How do I land on the Mun?

[qeveren]

I mean, I\'ve already done this a couple times (using mod lander legs), so getting there and down and up and back isn\'t that much of a problem. But I always find descent to the Munar surface to be hideously fuel-hungry, since I tend to come screaming in at the surface at about 500m/s. Any suggestions for a Green-minded () spacecraft pilot?

[Key of door]

I mean, I\'ve already done this a couple times (using mod lander legs), so getting there and down and up and back isn\'t that much of a problem. But I always find descent to the Munar surface to be hideously fuel-hungry, since I tend to come screaming in at the surface at about 500m/s. Any suggestions for a Green-minded () spacecraft pilot?

On the Navball there are two markers , one pinkish and one yellow. Do you use them? Those are the best way to slow down in orbit , and depending on your height you use thrust differently ,don\'t full burn at 10km to get rid of it, Do a slight burn all the way down.

[qeveren]

Oh yeah, I\'m using the velocity indicators, etc. I was just wondering if I were doing something horrendously inefficient, but I guess potential -> kinetic energy is just kinda that way...

[Key of door]

Oh yeah, I\'m using the velocity indicators, etc. I was just wondering if I were doing something horrendously inefficient, but I guess potential -> kinetic energy is just kinda that way...

Meh I guess that is just normal.

[Goran]

Step 1. Make sure you\'re using surface and not orbit mode on your navbal (should be switching automagically in x3).

Step 2. Make your descent steeper. This uses more fuel but gives you more time to correct things.

Step 3. Reduce your horizontal speed and vertical speed at the same time. I usually manage to park the lander at 5k+ altitude.

Step 4. Point upwards and switch to RCS. With proper lander you can use translation control to keep your lander descending with no horizontal speed. Keep vertical speed under 50m/s.

Step 4.5. Keep your vertical speed under 10m/s when under 300m .

Step 5. Your lander is probably light enough so you can use RCS to land on the moon. Switch off your main engine and use RCS!

Step 6. Don\'t run out of RCS fuel

[Jarnis]

Step 6. Don\'t run out of RCS fuel

From personal experience; this is a very important rule.

100m above the surface is a very very bad time to run out of RCS go-go juice. The pod survived the... uuuh... 'lithobraking event'... after RCS control was lost but the rest of the lander unfortunately did not...

[foamyesque]

On the Navball there are two markers , one pinkish and one yellow. Do you use them? Those are the best way to slow down in orbit , and depending on your height you use thrust differently ,don\'t full burn at 10km to get rid of it, Do a slight burn all the way down.

This is the opposite of true. The optimal braking strategy, if you\'re awesome enough, is a full throttle burn at minimal distance.

[Zeroignite]

This is the opposite of true. The optimal braking strategy, if you\'re awesome enough, is a full throttle burn at minimal distance.

Indeed. I\'m almost tempted to maths it out... though I\'d be impressed if I get enough precision to do it without dying.

It\'s also the optimum approach if you\'re avoiding incoming anti-aircraft fire.

[Ferrit]

Indeed. I\'m almost tempted to maths it out... though I\'d be impressed if I get enough precision to do it without dying.

Tried it the maths way for my first landing - it did not end well... :\'(

Second attempt went Jeb style, flying by the seat of my pants! Perfect landing 8)

It\'s also the optimum approach if you\'re avoiding incoming anti-aircraft fire.

Just what kind of a moon are you landing on?!?

And where can I get it?

[Jarnis]

This is the opposite of true. The optimal braking strategy, if you\'re awesome enough, is a full throttle burn at minimal distance.

With the obvious problem that if your 'Full Throttle' isn\'t enough, you have no way of fixing it and will end up supplementing the braking with 'craft - meet rock' style.

I prefer to have plenty of energy reserves to avoid getting smacked.

[Alchemist]

To land on the Mun we\'ll need to use engines for braking. No, Jeb, not by by braking with the engine against the surface!

By the way, it should require even less delta v for landing if you kill you lateral speed at lower altitude... but it lets you less time to finish this, turn vertical and prepare for final braking just before approaching the surface... But if do it too low with too low TWR you can lithobrake.

[MyNameIsNotPa]

I\'d recommend not trying to use a parachute.

[Bobsama]

As for an all-stock setup, stick a three or four radial decouplers and winglets on your top section. Also, use the smaller stock engine. It\'ll improve your low-altitude stability and act as lander legs. Once you\'re on the surface of the Mün, you can jettison the decouplers and simply stand on the engine (assuming you\'re on flat or nearly flat ground: don\'t try this on a slope).

Also, you don\'t need to do direct ascent or to find at your first Apoapsis. Just boost your Apoapsis to ~11,000 KM and compress time. Of course, you need to be passing /near/ the Mun\'s orbit. At some point, you should be captured, at which point you should start braking. Burn at the (X) to kill both horizontal and vertical velocity. I\'d suggest you start at lower altitudes and try to stabilize your downward velocity. You don\'t need to zero it out (in fact, don\'t!) but try to keep it around 100 m/s. That\'s a slow enough speed that your descent is quick but you can still easily retroburn. Use RCS to help (if you have any RCS fuel from lower stages) slow yourself. If you\'re lucky, you\'ll fall to the planet. If you\'re unlucky, you\'ll be in a highly eccentric orbit and be recaptured by the Mun (as just happened to me.)

My mistake was actually to forget I had 2x time compression.