Tutorial: Direct-Ascent Mun Landing
Direct-Ascent Mun Landing Tutorial
This method for traveling the Mun is simpler and does not require setting up orbit around Kerbin. It is simply blasting straight up until you reach the Mun's SOI.
Steps
- Build Your Rocket
It needs enough Delta-V to launch a lander 12 million meters straight up with a little more for setting up orbit. Besides that limitation, build to your hearts content! Just remember to test your design for flaws, (e.g., accidentally decoupling 2 stages at once.)
- Wait it out
After you have built, saved, and tested your rocket and lander, go to the tracking station and timewarp until the Mun is approximately 45˚ behind the space center.
Alternative place your rocket on the launchpad, set the Mun as your target and timewarp until the purple target circle crosses the 270 degree heading / 45 degree pitch lines on your nav-ball.
- Launch!
If you don't already have your rocket on the launchpad, launch it. Then simply burn straight up until you encounter the Mun's SOI. Then cut the engine and timewarp to the encounter point. While your apoapsis gets higher, you might notice that the path will not be perfectly straight up. This is due to the rotation of Kerbin. This needs no correction, but burning slightly west should nullify the effect.
- Final Steps and Landing
When the rocket reaches the encounter point, set up orbit around the Mun to avoid landing on the dark side, which is much harder. Finally, deorbit the lander so it will land on the light side, and land.
Congratulations!
You have successfully landed! Now go make a Muncastle.
