How to get a good orbit?

[galaxy366]

Hello!,

I have been playing KSP for one day and I got two small (stock) satellites in space.

But I was wondering, what is the best or original intended way of getting something into a round orbit? I have been checking Scott Manley but even then I don't get it round.

Some things I should take in mind?

ps: Best purchase I have made this year!

[Mr Shifty]

Welcome!

What do your orbits look like now? How close to round are you getting? Can you give us your current apoapsis and periapsis for the orbits you've got?

[BumpyRide]

Get your apoapsis to where you need it (say, 80km). Then, when you are about 10 seconds away from the apoapsis, turn your engines back on, and circularize your orbit by accelerating your craft to raise your periapsis to the same value as your apoapsis... quite simple, really.

Or you can do it in reverse -- if your periapsis is where you need it, and you want to lower your apoapsis, just do a deceleration burn when you are in the vicinity of your periapsis.

[fran13kie]

Experiment with the maneuver nodes and you want to start your burn before reaching your node. If you have an estimated 30 sec burn for example start your burn around t -17 seconds. Divide your estimated time by 2 and add 2 seconds to let your engines reach full throttle.

[SRV Ron]

Get your apoapsis to where you need it (say, 80km). Then, when you are about 10 seconds away from the apoapsis, turn your engines back on, and circularize your orbit by accelerating your craft to raise your periapsis to the same value as your apoapsis... quite simple, really.

Or you can do it in reverse -- if your periapsis is where you need it, and you want to lower your apoapsis, just do a deceleration burn when you are in the vicinity of your periapsis.

Be sure to use the Nav Ball so that your ship is pointing to the horizon prograde for the circularize burn. (Or the blue marker if using the Add Maneuver tool.) Do that during the coasting period.

[M5000]

Just push your apoapsis out to where you want it.

Be advised: If you push it out too far too soon, and you're still in the atmosphere, you may decelerate a bit and your apoapsis may retract slightly or significantly, depending on how long and deep you're in the atmosphere.

So, after you push it out, go till about 10-15 seconds before it, and burn until your apoapsis and periapsis rapidly change location, or go 90 degrees out of phase from where they were. (They will still be 180 degrees out of phase with one another, they can only ever be 180 degrees apart.) Your orbit will likely not be perfectly circular, but it's likely close. Once the two apsides change location rapidly, kill your engines.

It is best to circularize at your apoapsis or periapsis.

In general...

At apoapsis, a prograde burn will raise your periapsis and make your orbit more circular, and a retrograde burn will lower your periapsis and make your orbit more eccentric.

At periapsis, a prograde burn will raise your apoapsis and make your orbit more eccentric, and a retrograde burn will lower your apoapsis and make your orbit more circular.

Specifically...

At any point in orbit, a prograde burn will cause your apoapsis to flee from your current altitude, and your periapsis to approach your current altitude.

At any point in orbit, a retrograde burn will cause your apoapsis to approach your current altitude, and your periapsis to flee from your current altitude.

Those should help, I'd hope.