Flight Question re-entry specifics

[Grover]

i know theres just been a question like this, but it doesnt answer mine exactly.

if i use the DGIV autopilot, i guess that an entry angle of 1.2* (deg) is just about right, so when do i start a de-orbit burn to gat close enough to Canaveral without needing a short cruise flight (my last try put me in stable flight somewhere over mexico :S).

if theres a nice way to work it out or a nice way to do it, id appreciate it

thanks in advance
-=Grover=-

 

[garyw]

Try aerobrake MFD. That'll help put you at the right location for landing

 

[Mike Skywalker]

Reentry to C.Canaveral

There's a lot of tutorials & docs. Must watch/read it !!
1.use BaseSync MFd to syncronize your path with KSC(minimize the Dist. to ~5-10 km)
2.Make some revolutions around Earth until you're on the orbit no 1;
3.Set the flight computer display to D2(Reentry predictions)
4.Turn retrograde ,wait until you're at 180 degres(oposite side of planet) from target;
5.At the ISS altitude(~360km) do a short main engine burn until PeA drops to~59-60 km(reentry predicted angle ~0,77 deg.)
[At MIR altitude(~320 km), reentry angle will be ~0.72 degr.(Same PeA~59 km)]
Do not drop the PeA under this value.
6.As garryw sayd- turn on the Aerobrake MFD, set as Tgt Cape Canaveral, Map mode
7.Turn Prograde, set time Accel to x100 until your Alt drop to 90 km.Now Reset Time accel to x1.
[Prior using Manual Reentry AP, I reccomend watch the Automatic Reentry AP and write down the Pitch, Glider Slope angle and Temperature(set D3- reentry data). I used to "copy" in manual procedure the Pitch at certain Alt( like 70 km, 60 km...50 km and so...]
8. Rotate ship to level horizont, engage the Manual Reentry Autopilot (PROG104SPEC45)-in case of DGIV, of coarse.
Between Alt=90-70 km you can roll the nose of ship up/down ,steps of 5 degr, trying to minimize the Dist of Aerobrake MFD. (My sugestion is try to set the Dist at ~20-10 km before target, not after .In case of overpassing the Tgt, you must turn at minimum powerless flight, probably you will use a short ME burn to achieve the runaway.)
You can CARREFULLY continue adjusting Dist. under Alt 70 km, but watch your Glide-slope&temperature. Generaly, keep the value of Pitch like you wrote it down, at certain altitude. So, the hull temperature will be reasonable. My max temp was 1570 degr.C
9. When computer displays" Atmospheric flight" , (at Alt ~30km), set Flight control to Eleron, press F8 and set RCS control in ROT mode. Now your ship have Eleron+RCS ROT control.
10. When computer displays "Air intake open", you can disengage the autopilot(press C) and take the stick.
11.Set the other MFD to HSI MFD, must have the runaway freq. set prior.
Target must be in front of you, if you have a good Dist estimation.
As a begginer, I hardly practiced this reentry+landing, never burn on reentry, but I landed at hundred km before/after base. As I sayd, you must practice, as in real life the pilots do.

Happy reentry
:tiphat: