Help needed with interplanetary transfers

[angrysheep]

I have been playing this game since 0.13 and now that they added planets, I can't get single one of them unless it's by accident. Either i must be stupid or i am doing something wrong. Somebody help!!! (Yes i have read the wiki)

Edited April 19, 2013 by angrysheep
Cleaned it up a bit

[Yuming]

It's hard to get encounters with planets when you first try, but maintain this key mindset: instead of traveling to them like you would Kerbin to the mun, practice traveling from the mun to minmus. Then look at this website Ksp.olex.biz to find the angles you need to go interplanetary.

[johnpoz]

I have only been playing a few days, but fairly simple to change your orbit to intercept.. What are you having a problem with, building something with enough fuel after its gotten into orbit to get there?

Are you using mechjeb? Have you thought of using it? Even if just to help you learn how its done?

I would have to assume if you have been playing for such a time that you have looked into the wiki tuts? Example http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Tutorial:How_to_get_to_Eve

[angrysheep]

I have only been playing a few days, but fairly simple to change your orbit to intercept.. What are you having a problem with, building something with enough fuel after its gotten into orbit to get there?

Are you using mechjeb? Have you thought of using it? Even if just to help you learn how its done?

I would have to assume if you have been playing for such a time that you have looked into the wiki tuts? Example http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Tutorial:How_to_get_to_Eve

Yes i have read the wiki.

All my rockets just crash into pieces before they even get to space because they are to tall or run out fuel or crash my computer.

I never thought of using mech jeb. I might try that

[angrysheep]

It's hard to get encounters with planets when you first try, but maintain this key mindset: instead of traveling to them like you would Kerbin to the mun, practice traveling from the mun to minmus. Then look at this website Ksp.olex.biz to find the angles you need to go interplanetary.

This might help get me somewhere

[StarManta]

Mechjeb doesn't help much with interplanetary transfer, and it certainly doesn't help with rockets that fall apart during launch.

I recommend Scott Manley's tutorials for just about everything, and he has a pretty good one for interplanetary transfers.

[johnpoz]

"Mechjeb doesn't help much with interplanetary transfer"

Sure it does if you use version 2, you can get 2.0.7 here

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/12384-PLUGIN-PART-0-19-Anatid-Robotics-MuMech-MechJeb-Autopilot-v2-0-7

[thetommygunyeah]

Strut everything to everything

[ThePyrateCaptain]

Never mind, was gonna say something

[Wait- Was That Important?]

Never mind, was gonna say something

Then don't comment.

OP: Try using maneuver nodes (going to map view and clicking on your orbit, then fiddling around with the sliders) to make an encounter- it lets you plan out maneuvers so you can see what will happen.

[angrysheep]

Never mind about mechjeb it's to cheaty IMO. I will stick with kerbal engineer

Now i just need to make a rocket that go to mun then minmus.

Edited April 19, 2013 by angrysheep
forgot a word or two

[ThatBum]

it's all about timing, be sure to get your phase angles correct. You need the planet to be there when you intersect its orbit.

Try using this calculator: http://ksp.olex.biz/

Also, trans-planet burns take a long time, especially with nuclear engines, which you should be using if you aren't. Try to time the burn so that half the burn time is before the node, and half after.

[tommygunyeah]

Never mind about mechjeb it's to cheaty IMO. I will stick with kerbal engineer

Now i just need to make a rocket that go to mun then minmus.

Some people just like to see their rockets work

[KasperVld]

Changed the thread title to something a little more descriptive.

[ThePyrateCaptain]

Roll back to ksp 0.18? Ok, well mechjeb, but it's been said, ORDO? Never under estimate the usefulness of computers, NASA hasn't. The modern astronauts are "the monkeys that press the button" but then again, most of the Replies here are accurate and should do the trick.

"Funding to my Kerbal Space Program discontinued do to a lack of intelligence anywhere in the solar system"

Edited April 21, 2013 by ThePyrateCaptain

[angrysheep]

Ok i have tried all of these and they are not working. I don't know that i am doing wrong. <-Pretend there's an line through that

Fine i will use mechjeb to get somewhere.

