Getting started on the forums

[Nukeknockout]

Hello all!

I've been playing KSP for a time, but this is when I'm finally getting started on the forums. I have a general understanding of a fair bit because I'm an awesome lurker, but there's one thing in particular I'm looking to learn at this moment.

How much deltaV do I need to enter a geostationary orbit? I've read that it's 2,868 Km, and a cheat sheet I saw said it takes about 4,500 but I find I need 4,500 just to get into LKO. My ascent profiles tend to aim for 35-45 degrees after about 15Km.

[NathanKell]

@Nukeknockout welcome to the forums!

I'm afraid you're rather outdated then, the way to ascend changed radically in 1.0. I suggest you look up some post 1.0 tutorials on ascending, I know Scott Manley on youtube has a good one. The key is to turn early (once you reach 100m/s) and follow prograde smoothly. You should only need 3000-3500m/s to reach a parking orbit.

The numbers for a geostationary transfer and circularization haven't changed, though: 800m/s or so for the transfer and apokerb kick.

[Starhawk]

Hello Nukeknockout, and welcome to the forum!

Nathan's got you covered on the ascent profile.  I always assume 3200 m/s to make orbit when I'm designing ships.  Glad to have you aboard.

Happy landings!

[John FX]

I like to allow 3,400m/s of atmospheric Dv so it goves me a little spare for flight errors and also to deorbit the last stage (I use stagerecovery).

I`ve heard of people doing it in under 3,000m/s but I have yet to do that myself.

 

Welcome to the forums!

[NathanKell]

While it can sometimes make sense to do something like averaging the atmo and vac delta V from the first stage, by the time you're on any further stages your air pressure is so close to vacuum that you might be at most like 1% away from vac Isp. If you use atmo Isp for your upper stage (with an engine that might be, say, 100/350) that's valuing that stage's delta V at less than one third what it will give you in reality.