flying coffin
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- Dec 7, 2007
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Hi folks!
This one is a challenge for sure. I can do this with equatorial orbits just fine,
but polar orbits are another thing entirely. The flight plan is here
http://lcross.arc.nasa.gov/docs/astrWorkshop/Galal_Orbit_Design_Galal_Final.ppt
It's a powerpoint doc, so you need office of some sort. (MS or open office)
What I'm doing is launch a Velcro Atlas V 401, towards the moon. (have to add fuel with scn editor to complete the TLI, but that's ok.
At midcourse correction time, use transx (and I use IMFD map to judge what the actual periapsis will be, it seems the most accurate) to add
positive offplane deltav so lunar periapsis is 60k, then jettison the probe.
The probe will fly over the lunar north pole (hopefully... sometimes it's the
south pole... dunno why. ) and enter a polar lunar orbit.
I then use transx to setup a lunar gravity assist over the opposite lunar pole for the centaur so that it will enter a (again hopefully) polar orbit around earth and should intercept the moon again in 2 orbits. The best I've been able to do so far is 60 degree inclination through pure skill ....erm luck I mean :lol:
If I manage to make it around ro the proper intercept, without smashing into the moon halfway round or getting too close so it alters the orbit or any one of a bunch of things that can (and have) go wrong, then target the probe in IMFD (using moon as reference) Here you have to be careful and target the incoming interception point.
once the centaur gets close, switch focus to the probe, and use telescope MFD to watch the centaur bounce when it hits the moon. If I get that far before BrianJ releases his LRO/LCROSS addon, I'll add a second probe, and
use it to watch the centaur bounce, and then use the first (orbiting) probe to watch the second probe impact.
My main question here, is what is the best way to setup the lunar flyby of the centaur. Polar orbits are, um, interesting to try and visualize with transx and IMFD. They are mostly geared towards ecliptic type orbits.
I also sometimes fly over the opposite pole that I intended. I think
positive offplane dV is towards north (polaris) correct? Anyone have any good ideas on the best way to do this?
Thanks a bunch!
-Chris
This one is a challenge for sure. I can do this with equatorial orbits just fine,
but polar orbits are another thing entirely. The flight plan is here
http://lcross.arc.nasa.gov/docs/astrWorkshop/Galal_Orbit_Design_Galal_Final.ppt
It's a powerpoint doc, so you need office of some sort. (MS or open office)
What I'm doing is launch a Velcro Atlas V 401, towards the moon. (have to add fuel with scn editor to complete the TLI, but that's ok.
At midcourse correction time, use transx (and I use IMFD map to judge what the actual periapsis will be, it seems the most accurate) to add
positive offplane deltav so lunar periapsis is 60k, then jettison the probe.
The probe will fly over the lunar north pole (hopefully... sometimes it's the
south pole... dunno why. ) and enter a polar lunar orbit.
I then use transx to setup a lunar gravity assist over the opposite lunar pole for the centaur so that it will enter a (again hopefully) polar orbit around earth and should intercept the moon again in 2 orbits. The best I've been able to do so far is 60 degree inclination through pure skill ....erm luck I mean :lol:
If I manage to make it around ro the proper intercept, without smashing into the moon halfway round or getting too close so it alters the orbit or any one of a bunch of things that can (and have) go wrong, then target the probe in IMFD (using moon as reference) Here you have to be careful and target the incoming interception point.
once the centaur gets close, switch focus to the probe, and use telescope MFD to watch the centaur bounce when it hits the moon. If I get that far before BrianJ releases his LRO/LCROSS addon, I'll add a second probe, and
use it to watch the centaur bounce, and then use the first (orbiting) probe to watch the second probe impact.
My main question here, is what is the best way to setup the lunar flyby of the centaur. Polar orbits are, um, interesting to try and visualize with transx and IMFD. They are mostly geared towards ecliptic type orbits.
I also sometimes fly over the opposite pole that I intended. I think
positive offplane dV is towards north (polaris) correct? Anyone have any good ideas on the best way to do this?
Thanks a bunch!
-Chris
