(Apollo/Amso/Nassp-PA) Lets get this to the moon and back sorted once and for all...?

[Timez]

Hello,

As im sure many other users have found out (just like I did) doing an Apollo Mission in orbiter is very hard for people who have not done it before or have in depth knowledge and experience of IMFD... (and im talking about either of the main Apollo add-on's here Nassp(aka project apollo) or AMSO)...

So with that being said and after about 2 years of trying to get this done I am still at a big loss with certain parts of the mission..

So i am turning to the experienced and knowlegable people on this forum to get this sorted...

Eventually I plan to release a new tutorial (for both AMSO and NASSP) that is easy to follow and also covers everything so that there is no guess work. But before that happens I need to actually be able to fly it myself to test the procedures out.

I start off with 3 questions...

1) After launch to orbit - do i turn prograde? or do I leave the joystick alone until the TLI? (even though the rocket sort of turns around relitive to the earth about twice an orbit?) - If I do turn prograde do i keep the prograde lock on?


2) When do i start to PLAN the TLI? - at 1.5 orbits? (Apollo actually started the TLI burn at this point if im correct) Should I start to plan it earlier than this point? if so when? (in terms of how many orbits? or maybe GET?)

3) Is there any way to get to and orbit the moon WITHOUT using IMFD? (and be in the right orbital plane reletive to the landing site? (Apollo 11 is the one I use most so in the right plane for Tranquility base?) I used to use just the transfer and orbit MFD's for my TLI and MCC(s) and it worked very well (for Apollo 11 anyway - i never tried others) but have since forgotten how to do that... so it shows that it is actually possible to never use IMFD for this part of the mission, but does anyone know how to do this?

Thank you for reading these (very long) questions and I look forward to your answers...

Timez

(As a side note - I have tried nearly every tutorial out there for this - so please do not send me links to tutorials etc because that will not be helpful in this case) - and yes I have read the orbiter manual/go play in space etc and searched this forum (and others) but still cannot quite get the hang of this and from looking around it would seem that many people have this same problem)

 

[MAraujo]

fantastic plan

 

[Quick_Nick]

1) After launch to orbit - do i turn prograde? or do I leave the joystick alone until the TLI? (even though the rocket sort of turns around relitive to the earth about twice an orbit?) - If I do turn prograde do i keep the prograde lock on?


2) When do i start to PLAN the TLI? - at 1.5 orbits? (Apollo actually started the TLI burn at this point if im correct) Should I start to plan it earlier than this point? if so when? (in terms of how many orbits? or maybe GET?)

3) Is there any way to get to and orbit the moon WITHOUT using IMFD? (and be in the right orbital plane reletive to the landing site? (Apollo 11 is the one I use most so in the right plane for Tranquility base?) I used to use just the transfer and orbit MFD's for my TLI and MCC(s) and it worked very well (for Apollo 11 anyway - i never tried others) but have since forgotten how to do that... so it shows that it is actually possible to never use IMFD for this part of the mission, but does anyone know how to do this?

I don't really understand what you're saying in general, but I can try to answer these questions.

1) Running an autopilot as soon as you reach orbit is just a fuel waster. I recommend going prograde just a couple hundred seconds before the beginning of the burn. NASSP 6.4.3 automatically turns you prograde (assuming you entered the data into the AGC) when nearing the burn, but sometimes does this last-second so it's best to help it out and turn prograde yourself.

2) Plan TLI whenever you want, so long as you have either enough time to begin the burn on time. In NASSP, you need just a bit more time so that you can put in a sort of 'countdown' into the Apollo Guidance Computer.

3) I personally use TransX when going to/from the moon. Here is one of the best tutorials ever: http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=462
It's for using NASSP and TransX, and tells you how to go through the entire mission.

 

[Timez]

thank you that looks very interesting quick_nick I will take a look at it today and if any further questions come up then I will ask on this post - I must admit I have not seen this particular tutorial before - so fingers crossed

Timez

---------- Post added at 08:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:29 PM ----------

Anyone seen that new lunar transfer mfd by the same guy who makes IMFD? looks pretty promising by the looks of the site - haven't tried it myself yet though

 

[kino_astroboy]

Anyone seen that new lunar transfer mfd by the same guy who makes IMFD? looks pretty promising by the looks of the site - haven't tried it myself yet though

I have tried Lunar Transfer MFD with AMSO. It is very very easy to use and much more accurate than IMFD. I finally did a perfect Apollo 8 flight (by the numbers) with that MFD and a little help from NukeET's tutorial found here http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3491. It was so accurate that I splashed down a minute early from the actual historic time.

 

[Timez]

I have tried Lunar Transfer MFD with AMSO. It is very very easy to use and much more accurate than IMFD. I finally did a perfect Apollo 8 flight (by the numbers) with that MFD and a little help from NukeET's tutorial found here http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3491. It was so accurate that I splashed down a minute early from the actual historic time.

Wow!!! i've never seen anything that accurate - and after my last post I couldn't resist - im about to try it - now seeing how accurate you was, well how can i refuse myself that chance! - see you after splashdown (if i dont die - again lol)

Timez

 

[Shadow Addict]

Don't know about AMSO, but I found Apollo 8 - vAGC in NASSP7 to be easier than a regular mission in, say, the DG, as long as I followed the flightplan. (Of course, it did take a looong time at x10)