Some random questions...

[Morokth]

Well two really, I suppose...

1.) If I launched a satellite into geosynchronous altitude (assume 2868km for Kerbin), but along a polar orbit, what would the difference be compared to an equatorial orbit?

2.) I can't seem to get ISA MapSat to work right with .21. Anyone got a fix for this? I'm using 3.3.4 if memory serves. And my apologies if this question is out of place.

[Monkeh]

1) About 90 degrees? maybe nothing? I don't know, I'm only here to post about the second question...stop putting pressure on me. I'm no rocket scientists for God's sake!

2) I literally downloaded the MapSat two days ago on .21 and it seems to work fine. Somewhere on the spaceport it says you'll need to.....something...something...something...to stop it breaking after an update so if you haven't re-installed or whatever it suggests then maybe that's it. I suggest checking the Installation tab on spaceport.

Actually, I'm in a good mood, so here you go:

"-Extract the archive somewhere and copy over the files, I left the structure of KSP_win in the archive to make it easier to figure out.

!!IMPORTANT Copy over the part folder every update aswell or any new gui textures will be missing.

-Copy old csv files to the pluginData/isa_mapsat folder and rename if required.

or prerender textures with mapgen if desired.

-Launch KSP."

[Scarecrow88]

A geosynchronous orbit works because the orbital period of the satellite/craft is the same as the rotational period of the body around which it is orbiting. The result of this is that it stays above the same point of the body i.e. stationary. If you put it in a polar orbit, all you will have is a very high polar orbit.

Can't help with the second question as I've never used Mapsat.

[Kasuha]

1.) If I launched a satellite into geosynchronous altitude (assume 2868km for Kerbin), but along a polar orbit, what would the difference be compared to an equatorial orbit?

It would - obviously - not stay over the same place. Instead it would - looking from the surface - draw a giant "8" on the sky every day, being at the same place in the sky at the same time.

[capi3101]

So, I guess I'll address question 1. Fucntionally there should be no difference other than your initial trajectory; you'll want to steer a few degrees west of north (somewhere in the 350-355 degree range) to account for the planet's rotation when you launch. You will need a little bit of extra delta-V to achieve the initial orbit, but no more than 100-200 m/s. It won't point at the same spot on the ground all the time as well. Other than that it will be just like putting any other object in an orbit at a geosynchronous altitude.

So..."about 90 degrees" is a correct, if more than somewhat facetious, answer.

[Morokth]

I was curious about it would work in a polar or it vs. equatorial because if the rotation of the planet. During a moments pondering, I had a vision of the satellite more or less just sitting there but I didn't think that would happen. Guess ill just have to launch one and see what happens!

As for the mapsat ill have to get my laptop online and see what I can dig up insofar as a hotfix file or what have you. Thought I saw one but was just browsing and not really paying that much attention at the time (probably cuz I was wondering about the polar orbit question).

[maltesh]

A Geosynchronous polar orbit is possible, because the only requirement of a Geosynchronous orbit is that the orbit have the same period as the sidereal day. A stable Geosynchronous orbit can have any inclination or eccentricity that doesn't result in it interacting with other bodies or going so low at periapsis that the atmosphere or surface causes problems.

A Geostationary polar orbit is not possible. A Geostationary orbit is one whose ground track stays over a single point on the surface throughout its orbit. As a result, a geostationary orbit is a geosynchronous orbit that is both equatorial and circular.