Tutorial:Moon landing using mods

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Revision as of 20:48, 7 October 2012 by Brad Pugh (talk | contribs) (→‎Step 5 - Return to Kerbin Optional)
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Landing on the Mun is no easy task! With a reasonable gravity well, and no atmosphere, the rocky natural satellite conspres to make a rocky grave for Kerbanauts. This tutorial provides tips on how to land on the Mun using modded parts. Although in reality, from Step 2 it applies to any ship attempting to fly to the Mun.

Specifications

  • Length: 5-10 minutes
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • For version: 0.13 and above

Steps

Step 1 - Getting the addon

Get the The Intrepid SLS Rocket from here, or a number of other modded parts to make your journey easier.

Suggested parts to find include:

  • Larger Solid Rocket Boosters
  • Lunar Landing Module (LEM/LM)
  • Larger Liquid fuel tanks

Step 2 - Launch the rocket normally

Fly up to about 15,000 Metres vertically. At this point, begin "the tilt" East or West. Once about about 65-70,000m, you are out of the atmosphere and can transfer your upwards energy into east-west speed.

Step 3 - Go to the Mun

Difficult on first glance, a rule of thumb will help you get there.

  • Wait for Mun-rise to finish from an approx. 100,000m orbit
  • Burn to raise your apoapsis to between 11.5 and 12.5 million.
  • Get captured by the Mun's gravity.

Step 4 - Land on the Mun

  • Once captured by the Mun, Retro-burn to first counter-act the slingshot, past, slowing into an eliptical orbit.
  • Continue retro-burn to place Periapsis on the surface of the Mun.
  • From here, several large burns, or one long gentle burn will be required to negate your horizontal and vertical speed.
  • Aim to hit the surface land with less than 5 m/s vertically and less than 3 m/s horizontally to ensure a safe landing.
  • Keep SAS on, to stabilize the vehicle on landing.

Step 5 - Return to Kerbin Optional

  • If your rocket has the fuel to reach the Mun's escape you can most probably return to Kerbin.
  • First fire your rockets but monitor your map view for the point at which you reach the Mun's escape velocity and cut the rockets.
  • Once in the gravity well of Kerbin burn to lower Periapsis to lower the 70,000m.
  • Warp to your Periapsis. Lower than 70,000m the drag from the atmosphere of Kerbin will lower your orbit without the need for additional burns.
  • With luck you will have some fuel left that can be used for canceling extra vertical and horizontal velocity before the opening of your parachutes or a power landing. (Parachutes are much easier than power landings on Kerbin.)

Finishing word

Flying to Mun is a great achievement and one which all aspire to accomplishing. This guide should help you to achieve your goals and begin to look at even more challenging possibilities in KSP!

If you feel you have anything to contribute to this tutorial, please feel free to add, as this is still very short!

Thanks for editing the rest of this PD.~Longmvu

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