How do I RV directly from the surface (Without entering a stable orbit)?

[Deep12000]

The one KSP YouTuber I watch is able to rendezvous with a mothership or station directly from the surface of any planet or moon by waiting for the target to be at acertain position in its orbit. I was wondering what the optimal position of the target would be for that to work.

[Superfluous J]

Same way you get to Carnegie Hall, kid.

Practice.

Look at where your ship is in orbit, make it be a bit behind or over KSC. Launch your ship into orbit. Note how far away your mothership is. Revert and relaunch with the mothership further back or forward depending on if you overshot.

Repeat. A lot.

Note: You're not avoiding going into orbit. you're just going into orbit at the exact right time and place.

[Deep12000]

45 minutes ago, Superfluous J said:

Same way you get to Carnegie Hall, kid.

Practice.

Look at where your ship is in orbit, make it be a bit behind or over KSC. Launch your ship into orbit. Note how far away your mothership is. Revert and relaunch with the mothership further back or forward depending on if you overshot.

Repeat. A lot.

Note: You're not avoiding going into orbit. you're just going into orbit at the exact right time and place.

I see. Also what I meant by not going into orbit was avoiding getting into orbit before getting the encounter.

[Vanamonde]

This is dependent on the world from which you are starting and the orbital height of the target, and as Superfluous J says, it just takes practice. I also save, make an attempt, and load if it fails, launching at an adjusted margin the second time. 

[GluttonyReaper]

This is also a lot easier if your target is in an equatorial orbit. Once you start having to worry about inclinations... things get a fair bit trickier.

[king of nowhere]

I will add that going for immediate rendez-vous like that is cool, but actually more expensive unless you have computer assistance to time everything perfectly. as a human, your timing won't be perfect, you will have to make some correction, and it will cost a bit more. if you go into a lower orbit first, it will be cheaper somewhat.

 

also, the timing is different on different planets. on kerbin, you generally want to launch your rocket when the target is passing from the western desert to the ocean. on gilly, you just wait until your target is above you and go straight up

[Deep12000]

28 minutes ago, king of nowhere said:

I will add that going for immediate rendez-vous like that is cool, but actually more expensive unless you have computer assistance to time everything perfectly. as a human, your timing won't be perfect, you will have to make some correction, and it will cost a bit more. if you go into a lower orbit first, it will be cheaper somewhat.

 

also, the timing is different on different planets. on kerbin, you generally want to launch your rocket when the target is passing from the western desert to the ocean. on gilly, you just wait until your target is above you and go straight up

Ah. Thank you for the insight. I just saw the YouTuber doing it and was like "is this what I need to do to become a 'cool kid?'"

With that, I think I'll just keep entering low orbit.