Find best point for incl-change of current ref body

[rynak]

Thus far, i have done orbit inclination changes, for the body i'm currently orbiting around, by pure goddamn trial and error.

I know how to change inclination - that's not the problem. My problem is knowing when i've reached a good spot to change inclination. When i already are close to the incl. i want, i can't do it visually anymore.

I've red somewhere that in the past, it was possible to set the body as a target, to get the ascending and descending markers, but now this seems to no longer be possible.

Are there any mods to help with this? Does the best spot for incl. change have a specific term, which i could check for in VOID?

Edited January 22, 2015 by rynak

[KerikBalm]

I think you have to set an orbiting body as the target.

For example, the Mun has an inclination of zero, so setting it as the target gets what you want.

For Eve.... I guess you have to do it by eye

[Janos1986]

In KER you can target a body and look for relative inclination, ascending and descending nodes even if you haven't left kerbin. Dunno about VOID.

[rynak]

I think you have to set an orbiting body as the target.

For example, the Mun has an inclination of zero, so setting it as the target gets what you want.

For Eve.... I guess you have to do it by eye

I know, but this is off-topic, since it is irrelevant to the question, which was about changing inclination for the current ref body (it's right in the topic title).

[flashcactus]

Use PreciseNode. It has the options to place maneuver nodes at precise spots in the orbit, including ascending/descending nodes.

[rynak]

Use PreciseNode. It has the options to place maneuver nodes at precise spots in the orbit, including ascending/descending nodes.

Thanks! Didn't notice this. I'll also drop a post in the VOID thread - it seems to have printouts for everything and the kitchen sink, except of time to Ascend/Descend.

[Pecan]

I know, but this [setting another body as target] is off-topic, since it is irrelevant to the question, which was about changing inclination for the current ref body (it's right in the topic title).

That IS a good, even the best, option for Kerbin orbits. Whatever you may have read, it's not possible to set the current reference body as target in stock KSP. It's not even possible to find out what your inclination is, let alone where the AN/DN are. Where there is something orbiting the same body on an equatorial plane already, such as Mun does around Kerbin, using that is simple and gives all the information you need. Since Gilly is on an inclined orbit around Eve it's not as useful, but still the most useful thing the game itself provides.

[flashcactus]

Thanks! Didn't notice this. I'll also drop a post in the VOID thread - it seems to have printouts for everything and the kitchen sink, except of time to Ascend/Descend.

No probs. Nice question BTW, didn't notice that there were no equatorial AN/DN.

[bdito]

IIRC, the most efficient place to do an inclination change is at the slowest position of your orbit (the apoapsis).

You can check this by making an eccentric orbit and then creating an inclination maneuver node at both the apoapsis an periapsis and compare the two.

[Laie]

Are there any mods to help with this? Does the best spot for incl. change have a specific term, which i could check for in VOID?

Pecan already said this, but it bears repeating: the Mun is in an equatorial orbit around Kerbin. Your inclination towards the Mun is your inclination towards Kerbin, same for AN/DN. I don't know if there's more moons of that sort, but around Kerbin at least there is an easy workaround.