Flight Question Earth-Mars launching window and travel time

[Iberville]

Ok, probably an easy question for advanced players. I managed to do my first Earth to Mars trip using TransX! It was probably not a sexy flight, but I did reach Mars Orbit alive. The problem is that the trip took like a whole year...

-I then realized that I did not took in consideration the launch window and so I took probably a very long trajectory (I launched in early 2010 in the standard DG scenario). After doing rearch on the forum, I found an excell sheet (Hofhman) with launch windows for Mars. The launch windows on the sheet tell that the trip will be 8 months average. Is is not too long? Wasn't a trip to Mars supposed to be 6 months?
- Also, I am having difficulties to understanf the change plane variables with TransX. I know how to change it, but what does it really do in reality?

Thanks for reading this long thread!
And thank you for M. Martin Schweiger and all the addons creater for your incredible work!

 

[N_Molson]

You can set the desired date of arrival in TransX (MJD format, don't forget you have a nice little converter (Date.exe) in the Orbiter\utils directory). You can plan a 10 days trip if you want, but it will require a huge DeltaV.

 

[Tommy]

Here's an app that will help you locate launch windows:

[ame="http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=851"]Orbita[/ame]

THis tutorial is for an older version of IMFD, but explains the different types of transfers very well, and will help you understand when and why plane changes are needed:

[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3403"]Tutorial: Concepts for Interplanetary MFD 4.2.1[/ame]

 

[Mindblast]

Check out Pipers Pork Chop Plot Generator. Pretty cool tool to find launch windows..
[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=4439"]Trajectory Planner[/ame]

 

[Iberville]

You can set the desired date of arrival in TransX (MJD format, don't forget you have a nice little converter (Date.exe) in the Orbiter\utils directory). You can plan a 10 days trip if you want, but it will require a huge DeltaV.

Is it possible to see this converter while flying in orbiter? I can't seem to fin a way exept to fly in the window mode.

 

[Tommy]

Using the Alt-Tab key combo will let you temporarily exit fullscreen without terminating Orbiter - but I recommend pausing Orbiter first. If the graphics are messed up when you go back to Orbiter, usually hitting F1 a couple times will solve it.

 

[johan]

Nobody has answered this question yet:

- Also, I am having difficulties to understanf the change plane variables with TransX. I know how to change it, but what does it really do in reality?

I've been confused about this myself. The only reason I've ever got anywhere close to Mars, is because I do a course correction after leaving Earth's SOI, using the Maneuver functionality in TransX... I think that DOES take your plane change variable into account.

 

[Tommy]

The second link I gave contains the answers to when and why the plane changes are made, and will help you understand those variables. There isn't really a "one size fits all" answer to that question, different flights will require different uses of those variables so understanding the basic physics of the transfer are essential.

 

[thesnorklemonkey]

Using the Alt-Tab key combo will let you temporarily exit fullscreen without terminating Orbiter - but I recommend pausing Orbiter first. If the graphics are messed up when you go back to Orbiter, usually hitting F1 a couple times will solve it.

I've been looking for a fix to that problem forever! Thanks a bunch.