Return to “Games”

Post

Re: Kerbal Space Program

#378
Have you ever had a time trying to figure out when the best time to make a planetary transfer would be? When is the optimum window to Duna, to Jool?
Or how about after you've landed. Do you just launch and hope for the best to get a return trip back to Kerbin or do you just leave the crew there and go on to a new mission?

I've been using this tool: Olex's Interactive Illustrated Interplanetary Guide and Calculator for KSP to plan my trips. While it's a very handy tool, I have to minimize my game, go look on a website then get back into the game. I started keeping a cheat sheet, writing down the angles but I thought wouldn't a clock reference be better? After all pilots use phrases like "He's on your 6!" or "Target a 11 o'clock! Light em up!"

I wondered, could I come up with a design for a chart, that combines all the planet's transfer windows, I could just place next to my PC as a quick reference guide.
So I came up with the KSP Planetary Transfer Quick Reference Chart:
Image
It positions all departure planets at 3 o'clock and gives you the destination planet as would be positioned on a clock.

So for that trip to Duna I've been wanting to make, in Map View you would line up Kerbin on 3:00 and time warp until Duna is at 1:32. Since Duna is an outer planet I switch to the small clock on the right, Inner planets on the left, and look up the Ejection Angle to Duna and see that it ranges from 5:00 to 4:45, based on a 100km to 500km Kerbin orbit respectively.

To get back to Kerbin from Duna, on the center clock, you look for the colored arc that matches Duna's orbit, in this case red, and you see that "from Duna" (Duna being at 3:00) Kerbin's position should be at 5:31. Moving to the Ejection Angle to Inner Planet's clock, your burn "from Duna" orbit, should start between 10:00 (100km) to 9:45 (500km).

This is for those of you, like me, who don't use mods like KSP Alarm Clock, which I think is a great tool though I haven't tried it out yet.

Sorry for this wall of text. I hope the chart is self explanatory. I tried to adhere to the KISS principle and I hope I succeeded. I'd appreciate any feed back.

Oh there's also a Gray Scale version.
Last edited by Landge on Sun Aug 25, 2013 10:08 am, edited 3 times in total.
"Exploration and discovery is not an option we choose—it is a desire written in the human heart. We are that part of creation which seeks to understand all creation."
My KSP Videos
Post

Re: Kerbal Space Program

#379
Landge wrote:So I came up with the KSP Planetary Transfer Quick Reference Chart:
This ... :shock: :o ... This is the most awesome and useful infographic I have seen in ages.

Thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

I mean, I could calculate the planetary transits before, but it was pretty time consuming and annoying. You've just simplified the whole shebang down to a chart.

Hats off to you, sir.
- The Snark Knight

"Look upward, and share the wonders I've seen."
Post

Re: Kerbal Space Program

#380
Just_Ice_au wrote:
Landge wrote:So I came up with the KSP Planetary Transfer Quick Reference Chart:
This ... :shock: :o ... This is the most awesome and useful infographic I have seen in ages.

Thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

I mean, I could calculate the planetary transits before, but it was pretty time consuming and annoying. You've just simplified the whole shebang down to a chart.

Hats off to you, sir.
Wow, I feel like such a KSP noob, you know how I got a satellite to the mun, I had it orbit Kerbin and go out to the orbital path of the mun, and I waited until it got there, and then I put in stable orbit, and it is scanning for kethane!

~Sly
IVE BEEN OUT OF MY MIND A LONG TIME
Post

Re: Kerbal Space Program

#383
I picked this up yesterday.. I watched a lot of Scott Manley videos first. Still.. my first attempt got me just in to space, then I ran out of fuel.. my next attempt got me well into orbit but then my orbit was too shallow and I ended up falling back to Kerbin.. then I went and watched some more of his videos and gave it another try. Got it up into orbit, created a 100km stable orbit and yeh.. it was really satisfying.. then I tried a simple maneuvre and ran out of fuel... so by now I probably have a dead Kerbal orbitting in a capsule.. oh well.. more fuel next time... I'm just not good enough yet to work out how to do fuel runs..
Post

Re: Kerbal Space Program

#384
Thanks for your words of encouragement. Every now and then my brain kicks into gear, neurons will fire, triggering a spark of an idea. ;)
I haven't been able to test it myself just yet. Spending a week at the beach with the family.
"Exploration and discovery is not an option we choose—it is a desire written in the human heart. We are that part of creation which seeks to understand all creation."
My KSP Videos
Post

Re: Kerbal Space Program

#385
I'll definitely be trying do some of these crazy designs and stuff soon :)

Is it possible to launch a craft, put it in orbit and then go back to the space centre and launch another craft which docks with the first craft to give it fuel and then switch back to the first craft and pilot it again?
Post

Re: Kerbal Space Program

#386
HowSerendipitous wrote:So I was trying to solve a problem at work today, when I noticed the chap I was working with had the Space Shuttle as his desktop image.

