[Tutorial] Setting up a 3-satellite Molniya constellation (video)

[ikehaiku]

Hey guys - first post on the official forum, so I'm not sure if this belongs in this section...

Anyway - the title is self-explanatory.

I was trying to put 3 satellites in a Molniya constellation, and since I didn't found that much of infos about it, I tought "Hey, why not try to make a tutorial about it!"

So, here it is, with a bit of maths, and a bit of MechJeb.

(as you can see, I'm not much of a video editor...)

- I'm using MechJeb to display stats - but any mod that can do the same are OK.

- I'm also using MechJeb autopilot and manoeuver planner for convenience, and to achieve some kind of precision. But you can fly everything by hand if you so desire.

Let me know if you want some more infos, or if I've made some glaring mistakes - hell, I may just as well be all wrong about it...

Cheers!

[Armokh]

Wow Awesome thing! Thanks for posting this.I'm justwonder how hard it would be to place it on another planet... I need to try to set up this above my laythe base

[ikehaiku]

I'm afraid it may not be as easy with Laythe.

You'd have to do the math with the Laythe parameters (it's all on the Wiki's Laythe page), but I think a Molniya orbit apoapsis would fall outside its SoI when the periapsis is very low. But you can settle for a periapsis a bit higher.

The main problem then is you probably don't have 3 launchers ready to take of on the ground :-)

But you can probably launch 3 probes from a vessel in a EQ orbit, {period of this orbit / 3} minutes apart. Of course, that would imply a "big" inclination change for each of the probes, so more delta-V!

Edited July 31, 2013 by ikehaiku

[Armokh]

^That's why I want to do it : It's tough challange, and this is what this game is about .