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Video walkthrough on getting into a circular orbit at a specific height


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Here's a 12 minute video I made which shows how to get into a circular orbit at a specific height and back again:

I hope it's useful. Here's the description that is shown in the video:

Getting the crew where you want them and back:

1. Get into a low orbit

2. Make the orbit circular

3. Get to the desired altitude (using a Hohmann transfer orbit)

4. Get back to about 50 km (using a Hohmann transfer orbit)

5. De-orbit

1. Get into orbit

-Launch

-At about 10 km slowly start lowering the nose in the desired heading (in this case 090).

-The horizontal speed should be at least 2349 m/s at 40 km.

2. Make the orbit circular

-Likely you're now going up in an epiliptical orbit. Calculate the orbit-speed of the altitude you expect to be at at apoapsis (highest altitude relative to Kearth).

-If you overshoot try again at the new apoapsis.

3. Get to the desired altitude (using a Hohmann transfer orbit)

-Calculate the speed needed to reach the desired altitude

-Example:

Altitude 60.000 m -> 300.000 m (altitude of ISS)

Required acceleration 2312,8 m/s -> 2484,4 m/s

At apoapsis accelerate

-Example:

An apoapsis of 305.690 m requires 1980,6 m/s for the orbit to become circular.

4. Get back to about 50 km (using a Hohmann transfer orbit)

-Going to a lower orbit enables landing to be more precise. It doesn't take extra fuel since the burns involved are 2 deceleration burns.

-An altitude of 50 km allows you to overshoot slightly without entering the atmosphere.

-Example:

Altitude 305.200 m -> 50.000 m

Required deceleration 1974,9 m/s -> 1805,6 m/s

At periapsis (lowest altitude relative to Kearth) decelerate.

-Example:

A periapsis of 48.790 requires 2332,7 m/s for the orbit to become circular.

5. De-orbit.

-Use your remaining fuel.

Made by Atreides

Youtube-channel: EagleNED

Programs used:

Kerbal Space Program v 0.8.5

http://www.kerbalspaceprogram.com/

Kerbal Space Program Calculator v 0.8.1

(by Warringer)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks. :)

To answer your question; in the hangar, at the stage overview to the right, I put all engines and fuel compartments (don't know if it suffices to only do this with the engines) in the first stage to fire, so the liquid fuel engine fires simultaneously with the 6 solid rocket boosters.

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