Is it possible to have a synchronous rotation around Kerbin?

[Wylde]

Hello,

First i want to say that i searched the forum but i didn't found any topic related to my question.

Is it possible to have a synchronous rotation around Kerbin , just like the ISS have with the Earth? I would love to have such a station ! ( This way the cupola would make sense ! ).

Thanks !

Edited October 17, 2013 by Wylde

[vetrox]

From the Wiki

A synchronous orbit is achieved at an altitude of 2 868.75 km and a speed of 1 009.02 m/s. From a 70 km low equatorial orbit, the periapsis maneuver requires 676.5 m/s and the apoapsis maneuver requires 434.9 m/s. A semi-synchronous orbit with an orbital period of ½ of Kerbin's rotation period (3 hours or 10800 seconds) is achieved at an altitude of 1 585.18 km with an orbital velocity of 1 271.28 m/s.

The Hill sphere (the radius around the planet at which moons are gravitationally stable) of Kerbin is 136 185km, or roughly 227 Kerbin radii

[UbioZur]

I am not sure by what you mean by synchronous rotation.

if you want your station to pass at the same time of the day over KSC, you need to have an orbital period that is a multiple of 6hours (since Kerbin rotate on itself for 6 hours).

If you want to have a GeoStationary orbit, then http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/50487-Geostationary-Orbit?highlight=synchronous

none of the above apply to any orbit the ISS have (that I could find on wikipedia about the ISS).

[MWJ]

I think you want to make your station rotate slowly so one side always faces the planet...Just like the ISS does.

(Cupola always faces earth)

While playing and controlling the station this should be possible, but since timewarp and unloading the vessel (not 100% sure on that one, though.) cancels rotation of the craft, i don't think you could do it the way you'd like...

[Wylde]

Sorry if I didn't made myself understood. I was talking about the "tidal locking" ( i made some research meanwhile ).

I'm not talking about synchronous orbit. For example ISS is facing Earth with the exact same side ( having a synchronous rotation aka tidal locking ) .

EDIT: Thanks MWJ, i forgot about the unloading rotation thing !

[UbioZur]

Ok, it is possible with some mods like Mechjeb.

May be kOS will allow you to do that.

But else, sadly not possible for the reason MWJ stated (timewarp or not active vessel have no physics)

You can lock the vessel to the normal and anti-normal vector of your orbit (so for a equatorial orbit, north or south)

[Wylde]

I'll try it with kOS, thanks !