What defines "polar?"

[SuperWeegee4000]

The newb has a newb question about orbits. What orbits are considered "polar?" Orbits that move directly north or south? Or is it more complicated? Can a picture be posted to show exactly what a polar orbit looks like? Just wondering, as I was curious.

[Sir Nahme]

any orbit that passes over the pole, generally a 90 degree inclination to the equator, although anything over 80 degrees is close enough to call polar

[CCKinnison]

A polar orbit is one which passes over the north and south poles during it's passage. Technically, anything CLOSE to the poles will work, but a perfect polar orbit is GREAT for mapping, becasue the planet turns under you while you orbit, and you (in theory) manage to cover the ENTIRE surface (eventually) with no additional fuel usage.

In practice, it is POSSIBLE to get a resonant orbit, where you pass over the same bits of terrain each pass. It's horribly unlikely, and happened to someone here (I've seen the maps his orbit generated, and laughed at the unlikelihood of it). If that happens to you, just move your orbit in or out A TEENY BIT, that'll be more than enough to change the orbital period.

[koshelenkovv]

..but a perfect polar orbit is GREAT for mapping, becasue the planet turns under you while you orbit, and you (in theory) manage to cover the ENTIRE surface (eventually) with no additional fuel usage.

In practice, it is POSSIBLE to get a resonant orbit, where you pass over the same bits of terrain each pass. It's horribly unlikely..

Please, read this thread: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/27999-ISA-Mapsat-Ideal-and-Non-Ideal-Altitudes

and this post for newest MapSAT http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/27999-ISA-Mapsat-Ideal-and-Non-Ideal-Altitudes?p=398249&viewfull=1#post398249

Edited July 1, 2013 by koshelenkovv

[Kimberly]

A perfectly polar orbit is fine if you just want to map a planet with the least hassle possible. It's not the most efficient (because you scan the poles over and over, while you could be scanning something else), but it works. The ideal altitudes are if you really want to get professional about it.

[Rickenbacker]

A polar orbit is one which passes over the north and south poles during it's passage. Technically, anything CLOSE to the poles will work, but a perfect polar orbit is GREAT for mapping, becasue the planet turns under you while you orbit, and you (in theory) manage to cover the ENTIRE surface (eventually) with no additional fuel usage.

In practice, it is POSSIBLE to get a resonant orbit, where you pass over the same bits of terrain each pass. It's horribly unlikely, and happened to someone here (I've seen the maps his orbit generated, and laughed at the unlikelihood of it). If that happens to you, just move your orbit in or out A TEENY BIT, that'll be more than enough to change the orbital period.

I had that happen, when mapping for Kethane. Came back four hours later, and found that my satellite had mapped one thin line around the whole planet, and nothing else .