Altimiter on the Mun

[jinx083464]

Trying to land on the moon, and by eye its extremely hard to tell how close you are to the surface due to there being no landmarks. I'm following the altimter to get an idea of what my decent speed should be at different hights, but I'm always crashing into the surface with the alimeter anywhere between 1100m and 4000m. It will be a pain to slow my decent to only 5m/s when the altimeter reads 6000 just because I don't know when I'm going to hit the surface. Am I doing something wrong?

[sal_vager]

Hi jinx083464, welcome to the community

If you have the alpha version, you can turn on Terrain Scatters on the video settings screen, this will make it easier to see where the ground is.

Also if you have the alpha, you can try the MechJeb and the Lazor add-ons, both of these have true ground altimeters.

If you want to land on the night side you can try floodlights as well, but if you are still playing the Demo, none of these will be available to you, and you will have to just be careful.

[maltesh]

Another option, if you have the alpha version, is to build your spacecraft so that you have the last pre-lander stage still available on final descent. You can then drop it, and its distance from your spacecraft when it explodes, compared with the altimeter, will tell you approximately how close the surface is.

Another thing that I've noticed happening intermittently... Sometimes, if you have the camera set on Orbital mode on descent, it will flick to a side view when the terrain gets close.

[Rich]

Yet another option if you have the Alpha version and you are feeling brave, is to use the height maps in the following post: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/showthread.php/10088-Invention-Kerbin-Geographic-And-Science-Society?p=159942&viewfull=1#post159942

Pick and landing spot and find the approximate terrain height

[YURI KAGARIN]

Another option, if you have the alpha version, is to build your spacecraft so that you have the last pre-lander stage still available on final descent. You can then drop it, and its distance from your spacecraft when it explodes, compared with the altimeter, will tell you approximately how close the surface is.

I also endorse this approach, it is the most Kerbal.

[spikeyhat09]

Another option, if you have the alpha version, is to build your spacecraft so that you have the last pre-lander stage still available on final descent. You can then drop it, and its distance from your spacecraft when it explodes, compared with the altimeter, will tell you approximately how close the surface is.

I use this method as well, but be aware that you have to design your rocket so that it HAS an extra stage to drop.

[Bluejayek]

There are some mods that give the altimeter height. In 0.15 I was using the FPS pod mod, although I'm not sure if it is still around.

[jinx083464]

Another option, if you have the alpha version, is to build your spacecraft so that you have the last pre-lander stage still available on final descent. You can then drop it, and its distance from your spacecraft when it explodes, compared with the altimeter, will tell you approximately how close the surface is.

I do drop my 2nd last stage onto the surface as I was dropping. The one time I tried to use it to judge distance it dissapeared. I'm not sure if it went through the surface of the mun or if I did it far too high up and lost sight of it.

I installed the two addons mentioned by sal_vager. I'm not sure if I extracted them incorrectly or what because I'm not getting all those GUI windows that the screenshots show. All I'm seeing are the ship parts, the lazors and autopilot stuff. I haven't toyed with the autopilot because I'm thinking that may remove some of my fun, but the only additional UI I'm seeing is the lazor targeting box in the very top right corner that drops down and gives you the 4 direction buttons. I'm not seeing the subsystems, config, target cam, parameters, tractor beam, and my lazor system box is much more simple than the one in their screenshot. This is after I've placed tons of lazors all over my ship in the manner recommended if it matters at all.

edit: toyed around with mechjeb and its ui seems to work. It just seems to be the lazor one that is not, maybe I should try the older beta 6 version.

Edited September 3, 2012 by jinx083464

[killernerd]

that's what i do if i'm landing on the night side. I don't even have to design my ship for it. It's main stage has enough fuel so that even after getting into orbit of the mun (or even minmus) i still have plenty fuel left to do manoevres and even slow down to a complete stop.

I just drop that stage at the very end (when i think i'm about 500-ish meters above the surface).

[opticalshadow]

the way i do it, is at 2k (actually a bit higher) i make sure to ber at no more then 50 m/s, and i try to drop to 30 as soon as i can (though with my paranoid nature im at 30 by 3k)

i try to keep between 20-30 until i can see my shadow, then a quick burst down to 3-5 and smooth landing. if its dark and ic ant see anything, ill stay at around 10. it takes forever, but its never turned out well when i rushed.