Edited April 21, 2013 by angrysheep

[Malaugrym]

Let's take a couple things out of the equation to make learning more simple. Assume unlimited ÃŽâ€-v and ignore phase angles. This means we can make maneuver nodes anywhere.

So, put something, anything, into an equatorial Kerbin orbit.

1. Pick a target, like Duna.

2. Take the camera and line up Kerbin and Duna.

3. Create a maneuver node on the side of Kerbin that is facing directly away from Duna.

Why do we do this? Well, as we know, if we burn at any point in an orbit, it essentially affects where we will end up on the other side of our orbit, yes?

4. Drag prograde until the side of your orbit that is closest to Duna to extends out to Dunas' orbit.

Ok, so what do we have? Well, nothing that works, yet. But it's a good start. Our ship will get to Duna orbit, but Duna will almost definitely not be there. We fix this by altering the position of the maneuver node on our current orbit. Try dragging it to the left or right a little bit.

How does this affect our end position? Do we still at least get to Duna's orbit? If not, drag prograde or retrograde a little to get your positioning back. Your current goal is merely to get your apoapsis out to Duna's orbit.

Now, depending on the position of the planets, you may or may not run into things in the way. I solve this simply by time accelerating until I have open space for a decent window. Obviously, the farther you are from your target, the less reliable any method without mathematics becomes, but I find this guesstimation will get you pretty darn close most of the time.

If you know that your apoapsis is on the targets orbit somewhere, then there are only three options left. You either meet the target there, or you are too early, or you are too late.

TL;DR

My order for fixing a non-existent interception:

1. Wait for open shot between start point and target.

2. Create a maneuver node, drag prograde until apo meets target's orbit.

3. If no interception, drag node icon left and right on Kerbin orbit until apo gets a bit closer.

4. Drag orbit ellipse left and right until interception achieved.

4a. If interception impossible, time accelerate solar system until new conditions arise.

Hope this helps in some way. If anything is unclear, yell and I'll try to elaborate.

[angrysheep]

Let's take a couple things out of the equation to make learning more simple. Assume unlimited ÃŽâ€-v and ignore phase angles. This means we can make maneuver nodes anywhere.

So, put something, anything, into an equatorial Kerbin orbit.

1. Pick a target, like Duna.

2. Take the camera and line up Kerbin and Duna.

3. Create a maneuver node on the side of Kerbin that is facing directly away from Duna.

Why do we do this? Well, as we know, if we burn at any point in an orbit, it essentially affects where we will end up on the other side of our orbit, yes?

4. Drag prograde until the side of your orbit that is closest to Duna to extends out to Dunas' orbit.

Ok, so what do we have? Well, nothing that works, yet. But it's a good start. Our ship will get to Duna orbit, but Duna will almost definitely not be there. We fix this by altering the position of the maneuver node on our current orbit. Try dragging it to the left or right a little bit.

How does this affect our end position? Do we still at least get to Duna's orbit? If not, drag prograde or retrograde a little to get your positioning back. Your current goal is merely to get your apoapsis out to Duna's orbit.

Now, depending on the position of the planets, you may or may not run into things in the way. I solve this simply by time accelerating until I have open space for a decent window. Obviously, the farther you are from your target, the less reliable any method without mathematics becomes, but I find this guesstimation will get you pretty darn close most of the time.

If you know that your apoapsis is on the targets orbit somewhere, then there are only three options left. You either meet the target there, or you are too early, or you are too late.

TL;DR

My order for fixing a non-existent interception:

1. Wait for open shot between start point and target.

2. Create a maneuver node, drag prograde until apo meets target's orbit.

3. If no interception, drag node icon left and right on Kerbin orbit until apo gets a bit closer.

4. Drag orbit ellipse left and right until interception achieved.

4a. If interception impossible, time accelerate solar system until new conditions arise.

Hope this helps in some way. If anything is unclear, yell and I'll try to elaborate.

This helped me out a ton! I don't understand the whole math part about going anywhere, i just go there. Anyways, thanks.