Intercepting orbits

[Kalarian]

I just started, and I took the tutorial on intercepting the moon. It tells me that I need to meet the moon 45 degrees ahead of its position.

How am I supposed to know that for other planets? Is there a way to setup a waypoint that I can follow to intercept other planets on time?

[Jackattack]

There is a calculator for this.
http://ksp.olex.biz/

[Kalarian]

Originally posted by Jackattack:

There is a calculator for this.
http://ksp.olex.biz/

Why is it not part of the game? Are we expected to know/do this on our own?

[Inegale]

If you dont want to do it your self get the Mechjeb mod.
http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/12384-PART-0-22-Anatid-Robotics-MuMech-MechJeb-Autopilot-v2-1

[Ric]

Originally posted by Akuma The Wicked:

Originally posted by Jackattack:

There is a calculator for this.
http://ksp.olex.biz/

Why is it not part of the game? Are we expected to know/do this on our own?

You're expected to work some stuff out or research by yourself yes. This game does not spoon feed you in anyway lke many other games around these days.

[I'm Ant]

Mechjeb
http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/12384-PART-0-22-Anatid-Robotics-MuMech-MechJeb-Autopilot-v2-1

[Data Disrupter]

Nice stuff! :)

[Dark Phoenix]

If you don't want a full autopilot, grab the protractor mod. It wil tell you when a planet is in the right spot to try for an intercept.

[bpivk]

Originally posted by Akuma The Wicked:

Originally posted by Jackattack:

There is a calculator for this.
http://ksp.olex.biz/

Are we expected to know/do this on our own?

In short... Yes.

Once you do it a few times it gets really easy. Keep in mind that the game won't spoon feed you in any step of the way.

[Bomoo]

OP, you don't need to install any mods or visit any external sites to go to Kerbin's satellites. There is already a waypoint planning tool in the game that allows you to get an encounter with the Mun easily, and it is the Maneuver Node system. Check it out.

However, interplantary transfers are a good deal more complicated, and I would recommend looking at some tutorials and checking out mods that give you an idea of when and where to burn. A mod I greatly enjoy, Kerbal Alarm Clock, for example, has an option for you to set a timer counting down to an opportune transfer window to whatever other planet you like. But, as I said, for zipping around within a planetary system you really don't need anything extra unless you're doing something fancy like satellite-to-satellite instead of planet-to-satellite and back.

[koimeiji]

Originally posted by Akuma The Wicked:

Originally posted by Jackattack:

There is a calculator for this.
http://ksp.olex.biz/

Why is it not part of the game? Are we expected to know/do this on our own?

Well, yes. You figure this stuff out with equations, like real rocket science. There are also mods, like Protractor, MJ, and KerbAlarmClock that tell you when the next transfer it.