Maneuver node handles

[Kasuha]

When you place a maneuver and start pulling its handles, the node rotates to follow the planned trajectory. You usually won't notice that since most maneuvers are either prograde or retrograde, but you will sure notice it when trying to do a sharp inclination change.

But!

Maneuver nodes add/remove dv not in direction in which the maneuver is currently oriented but in direction of the original trajectory.

That means, by pulling normal handle, I am adding impulse in direction perpendicular to the original trajectory, not perpendicular to how the maneuver is oriented at the moment. I cannot turn my orbit 90 degrees that way, I still need to combine half normal and half retrograde to turn 90 degrees consistently except at the end that normal will be where retrograde originally was, and retrograde will be in original position of the antinormal handle.

Also when I pull retrograde until I completely clear my orbital velocity, the maneuver starts oscillating and "turning it around" to reverse the orbit is almost impossible.

My suggestion is to let the maneuver follow the original trajectory orientation instead of turning it to follow the planned trajectory. That would make handle orientation consistent with direction in which each handle adds impulse.

Another reasonable option would be that handles add impulse according to the maneuver's orientation. That would e.g. allow me to turn 90 degrees by pulling Normal handle without changing shape of my orbit. But I think it might get confusing or uncomfortable in certain situations.

[Vaporo]

YES! YES! I'm not really sure what I can say here except "YES!" I hate having to mess around with maneuver nodes that reverse my direction, hoping that I can luck out and end my "pull" on my maneuver node's retrograde tab with the maneuver facing the opposite direction.

I agree with all points made in the original post.

[Sirrobert]

Definitly yes.

This would solve a couple of annoyences. They may not be that common, but they still exist.

It is easiest to notice with inclination changes yes, but the worst problem is when you try to reverse your orbit (burn out till almost at the edge of SOI, and than burn retrograde until you reverse the direction of the orbit).

With the current system, it is not actually possible (or atleast very difficult) to make a manouver node to do this, because, if the node adds enough deltaV to reverse the orbit, the manouver node will also reverse.

And than, instead of dragging the retrograde handle, you are suddenly dragging the prograde handle. And that keeps flipping as long as you are at that point

[rtxoff]

Sounds plausible, i'm in favor of.

[Specialist290]

It is easiest to notice with inclination changes yes, but the worst problem is when you try to reverse your orbit (burn out till almost at the edge of SOI, and than burn retrograde until you reverse the direction of the orbit).

With the current system, it is not actually possible (or atleast very difficult) to make a manouver node to do this, because, if the node adds enough deltaV to reverse the orbit, the manouver node will also reverse.

And than, instead of dragging the retrograde handle, you are suddenly dragging the prograde handle. And that keeps flipping as long as you are at that point

I'm in favor of this suggestion, and Sirrobert's post above is exactly why. I always find it annoying when the nodes "flip-flop" like that while I'm trying to tweak a high-eccentricity orbit to bring my PE down even lower (which happens pretty commonly when I'm trying to refine an aerobraking trajectory, for instance).

[Red Iron Crown]

Good suggestion. The ideal solution would be the ability to choose whether the node stays oriented to the original trajectory or the planned trajectory, but if we can only have one then original trajectory is better.