Editing LEO-lunar transfer

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[[Image:MoonScrshot.jpg|thumb|right|Moon in Orbiter]]
 
 
So you're in [[LEO|low Earth orbit]], in a gassed up [[Delta-glider]]. From here you want get to the [[Moon]] above. Here's how.
 
So you're in [[LEO|low Earth orbit]], in a gassed up [[Delta-glider]]. From here you want get to the [[Moon]] above. Here's how.
  
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You've arrived! The Moon is getting pretty big in the viewscreen. Really big. Too big in fact. Oh dear, we're about to impact the lunar surface at some 17,000 miles per hour. Now what?
 
You've arrived! The Moon is getting pretty big in the viewscreen. Really big. Too big in fact. Oh dear, we're about to impact the lunar surface at some 17,000 miles per hour. Now what?
  
Bring up the '''orbit''' display in one of your MFD's. Hit the '''ref''' (reference) button, and put in 'moon'. This brings up a display of your orbital path around the Moon. In your case, this probably looks like a straight green line (your path) intersecting the gray circle (the Moon). If so, switch the HUD to surface mode. Use the autopilot's '''prograde''' mode to point the engines. Fire all engines, and watch the '''orbit''' display. It should, ideally, turn into a hyperbola with a circle inside. You want to continue this burn until the green hyperbola is entirely outside the grey circle representing the Moon. Disaster averted!
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Bring up the '''orbit''' display in one of your MFD's. Hit the '''ref''' (reference) button, and put in 'moon'. This brings up a display of your orbital path around the Moon. In your case, this probably looks like a straight green line (your path) intersecting the gray circle (the Moon). If so, switch the HUD to surface mode. Use the autopilot's '''prograde''' mode to point the engines. Fire all engines, and watch the '''orbit''' display. It should, ideally, turn into a parabola with a circle inside. You want to continue this burn until the green parabola is entirely outside the grey circle representing the Moon. Disaster averted!
  
 
=== Entering the lunar orbit ===
 
=== Entering the lunar orbit ===
  
There is one final problem. Continuing on this path will cause our ship to slingshot around the Moon and off into deep space somewhere. So the final operation in lunar orbit insertion is to slow down the spacecraft somewhere near the closest point to the Moon. Use the autopilot's '''retrograde''' mode. While watching the '''orbit''' MFD, wait until you reach the closest point and fire the engines. Your path will slowly turn into a smaller and smaller hyperbola until suddenly turning into an ellipse. If you continue the burn you can get the orbit to be close to a circle. All done? Congratulations, you're here!
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There is one final problem. Continuing on this path will cause our ship to slingshot around the Moon and off into deep space somewhere. So the final operation in lunar orbit insertion is to slow down the spacecraft somewhere near the closest point to the Moon. Use the autopilot's '''retrograde''' mode. While watching the '''orbit''' MFD, wait until you reach the closest point and fire the engines. Your path will slowly turn into a smaller and smaller parabola until suddenly turning into an ellipse. If you continue the burn you can get the orbit to be close to a circle. All done? Congratulations, you're here!
  
 
=== What's next ===
 
=== What's next ===
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{{HasPrecis}}
 
{{HasPrecis}}
  
[[Category: Articles]]
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[[Category:Tutorials]][[Category:Transfer tutorials]]
[[Category:Tutorials]]
 
[[Category:Transfer tutorials]]
 

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