Difference between revisions of "Tutorial: Land at the Space Center"
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== Landing at the Kerbal Space Center == | == Landing at the Kerbal Space Center == | ||
| − | After you've achieved orbit, or landed on the Mun, why not show off by splashing down just east of the [[Kerbal Space Center]]? | + | After you've achieved orbit, or landed on the [[Mun]], why not show off by splashing down just east of the [[Kerbal Space Center]]? |
===Specifications=== | ===Specifications=== | ||
| − | *'''Length:''' | + | *'''Length:''' 30–40 minutes |
*'''Difficulty:''' Easier than a Mun landing. Smaller rockets can do this easily. | *'''Difficulty:''' Easier than a Mun landing. Smaller rockets can do this easily. | ||
*'''Skills needed:''' Orbit adjustment (via prograde/retrograde burns at peri-kerbin/apo-kerbin) | *'''Skills needed:''' Orbit adjustment (via prograde/retrograde burns at peri-kerbin/apo-kerbin) | ||
*'''For version:''' Every version (tested on 0.13.1) | *'''For version:''' Every version (tested on 0.13.1) | ||
| + | |||
==Steps== | ==Steps== | ||
===Step 0 - Rocket Design=== | ===Step 0 - Rocket Design=== | ||
| − | Any rocket that can put a CM, a fuel tank, a liquid engine, and SAS into orbit should suffice. RCS thrusters will help you make any fine adjustments. | + | Any [[rocket]] that can put a CM, a [[fuel tank]], a liquid engine, and SAS into orbit should suffice. RCS thrusters will help you make any fine adjustments. |
===Step 1 - Circular Orbit=== | ===Step 1 - Circular Orbit=== | ||
| − | The easiest way that I've found is to start with a circular | + | The easiest way that I've found is to start with a circular 150 km orbit. Other orbits may work, and if you find one, do edit this page and add the info! |
| + | |||
| + | : 110 km up works for the Mk1-2 pod, and 75 km up for the Mk1 pod, in KSP 1.0.5. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kSxn6rU5r0| Examples here.] | ||
| − | Try to keep this orbit as flat as possible, otherwise you may miss KSC to the north or south. A way to find if | + | Try to keep this orbit as flat as possible, otherwise you may miss KSC to the north or south. A way to find if you are too far north/south is to set the [[Mün]] as your target. The ascending/descending nodes will appear, telling your degrees north/south. Make sure the degrees are at zero exactly. Or even better, burn until it shows NaN. |
===Step 2 - De-Orbit Timing=== | ===Step 2 - De-Orbit Timing=== | ||
| − | This is the tricky bit. If Kerbin didn't have any air, we would just retro-burn on the far side of Kerbin until the | + | This is the tricky bit. If [[Kerbin]] didn't have any air, we would just retro-burn on the far side of Kerbin until the periapsis point touches the ground. However, Kerbin's atmosphere will slow us down, and we would land short roughly on the west coast of the peninsula past the KSC. So we will need to de-orbit roughly 90 degrees ahead of the KSC, and place the periapsis at roughly 90 degrees beyond KSC. |
===Step 3 - Tweaking the landing point=== | ===Step 3 - Tweaking the landing point=== | ||
If, for some reason, the peri-Kerbin isn't right on the dot, here's what you can do to adjust your landing point: | If, for some reason, the peri-Kerbin isn't right on the dot, here's what you can do to adjust your landing point: | ||
| − | Remember, burning in prograde will just lift the | + | Remember, burning in prograde will just lift the periapsis off of the ground, and you may wind up overshooting the whole planet! |
===Step 4 - Enjoy the ride=== | ===Step 4 - Enjoy the ride=== | ||
| Line 27: | Line 32: | ||
==Finishing word== | ==Finishing word== | ||
| − | Landing at the KSC is pretty simple once you figure out where you should start your retrograde burn. | + | Landing at the KSC is pretty simple once you figure out where you should start your retrograde burn. |
| − | [[Category:Tutorials]] | + | [[Category:Tutorials|Land at the Space Center]] |
Latest revision as of 20:01, 2 May 2019
Contents
Landing at the Kerbal Space Center
After you've achieved orbit, or landed on the Mun, why not show off by splashing down just east of the Kerbal Space Center?
Specifications
- Length: 30–40 minutes
- Difficulty: Easier than a Mun landing. Smaller rockets can do this easily.
- Skills needed: Orbit adjustment (via prograde/retrograde burns at peri-kerbin/apo-kerbin)
- For version: Every version (tested on 0.13.1)
Steps
Step 0 - Rocket Design
Any rocket that can put a CM, a fuel tank, a liquid engine, and SAS into orbit should suffice. RCS thrusters will help you make any fine adjustments.
Step 1 - Circular Orbit
The easiest way that I've found is to start with a circular 150 km orbit. Other orbits may work, and if you find one, do edit this page and add the info!
- 110 km up works for the Mk1-2 pod, and 75 km up for the Mk1 pod, in KSP 1.0.5. Examples here.
Try to keep this orbit as flat as possible, otherwise you may miss KSC to the north or south. A way to find if you are too far north/south is to set the Mün as your target. The ascending/descending nodes will appear, telling your degrees north/south. Make sure the degrees are at zero exactly. Or even better, burn until it shows NaN.
Step 2 - De-Orbit Timing
This is the tricky bit. If Kerbin didn't have any air, we would just retro-burn on the far side of Kerbin until the periapsis point touches the ground. However, Kerbin's atmosphere will slow us down, and we would land short roughly on the west coast of the peninsula past the KSC. So we will need to de-orbit roughly 90 degrees ahead of the KSC, and place the periapsis at roughly 90 degrees beyond KSC.
Step 3 - Tweaking the landing point
If, for some reason, the peri-Kerbin isn't right on the dot, here's what you can do to adjust your landing point: Remember, burning in prograde will just lift the periapsis off of the ground, and you may wind up overshooting the whole planet!
Step 4 - Enjoy the ride
Remember to jettison everything (except for the CM and parachute) before you hit the atmosphere. The empty tanks, fins, etc., will provide unaccounted drag and will make you miss the KSC.
Finishing word
Landing at the KSC is pretty simple once you figure out where you should start your retrograde burn.
