Prograde/retrograde not working right

[LorSquiggles]

when i point my rocket to prograde it is shorting my orbit, when i point retrograde orbit get bigger. This always screws up my maneuver nodes. and help? Thanks

[Manwith Noname]

Is your command pod / probe core not oriented to match your engines?

[LorSquiggles]

Originally posted by Manwith Noname:

Is your command pod / probe core not oriented to match your engines?

how do i check that?

[Manwith Noname]

Heh, well, I don't know if there is a way to do that in game but posting a pick of the problem craft might allow people to tell you if that's the case.

Basically, when you place a pod or probe in the VAB, so long as you don't rotate it, up will be "prograde", so your engines will want to point down. Did you rotate the pod / probe when placing it?

Edit: Likewise, in the SPH, placing it without rotation will point prograde to the hangar exit, so engines will want to point to the rear.

[LorSquiggles]

Originally posted by Manwith Noname:

Heh, well, I don't know if there is a way to do that in game but posting a pick of the problem craft might allow people to tell you if that's the case.

Basically, when you place a pod or probe in the VAB, so long as you don't rotate it, up will be "prograde", so your engines will want to point down. Did you rotate the pod / probe when placing it?

well im doing a duna mission and i loaded in my duna rover first which had a probe that i did rotate and then built my rocket to fly to duna and drop the probe off too.

[Manwith Noname]

Ok, so does your rocket have a pod or probe that points correctly?

If so, find it, right click on it and choose command from here (edit:...the wording might be control from here). Actually, this applies to things like docking ports also. If you have something that is oriented "prograde" that can be selected as a point of control, you can get around it that way.

[Deflexor]

Noname is correct. You are controlling from a command that is upside down in relation to the ship. If you want to continue the mission with this ship just reverse your thinking about what is prograde and what is retrrograde.

[LorSquiggles]

Originally posted by Manwith Noname:

Ok, so does your rocket have a pod or probe that points correctly?

If so, find it, right click on it and choose command from here (edit:...the wording might be control from here). Actually, this applies to things like docking ports also. If you have something that is oriented "prograde" that can be selected as a point of control, you can get around it that way.

I just deleted my rover then put a new probe down to control my rocket, then reloaded my rover. everything is good, thank you very much for the help!

[Angrymuffin_]

well, if your prograde is acting like your retrograde, that means your probe body or command capsule is flipped "upside down"/the wrong way with respect to the engines. which direction is prograde and which is retrograde on the navball is determined by how you oriented your command part in the VAB/SPH

[Manwith Noname]

No worries man.

Remember though, you can have stuff rotated for aesthetics so long as you fit a part that can be selected as a control point that lines up if you want to save all the headaches.

[Haildodger]

This is an old post obviously, but on the same topic..

I docked a manned, and unmanned module. Is there anyway to switch which module has the control, so that the markers are not reversed? It's not like I can put a docking port on my lander engine. :P

[Zero]

Originally posted by Haildodger:

This is an old post obviously, but on the same topic..

I docked a manned, and unmanned module. Is there anyway to switch which module has the control, so that the markers are not reversed? It's not like I can put a docking port on my lander engine. :P

yes. right click the pod 'control from here' it should adjust the markers accordingly.

[Haildodger]

Thank you

[Mr. Fusion]

It's worth noting that you will need to do this every time you switch back to that craft, as depending on the order of command modules within the craft (or whatevere else, as some crafts do this, others don't), for some crafts you'll always end up with the "wrong" control source getting selected when you switch to that craft.

Highly annoying when you're trying to do a burn in a hurry, only to realize that all directions have been swapped and you just deorbited your craft that was to be set to a Mün transfer orbit...

[PoshTactical]

I just came here to say rovemates are annoying and you have to usually set their control point to up.