[Project] Dogon's Space Program

[semininja]

That wouldn\'t keep you lined up with Kerbin...

In order to do what Koschei\'s asking, you would need to have an orbit around Kerbin of 311 547 400m in order to match Kerbin\'s orbital period, 106:17:21:49. Unfortunately, Kerbin\'s sphere of influence is only 84 275 000m, so you won\'t be able to get into a Kerbin-centric orbit big enough.

[Koschei]

Guess it isn\'t possible then... too bad.

[Matticus88]

Is there not a point in space between any too gravitational bodies where the gravity from each is perfectly equal? so somewhere between Kerbin and the sun, there must be a perfect spot to have a satellite so that its always pointing towards the sun? i think they called Langrian points?

[Tim_Barrett]

Is there not a point in space between any too gravitational bodies where the gravity from each is perfectly equal? so somewhere between Kerbin and the sun, there must be a perfect spot to have a satellite so that its always pointing towards the sun? i think they called Langrian points?

Not in the game there isn\'t. Even in real life, it would be near impossible to get a perfect point of balance.

[khyron42]

Actually, in real life they use that point (L1) for SOHO and two other satellites. According to my friend who was one of the operations team, it only had to do less stationkeeping than a normal satellite - but yes, the game does not support 3-body gravity.

However - you can do what Koschei is asking for. Have the satellite co-orbit with Kerbin, at a distance perhaps 60 degrees ahead of it in its orbit. At that distance, it will always be 'above' a point that\'s in sunlight, since it\'s far enough ahead in the orbit that the point on a straight line from it to kerbin will be to a point that\'s in morning at all times. However, at that distance Kerbin will be invisible.

The compromise would be to have the craft co-orbiting just outside Kerbin\'s SoI, and it would stay forever above the terminator.