How do I change my orbit to match another ship and *attempt* to retrieve it?

[Evenger14]

I put a unmanned J.C.O. ([Mech]Jeb Controlled Orbiter) into a 600KM circular orbit around the planet. It was originally at 180degres, but now it at something like 45. Well I then created the "Orbital Retrieval .5" and wanted to see if I could go retrieve it. Now even if I fail at getting it in my clamp thing, I still want to get right up next to it, and our orbits cross at the North and south poles. We do not meet at the same time, how do I go about shifting my orbit to match it using the MechJeb? And once I do that, is it just a waiting game until we meet, then I can try to capture it?

My Orbital Retrieval .5, being auto-piloted by MechJeb, with Jeb riding shotgun. (How awesome is that?! )

Our orbits; mine on the left and his on the right:

Note: The two ships use the same 1st and 2nd stages as my Orbiter 1 along with a few other parts. And this is the first time I have ever attempted something like this..

[togfox]

See whee those orbits cross in the second picture? When your craft ges there, burn "across" the orbit path so that your orbits align with each other. When i sa across, i mean not up or down, not faster or slower but left or right depending on which way your target orbit is.

When you are on the same plane youll have a much greater chance of meeting.

[Evenger14]

See whee those orbits cross in the second picture? When your craft ges there, burn "across" the orbit path so that your orbits align with each other. When i sa across, i mean not up or down, not faster or slower but left or right depending on which way your target orbit is.

When you are on the same plane youll have a much greater chance of meeting.

AH! Okay, so that's what I needed to know! I didn't know how to change my plane, gonna go re-launch my retriever (I crashed..)and try again, will report back soon.

[Werwolf]

Once you perform your plane change burn and are properly aligned, lower one side of your orbit just a little bit on the ship you launched. You will slowly catch up to your target, and the smaller the deviation between the two altitudes, the finer the accuracy will be when you get to your Apoapsis to raise the Periapsis back to your target's altitude once you have caught it.

Hope that made sense

Also, be *very* patient when you EVA your kerbals over to your new ship. You have very limited pack fuel as I'm sure you know, and it is sooo so easy to overshoot your your target by, oh, 30km or so... lol.

Who knows from experience? This guy. And Bill Kerman. He didn't live to apply his new lesson tho.

[Evenger14]

Well, I almost matched the planes, but I could never get the inclination the same. The J.C.O. would be at 90degrees and I'd be off a few. Eventually I burned though too much fuel meaning I couldn't get home so I ended the flight and deorbited the J.C.O. and let it crash into the sea at 60m/s (Was able to slow down to that using a little fuel I had left and my RCS thrusters) but it was my first try. Trying to land on the Mun now, will try again later. Thanks though!!