in advance and without a ship in orbit (especially useful for planning future return trips).

Hopefully someone thinks this is a good idea worth trying

Sincerely

Edited June 29, 2015 by Unheld

[SAI Peregrinus]

Well, it's not in the Tracking Station, but KSP Trajectory Optimization Tool does what you want.

It's unlikely to be integrated to the game any time soon, it's rather complex. But it does have its plugin to import the maneuver nodes.