How do i get to the Mun?

[Essence of Adventure]

Im young (11), I know there is angles and stuff like that but I don't get it. Is there a tutorial out there for the newest version explaining clearly how to reach other planets (or, the moon?)

Thanks,Essence

[Jordanpumah]

2 things,

1, it's great to see young people interested, by young, i mean about 5 years younger than me.

2. your handle is epic.

the wiki has some good stuff, but if you don't get it, try some of scott manleys videos, I've heard he's good at explaining things while doing them (i've never watched any, but I think everyone else has)

http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Tutorials

http://www.youtube.com/user/szyzyg

[vexx32]

You can check out the Gameplay and Tutorials section for general help, and the Tutorial-specific subsection within to check out the write-ups other users have made to help newbies. You may want to run a Search through those sections, though, to find exactly what you need

Good luck!

[yongedevil]

To get to Mun you will have to raise your apoapsis up to intersect Mun's orbit so that your ship reaches that point at the same time as Mun. To raise your apoapsis you want to burn prograde on the opposite side of the orbit from where you want your apoapsis to be. Getting the timing is pretty easy if you plot a manoeuvre node to raise your apoapsis and then drag it around your orbit until you get a Mun encounter. You can then tweak the manoeuvre node to get the periapsis at the encounter to the desired height.

Once you reach Mun you will probably want to circularize your Mun orbit by burning retrograde at your Mun periapsis.

You might run into trouble if your orbit around Kerbin isn't equatorial since your apoapsis may pass too high over or under Mun. In these cases, if you click on and target Mun you will get two markers on your orbit for AN and DN, the ascending node and descending nodes. These are the point were your orbit crosses the orbit of you target, the Mun. To adjust your orbital plane to match the Mun's you can plot a manoeuvre node at one of these points to burn normal or anti-normal (pink triangle markers on the manoeuvre node).

[Wallace]

I always aim to put the apoapsis about 45 degrees in front of the Mun's current position. There is a tutorial for getting to the Mun in the game.

[Scotius]

There is an easy trick to get to the Mun: Wait in LKO until the very moment Mun is rising on the horizon. Then aim your ship prograde, and burn watching your orbit in map mode. You should get an encounter in no time (it costs about 900 dV). Rest is a matter of braking into orbit at Mun's periapsis and circularising. Unfortunately this will not work for Minmus, due to significant plane change you will have to do (and the fact Minmus is tiny ). Oh, and welcome in our community

[vexx32]

Moved to Gameplay and Tutorials.

[shoveycat]

I always burn when the Mun is over the horizon, and it always works for me without fail.

[Taki117]

Easiest way I have found to get to the mun:

Step 1: Get into orbit. (If you don't know how to do this there's lots of youtube videos)

Step 2: as soon as the Mun comes over Kerbin's horizon go full throttle and switch to map view.

Step 3: Bring up the Navball in map view (By clikcing the little arrow at the bottom of the screen.)

Step 4: When you get a Mun Encounter window (Your orbit will change and show two new symbols, that looks like circles with arrows around them) hit 'X' to cut your engine.

That will get you there, to stay there follow this next step.

Step 5: Once you are in the Muns SOI (Sphere of influence) (you will know this because your orbit will change) face retrograde (The circle with the X in it on the Navball) and increase throttle until you reach your desired orbit.

If you want to land I suggest watching a youtube video.

[Vanamonde]

Here's a written walkthrough, and a sandbox example rocket you can download to fly it with: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/25029-A-moon-rocket-and-moon-trip-walkthrough-for-newbies-(21-1)

[LtHeckard]

Mun is fairly simple. All you have to do is to fire your rockets when the Mun is on the Horizon (Assuming you have achieved Kerbin orbit.). Your orbital ring will expand out to the Mun and you will get an encounter. After that, you'll approach the Periapsis of the Mun (Lowest point of orbit) And you will burn backwards to kill your velocity and you will make Munar Orbit. You're Done! Although, Landing on the Mun is an entirely different challenge.

[SRV Ron]

Using maneuver mode with a manned capsule, set up an encounter that will bring your Kerbal back into an aerobraking return just in case you miss the orbital insertion burn. That maneuver should look something like this;

When returning from the Mun orbit, set up the maneuver to take you directly into a aerobraking maneuver for landing. Anything else will take much more fuel to achieve a safe return.

This is the rocket I used for the orbital insertion to Mun and eventual return in Career Mode;

For a lander, I would suggest building a probe and practice landing on Minmus in its flat sea before attempting to land on Mun.

When good at both, design something to land and return. These are two example of simple returnable landers. There are many other good designs that have been tested and posted.

Manned lander;

Probe lander.

Start learning in the school of Kerbal Hard knocks. Good old trial and error. Test to see what works and what doesn't. Then go for a more efficient design to get the job done.

Above all, Have fun and let us know about your success or failures.

Edited October 28, 2013 by SRV Ron