Delta Glider ISS Orbit Sync

[kevindickens001]

I am trying to complete the DG to ISS tutorial. I have read the manual as well as other tutorials. I have been able to do everything the manual says as precisely as possible. During orbit synchronisation I was able to get DTmin to 0.00. However, I can never get closer than 100km to the ISS. After about 100km the ISS starts to move away from me again? What I am I doing wrong? I have tried this many times and now I am very frustrated.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Whatu]

When you are at 100 km from the ISS, you can do one thing:

Point your spaceship towards the negative vector of your "ISS-relative" speed. This is a cross in the docking HUD (you have to have selected ISS XPDR or a docking port to appear).
Then fire your engines and get your velocity to zero. There you are stopped relative to ISS (but this is not a stable position).
From here you can point your nose to isss and fire engines. You'll notice your positive velocity vector going up.
Then you can approach at a speed you consider, and make changes in course if your "ISS-relative" direction of motion slides (which it will). Dont forget you have to brake when arriving!

And I am recalling this from memory so forgive if theres something wrong.

Hope this helps you

 

[kevindickens001]

That didn't work. Whatever I do I cannot get relative velocity to be stable. If I point at the negative velocity cross and apply thrust the velocity increases. If I point at the cross within the circle and then apply thrust the relative velocity decreases but when I cut thrust it increases again. The difference in distance seems to be the altitude difference. It seems like we both arrive at the correct point but at different altitudes. This is because as I try to synchronize the orbit my PeA altitude also changes. How can I keep the PeA altitude stable? (I am using Sh periapsis as reference).

 

[cr1]

Once you get within 100km of ISS, you don't really need the Sync Orbit MFD anymore (it's supposed to get you near the ISS, but since you're already 100km away, it's done with its job). I recommend you to open the retro doors. Now point your nose towards the negative velocity cross and apply (forwards) thrust. If the relative velocity increases, just reverse the thrust (you can apply retro-thrusters since retro doors are open).

This is how I got to the ISS for the first time. Hope it helps

 

[astrosammy]

When DTmin is 0.00 and you can't get nearer than 100km you probably have a high relative inclination. Get it down with AlignPlanes MFD a half orbit before rendezvous.

 

[dutchpirate]

Once you are that close to the ISS, make you relative velocity as close to zero as you can (doesn't have to be exact), then point your nose at the ISS and thrust forward. When the negative vector appears on your screen (cross), use translational thrust to steer the vector right onto the ISS. Then give another boost, and you should be sailing towards the station. If you start drifting off too far and can't correct with thrusters, make your relative velocity as close to zero as you can again and repeat the process.

 

[kevindickens001]

I've just docked successfully for the first time. Thanks for all the help!