achieving a orbit

[Quick_Nick]

Actually, for whatever reason, burning orbit Anti-normal and orbit normal will slightly affect the eccentricity of the orbit.
And just for the record, having a circular orbit is really nice, I love them, I try to insert into as close a one as I can when flying depending on the mission, but it's not a requirement or anything.

Assuming an instantaneous burst of thrust at the very moment that you are at the node, the eccentricity won't change. Since this isn't possible, you can just burn the same delta-v before the node as you do after the node. Still, I don't think the change in eccentricity is too much. Just correct PeA/ApA, then Inc, and repeat until it's all in the green.

 

[Linguofreak]

thanks, but engaging thrust spoils circular orbit.

I agree with the others here. The only advantage you get from a perfectly circular orbit as opposed to a slightly non-circular one is the fuzzy feeling you get from having performed a feat of precision flying. If you have non-spherical gravity sources turned on, your circular orbit isn't going to stay circular anyways, which is how things happen in real spaceflight. And if the eccentricity gets too bad during your plane change (I think it has for me once or twice), you can always correct it. And really, if you're trying to dock with another spacecraft, you have to match its orbit anyways, and that orbit is likely not to be perfectly circular. If you're not trying to dock with another spacecraft, your ApA and PeA probably don't need to be any closer together than a few 100 km.

 

[iam_inorbit]

Now, Reading your replys, What can i say.

I agree what you all are saying But, I am a beginner, So i think that maybe there is a mistake in my DG Takeoff so i am posting here the numbers what i use in my DG takeoff to orbit if there will be any mistake please let me know.

I am using a tutorial to ISS. it says that;

Take off.
1)Take off DG at the Heading of 42 degree instead of 90 degree and pitch 50.
2)when you reach at the ALT of 30k Turn on the Rcs thrusters and pitch between 30 and 40.
3)when your ApA reaches 300k, turn off the main engines and Turn Prograde till your ApT=0 (reach APA) and press + to raise PeA, when your PeA is above +150 you get a circular orbit.
4)when P will come towards you it will show engage thrust message (+)(-) press it and engage thrust (ctrl +)

this is affecting my orbit to an oval orbit.

if i turn RCS thrusters to translation mode before engaging thrust will it help.

 

[Tommy]

How much Rinc do you have after you raise your PE?

 

[Hielor]

Now, Reading your replys, What can i say.

I agree what you all are saying But, I am a beginner, So i think that maybe there is a mistake in my DG Takeoff so i am posting here the numbers what i use in my DG takeoff to orbit if there will be any mistake please let me know.

I am using a tutorial to ISS. it says that;

Take off.
1)Take off DG at the Heading of 42 degree instead of 90 degree and pitch 50.
2)when you reach at the ALT of 30k Turn on the Rcs thrusters and pitch between 30 and 40.
3)when your ApA reaches 300k, turn off the main engines and Turn Prograde till your ApT=0 (reach APA) and press + to raise PeA, when your PeA is above +150 you get a circular orbit.
4)when P will come towards you it will show engage thrust message (+)(-) press it and engage thrust (ctrl +)

this is affecting my orbit to an oval orbit.

if i turn RCS thrusters to translation mode before engaging thrust will it help.

You need to engage the Normal + or Normal - autopilots long before you get to the point where it says engage thrust.

 

[Rathelm]

Now, Reading your replys, What can i say.

I agree what you all are saying But, I am a beginner, So i think that maybe there is a mistake in my DG Takeoff so i am posting here the numbers what i use in my DG takeoff to orbit if there will be any mistake please let me know.

I am using a tutorial to ISS. it says that;

Take off.
1)Take off DG at the Heading of 42 degree instead of 90 degree and pitch 50.
2)when you reach at the ALT of 30k Turn on the Rcs thrusters and pitch between 30 and 40.
3)when your ApA reaches 300k, turn off the main engines and Turn Prograde till your ApT=0 (reach APA) and press + to raise PeA, when your PeA is above +150 you get a circular orbit.
4)when P will come towards you it will show engage thrust message (+)(-) press it and engage thrust (ctrl +)

this is affecting my orbit to an oval orbit.

if i turn RCS thrusters to translation mode before engaging thrust will it help.

Is your Orbit MFD on ECL to ECL or ECL to SHP? If it's ECL to ECL then your orbit will rotate around the planet. If it's ECL to SHP it should stay looking like a circle.

 

[Urwumpe]

It is not about knowing when to start to burn, but also when to stop it.

 

[-Pv-]

So, What's wrong with installing DGIV, use the launch autopilot with Surface and Orbit MFDs turned on, watching the AP put you into orbit, then launching again manually duplicating what you saw?
-Pv-

 

[atuhalpa]

Whee!

Personally I prefer a highly eliptical orbit as it is a lot more fun to see the earth from way up high and then to slide down the gravity well going faster and faster just like a roller coaster, then swing on through your perigee and back up again. (heh heh):speakcool:

 

[Eagle]

So, What's wrong with installing DGIV, use the launch autopilot with Surface and Orbit MFDs turned on, watching the AP put you into orbit, then launching again manually duplicating what you saw?
-Pv-

Absolutely nothing. Its exactly how I learned how to get the stock Shuttle into orbit manually when I started playing.

Fly yourself into orbit a few more times and you'll learn the mechanics of it. Eventually you'll understand the theory well enough to fly anything into orbit no matter what it is. (assuming you have the required delta v).

