Is a Non-Equator-Crossing Orbit Possible?

[bigyihsuan]

To put it simply is this possible in KSP?

Black is any planet/moon, and red is the orbit.

[Specialist290]

To put it briefly: No, it isn't. The focus of any orbit is the center of mass of the gravitational system -- which, for all practical purposes, is the center of the planet or moon your ship is orbiting.

[Wallace]

you can't orbit like that, but with a stupendous about of thrust you should be able to move along a path something like that.

Except in Hollywood. I'm sure I remember seeing a failcake of a film where it showed that and other parallel offset hoops as the suposed orbits of satellites.

[Captain Sierra]

you can't orbit like that, but with a stupendous about of thrust you should be able to move along a path something like that.

Except in Hollywood. I'm sure I remember seeing a failcake of a film where it showed that and other parallel offset hoops as the suposed orbits of satellites.

Leave it to Hollywood to piss in the face of physics. Just like the new Call of Duty.

[Alistone]

Leave it to Hollywood to piss in the face of physics. Just like the new Call of Duty.

Something about saying this on KSP forum reminds me of a pot and kettle. Anyone see the guy launch a kerbal into duna using a ladder and some decouplers?

EDIT: Also, in response to the OP, all orbits circle around the center of mass which means crossing the equator. If it were possible to tweak the center of mass to be above/below the equator you theoritically could have an orbit that didn't cross... but for all practical purposes the answer is No.

Edited September 26, 2013 by Alistone

[Guest]

Something about saying this on KSP forum reminds me of a pot and kettle. Anyone see the guy launch a kerbal into duna using a ladder and some decouplers?

It's a bug in that case, that's not supposed to be possible. CoD has silly physics by design, KSP by accident.

[Sirine]

If it is NOT orbit. Then it will be like flying an Air-plane. If it is call Orbit it is NOT POSSIBLE.

[Evrion]

Every orbit must be co-planar with the center of mass of the object being orbited. That means if you drew the orbit on a flat piece of paper, the center of the object being orbited would not be above or below the paper, but actually on it. In the real world this is because the gravity force keeping an object in orbit comes from (well, is centered on) the center of mass.

Think of a 2-D situation: Object - Circle, Orbit - line. The orbit must cross the center of the circle. It will therefore cross, or be directly on top of, every other possible orbit or diameter. This means you must cross the equator

In 3-D, you can change the altitudes in crazy ways, but seen edge on, the above 2-D thing still applies.

[Blue]

No, but we all wish it was so.