A Real Trip Planner for Saved Orbital Maneuver Plans, Mission Schedules, and Launch Windows

[Fermentation]

I would like the ability to create reusable interplanetary flight plans ( perhaps in the tracking station or in some new view ) and save them.

Given the orbits of the celestial bodies involved,  a plan plan would have an inherit reoccurrence schedule and produce one or more launch windows. 

In the VAB, I would then able to load up a saved flight plan as part of the "Trip Planner" and build a craft that meets the dV and thrust and staging requirements for my plan. 

 

Say I want to setup an efficient flight plan to Eve.  I would map out the series of maneuver nodes that would get me there, import the plan into the VAB, build the ship according to the requirements, and then have the option of launching my Eve mission every 180 days ( or whatever ).   This feels like a real life workflow.   

Pick a few flight plans,  their associated launch vessels and their launch windows,  and you have yourself a proper launch schedule.

Mun Base Resupply Mission 1	Launch Planned Jan 1, 2023. 10am-12pm	Resupply Pod Mk1
Eve Probe Mission  Mission 1	Launch Planned March 3.   4pm - 12am	Atmospheric Scanner Probe Mk1
Eve Probe Mission - Mission 2	Launch Planned Nov 3.        4pm - 12am	Atmospheric Scanner Probe Mk2
Mun Base Resupply Mission 2	Launch Planned Jan 1, 2024.  10am-12pm

With timers setup,  You could get a 'ding-ding' announcing "launch window for Mun Base Resupply Approaching" 

As the game progresses and Kerbals have ( hopefully ) life-support requirements,  this would make it pretty easy to setup scheduled restocking flights to your science base on a distant world.   Something like this could be nicely integrated with a science and career tech tree as well.   

* Space Tourism is booming on Kerbal.  Create a space hotel and create a regular flight schedule for ferrying customers up to their orbiting rooms.  

I think that this would be pretty fun to work with.  What do you all think?  

( As a final thought, this would be fertile ground for mods and flight automation)

 

Edited April 26, 2023 by Fermentation

[Lyneira]

I like this suggestion for the ability to make a flight plan separately from a craft and get information on when launch and transfer windows are. Especially with the possibility of using gravity assists.

For scheduled supply runs, it should be noted that KSP2 won't require the player to perform regularly scheduled supply runs, as there will be an automated delivery system you can use after you run it once.