frame of reference question

[Mundiver]

Hi all,

I'm new to KSP and have a few quick questions stemming from my first try at a satellite launch contract.

1. The longitude of the AN is measured from what reference?

2. Where is KSP in terms of longitude?

I'm trying to figure out which direction this polar orbit is going to be so I know whether to roll S or N after launch.

Thanks!

Edited January 5, 2015 by Mundiver

[LethalDose]

Hi all,

I'm new to KSP and have a few quick questions stemming from my first try at a satellite launch contract.

1. The longitude of the AN is measured from what reference?

2. Where is KSP in terms of longitude?

I'm trying to figure out which direction this polar orbit is going to be so I know whether to roll S or N after launch.

Thanks!

The longitude of the AN is measured from a celestial reference, basically outside the Kerbol system.

KSC is at 74 deg 34' 31" longitude on Kerbin according to the wiki.

[Pecan]

If it's a polar orbit the easiest way to tell is by looking at which way around the dots are going on it in the Tracking Centre.

When KSC* passes under the orbit launch and turn N or S as required to follow the dots.

Note that Kerbin is spinning anyway so you have some Easterly velocity already - launching due N or S will result in an orbit slightly to the East, but you'll probably need to make some adjustments once in space anyway.

(*KSP = Kerbal Space Program = the game. I suspect you mean KSC = Kerbal Space Centre ^^)

[Mundiver]

KSC is at 74 deg 34' 31" longitude on Kerbin according to the wiki.

Thanks!

If it's a polar orbit the easiest way to tell is by looking at which way around the dots are going on it in the Tracking Centre.

[snip]

(*KSP = Kerbal Space Program = the game. I suspect you mean KSC = Kerbal Space Centre ^^)

Thanks for the tip. Yes, I meant KSC.

[LordFerret]

I'm still in the process of putting SCANsats up, and as crazy as it sounds, before heading out to the 'body', I watch it timewarped a little and look for a polar landmark... once arriving, going right into a polar orbit (or close to it), I adjust the orbit to my 'landmark'. So far, seat-of-the-pants as it is, it's worked for me (98% or better coverage). All except Moho... that one was a bit of a cheat... it's got a dot of 'light' marking each of its poles lol.

[Mundiver]

That sounds handy (Moho I mean). What do SCANsats do?

[Pecan]

SCANSat is a mod that adds mapping sensors, which is a good use for unmanned probes. You don't have to change your gameplay or do anything (apart from launch satellites/vehicles with the sensors on them) to use it, so it doesn't screw things up like RemoteTech. On the other hand, unlike RemoteTech, it gives you useful information - like where the biomes, flat landing-areas and 'anomalies' (Easter Eggs, programmer's jokes, #odd# things) are.

[Mundiver]

Cool, maybe I'll try that. I've seen remotetech in some youtube videos but it looked like more complication than I needed at the moment.

[Spheniscine]

Er, yeah. RemoteTech is a "hard mode" mod made for more advanced players; the idea is that you have to build a communication network to keep unmanned satellites online, and it also simulates communication delay due to the speed of light. You really shouldn't mess with it until you are very comfortable with the game.

Edited January 5, 2015 by Spheniscine

[WuphonsReach]

RT is pretty simple for Kerbin's SoI

- Every sat has a DP-10 (500km range) always-on antenna attached

- Anything within low Kerbin orbit should have a Comm-16 (2500km range), activated above 65km

- Sats with just a Comm-16 only need about 300-600 battery and a handful of OX-STAT panels

- Have (4) sats at the 776km orbital altitude (90 minute period), equally spaced

- Have at least one sat at KEO (2969km) above the KSC complex with a pair of DTS-M1 (one pointed at KSC, the other pointed at "active vessel"), this one needs 2400 battery to survive the dark period of the orbit when the solar panels do not get sunlight.

- Future sats have a DTS-M1 that points at the KEO "active vessel" satellite (activated above 65km).

Hardest bit of RT is getting those first (4) sats up at the 776km orbital altitude, before losing your connection to KSC as you go below the horizon. But those launches can be done for 8-12k each.

Then you can start fine tuning things, like putting up (2) satellites that service the "active vessel" link in KEO orbit about 100-150 degrees apart (ahead/behind of KSC) so that at least one of them will always be in view of anything within Kerbin's sphere of influence (SoI). Then setting up a pair around Minimums/Mun at 1000-1500km orbits and linking back to Kerbin.

Putting up an inner ring of satellites at 450km (60 minute orbital period) can also be useful for times when you forget to turn on your Comm-16 or Comm-32 antenna after reaching orbit. They also serve as redundancy for the 776km sats for connecting back to KSC.

[Mundiver]

Wuphons, if i ever install that mod what you just wrote will come in handy. What I'm finding hard in the game is the limitations in early career mode, like needing to do vis surveys before having jet engines...playing in moderate mode and it's taking a while to accumulate money and science.

The game mechanics around launch and flight arent that hard and I was thinking of starting with FAR and DR to start upping the difficulty there.