Kerbin Escape Efficiency Question.

[Tremzack]

To escape Kerbin's SOI is it more efficient to go straight up or to go in orbit and then burn prograde at Parapsis ?

Edited September 23, 2012 by Tremzack

[UNSC]

Orbit then prograde. I think it's because if you go straight up, you are fighting gravity the whole burn, and if you orbit, you use gravity to your advantage to slingshot.

[-Gamah]

Orbit then prograde. I think it's because if you go straight up, you are fighting gravity the whole burn, and if you orbit, you use gravity to your advantage to slingshot.

But does the fuel saved doing a burn at periapsis really negate the fuel used to obtain orbit?

[_Aramchek_]

In .17, using the Nuke I go straight up, due to it's low thrust it's much harder/uses more fuel to get my craft in to orbit around kerbin than it does to just go straight out of Kerbin's soi.

It probably depends more on your design and flight style than anything.