My first lunar orbit

[Kaito]

So, i did the "brighton beach" scenario because I was bored. So, i set up a laptop in my room so i could read the "Go Play in space" thing at the same time as playing the game. So, i take off okay, and am doing a pretty successful orbit: my ApA and PeA are okay, and everything is going smoothly.

I do my deceleration burn right on time, and i had everything perfect. Pad 4 was in view (FoV was 70, and i had my "head" pointed down to look at my VV). I cant remember how far away i was, but i thought "dang, thats coming up really fast...my ground speed is half of what it recomends..." so i ponder that for about...3 seconds, then say "shi*, vertical speed". So, i hit pad 4, where i wanted to, but i hit it going 43 m/s...fail.

i could TASTE victory...*sniff*

 

[pandadude]

Haha so close! Not a bad effort though for your first try, at least you made it to Brighton Beach!

 

[Kaito]

thanks!
I've been able to get into orbit around earth easily many times. Moon is slightly different. lol

Keep in mind, i didn't do it on my own. I had a seperate computer up that had the manual up. Gotta remember to watch that Vert speed gauge...

Question: Which is easier to do for someone of my skill: Docking at ISS, Earth to moon, or orbit the moon and land?

 

[TSPenguin]

I'd say earth to moon.
At least if you have some dV to spare.
AlignMFD with moon.
TransferMFD to moon.

Docking would require matching planes, syncing orbits, aproach and docking...
Landing on the moon is easy as it has no athmosphere, but landing on a specific point is "hard" as you have to calculate your breaking burns.

 

[pandadude]

Yes Earth to Moon is relatively easy. Transfer MFD is very simple to use and you basically just burn retrogade when near the Moon to enter into a Lunar Orbit. Once there, landing it fairly easy, but I find it quite difficult balancing my rate of decent and slowing down at the same time. It's also annoying when you have a good rate of decent when near the surface of about -2 or 3m/s, then you git 'G' and realise there's no hyd. pressure in the DG-IV!!!
I don't think docking with the ISS is that hard, the only tricky bit IMO is the actual docking. Using Align Plane and Sync Orbit MFD, you can quite easily get within 500km of the ISS.

 

[Kaito]

HORRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, i decided to try the same thing again. This time, i didn't have my all trusty manual. So, 300 km, i slowed down to 130 m/s ground speed. But...i forgot the rest. So from 300 km to about 80 km, i spent hovering at about, oh...1 km above the ground. :rofl:

I overshot pad 4 because i forgot to slow down...so i turned around and took it slow.

I'm proud of myself *chest rub*

 

[RisingFury]

Earth to Moon is actually my favorite space route

I remember the first time I got there. I followed the demo in the Orbiter... the recording.

But I had DGIV set for high fuel consumption and I did some bad course corrections... and I started my hover engines WAY early, which left me short on fuel

But it was fun and next time I made it.

 

[Marcel]

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm proud of myself *chest rub*

I'm proud of you too! *high five* I don't know which is easier, but I've done the LEO docking stuff, and am about ready to try what you've done. Two more MFDs to learn. See ya at Brighton Beach!

 

[HiPotOk1978]

Yes Earth to Moon is relatively easy. Transfer MFD is very simple to use and you basically just burn retrogade when near the Moon to enter into a Lunar Orbit. Once there, landing it fairly easy, but I find it quite difficult balancing my rate of decent and slowing down at the same time. It's also annoying when you have a good rate of decent when near the surface of about -2 or 3m/s, then you git 'G' and realise there's no hyd. pressure in the DG-IV!!!
I don't think docking with the ISS is that hard, the only tricky bit IMO is the actual docking. Using Align Plane and Sync Orbit MFD, you can quite easily get within 500km of the ISS.

I am not sure if anyone else can claim the same experiences but, I was able to navigate my way to Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus before I could do docking missions with ISS. Also for me at least docking missions are very costly with all the realism settings turned on. I spend on average doing a docking mission with my tiny station or ISS 250-400 kg of fuel. Lots of patience and corrections and corrections. Every time I do it, I learn a slightly better way to do it so fuel consumsion is going down...

 

[Nickmick95]

I have never used Transfer, IMFD, or Transx MFD to get to the moon.
I use Orbit MFD.:lol: No, really, I do.

 

[Kaito]

I have never used Transfer, IMFD, or Transx MFD to get to the moon.
I use Orbit MFD.:lol: No, really, I do.

LIES, ALL LIES!!!!!!
That must takes skillz

 

[Nickmick95]

No, actually its very easy to use it. There was only one or two times I missed the moon. Out of 200.

 

[n122vu]

Congrats on finally touching down!!! :speakcool: Sorry to hear about your first attempt, but hey, that's how you learn.

BTW, remember, CTRL-S is always your friend