Eve hates me.

[Jouni]

Hm, I'm not sure how. The calculator ( http://alexmoon.github.io/ksp/ ) says just under 1500m/s starting from an Eve orbit of 48825 km (Gilly's apoapsis).

The first launch window found by the calculator is quite bad. Wait for a couple of years, and you'll find a lot of launch windows at around 600 m/s.

[Starwhip]

And I'm in Year 6.

So yeah.

[allmhuran]

Go for it. Calculator must be wrong.

[Red Iron Crown]

Save and go, what do you have to lose?

[EdFred]

Deorbit from Gilly, and use a powered gravity assist from an Eve Periapsis of 95km or so?

[Starwhip]

Nevermind: Year 7, day 300-ish.

I used the calculator and it showed me an ejection of around 520 m/s plus a plane change of 130 m/s

I've got this.

Save and go, what do you have to lose?

My motto. You should see my save, it's full of quicksaves.

[allmhuran]

Nice work! My first hunch was that ~800m/s wouldn't quite make it from Gilly's surface, then I looked at the wiki and revised the estimate up, then I actually used the calcuator which gave me 1500.

The lesson is that we should always remember Stephen Colbert's advice: Go with your gut.

[Red Iron Crown]

No high-fives until he's back on the ground.

[allmhuran]

Also good advice.

[Starwhip]

I don't got this....

This is following the Protractor mod. I'm short over 300 m/s.

Crud.

My problem?

I was stuck either 3 days before or 3 days after the transfer window, because my orbit takes 6 days to complete.

I'll try what the calculator said. Again, what do I have to lose?

[Starwhip]

Who says that the old way is not the best way?

I just fiddled around with the maneuver nodes and POW!

I think I have enough RCS to do it.

EDIT:

Revised the node, only 815 m/s

EDIT2:

Now only 630!

Edited June 3, 2014 by Starwhip

[Red Iron Crown]

You can always get out and push if you need to...

[allmhuran]

Revised the node, only 815 m/s

Yeah, that figure makes sense to me, because if the dV required to get from your eve-approach-from-kerbin velocity to orbit-eve-at-Gilly velocity was about 800, it seemed to make sense it would cost about the same to get back, which is where I got my first hunch from. A few variables of course, like inclination-associated costs.

[Claw]

Indeed it's much cheaper to get from Gilly to Kerbin than from Low Eve Orbit to Kerbin. Scott Manley got a Kerbal home from Gilly using *just* the EVA pack.

Hm, I'm not sure how. The calculator ( http://alexmoon.github.io/ksp/ ) says just under 1500m/s starting from an Eve orbit of 48825 km (Gilly's apoapsis).

Edit: That can't be right...

I believe there were some gravity assists, oberth, and some optimal timing on Scott Manley's part. I would guess that the calculator is giving the best, nearby windows.

[Starwhip]

YEAH!!!

I told you I gotz this!

Now for landing. Whoo. I've got the big landing legs on it, plus 8 'chutes. Should be fine.

[Starwhip]

I got it home safe and sound. With no fuel left. Too close.

Next time, perhaps a NERVA would be better.

[Red Iron Crown]

Now it's time for high fives.

[Starwhip]

Oh, dear.

[cantab]

Congrats! Good to see you got the science back.

I've a feeling a Gilly mission might be on the border of the LV-N being the lightest choice or not. It depends to an extent how much TWR you want. On the other hand, if it still launches to LKO easily then there's nothing wrong in having more delta-V than you need.