'So, have you ever heard of Kerbal Space Program....?'

:twisted:
Hahahahahaha! Oh boy, this could get interesting... :twisted:
light487 wrote:Is it possible to launch a craft, put it in orbit and then go back to the space centre and launch another craft which docks with the first craft to give it fuel and then switch back to the first craft and pilot it again?
I don't see why not...I've had to rendezvous with my crafts in orbit and on the Mun to do a few items so I don't think it's changed in the latest patch... ;)
In Josh we trust.
Post

Re: Kerbal Space Program

#387
light487 wrote:I'll definitely be trying do some of these crazy designs and stuff soon :)

Is it possible to launch a craft, put it in orbit and then go back to the space centre and launch another craft which docks with the first craft to give it fuel and then switch back to the first craft and pilot it again?
That's pretty much how I do my interplanetary missions to the other planets. I also send additional fuel to the planets to act as orbital fuel tanks while detaching unmanned rovers to check out potential landing sites. Be sure to post pics of your missions. :thumbup:
"Exploration and discovery is not an option we choose—it is a desire written in the human heart. We are that part of creation which seeks to understand all creation."
My KSP Videos
Post

Re: Kerbal Space Program

#388
light487 wrote:I picked this up yesterday.. I watched a lot of Scott Manley videos first. Still.. my first attempt got me just in to space, then I ran out of fuel.. my next attempt got me well into orbit but then my orbit was too shallow and I ended up falling back to Kerbin.. then I went and watched some more of his videos and gave it another try. Got it up into orbit, created a 100km stable orbit and yeh.. it was really satisfying.. then I tried a simple maneuvre and ran out of fuel... so by now I probably have a dead Kerbal orbitting in a capsule.. oh well.. more fuel next time... I'm just not good enough yet to work out how to do fuel runs..
Your Kerbal isn't dead! He just needs a rescue. :twisted:

There's your first mission!
Image
Post

Re: Kerbal Space Program

#389
HowSerendipitous wrote:
light487 wrote:I picked this up yesterday.. I watched a lot of Scott Manley videos first. Still.. my first attempt got me just in to space, then I ran out of fuel.. my next attempt got me well into orbit but then my orbit was too shallow and I ended up falling back to Kerbin.. then I went and watched some more of his videos and gave it another try. Got it up into orbit, created a 100km stable orbit and yeh.. it was really satisfying.. then I tried a simple maneuvre and ran out of fuel... so by now I probably have a dead Kerbal orbitting in a capsule.. oh well.. more fuel next time... I'm just not good enough yet to work out how to do fuel runs..
Your Kerbal isn't dead! He just needs a rescue. :twisted:

There's your first mission!
And your second mission will be to rescue the rescue ship! :lol:
"Exploration and discovery is not an option we choose—it is a desire written in the human heart. We are that part of creation which seeks to understand all creation."
My KSP Videos
Post

Re: Kerbal Space Program

#390
Landge wrote:
HowSerendipitous wrote:
light487 wrote:I picked this up yesterday.. I watched a lot of Scott Manley videos first. Still.. my first attempt got me just in to space, then I ran out of fuel.. my next attempt got me well into orbit but then my orbit was too shallow and I ended up falling back to Kerbin.. then I went and watched some more of his videos and gave it another try. Got it up into orbit, created a 100km stable orbit and yeh.. it was really satisfying.. then I tried a simple maneuvre and ran out of fuel... so by now I probably have a dead Kerbal orbitting in a capsule.. oh well.. more fuel next time... I'm just not good enough yet to work out how to do fuel runs..
Your Kerbal isn't dead! He just needs a rescue. :twisted:

There's your first mission!
And your second mission will be to rescue the rescue ship! :lol:
Don't worry, this is usually the way of things in KSP. I have a similar situation: my Kerbals are still stranded on the Mun. :lol:
In Josh we trust.

Online Now

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 31 guests

cron