Jool Transfer Predicament

[Friend Bear]

I currently am on course for a Jool intercept. Periapsis is just under 1 million km. And I only have 1.6km/s of delta-v. Inclination is good.

My question: How can I perform a capture that will allow me to have enough delta-v to land at (any) moon? HELP!

Yeah, I get the feeling that will be my last shot. Not sure if I can land on Pol, I got an accidental encounter. Anyone tell me "how" to set up the Tylo encounter?

Personally, I feel it is a waste of fuel to use Jool to slow your orbit. Yes, you can aerocapture. But then you have to use all that fuel to acquire an intercept with a moon, enter, and acquire the new orbit, anyways. You use less if you go straight for the moon.

You need to adjust your intercept to the Jool mini-system before entering its SOI. Do this:

1) Set a maneuver node outside the SOI intercept. The closer to the SOI, the more accurate the adjustments can be, but you use more delta-v. Note, however, that you use between .5 and 25 delta-v to make these adjustments unless you are enormously close, so these aren't hard on your journey's overall delta-v.

2) Double-click/focus view on the Jool mini-system and see your trajectory.

3) Adjust the maneuver node to your liking. You do NOT have to enter orbit around Jool before reaching a moon. You can simply set an intercept of a moon before even making it into the SOI. It gets difficult, however, since you have to guess where the moon may be at the time. Best way to do it is to set the moon you want as the target (so no long is Jool the target). Then, make your path be on the same plane as the moon. Then, slowly move your path across that moon's orbital path until you see an intercept with the moon.

4) If it is too difficult to fine-tune, set the maneuver node closer.

5) Do NOT fast forward during SOI changes. It still gets glitchy and can knock off your planned orbit and if you do, it kinda shoots your whole approach in the foot.

6) Repeat "4" with the moon intercept, but make the maneuver node outside the SOI of the moon while inside the SOI of Jool. Note, however, you should already have the intercept to the moon setup. Trying to set it up in the Jool SOI can cost thousands of delta-v. What I refer to here is the fine tuning to close your orbit around the moon more precisely.

7) Then, simply enter orbit around that moon, Wapamo Blam! You are there without burning unnecessary fuel entering Jool's orbit prior to seeking rendezvous with the moon.

Edited October 26, 2015 by Friend Bear