Complete and utter noob

[James Kerman]

1 minute ago, bootsam said:

I am pretty well bang on

A really common mistake is getting the direction of orbit wrong (I and thousands of others have made it). If so welcome to the club, I consider it one of the milestones.

[bootsam]

1 minute ago, James Kerman said:

A really common mistake is getting the direction of orbit wrong (I and thousands of others have made it). If so welcome to the club, I consider it one of the milestones.

Aha, I never considered this. Thanks James. I may well be the newest member of this club. Ah well, Ive done it once, I can do it again.  

[bootsam]

I arrived home from work and checked the orbit. Its fine, in right direction. So I did it again, only to find I forgot PV panels. So I did it once more and finally made it. However I now have two satellites on same orbit as my previous one is very close. Theres a gnats chuff beteen my two sats. One was fine another wasnt. Ah well. Job jobbed. That 170° tilt is awkward. The manouveaurs necessary I reduced third time around by eventually figuring out which direction to take off. Daft addictive time sink of a game.

Whats the commsat thing for btw anyone?

[James Kerman]

On 8/6/2019 at 3:31 PM, bootsam said:

I forgot PV panels

Another milestone! You still have forgetting parachutes and ladders to go.

On 8/6/2019 at 3:31 PM, bootsam said:

Whats the commsat thing for btw anyone?

Do you mean CommNet? That's the system that allows control and science transfer communications between Kerbin and your vessel. The wiki has a rundown here:
https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/CommNet

[AHHans]

A somewhat late, but still heartfelt welcome from me @bootsam

19 hours ago, James Kerman said:

Another milestone! You still have forgetting parachutes and ladders to go.

AH, yes, the good old times. When I did my very first Minmus mission, collected science from several biomes on Minmus, get back to Kerbin, aero-braked at Kerbin without burning up, hit <space>,  aaaand ... nothing happened. Someone forgot to mount parachutes... (Yes, I did only notice that when the parachutes didn't want to deploy...) Luckily the Kerbals have personal parachutes, and with Valentina holding the capsule steady and using the remaining fuel to slow down, Bob managed to hold onto the capsule long enough to pick up all the science. An exercise in formation flying later both were safely on the ground.

On 8/6/2019 at 9:31 AM, bootsam said:

I forgot PV panels.

Don't worry, that still happens when you have a few hundred hours of gameplay under your belt...  My latest Eve-Gilly utility spaceship now has an ugly adapter on its forward docking port. But being powered by terrier engines (that don't have alternators to generate electricity) I didn't want to rely solely on the internal battery in the MK1-3 capsule.

Finally I would like to submit to the list of rites of passage: "unintentionally playing lawn-darts with Kerbals". Although I'd guess that you already passed this one.

Edited August 8, 2019 by AHHans
fixed typo

[bootsam]

14 hours ago, James Kerman said:

Another milestone! You still have forgetting parachutes and ladders to go.

Do you mean CommNet? That's the system that allows control and science transfer communications between Kerbin and your vessel. The wiki has a rundown here:
https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/CommNet

Erm Ladders Ive done. Not only that, when I remembered them, I forgot to re-align them after rotating several parts. Twas a bit Escher like for Bob. Parachutes Ive forgotten so many times at the start, now its always the 2nd thing I build after the capsule. In fact I use three sets. The little uns, a pair of big uns and a main big un. The little ones have got me out of a dangerous red hot tumble a few times.

Yes, Ive tried to deep core mine Kerbal several times with high velocity projectiles.

Im currently about to do those recover a stranded Kerbal missions before I return to all the moons biomes to farm some science.

[AHHans]

4 hours ago, bootsam said:

The little ones have got me out of a dangerous red hot tumble a few times.

Yup, that's what they're there for.

4 hours ago, bootsam said:

Yes, Ive tried to deep core mine Kerbal several times with high velocity projectiles.

[bootsam]

Another valuable lesson - create a save game at strategic points. Dont hit f5 by mistake even when youre brain is telling you to press f9. I did it not once, but twice. So had to do the oblique satellite mission AGAIN twice! Due to a mun coming from nowhere and crashing into my rocket with all my valuable starred up kerbals on board.

[AHHans]

11 hours ago, bootsam said:

Another valuable lesson - create a save game at strategic points.

Yes, but that's not really a newbie problem. That can still happen after a few hundred hours playtime...

