LSO (Laythe Synchronous orbit)

[Taki117]

So I've decided to do a long term mission to Laythe (because I can) and I'm having trouble setting up my COMSAT network (RP purposes only) in an equatorial semi-synchronous orbit around Laythe (since true synchronous orbit is outside it's SOI.

Now, I've got my sattelites in orbit, but I want them to be exact (only done with save file editing) and I was curious what I would need to change so that they are in a semi-synchronous equitorial orbit 90 degrees apart?

[Smidge204]

Higher orbits are slower (longer orbital periods) than lower orbits. So all you need to do is raise your Ap to "fall back" or lower your Pe to "jump ahead" relative to another object. Doesn't need to be much if you're patient and willing to wait many orbits.

=Smidge=

[boomerdog2000]

Place your first satellite in the desired orbit. Have your second satellite in a different (higher or lower) orbit.

Target the first satellite then rendezvous with a point 90 degrees ahead of the first. Repeat.

It's what I've done for all my remotetech set-ups. Only hard part comes when doing long interplanetary missions, since the satellites aren't perfectly aligned they tend to drift a bit, but that's only noticeable after many months if you do it right.

[UH60guy]

If you can't do exact, or don't want to, consider Molniya orbits- basically a series of satellites with high apoapses and low periapses that give you long loiter times as they're high up, and cost a lot less in fuel to operate (no fuel needed to circularize). They're good for getting satellite coverage of higher latitudes as well, where synchronous orbits can't get line of sight.

Depending on your setups, you may have a few communication black out time periods, but they're usually short in duration as the satellite speeds around the periapsis, and could lead to some fun RP.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molniya_orbit

Edited December 2, 2013 by UH60guy

[larsmaehlum]

Orbital periods are the key. Apo/peri isn't important. I'd recommend using the Kerbal Engineer Redux mod for satellite deployments, espescially when playing with RemoteTech

[einsteiner]

If you want to edit the save file to get them in the right orbits, you need to calculate the right semi-major axis to get the period you want. The formula is T=2*pi*sqrt(SMA^3/mu). In the save file set all the satellites' SMA parameter to this number. I assume you want circular, equatorial orbits, so set the ECC, INC, and LAN to zero. To get the right angle between the satellites you should set the MAE and EPH for all the satellites the same and the argument of periapsis (which is LPE in the save file) should be 90 degrees apart for each satellite.

[Rayder]

The way I do it is as follows:

1: Rendesvous with the satellite as close as possible.

2: At the closest point of approach (usually near apoapsis), alter your perapsis to set your synch. So for example if 1 was doing 3 satellites synched in a 3hr orbit, they would be 1hr apart. So I would then adjust the orbit to 2 hours. This would put my new satellite 1hr ahead.

3: When the new satellite hits apoapsis again, it should be in front by one hour. Circularize your orbit and you should be close to exactly 1hr in front. Synch the orbital periods as close as possible using RCS.

The values will of course depend on your current orbital period, how much separation you want and how many satellites you are launching. If you are spacing them equally, just divide the orbital period by the amount of satellites.