Flight Question help docking with MIR

[Star explorer]

i don't need a tutorial i just need to know whats wrong.
well i matched my orbit and every thing with MIRs but when i look outside the DG theres no MIR.

heres a pic
click for bigger view (sorry for crappy quality)

 

[Tommy]

For one, you aren't very close to MIR. Your orbit needs to be Syncronized better, but first your Orbital Plane needs to be aligned better. Use AlignPlanesMFD, then SyncMFD.

You should set your com frequencies to the MIR's VOR and at least one of the IDS frequencies. These can be found by using Object Info (hit <F4> and select from menu, change [focus] to vessels, and select MIR) Use COM/NAVMFD to set the radio, then open DockMFD and hit the HUD button. Then you'll see a box around MIR, or an arrow pointing to it if it's off screen. The VOR frequency has a range of 500km, IIRC, and the IDS about 50km

 

[Piper]

i don't need a tutorial i just need to know whats wrong.
well i matched my orbit and every thing with MIRs but when i look outside the DG theres no MIR.

heres a pic
click for bigger view (sorry for crappy quality)


View attachment 1791

Simple, your haven't matched your orbit with Mir, not even close. Use the Align Planes MFD and get your Rinc down to 0, and use the Sync Orbit MFD to get to the station.

 

[Star explorer]

look at the pic below how do i get close enough to dock from the position im currently in or do i have to restart scenario

 

[James.Denholm]

Whoa... 304 m/s.

You're going to have to remove the relative speed before you do anything. Orient yourself towards the -V indicator (it's opposite the V indicator, if that makes sense), and burn until the relative velocity is around about 0. When that's done, quickly begin moving towards Mir via translational thrusters. Don't go too fast, you'll overshoot it.

 

[tblaxland]

look at the pic below how do i get close enough to dock from the position im currently in or do i have to restart scenario

You're going to have to remove the relative speed before you do anything. Orient yourself towards the -V indicator (it's opposite the V indicator, if that makes sense), and burn until the relative velocity is around about 0. When that's done, quickly begin moving towards Mir via translational thrusters. Don't go too fast, you'll overshoot it.

500km out is a bit far to start a direct rendezvous.

Align your orbital plane with Mir first. You are currently at 4.12° (bottom left hand corner of Sync Orbit MFD) and should be very close to zero (less than 0.01° would be good). Use Align Planes MFD for this purpose.

Once you have done that, come back to Sync Orbit MFD to set up an intersection. You need to reduce DTmin down to as close to zero as possible by either burning prograde or retrograde as required.

Have you read Go Play In Space? It covers this stuff pretty well, including telling you why you are doing the things we are telling you to do.

 

[James.Denholm]

Oh, I didn't even notice the Rinc...

 

[Tommy]

Eliminating the RInc will eliminate most of that RVel. DTMin on the SyncMFD is the difference in time between when you and your target get to the intersection. Get this very close to zero, or you won't get close enough to dock.

You have plenty of fuel, so you don't need to restart the scenario, but you probably won't be docking on this orbit. 500km is a long ways away in orbit.

 

[Star explorer]

So close but just missed

 

[MajorTom]

This may not be Delta Glider and MIR, but the principles are exactly the same...try this great tutorial, it will help you step by step, through the milestones mentioned by James, tbax and Tommy:

[ame="http://www.orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=3070"]Soyuz to ISS Tutorial[/ame]

 

[tblaxland]

So close but just missed

I wouldn't say you have missed yet. When you get to that point, or even a bit further away, use the Docking MFD and HUD to null out your relative velocity - point your nose at the cross with a circle around it and fire your engines until the velocity indicated is close to zero then trim to zero using linear RCS thrusters. After you have done that use the same MFD to move in slowly for docking. See the docking section of this tutorial:
http://www.orbiter-forum.com/tutorials/ar81/dg-to-iss.html

 

[Tommy]

So close but just missed

That looks plenty close enough, unless your relative velocity is too high (well over 100k). Just null the RVel by thrusting towards the "Cross in a Ball", then dock as outlined above.

 

[Kelpie]

Sorry to say but the best way is with a tutorial
try here http://www.eharm.net/shop/freeware/orbiter/tutorials/tutorials.html

 

[Star explorer]

That looks plenty close enough, unless your relative velocity is too high (well over 100k). Just null the RVel by thrusting towards the "Cross in a Ball", then dock as outlined above.

you hit the nail on that one my velocity was way to high but i guess i was trying to get close this time around.

 

[Tommy]

Then you're getting close. The secret is patience - be willing to take several orbits to sync. Time Acceleration is your friend! Having your RVel less than 100 at sync helps a lot, but even 200 is workable in a DG. Just start reducing it about 5k from MIR and keep the relative vector (cross not in a ball) pointed towards MIR with translational thrust or main engine burns.