This is the learning path I suggest:
Basic getting into orbit and docking.
In orbit plane changes
Launching into a specific plane and rendezvous with satellites
Rendezvous with the moon
Interplanetary transfers.

That's most of the skill you'll ever need. Faster than Holtzman transfers are pretty easy to pick up. Low energy or ion drive navigation can be pretty tricky though. Oh, slingshots and free return trajectories too.

 

[Tommy]

You need to engage the Normal AP (either + or -) before the "engage thrust" sign comes on. You must wait until the craft is orientated correctly before engaging thrust.

 

[iam_inorbit]

So, What's wrong with installing DGIV, use the launch autopilot with Surface and Orbit MFDs turned on, watching the AP put you into orbit, then launching again manually duplicating what you saw?
-Pv-

Okay, I have downloaded Deltaglider IV from dan's website, i will try what you are saying. Thanks


-----Post Added-----


It is a bit complicated to understand the allign planes MFD, i which direction should i engage thrust. I am not understanding the allign planes mfd.

 

[Rathelm]

Okay, I have downloaded Deltaglider IV from dan's website, i will try what you are saying. Thanks


-----Post Added-----


It is a bit complicated to understand the allign planes MFD, i which direction should i engage thrust. I am not understanding the allign planes mfd.

Like others have said if you (the little "P" on the MFD) are moving toward DN (Descending Node) then you orient your ship to + Normal and thrust when it tells you to. If you're moving toward the AN (Ascending Node) you orient your ship Anti-Normal and thrust when it tells you to. Just use the autopilots and leave them on while you're doing the burn.

 

[tblaxland]

It is a bit complicated to understand the allign planes MFD, i which direction should i engage thrust. I am not understanding the allign planes mfd.

To align your planes with a target (you've set one, right?) you need to burn normal (ie, at right angles) to your orbital plane at either the ascending node (marked by AN) or at the descending node (marked by DN). Your can do either one since for a roughly circular orbit, the delta-v required at each node will be roughly the same.

If you are burning at the ascending node, you need to burn anti-normal, ie, use the "Normal -" autopilot to point in the right direction before burning. Just remember Anti-Normal at the Ascending Node (AN-AN).

If your are burning at the descending node, you need to burn normal, ie use the "Normal +" autopilot to point in the right direction before burning.

The flashing "Engage Thrust" light will come on when "Tn" (time to node) is approximately half "Est Thrust T" (estimated required thrusting time).

Burn until the "Kill Thrust" light comes on. It may take more than one attempt to get "RInc" down to zero, ie, more than one node, especially if you have a large relative inclination. If it is not zero after the first attempt, fly around to the next node and try again.

Have you done this tutorial?
[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3074"]Tutorial: DG to ISS[/ame]

Have you read Go Play In Space?

Do you know why you are aligning planes?

 

[iam_inorbit]

oh, Thanks tblaxland for reminding me, That tutorial (Dg to Iss) taught me how to go in orbit, i did that tutorial till orbiting the second part(included) teaches how to dock to iss. i forgot that, thank you.

So in your reply, you mean to say that when "p" comes towards anti normal i should just press (normal -) autopilot and engage thrust till kill thrust message appears and leave the rest on it.

 

[tblaxland]

So in your reply, you mean to say that when "p" comes towards anti normal i should just press (normal -) autopilot and engage thrust till kill thrust message appears and leave the rest on it.

Yes. Just one question - leave the rest of what on what?

 

[iam_inorbit]

Yes. Just one question - leave the rest of what on what?

Oh, I mean that leave the rest on the autopilot in which i'll press normal + or normal -

But alligning orbit burns too much of fuel, not having enough. i have tried deselecting the limited fuel option in orbiter/paremeters...

Can we get fuel when docked at ISS.

 

[tblaxland]

Oh, I mean that leave the rest on the autopilot in which i'll press normal + or normal -

OK, but just be aware that if you time accelerate between nodes, leaving the autopilot on can make your vessel unstable and use a lot of fuel. I recommend turning them off when you time accelerate.

But alligning orbit burns too much of fuel, not having enough. i have tried deselecting the limited fuel option in orbiter/paremeters...

Yes, it does use a lot of fuel but running out tells me that your launch was not very successful. You said earlier you launched at a heading of 42°. After reaching orbit, what was your inclination (set Orbit MFD to EQU mode)? It should be around 52°. If not, you did not keep heading in a straight line when launching.

The other possible problem with your launch could be that the orbital track of the ISS was not passing over the launch site when you launched. Use the map MFD, set the TGT to ISS and launch when the ISS orbital track is over the launch site.

If you do both of these things, you should be able to have a low enough relative inclination to the ISS to easily align planes.

Can we get fuel when docked at ISS.

Fuel MFD: [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3320"]Fuel MFD[/ame]

Alternatively, you can use the Scenario Editor to refuel your ship at any time.

Have you read Go Play in Space? You didn't answer that before. If not, I strongly recommend it, cover to cover. It is worth the effort, trust me.

 

[iam_inorbit]

I have already downloaded "go play in space" but never read it carefully and seriously. so which chapter you suggest is useful for docking to iss.

 

[Kveldulf]

I have already downloaded "go play in space" but never read it carefully and seriously. so which chapter you suggest is useful for docking to iss.

Dancing in the dark is about docking. To be honest, I found that chapter to be the hardest one to understand, but you'll get through it eventually.