11 hours ago, bootsam said:

Due to a mun coming from nowhere and crashing into my rocket with all my valuable starred up kerbals on board.

Yes, they all do that from time to time. You really have to watch where you're going out there. Minmus also likes to reach out with a mountain and try to swat your vessels in orbit.

Btw. did you already send a contracted satellite into its orbit, the other way around (clockwise vs. counterclockwise)?

[bootsam]

Hi Hans, no I'd sent it the right way round but it was a gnats chuff away from acheiving compliance and ran outta fuel. I sent another, this time I got my oblique launch correct and wasted less fuel aligning the inclination and was successful. Ive since done this one mission, 4 times in total. Due to my brain and fingers not fully co-ordinating the F5 and F9 challenge. The one a gnats chuff away, the next the successful one and then twice more due to the F5/F9 mix ups. Ive created a base save on that now. Phew. But theres always a bright side, I learnt how to position my launch to preserve fuel.

So, Ive returned to the Mun to science up all the biomes, I made over 300 last evening. Taking a scientist and an engineer with me. I have a build that is reliable enough to take 3 to the Mun and back. Going for the polar crater tonight, then I shall have to do some ferrying jobs to keep funds up.

Ive left the aircraft stuff as I need more stuff unlocked. Then I could do some science on Kerbals Biomes. TBH tho, Im not keen on the aircraft aspect of the game. Yet.

[AHHans]

2 hours ago, bootsam said:

Hi Hans, no I'd sent it the right way round

I hope you are aware that this means that you left one item on your Noob Mistakes bucket list unticked?

2 hours ago, bootsam said:

Ive left the aircraft stuff as I need more stuff unlocked.

Well flying aircraft are another kettle of fish! I think I was quite proficient at docking before I got my first plane to fly well. (And I still suck at landing...)

[bootsam]

57 minutes ago, AHHans said:

I hope you are aware that this means that you left one item on your Noob Mistakes bucket list unticked?

Well flying aircraft are another kettle of fish! I think I was quite proficient at docking before I got my first plane to fly well. (And I still suck at landing...)

Well, Ive kinda ticked that box in the sense that I did do my orbit the wrong way round but benefitted from F9 when I noticed prior to aligning it fully.

[AHHans]

3 hours ago, bootsam said:

Well, Ive kinda ticked that box in the sense that I did do my orbit the wrong way round but benefitted from F9 when I noticed prior to aligning it fully.

Hmm... Panic-reloading after something goes wrong? That's fine, I guess we don't have to revoke your noob credentials just yet.

[bootsam]

Testing shallow landings against steep landings on Mun from about 14k orbit. Going to try my 1st steeper landing tonight to see if its easier and better to pick my spot to land. On shallow ones I note my burn moves my landing spot too much. Plus I wish that terrier engine scrubbed off velocity a bit quicker.

Hmm may have to time and note how much velocity the engine scrubs off for future information.

This will be third biome on mun. Lots of nice science as I need to unlock stuff for a space station.

What are peoples tips for launching from Mun to ease into a kerbil orbit?

Edited August 15, 2019 by bootsam

[guesswho2778]

well... @bootsam im no pro but i tend to timwarp until the side of the mun you are on is pointing at kerbin and i would burn vertical (up) for a few seconds, burn at a 75-85 degree angle then burn retrograde relative to kerbin until im into low orbit... if my explination is to confusing (im not great with words...) then i will boot up ksp as i have been meaning to play it for a while now anyway...

[AHHans]

On 8/15/2019 at 9:37 AM, bootsam said:

What are peoples tips for launching from Mun to ease into a kerbil orbit?

I usually first launch into a low orbit (10 km or so), and then set up a maneuver node for the injection burn. To set up the node:

1. start at the side facing Kerbin and increase prograde burn until the projected path leaves the Muns (or Minmus') SOI.
2. notice the angle at which you leave the SOI, change the time of the maneuver node until the ejection angle is parallel the the Muns orbital motion (but retrograde, you want to get back to Kerbin)
3. increase (or decrease) the prograde burn to get the periapsis in Kerbins SOI (after leaving the Muns SOI) close to where you want it
4. iterate steps 2. and 3. until you are happy with the result
5. perform the burn of the maneuver node

The most delta-v efficient setup is when the apoapsis of the orbit around Kerbin is at the position where you left the Muns SOI. If you want to get home faster, then you can also angle the ejection vector into the direction of Kerbin. This will push your apoapsis further out from Kerbin, but only after your pass close to Kerbin. I.e. if your PE is inside the atmosphere for landing, then you won't get there. You will enter the atmosphere at a higher speed, though.

