Confused

[terrakota]

Hi,

im a little confused some tutorials say :

begin your gravity turn by slowly leaning east (bearing 90 degrees on your navball, usually "right" from the standard launchpad). You can lean other directions as well but going east saves fuel by moving with Kerbin's own spin

but when i go 90 degree im actually going against kerbin spin, and another problem is when i try to burn retro re orbit expand and when try to prograde the orbit contract so was this changed after 0.18? or im missing something?

im back after some break last time i played was 0.18

thanks for the help and please excuse my poor english

Edited August 11, 2013 by terrakota

[Apollo13]

Are you sure you're going against the spin? How do you know this? I'm not trying to insult you, I'm just trying to understand.

[Frederf]

The surface of Kerbin spins to the east. Try changing from surface to orbit mode on the velocity display to see. Try setting up the maneuver with a maneuver node before attempting it so there is no surprise to the result.

[xub313]

Perhaps you could do a little experiment to prove it to yourself. Launch a rocket straight up without a gravity turn. If you get up high enough you should be able to tell which way Kerbin is rotating. If you land west of the launchpad then that means Kerbin has rotated to the east because of its spin.

[Spica]

Is your command pod on backwards, if so, this would explain all the weird behavior. If not, well, i would do some investigation and experimentation to see if you are right or wrong.

[terrakota]

Is your command pod on backwards, if so, this would explain all the weird behavior. If not, well, i would do some investigation and experimentation to see if you are right or wrong.

yes command pod is backwards u think thats the problem?

[terrakota]

fixed lol was a problem with command pod =)

i feel so dumb lol

thanks for the help

[Skorpychan]

ALWAYS have a pod or probe core facing in the default direction. Ideally at the top of the rocket, so you can right-click and say 'control from here'. That way, your gravity turn will always be 'D'.

[annallia]

fixed lol was a problem with command pod =)

i feel so dumb lol

thanks for the help

If your command pod was backwards or mounted any other way than the way it is when you first select it (which causes the nav ball to go screwy) you can make that an easy fix by placing a docking port in its native orientation somewhere on the rocket (I usually just put it on the command pod itself). Then before launch right click the port and select control from here. It will reset your nav ball to the proper alignment.

[Epthelyn]

That way, your gravity turn will always be 'D'.

No. Just...no.

Rockets rotate. "That way, your gravity turn will always be towards '90' on the navball" is what you should be telling people.

[eurybaric]

No. Just...no.

Rockets rotate. "That way, your gravity turn will always be towards '90' on the navball" is what you should be telling people.

I wholeheartedly agree. Getting used to orientation using the navball is an essential skill which should be practiced from the beginning.

[terrakota]

ok thanks for the tips guys