Hardest thing in Orbiter

[Bj]

What in your opinion, was the hardest concept of space flight, when you where learning the physics behind it.

 

[Spaceghost]

First it was getting to the Moon. Of course I just had to try pointing the nose at it and blasting away. Once I did learn how to do it the hardest thing was not getting run over by it. I ended up ahead of it and kept looking out the front wondering how I had missed a rock that size. Then I looked behind me and saw it chasing me.

Did the same thing for Mars on my first interplanetary mission. :lol: And if you think TransX is difficult now you should have seen it then.

 

[flytandem]

What in your opinion, was the hardest concept of space flight, when you where learning the physics behind it.

Remembering to take time to eat and sleep.:blink:

 

[Sigursæll]

When I started learning about orbital dynamics, I tried to do an LEO to moon maneuver with the standard DG.

Using a paper, pen and a scientific calculator. No orbiter instruments (besides the hud, which I've only used to guesstimate the direction I needed to burn in). I did the whole mission in realtime, planning my sleep schedule and computing time to coincide with the course correction burns. I ended up arriving only 17 minutes ahead of schedule and 1,3 degrees out of plane for a landing on brighton beach, which I corrected over the next few orbits and landed.

I think I still have all the paper I used for that stored somewhere (around 30 A4 pages of calculations, sketches and random doodles)...might take some photos and upload if I can find it.

 

[Bj]

When I started learning about orbital dynamics, I tried to do an LEO to moon maneuver with the standard DG.

Using a paper, pen and a scientific calculator. No orbiter instruments (besides the hud, which I've only used to guesstimate the direction I needed to burn in). I did the whole mission in realtime, planning my sleep schedule and computing time to coincide with the course correction burns. I ended up arriving only 17 minutes ahead of schedule and 1,3 degrees out of plane for a landing on brighton beach, which I corrected over the next few orbits and landed.

I think I still have all the paper I used for that stored somewhere (around 30 A4 pages of calculations, sketches and random doodles)...might take some photos and upload if I can find it.

Impressive... You see a career as a astronaught?

 

[Sigursæll]

Impressive... You see a career as a astronaught?

Not an astronaut (until a ride to orbit costs less than I can realistically make in 2 years), but I'm studying aerospace engineering.

 

[Bj]

Not an astronaut (until a ride to orbit costs less than I can realistically make in 2 years), but I'm studying aerospace engineering.

very cool,

 

[Tex]

Interplanetary travel (which I still can't do)

 

[RAF92_Moser]

Getting to Mars...always ended up in the doldrums of space.

 

[Bj]

Interplanetary travel (which I still can't do)

Really?

Actually I can travel just fine to other planets, its just, I have a hard time finding when to go. :lol:

 

[NukeET]

What in your opinion, was the hardest concept of space flight, when you where learning the physics behind it.

Station Building. The 3 hardest aspects I found were:

1) Launching at correct time and azimuth with the next piece.

2) Matching orbits with the station well enough to call it "station keeping".

3) That Dragonfly! I can follow check lists and flip switches with the best of em, but the fuel cell overheating problem/bug on that thing s!!!!

 

[bujin]

The hardest thing I find is de-orbit. I've been trying to get my head around the physics and maths involved in calculating a de-orbit burn (when, where, how long for, what angle, etc...) and I'm getting nowhere fast!

 

[EJ316]

The hardest thing I find is de-orbit. I've been trying to get my head around the physics and maths involved in calculating a de-orbit burn (when, where, how long for, what angle, etc...) and I'm getting nowhere fast!

That's why you need the DGIV with its automatic re-entry

Kinda cheating but yeah...

For me the hardest thing was learning to match orbit with the ISS or other space stations because I would always just fly past them or something. Now it's more like using the 100000x fast forward too much during long inter-planetary flights and missing my planet

 

[bujin]

It's not the actual de-orbit process that I find difficult. I always use the DGIV and Space Shuttle autopilots. But with the DGIV, it's knowing when to start the burn that's tricky, since it varies on a multitude of parameters!

 

[unussapiens]

rendevouzing, never been able to quite get the hang of that, though interplanetry travel is no problem

 

[tl8]

rendevouzing, never been able to quite get the hang of that, though interplanetry travel is no problem

Second that.

 

[flytandem]

Thanks for all the memories. Reading through the list of "hardest thing" reminds me that they have each been on my list of hardest thing at one time or another. It always seems that after every mountain one climbs, there appears yet another one. But don't get me wrong,... the fun is always in the climb.

 

[bujin]

Absolutely. I've never had any program on my computer (game or otherwise) which has given me the sense of satisfaction I get from perfecting a particularly tricky maneuvre in Orbiter.

 

[computerex]

rendevouzing, never been able to quite get the hang of that, though interplanetry travel is no problem

Completely the opposite for me...I can dock to anything anytime. I can only travel to the moon using transfer MFD, as I don't like IMFD. IMFD does the burns for you, I want to use TransX, where you have to do the burns manually, and where you have more control. Anyone have a good TransX tutorial?

 

[flytandem]

Anyone have a good TransX tutorial?

Not sure if these are any help... http://www.flytandem.com/orbiter/tutorials/index.htm