Duna relay network

[Semai]

Hi everybody,

 

     I want to make around the Duna a relay network with 3 satellites, but i don't know how high i need to put the satellites, i don't know the perfect altitude. Can somebody help me?

[Geonovast]

Welcome to the forum, @Semai

I've moved your question to Gameplay Questions.

You can use this tool to help plan your relay networks.  You can actually see the satellites around the body, so you can tell how many you need, what altitude, and the resonant orbit you need for your carrier.

https://meyerweb.com/eric/ksp/resonant-orbits/

[AHHans]

2 hours ago, Semai said:

     I want to make around the Duna a relay network with 3 satellites, but i don't know how high i need to put the satellites, i don't know the perfect altitude. Can somebody help me?

I personally never bothered to get the relay networks perfect. I usually just leave used probes in orbit to act as relays. Using the big survey scanner means that I have at least one relay in a polar orbit, and the different contracts and refueling stations means that I have a few relays in more or less equatorial orbits. That doesn't guarantee me 100% coverage, but it is good enough for me.

On Duna you have the issue that Ike likes to kick unwary satellites out of Duna's orbit, so you have to be careful to place the satellites in a way that they never enter into Ike's SOI. IMHO the easiest way to do that is to place them into orbits that are low enough that they stay below the inner edge of Ike's SOI. But I don't know if you can get 100% coverage of Duna with three satellites in a triangle formation like that.

[catloaf]

You should probably have two relays in very high polar orbits (above Ike.) They should have identical orbital periods (you can use the stock maneuver mode if you have a high enough level tracking station, or ker / mechjeb.) They should be in opposite places in their orbits i.e. One flying over south pole while other toys over north pole. If you need to use a survey scanner it probably won't be useful in its polar orbit so after its completed its survey contracts/scanning the surface you should move it into an equatorial orbit of you have enough dV (I recommend using Ike gravity assists to raise you orbit and burn normal/anti-normal at your ascending/descending more with Ike (which ever one is closer to apoapsis.) Then lower you orbit to low or mid (apoapsis is safe distance below Ike) equatorial via aerobreaking passes.) My relay networks usually have two high polar and two low equatorial satellites but 1 should do.

[James M]

1 Polar orbit satellite for survey scanner and kerbnet to use in search of a good landing location. Once found, I'd use the link provided earlier to get a keostationary probe above the location along with perhaps a probe or two in Tundra/Kolniya orbits for higher altitude work later on. With just those satellite positioned where they are, you should have no issue doing what you need. Just remember to get a satellite in or near a stationary orbit above wherever you plan to land so you won't have an issue reaching Kerbin again when needed. That's what I'd recommend. 

[jimmymcgoochie]

Three relays, equally spaced, equatorial orbits, as high as you possibly can while maintaining a good signal to the surface (well outside of Ike’s orbit if you can). Then put a fourth relay on Ike’s surface on the side that faces Duna to cover the blind spot when Ike moves in front of the high relays.

[peteletroll]

7 hours ago, jimmymcgoochie said:

equatorial orbits

I like to put them on an inclined orbit, to get some coverage on the poles too. This also mitigates the Ike blind spot problem.