Comnet mun for a newbe

[bjerrang]

So mun cant have geostationary orbit. But i still need 3 satellites in equatorial orbit.

Found out the the orbit should be 2.160.102meters. 

But how do i find the periaps on the 120 degree spacing to release 1 satelitte per orbit.

http://www.skyrender.net/ksp_sync_calculator.html

Orbits calculations on this is outside the Sphere of Influence

[Curveball Anders]

You probably want your three relays just within the SOI of the Mün (as in 2000-2200km) to give best possible cover.

I used Resonant Orbit Calculator for the data with good results.

[DrLicor]

When you orbit the mun, watch your orbital time. For instance the target orbit is 1 hour. Get your Pe low while maintaining you Ap on the target orbit. Lower the Pe until you get an orbital period of [target orbital time] divided by [amount of sat].

For instance 1hour/3sats=20min. This means your parking orbit of the satellite carrier has to be either 20min, 40min, 80min, 100min etc.

You deploy one sat at a time, let it circulize to the target orbit. Switch back to the carrier, let it pass one orbit, deploy the next Sat etc. 

You can also rise you Ap, as long as the Pe holds the target orbit.

Edited August 21, 2017 by DrLicor

[Spricigo]

On 20/08/2017 at 11:17 AM, bjerrang said:

So mun cant have geostationary orbit. But i still need 3 satellites in equatorial orbit.

Found out the the orbit should be 2.160.102meters. 

I wonder why you need such precise altitude.  

With stock mechanics, as long as the satellites are even spaced and  altitude is higher than 200km (Mun's radius) you get 100% coverage of the equatorial surface. The value of a higger orbit is questionable., 

[DerekL1963]

12 hours ago, Spricigo said:

The value of a higger orbit is questionable., 

The higher (and thus slower) the orbit, the more tolerant the system is of small errors in orbital period between the birds.

Plus (at least for me), putting 'em high puts them off screen when I'm working with space stations or whatever else which are typically much lower.

Plus it only consumes a little d/v and doesn't hurt anything in particular.

[bjerrang]

23 hours ago, Spricigo said:

I wonder why you need such precise altitude.  

With stock mechanics, as long as the satellites are even spaced and  altitude is higher than 200km (Mun's radius) you get 100% coverage of the equatorial surface. The value of a higger orbit is questionable., 

Just found that number on YT. 

After learning yet some more that are no evenly spaced at 2100km orbit.

[Spricigo]

11 hours ago, DerekL1963 said:

Plus it only consumes a little d/v and doesn't hurt anything in particular.

Signal strength.  Anyway, the point is that we need a fairly large variation in orbital height to have a noticeable effect.  If the orbit is thousands of kilometers high a  few meters make no difference. 

1 hour ago, bjerrang said:

Just found that number on YT. 

After learning yet some more that are no evenly spaced at 2100km orbit.

Just like any other orbital height:

Apoapsis 2.100.000m, periapsis 1.010.457. Each time you reach the apoapsis deploy a satellite and circularize. Result after 3 orbits: satellites evenly spaced in a 2100km circular orbit.