Geosynchronous orbit question

[Ekkoria]

I'm using Remotetech 2 at the moment, and currently I need to set up a communications network. I have my satellites all designed and tested, now the problem is putting them in orbit. I was going to do three in geosynchronous orbit, but for redundancy and because I'm already putting three up there I decided I may as well do four. I've got them all in one launch vehicle, and I know that by setting up a particular orbital period, I can time it so that I can release them and they'll be equal distances apart. The question I have is... How can I figure out what my orbital period needs to be in order to accomplish this????

Thanks!

Edited December 28, 2013 by Ekkoria

[BlackBicycle]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/13098-Can-t-time-the-launch-properly-some-advice-pls

[DeMatt]

I'm using Remotetech 2 at the moment, and currently I need to set up a communications network. I have my satellites all designed and tested, now the problem is putting them in orbit. I was going to do three in geosynchronous orbit, but for redundancy and because I'm already putting three up there I decided I may as well do four. I've got them all in one launch vehicle, and I know that by setting up a particular orbital period, I can time it so that I can release them and they'll be equal distances apart. The question I have is... How can I figure out what my orbital period needs to be in order to accomplish this????

Thanks!

Geosynchronous orbit at Kerbin has a period of 6 hours. 6 hours divided by 4 satellites equals 1.5 hours between satellites. 6 hours MINUS 1.5 hours is 4.5 hours.

So your launch vehicle needs to have an apoapsis near 2868 km and an orbital period of 4.5 hours. This will let you release one satellite at apoapsis, circularize it, then release the next satellite at the next apoapsis - and it'll be 4.5 hours behind (or 1.5 hours ahead) of the first.

[Taki117]

Might I direct you here?

[GROOV3ST3R]

Circular orbit at 2868km - that is all ^^ You will never get a perfect orbit anyway, this is the closest you can get.

[Loerelau]

I am not paying too much attention to it, just eyeball it. You do (what I did) have to launch your first comsat in a weird way anyway, otherwise you will lose connection.

[almagnus1]

Or the first comsat mission is also manned.......

[Ekkoria]

Geosynchronous orbit at Kerbin has a period of 6 hours. 6 hours divided by 4 satellites equals 1.5 hours between satellites. 6 hours MINUS 1.5 hours is 4.5 hours.

So your launch vehicle needs to have an apoapsis near 2868 km and an orbital period of 4.5 hours. This will let you release one satellite at apoapsis, circularize it, then release the next satellite at the next apoapsis - and it'll be 4.5 hours behind (or 1.5 hours ahead) of the first.

Yes, this is exactly the answer I was looking for! Thank you!