Question Hello and where should I start/continue

Floater92

New member
Joined
Nov 26, 2018
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Hello.

I am Tim and I am not really new to orbiter, but it was an on-off thing for me. At the moment I hop around between Cape Canaveral the ISS and the moon. Although probably using way too much fuel ^^.

But anyway, now that it is winter and pretty bad weather I want to go beyond luna.

What I would like to know: Which MFD should I learn to do that?
TransX or IMFD?
Or maybe something totally different?

Thanks
Tim
 
Last edited:

Marijn

Active member
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
755
Reaction score
166
Points
43
Location
Amsterdam
Go to Mars. Before you go, install the hi-res textures and elevation files. It is really worth it. I would use IMFD because it is really easy to set-up an interplanetary transfer. First, you'll enter an orbit around Mars before landing. Then you could try aerobraking.

Also, try to raise the difficulty level by loading just enough fuel to reach your destination. Which vessel are you flying? I like to figure out the maximum number of cargo containers I could bring to Mars at chosen diffuculity level.
 

Urwumpe

Not funny anymore
Addon Developer
Donator
Joined
Feb 6, 2008
Messages
37,588
Reaction score
2,312
Points
203
Location
Wolfsburg
Preferred Pronouns
Sire
Or go to Venus - a bit simpler to reach than Mars. But Mars is a better sight.

If you fear using too much fuel, refuel on the moon before leaving for outer space. The DG has enough fuel then for a 90 day transfer to Mars.
 

Marijn

Active member
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
755
Reaction score
166
Points
43
Location
Amsterdam
Although probably using way too much fuel
It's very simple: If you have any fuel left beyond a chosen minimum safety level when you reach your destination, then you were using too much fuel.

That's the fun of the rocket equation. Fuel you don't use can be considered cargo. And cargo is dead weight increasing the ship mass. And the amount of mass determines the amount of fuel you burn on each manouver.

So that means that if you land on Mars with 4000kg of fuel left and you re-fly the scenario with 4000kg less fuel loaded, then you will, when doing everthing the same, still land with a decent amount fuel left. So you can optimize the situation (in a spreadsheet) and choose to fly faster or deliver more cargo.
 

Urwumpe

Not funny anymore
Addon Developer
Donator
Joined
Feb 6, 2008
Messages
37,588
Reaction score
2,312
Points
203
Location
Wolfsburg
Preferred Pronouns
Sire
Depends though - when playing with a manned DG, I feel better landing with lots of fuel left - 10% is a lot, but quickly gone.

I remember landing on the moon with just 2% fuel left, refueled at brighton beach, waiting for Mars launch window, and then went to Mars with an accelerated transfer and still had 12% fuel left after a really long-distance reentry glide (because I did not want to orbit Mars and was really fast after a 88 day transit) to land at Olympus.

Maybe I'll replicate this mission when my notebook is running better. Right now the old GPU is having compatibility issues with Windows 10 and every windows update makes it worse.
 

Marijn

Active member
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
755
Reaction score
166
Points
43
Location
Amsterdam
After a direct aerobrake, I love to glide manually all the way up to Olympus until the ship is about to stall just a few hundred meters away and then hit the autopilot of the Hover MDF to have it land on the pad, aiming at 300 m/s delta-v left.

I wonder, it seems to be always dusk or dawn when I arrive at Mars. Is that locked up in the geometry? I can imagine that when traveling from an inner planet to an outer planet, you approach the destination from the sunlit side, so your periapsis will always be at the back of the planet where it is nighttime?
 
Last edited:

Urwumpe

Not funny anymore
Addon Developer
Donator
Joined
Feb 6, 2008
Messages
37,588
Reaction score
2,312
Points
203
Location
Wolfsburg
Preferred Pronouns
Sire
After a direct aerobrake, I love to glide manually all the way up to Olympus until the ship is about to stall just a few hundred meters away and then hit the autopilot of the Hover MDF to have it land on the pad, aiming at 300 m/s delta-v left.

I wonder, it seems to be always dusk or dawn when I arrive at Mars. Is that locked up in the geometry? I can imagine that when traveling from an inner planet to an outer planet, you approach the destination from the sunlit side, so your periapsis will always be at the back of the planet where it is nighttime?


No, not automatically. But since you arrive always at a ring-shaped locus on the surface of Mars by similar low-energy trajectories from Earth, its very likely you will either arrive at dusk or night then.
 
Top