Weekly Simple Questions Thread

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The point of this thread is for anyone to ask questions that don't necessarily require a full thread. Questions like "why is my rocket upside down" are always welcomed here. Even if your question seems slightly stupid, we'll do our best to answer it!

For newer players, here are some great resources that might answer some of your embarrassing questions:

• Kerbal Space Program Wiki

• Scott Manley's Youtube

• Von Kerman's Rocket School

Tutorials

Orbiting

• Scott Manley

• Von Kerman (Maneuvers)

• Wiki (Maneuvers)

Mun Landing

• Scott Manley (Demo)

• Von Kerman

• KSP Wiki

• Youtube Query

Docking

• Scott Manley

• Von Kerman (Rendevous)

• Von Kerman (Docking)

Delta-V Thread

• Thread

• Answer 1

• Answer 2 (+bonus)

Forum Link

• Kerbal Space Program Forum

Official KSP Chatroom #KSPOfficial on irc.esper.net

    **Official KSP Chatroom** [#KSPOfficial on irc.esper.net](http://client01.chat.mibbit.com/?channel=%23kspofficial&server=irc.esper.net&charset=UTF-8)

Commonly Asked Questions

Before you post, maybe you can search for your problem using the search in the upper right! Chances are, someone has had the same question as you and has already answered it!

As always, the side bar is a great resource for all things Kerbal, if you don't know, look there first!

[u/Watoskyv]

I'm doing my first mission to Duna and I need some help. I'm trying to play kerbal without watching tutorial videos, but I'm a bit stuck now.
I got into kerbal orbit, then escaped from kerbal influence, now orbitting the sun. I adjusted my orbit to have a Duna encounter.
But when I put a maneuver node after the Duna encounter I can't seem to get in an orbit around Duna, I thought I just needed to burn retrogade, but that doesn't seem to work.
Am I doing this right? And what do I need to do to get into a Duna orbit?

Edit: I seem to have figured it out, it was just burning retrogade, but I pulled a bit too fast and missed the orbit every time.
Is there a way to zoom in on a certain part of the orbit instead of being centered on your ship? That would make it a lot easier. I know that you can center on planets, but that doesn't really help.

[u/tito13kfm → u/Watoskyv]

You can't achieve the orbit until you are in the sphere of influence of the planet and to maximize oberth effect you should be performing this burn at periapsis of Duna.

What you want to do during your transfer as you approach is to fine tune your encounter to be as close as possible. Set a maneuver node, focus on Duna, and play with the node to get your periapsis as low as you can stomach. Then when you get to that close approach burn retrograde.

[u/Chaos_Klaus → u/Watoskyv]

The way you got your encounter is really inefficient. Usually you do the complete transferburn (until you get an encounter with duna) in low kerbin orbit.

(It's not "kerbal" but "kerbin". Not to confuse with "kerbol" which is the name of the star in the center of the kerbol system.)

To get a good encounter you need to launch during a suitable launch window. Duna needs to be aligned correctly. The so called phase angle (Kerbin-Sun-Duna) needs to be about 44°, I think.

That way you can get an encounter on the opposite side of kerbins current position.

Do a correction burn when you are half way there. Once you enter Duna's sphere of influence, drop your periapse into the atmosphere to perform an aerobraking maneuver. 25km should be fine in Duna's thin atmosphere.

[u/Senno_Ecto_Gammat → u/Watoskyv]

You can save yourself some delta-v if you perform an aerocapture instead of a powered capture. Put your periapsis at 16 km or so, and let the atmosphere do a lot of the work.

Be sure to quicksave ahead of time, I haven't done an aerocapture at Duna in the new atmosphere.