TransX DG to ISS from Canaveral

[Mister Mxyzptlk]

FlyTandem, I checked you website and you don't seem to have a tutorial on using transx to launch to ISS with a DG. Just text would be great, would that be possible?. I want to learn to use the "ships" function and also the "eject orient." It looks like it would come in handy to be able to launch before intersect.

 

[flytandem]

It's the first one at http://www.flytandem.com/orbiter/tutorials/video/index.htm and the most basic use of TransX. The tutorial doesn't get you into orbit or aligned with ISS. You must do that first using MFD's like MAP, Orbit and Align. But TransX is great for doing the very important final maneuvering to intercept the ISS.

 

[Mister Mxyzptlk]

So transx doesn't have a function for launching from the surface to intercept a vessel in orbit? BTW I watched the replay "ISS fast intercept" and was so impressed I tried it myself. Not as quick as you but it was a hell of a lot of fun.

I was hoping transx would enable me to know what inclination to launch on to intercept ISS before or after node intersection. I will do the tutorial now so as to maybe answer some questions so I won't be redundant the next time I post.

Do you give classes on transx that I could come down and attend? (Just kidding.)

 

[garyw]

Launch MFD will do most of that for you -> [ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=2802"]Launch MFD - v 1.4.4 for Orbiter 2010[/ame]

 

[flytandem]

I like TransX because it is more manual than IMFD. I like to launch onto the correct heading using just "Map MFD" because, well for the same reasoning. Seat of pants is fun. I estimate the angle (north or south away from) due east that the ISS is passing my launch position, then add or subtract that from 90 and after wheels up I roll and turn to the heading and then add a bit more deviation from east to compensate for Earth's rotation speed. Then as the orbital path in Map deviates toward the ISS, modify the heading as needed. And about half way to orbital speed I use just TransX and try to get the white axis line to be either just a few hundred Km ahead if trying to do a fast intercept, or perhaps swing it 90 degrees of Earth circumference if trying to do a low deltaV flight.

---------- Post added at 08:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 PM ----------

I was just thinking I should add another fun flight I have done quite a few times. In the last hour of the evening I will often do a real time flight from a base set up in my home town (San Bernardino) in a stock DG. I don't warp time. Use Map to estimate the heading and fly to a heading that will have the moon's orbit cross my orbit in about 10 or 12 hours. Once on orbit I open TransX and over the course of usually 30 minutes I will set up and burn about 6500 or so m/s ejection to the moon. I plan it to match arriving at the moon just 20 minutes after I plan to get up in the morning. After my alarm buzzes in the morning I head to the computer which has been churning all time on real time I find as planned it is now 20 minutes or so from the orbit insertion at the moon, and arriving so that on the first orbit I am heading over Brighton Beach. And with morning coffee in hand I finish the landing. There's not a lot of fuel remaining after that flight though.