Help me! (Can't get to mun)

[Master_Cheez]

I've been playing KSP for 5 months, and STILL haven't landed on the mun. My goal is to land on the mun with a three kerbal capsule (the Mk1-2 capsule) and to return. I've found that I: A: Can't align my orbit B: Don't have enough fuel Or C: Slam into the mun at 100 m/s. Help is MUCH appreciated.

[Custard Donut (In Space)]

If i may recommend this video here by Scott Manley, it shows you how to build a Mun-worthy rocket and how to land on Minmus, once you've seen it and tried it out you can then attempt your three Kerbal landing on the Mun:

Edited May 19, 2013 by Custard Donut (In Space)

[Master_Cheez]

I have watched it, but it just goes too fast.

[MBobrik]

Use the delta-v map to determine how much delta-v you actually need.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/25360-Delta-V-map

Then build a more efficient, or just bigger rocket that satisfies those demands.

kerbin-> LKO 4500 m/s

LKO->mun transfer 860 m/s

mun transfer -> mun orbit 210 m/s

mun orbit -> mun 640 m/s

and back

mun -> mun orbit 640 m/s

mun orbit -> mun escape 210 m/s

mun escape -> kerbin 860 m/s

( you will just re-enter so you won't need further delta-v)

= 7920 m/s, say 9000, with a comfortable reserve.

use for example the Engineer redux mod to compute the delta-v in VAB

[Tex_NL]

Have you tried the build-in training sessions yet? IIRC one of them teaches you how to get to Mun.

[MockKnizzle]

You can pause youtube videos and rewatch them, did you know that?

[Master_Cheez]

I know, but it doen't cater to my exact problems. (and I'm a horrible listener)

[Master_Cheez]

I'm not really looking for some complicated chart, but more or less a basic guide

[MBobrik]

I think your biggest problem is currently not being able to explain what exactly is your problem

[Master_Cheez]

The main problem I have is to get my orbit right

[Master_Cheez]

Such as spinning my orbit around so that I will reach the mun

[Master_Cheez]

I'm having trouble rotating my orbit towards the mun.

[MBobrik]

try this one

[Tex_NL]

OK, you asked for it: MechJeb. Watch and learn.

[Panzerbeard]

A: What problems, specifically, are you having with aligning your orbit? Make sure you're in a fairly circular low-kerbin-orbit, and then start burning prograde when the moon is just coming up over the horizon (if you look at the map of Kerbin from above, the Mun should be at a ~90° angle to you, I think), keeping an eye on your orbit in the map view. You should get a close enough orbit to enter the Mun's SOI, and then you can burn retrograde to establish an orbit. If you plan this out ahead of time with Maneuver Nodes, you can fine-tune it and have a better chance of hitting it.

B: Mind if I see a screenshot of your craft? Once you're in LKO, you don't need a massive amount of fuel for a Munar mission.

C: You need to kill your velocity a bit earlier, then. Burn retrograde until your velocity is extremely low, this should kill off your horizontal speed, so you'll just fall directly down. Then you can keep applying short bursts of thrust to keep your velocity fairly low, making sure it's below 10m/s when you actually hit the ground. This is going to waste a lot more fuel than just freefalling until you get close, but I found it really helped with my first landing, until you get a feel for it.

I certainly don't have the best way of doing it, but those are the methods I used when I was first messing about with Munar missions, and I found they helped a lot. Hope I helped

[Master_Cheez]

Thank you! A good tutorial!

[MBobrik]

I'm having trouble rotating my orbit towards the mun.

what about starting with an equatorial orbit to begin with ? It's easy. the space center happens to be exactly on the equator. just fly exactly straight east.

[Master_Cheez]

I can get an equatorial orbit, but the mun is always in a different area from my apoapsis

[Master_Cheez]

How do I upload a screenshot?

[Panzerbeard]

OK, you asked for it: MechJeb. Watch and learn.

I have to respectfully disagree; if you're going to just watch something else do it for you and try to learn from observation, then it's better to watch a video where they explain how and why they're doing things, rather than just copying what MJ does. Just my opinion though

[MBobrik]

I can get an equatorial orbit, but the mun is always in a different area from my apoapsis

You shoud launch when it is at a certain angle to get there as fast as one can go, but if you just want to get there, it doesn't really matter. Just get your apoapsis to the mun orbit,fly there, and when you are there, circularize and then proceed like you wanted to rendezvous with the mun. you can even select it as the target.

[Master_Cheez]

I agree. I've seen people use it in tutorials. It's like they just activate MJ and they're done.

[MBobrik]

How do I upload a screenshot?

try http://imgur.com/

[Master_Cheez]

Do I need an account or something?

I already have enough of those. >

[MBobrik]

yes you do, it's free.