Interplanetary in RO?

[BenKerman]

Hi,

Is it just me, or are the maneuver planning tools available for interplanetary trips just not very good in RO?  I've tried using the pork chop plot, and at least two different maneuver tools from MechJeb.  Almost nothing hits the target planets.  Essentially what I've found I have to do is to escape from Earth, and then use Rendezvous Autopilot or Maneuver Planner to get closer.  Going directly from Earth orbit to an intercept course to another planet (I've only tried Mars and Venus) using the tools I mentionted seems to be basically unworkable.

I have gotten probes to orbit both Venus and Mars, but only with finagling, as I tried to describe.  I'm pretty pleased, nonetheless.

 

Thanks,

Ben

[king of nowhere]

On 5/4/2024 at 8:44 PM, BenKerman said:

Hi,

Is it just me, or are the maneuver planning tools available for interplanetary trips just not very good in RO?  I've tried using the pork chop plot, and at least two different maneuver tools from MechJeb.  Almost nothing hits the target planets.  Essentially what I've found I have to do is to escape from Earth, and then use Rendezvous Autopilot or Maneuver Planner to get closer.  Going directly from Earth orbit to an intercept course to another planet (I've only tried Mars and Venus) using the tools I mentionted seems to be basically unworkable.

I have gotten probes to orbit both Venus and Mars, but only with finagling, as I tried to describe.  I'm pretty pleased, nonetheless.

 

Thanks,

Ben

in general, maneuver planning tools are not good, and nowhere near on the level of what you can accomplish with some experience.

ultimately, you only need to know the transfer window to make a good transfer. just burn prograde in your earth orbit pointing to exit prograde to earth if you want to go to mars, retrograde for venus. move the node a bit, until you get the highest perihelion/lower aphelion. if that's not enough to carry you to mars/venus, increase the burn, and try again.

if you don't know the transfer window, you can always eyeball it well enough.