Impossible satellite contract? Ike is in the way?

[MZ_per_X1]

So I picked up a satellite contract that requires me to put a satellite in a specified synchronous Duna orbit.

The problem is that the required orbit is almost on Ike's orbit and going in the opposite direction.  No matter how I go about it, I keep bumping into Ike. How is this possible to achieve this? 

[peteletroll]

I've had the same problem in my current career. I had to cancel the contract 

Edited June 9, 2020 by peteletroll

[Superfluous J]

You don't need to orbit Duna just get the satellite in the correct orbit and wait 10 seconds.

[Jacke]

2 hours ago, MZ_per_X1 said:

So I picked up a satellite contract that requires me to put a satellite in a specified synchronous Duna orbit.

The problem is that the required orbit is almost on Ike's orbit and going in the opposite direction.  No matter how I go about it, I keep bumping into Ike. How is this possible to achieve this? 

What @Superfluous J said.  As well, if there's enough leeway in the contract numbers, you could put the satellite in a higher or lower orbit that will clear Ike (and would make for some wicked passing views ).  If there's not enough leeway, you can put the satellite in an inclined orbit the same radius as Ike's but inclined and out of phase with Ike, leading to a good separation every time the satellite goes through the relative ascending and descending nodes with respect to Ike.

[Curveball Anders]

"

1 hour ago, Superfluous J said:

You don't need to orbit Duna just get the satellite in the correct orbit and wait 10 seconds.

Exactly.

The contract says "put a satellite in a specified synchronous Duna orbit" and stay there for 10 seconds.

It doesn't say anything about your satellite  being crashed in to Ike or flung out of orbit after 11 seconds ...

 

 

[bewing]

Once you know exactly what you are doing, you can complete a satellite contract in approximately one quarter of an orbit. So you wait for Ike to pass by, then you complete the contract, then you reduce your orbit to avoid Ike again.

[MZ_per_X1]

I managed to export a screenshot of the required orbit.

Outer orbit is where I am now. Then there is Ike's orbit and going in the opposite direction the target satellite orbit.

The satellite has to maintain stability for 10 seconds but it doesn't have to be on the required orbit. I have the stability checked already even though m]y orbit is much higher above Duna. I tried a couple of times to get to the designated apoapsis or periapsis but I could never circularise as I was flung in other directions. I can't fiddle with removing patched conics as I am on console. So I guess the problem is that I can't circularise at all.

 

[Superfluous J]

Do you have maneuver nodes?

If so, create one to bring your Pe down. Note you don't have to start anywhere in particular on your current orbit. If you burn retrograde your Pe will naturally be opposite where you burn.

If that causes you to encounter Ike, drag the maneuver node around your orbit (I assume you can do that on consoles but I've never looked into it) so you come down somewhere else - somewhere where Ike is not.

Get that Pe to touch the target orbit. Then do that burn, and make another maneuver node at your Pe to not only circularize, but fix your tilt. All in a single burn right at that point.

Do THAT burn, and 10 seconds later you'll complete the contract.

I do this sort of thing all the time, only I don't get into orbit first. I make sure my flyby trajectory encounters the target orbit and then just slam on the brakes there.

[MZ_per_X1]

Yeah, I have maneuver nodes. Most things are the same on console. 

I was combining contracts: rescue and satellite. I chose to do the rescue first because I am struggling with the satellite contract. That is why I am already in orbit. Otherwise I would have done what you do. 

I am just thinking why I get an Ike encounter. As far as I know Ike is in synchronous orbit around Duna and the satellite will have to be too. So technically they should not cross paths.

[Superfluous J]

5 hours ago, MZ_per_X1 said:

I am just thinking why I get an Ike encounter. As far as I know Ike is in synchronous orbit around Duna and the satellite will have to be too. So technically they should not cross paths.

Because Ike is in a stationary orbit, but your contract is for a retrograde synchronous orbit.

23 hours ago, MZ_per_X1 said:

The problem is that the required orbit is almost on Ike's orbit and going in the opposite direction.

Synchronous means over the same spot at the same time each orbit, so retrograde orbits are valid. Stationary orbits are a subset of synchronous orbits and must be prograde with respect to the surface.

[MZ_per_X1]

I tried and this is what I ended up with:

 

So I kinda gave up for now with this satellite. It is not in vain as it has a surface scanner, relay antenna. I just put it on a safe Duna orbit at 1000 km where Ike won't swing it around. I will try to match the apoapsis or periapsis later and will see if it registers as required orbit.

 

Fun fact, in the parking orbit, the satellite registers as new.

 

 

[Spricigo]

3 hours ago, MZ_per_X1 said:

Fun fact, in the parking orbit, the satellite registers as new.

In those contracts "new"  just means "built after the contract was accepted". 

3 hours ago, MZ_per_X1 said:

I tried and this is what I ended up with:

 

Mmm. It seems to me that you tried to plan a bit more of retrograde in that maneuver node and got a predicted encounter with Ike and your reaction was to think "that's not what I need" 

Thing is: predicted encounters don't matter for satellite contract only the short time while the contract is checking matters. 

You just needed to a bit more of retrograde so the apoapsis drops to about 3360km cut the engines and wait a moment, that's it. In fact you were way more precise than is required for those contracts (It even bother me sometimes how far from the target orbit I get a completion ) 

 

[AHHans]

21 hours ago, MZ_per_X1 said:

I was combining contracts: rescue and satellite. I chose to do the rescue first [...]

12 hours ago, MZ_per_X1 said:

I tried and this is what I ended up with:

The craft is no longer uncrewed! You can see that in the commnet display in the upper left corner of the GUI. (Having an empty command capsule is fine, having a rescuee in there is no longer fine!)

But it should be fine to have the Kerbal go out on EVA once you are on the correct orbit, and switch back to the satellite for 10 seconds. I would guess that the Kerbal can even hang on to the entry hatch, as long as (s)he isn't in the capsule.

Also sometimes there is a bug that a new craft incorrectly isn't recognized as a new craft. But switching to the tracking station or another craft outside physics range and then switching back seems to help.

 

[Spricigo]

4 hours ago, AHHans said:

The craft is no longer uncrewed! You can see that in the commnet display in the upper left corner of the GUI. (Having an empty command capsule is fine, having a rescuee in there is no longer fine!)

 

Being a while since the last time but I completed that kind of contract with kerbals aboard. As far as I know the game check if you have the parts (probe core, antenna, electricity generator), if you have than is a valid craft for this contract. 

 

[MZ_per_X1]

The satellite was carried around docked to the mother ship. It didn't register as a new satellite. However it registered that it has a thermometer etc. When I undocked it registered as a new satellite. Kerbals work in mysterious ways.

[AHHans]

13 hours ago, MZ_per_X1 said:

The satellite was carried around docked to the mother ship. It didn't register as a new satellite. However it registered that it has a thermometer etc. When I undocked it registered as a new satellite. Kerbals work in mysterious ways.

As I wrote in my other post: the problem was not "new" or "not new", but "unmanned" or "not unmanned". A probe that is docked  (or otherwise connected) to a crewed craft is not unmanned, but when you undock it from the crewed parts then it is unmanned.