How to get to other planets successfully?

[austin4050]

I have played Kerbal Space Program for a long while now, but I always have troubles getting to other planets. I can get to minnmus and mun very easily but no other celestial object. If you could please rocket me in the correct direction that would be awesome.

[cnoblett94]

The key is to time correctly when to boost out of kerbin orbit and to the different planets. It helps to also time when the mun and minmus are out of the way. For some the key is to boost when you are in orbit around kerbin and kerbin is between you and the planet you want to go to. But you can also play around with the planned maneuver action to find the right spot for when to boost. You'll also know when you are right because your path will show a point where you enter the influence of the other planet you are trying to go to. Hopefully this makes sense. If not there are some great guys on youtube that can help in video form. Some I know of are Kurtjmac and Scott Manley.

[austin4050]

I have tried doing this many times with no success.

[PringleMan]

Just like in real life, there are certain launch windows when it is viable to go from Kerbin to another planet. There are a number of guides related to it, but in essence there can be a difference of several hundreds of delta-v between leaving at the right time and leaving at the wrong time (unless you want to spend a while orbiting the sun).

And remember, every drop of fuel counts. The number one thing you should do when planning an interplanetary trip is to refuel your rocket in orbit before leaving orbit.

[OUScooby]

Before I figured out it wasn't the best method to reach other bodies, my way of reaching Duna and Eve was to burn until you leave Kerbin's SOI, then once in an orbit around the sun plan and execute a maneuver to take me to the planet. I later realized it was more efficient to do just one burn from Kerbin, but this other method is easier and will get you there, it'll just use more fuel.

[jwenting]

to calculate the window, I use Mechjeb to give me the escape burn, then finetune that by hand both to get the best approach (and midcourse corrections as needed).

There's other tools, and sometimes misses the closest window, but it works reasonably well (and certainly better than my meager skill at such things).

[frash23]

I'm writing a detailed tutorial (only the building chapter done, writing more now), you could check it out.

[angrysheep]

Here you go

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/27236-Tutorial-Step-by-step-Interplanetary-Hohmann-transfer-guide-and-tips

[Capt'n Skunky]

Happy Launching!

Arrr!

Capt'n Skunky

KSP Community Manager

[Cubic Cube]

The whole thread went by and nobody mentioned the handy maneuver markers (in detail anyways)? You can get as far as Minmus without needing them, but after that you'll have to rely on them.

Step 1: Before you even launch, designate your target. Go straight to the orbital map and click on the destination planet. (You've probably done this if you've made it to Mun, since all you really have to do is wait for Mun to center in the nav ball and aim right for it.)

Step 2: Get into a stable orbit. Kerbin spins from West to East so aiming East can give you a little extra power. (If that doesn't help, I've been doing something VERY wrong on my way to every planet!)

Step 3: Click anywhere on your orbit. It doesn't matter where at first. You should see an "add maneuver" option that brings up a bunch of symbols. Those symbols are controls that rotate, extend, and shrink your predicted orbit (should look like a dotted line). Mess around. No, really, blindly mess with each little symbol until you pull the orbital path out of Kerbin and just zoom out. If you don't like the position you can just click on the center and drag it along your real orbit until it's in the right place. If you mess up too much you can right click it, and get the option to cancel the path. Then just start again.

Step 4: Get into position, center the blue marker in the nav ball, and fire away.

Some things to pay attention to: the length of the burn, and make sure your course doesn't spear Kerbin like a shishkebab. If you find yourself making long 14 minute burns, you're doing it wrong. It may be better to set a course that lines up horizontally, and then make another maneuver or two to bring the orbit in. You'll still need leftover fuel for braking, of course.

This is the easy way, but not the fuel efficient way. There's no shame in launching a wobbly 10 stage behemoth just to get to Duna or Eve if that's what it takes. At least you don't need a mod to make calculations.

Edited June 20, 2013 by Cubic Cube