Because an interplanetary transfer works mostly in the same way, I'd suggest to use this opportunity for training.

Edited August 17, 2019 by AHHans
fixed typo

[guesswho2778]

that... sounds like something i would understand and possibly learn from... if it weren't 4 am...

[AHHans]

14 hours ago, guesswho2778 said:

that... sounds like something i would understand and possibly learn from... if it weren't 4 am...

A shorter version is maybe:

1. launch into Mun orbit
2. set up a maneuver node
3. fiddle with the amount of prograde burn and the time (=position on your orbit) of the node until it gets you where you want to go
4. perform the burn

 

[Kerbinchaser]

Welcome to the forums and the game! @bootsam, even though I may be saying hi a bit late.

If you need anything let us know, the people here are more than welcoming, and you may find this Forum to be the most accepting and friendly place on the internet.

 

[guesswho2778]

23 hours ago, AHHans said:

A shorter version is maybe:

haha thanks... im not THAT bad... i hope

[bootsam]

Thanks, I got back ok with fuel to spare, which assisted my re-entry by lowering my velocity. I earnt over 400 science. Woohoo!

However, and isnt there always a however, on my next mission to rescue a a kerbal from an LKO, I mistakenly pressed F9 instead of F5. Which put me right back on the Mun. Again. I keep doing the F5/F9 errors. Its like my brain has it in for me. This was my second attempt after careully navigating the stranded kerbal to the rescue kapsule only to realise there was already an occupant. I'd forgotten to leave the pilot...

As I was tired from a weekend with my daughter and grand daughter, who are both demented. I bravely switched off my PC and sulked for 10 mins.

I shall return tonight, refreshed and do it all over again. Probably several more times in fact as I live up to my avatar sig.

[bootsam]

Well, after much tooing and froing, with more emphasis on the froing really, I have after many abortive attempts rescued a Kerbil named Morbad or similar. I can now return to the Mun for more sciencey stuff. The Mun needs flags on both poles.

This was quite tricky. I can only assume the docking missions to be more so. So I may have to rescue a few more to get the gist. Does having the manouvering RCS things make it easier?

[AHHans]

11 hours ago, bootsam said:

This was quite tricky. I can only assume the docking missions to be more so. So I may have to rescue a few more to get the gist. Does having the manouvering RCS things make it easier?

Well, docking without RCS can be done (at least for small vessels), but its neither easy nor fun. So for that RCS is a must. (I usually have enough reaction wheel power on my ships to rotate then, and disable yaw, pitch, and roll on the RCS thrusters.  That way I can control rotation and translation independently. I also don't use docking mode, but I, K, J, L, H, N for translation.)

For rescuing Kerbals RCS isn't much help. The key skill here is controlling a Kerbal on EVA. That mostly requires training. When I do a rescue mission nowadays I don't actually do a zero-zero rendezvous anymore: just get within the 2.2 km "vessel swap distance" with a relative velocity of less than 100 m/s and do the rest with the EVA-jetpack.
(Well, one thing that took me weeks to figure out is that Kerbals on EVA have their own lights with which they can illuminate the ship they want to enter.)

[bootsam]

I too just eva'd my way after getting within 1km. That was a chore in itself as the eva kerbal had a mind of their own. Lights!, I couldve used lights as murphy's law said I'd rendevouz on the dark side. But once I figured up/down and not to go too fast, I made it. I then did another Munar trip for more science. Ive now unlocked all up to the stuff that costs 300. I need to generate some funds, so tourism for a wee while and easy money stuff.

I know I could go sandbox, but i prefer career. It gives me a purpose.

 

[AHHans]

3 hours ago, bootsam said:

That was a chore in itself as the eva kerbal had a mind of their own.

Yupp. But the only tip I can give you there is: training, and maybe even more training.

3 hours ago, bootsam said:

I know I could go sandbox, but i prefer career. It gives me a purpose.

Same here. I only really started using sandbox when I became active on the forums here: to quickly build test craft.