Learn Real World Orbital Mechanics With KSP

[crua9]

I'm making a new playlist on YouTube to talk about orbital mechanics. Because KSP is one of the best space sims I've seen, I'm using that to help me in these videos. Below is a link to the playlist.

Now because I'm the only person doing everything in these videos, and because of my lifestlye. I can't say when the next videos will come out. However, I will try to upload this list whenever the next one comes up.

BTW, tell me what you want to learn in orbital mechanics.

Click below to see the videos in the list.

1. Intro

2. how Newton's Laws are very important in understanding orbital mechanics

3. Kepler's Laws

4. Gravity

6. Tundra Orbits

8. Gravity turn

10. Delta-V

Edited January 17, 2014 by crua9

[crua9]

I just added Kepler's law

http://youtu.be/yIc3bc9FXPw

[Decent Weasel]

Have you covered plane changes, or when Oberth does or doesn't work?

[KvickFlygarn87]

You should add a little something bout n-body/lagrange points.

[crua9]

Have you covered plane changes, or when Oberth does or doesn't work?

So far, I only got into Newton's and Kepler's laws. I haven't yet gotten into inclination change and Oberth effect. I'm not a 100% sure if I will cover Oberth effect, but I might.

I'm most likely going to talk about inclination change soon. I want to cover a few things before I get into this.

BTW, I doubt we can use the Oberth effect in KSP.

You should add a little something bout n-body/lagrange points.

My next video is going to be on gravity, gravity wells, and the theory of gravity. I think I'm going to do a lagrange points video 2 or 3 videos out. But, I'm not a 100% sure on that. (I'm not sure how I'm going to show off the points)

As far as the n-body problem. That's something easier to learn by seeing than reading/hearing. Because of that, it's going to be a little while before I can show that off. I think I'm going to show it off when I introduce the moon/planet/star wobble effect in my videos. I'm still looking for a good cheap software to use.

[skykooler]

BTW, I doubt we can use the Oberth effect in KSP.

False; the Oberth effect is very useful in minimizing fuel usage. I forget the exact numbers but in Scott Manley's video about Munar gravity assists he said you could save something like 500 m/s dV on a Kerbin -> Duna trip if starting from a low orbit to maximize the Oberth effect.

[crua9]

False; the Oberth effect is very useful in minimizing fuel usage. I forget the exact numbers but in Scott Manley's video about Munar gravity assists he said you could save something like 500 m/s dV on a Kerbin -> Duna trip if starting from a low orbit to maximize the Oberth effect.

Thanks. That's good to know, because I might cover the Oberth effect at the same time I cover Delta V.

[crua9]

BTW, how does everyone like this back and forth between me saying part of the script and my computer saying the other parts?

The reason why I did it was to make it easier on me, and so you don't have to hear me out through the video.

[crua9]

I just added gravity to the list.

http://youtu.be/6kp7c4wNMOI

[crua9]

I just added

[Specialist290]

Oo, I'm going to have to take a look at this later. Might make for an interesting Drawing Board supplement

[crua9]

Oo, I'm going to have to take a look at this later. Might make for an interesting Drawing Board supplement

Thanks. I'm thinking about making another series of videos talking about the difference between combat in space, and combat in an atmosphere environment.

[Poldi]

Some more infos on Tundra Orbits would be great.

I read in wikipedia that u can cover the whole planet with 4 com-satellites, but no more info on how to achieve that (inclination, orbital period etc.)

Would be great to have some more details / a tutorial on that.

[crua9]

Some more infos on Tundra Orbits would be great.

I read in wikipedia that u can cover the whole planet with 4 com-satellites, but no more info on how to achieve that (inclination, orbital period etc.)

Would be great to have some more details / a tutorial on that.

I have no problem making a video on the tundra orbit, but it may take a while with the holidays coming up. So I will just give you a summary on what a tundra orbit is, and hopefully I can put a video on this soon.

A tundra orbit basically an orbit that is geosynchronous orbit. This means an object will orbit around EARTH once every 24 hours (or about 23h 50m).

For earth, if you put something in about a 63 degree inclination, then put it in a geosynchronous orbit. This will keep an object orbiting over some part of the world with almost a figure 8. So one half would be over parts in South America, and the other will be over North America. Or one half can be over an ocean, and the other can be over Russia.

Giving we didn't do anything with the orbits, the object will see as much of South America, as it does with North America. Now, if you made that into an eccentric orbit where P is over the southern hemisphere, and A is over the Northern. This will make the orbit over South America wider, and make the orbit over North America a lot smaller. This means the object will see more of South America than North America. However, this means most of the objects time will stay over North America than South. So if you put about 3 satellites in this eccentric orbit, you will always have at least one over North America (and at times none over South America).

So basically this means North America will always have constant communications with one of these satellites (or threats giving if the satellite has weapons). So basically you can beam something up to the satellite, and have it beam something back down in the same country. For example, when you make a call to someone to the other side of the country (most any country). Your call (landline or not) could go from an antenna or call center to a dish. The call will then be broadcasted to the satellite, and then broadcasted back down to another dish on the other side of the country. This will go to an antenna or calling center, and then the other person should get the call.

The reason why you would want a tundra orbit over a geostationary satellite is for 3 reasons.

1. You can cover more areas with a tundra orbit than geostationary.

2. There isn't that many geostationary orbits.

3. The cost. Not many people know this, but you have to pay the government's in permits and what not. And while anyone can really put anything anywhere in space. People need to ask themselves something before they put something in orbit. Who owns the space/air above the land of a country?

(These permits are to make sure military and other satellites won't get hit by other satellites.)

(I will try to get in a little bit more detail in the video. But, I never tired to put a station in a geosynchronous orbit. So I don't know if KSP physics engine will allow you to put something in a tundra orbit)

Edited December 19, 2013 by crua9

[crua9]

Some more infos on Tundra Orbits would be great.

I read in wikipedia that u can cover the whole planet with 4 com-satellites, but no more info on how to achieve that (inclination, orbital period etc.)

Would be great to have some more details / a tutorial on that.

I've decided to make a quick video on this. Also, in the last part of the video I show off on how you can make a tundra orbit in KSP. But, it's important to note that I found you can't make a long lasting stable tundra orbit. For some reason when you speed up the time in the game, it messes with the incline, speed, and a few other things.

Below is the link to the video.

Orbital Mechanics P5 - Tundra Orbits

[crua9]

I just added Aerodynamics

[Bobnova]

False; the Oberth effect is very useful in minimizing fuel usage. I forget the exact numbers but in Scott Manley's video about Munar gravity assists he said you could save something like 500 m/s dV on a Kerbin -> Duna trip if starting from a low orbit to maximize the Oberth effect.

You sure it's actually the Oberth effect? That requires a rather deep physics model, significantly deeper than I understand KSPs to be. I suspect the actual cause lies elsewhere.

Has anybody done any actual scientific testing on this in KSP?

[Kerbart]

You sure it's actually the Oberth effect? That requires a rather deep physics model, significantly deeper than I understand KSPs to be.

By all means elaborate. What part of the Oberth effect requires a rather deep physics model? To my limited understanding it's "Work = Force × Velocity so you'll get more bang for the buck if you can get the work of your rocket engine done when the velocity is high". Correct velocity vs orbital position doesn't require a particularly deep model either.

[crua9]

I just added in gravity turns

http://youtu.be/iEB4tbg4EKs

[crua9]

I just added

10. Delta-V