Can't Dock

[McBrain]

Hmm, move forward... don't you think you know already how to do it?
There are also rot. and lin. thrusters at the EVA! The lin thruster are (how could it be any different) for (linear) movement, that means, move forward, backward, up, down, left and right exactly the same way as you would do it with
spaceships. And to bring that guy back, just maneuver it directly into the docking port of the DGIII and press "e".

[AphelionHellion]

Wes: Congrats!!
Yes, the ISS is quite a bit more roomy, however NASA is a real stickler for house chores. Mir has a nice disorganized
atmosphere, much like my room

Ah, reentry - that's one of those "easy to learn, hard to master" things. Well, it's easy to de-orbit anyway, just hard to
make it down in one piece
The way to do it with the DGIII is to turn the knob on the mini-hud on the right top of the main panel until it shows you
the screen with your PeD (lowest point in your orbit). The cool thing about the DGIII readout is that it gives you your
lowest height above the GROUND, as opposed to your lowest height above the center of the planet, like the Orbit MFD
does
Just turn retrograde and burn until your PeD reads about 98,000 meters - at that altitude the atmosphere will start
slowing you down noticably (use the surface MFD, CTRL S, and it shows you air pressure and dynamic pressure, as
well as acceleration and all that) and away you go.

However, I really wouldn't use the DGIII to practice re-entry until you get quite good at it. It's very easy to turn
yourself into a meteor with it  I still only make it about 50% of the time. There is a descent autopilot which helps a
bit - enter PRO104SPEC40 into the flight computer. Then use the 8 and 2 keys on the number pad to adjust the
attitude you want to hold. A low nose-high attitude gives more lift and slows descent and a higher one cools down the
nose and slows you down faster.  Also there's a readout on the FC screen for deorbiting: hit D and then 3 and it'll
show Gs and temperature readings for different parts of the ship.
 
It's probably a good idea to try the stock DG to practice re-entry at first, though. In that case, just use the Orbit MFD
and burn retrograde until your orbit very nearly touches the surface of the planet. Then hang on 8o

Yes I know I haven't told you how to actually come down right on top of the base you want to land at; that's 'cuz I'm
still working on that myself...
Anyway I'm sure someone here can give you better advice than I.

As for the EVA, it works just like your RCS system. Rotation mode rotates, translation mode lets you move forward
(and backward and left and right and etc). To get back into the DGIII, switch to the DGIII, open the outer airlock door
with the controls on the top panel (you may need to depressurize it first), then go back to the EVA suit and jet over
until you're almost in the airlock, then press E.
I'd mention the Tether MFD, to tether the astronaut to the DG, but I hafta get going at the moment and it's easy to
get into a heap of trouble using that infernal invention... So I'll let these other poor suck- er.... fine Orbinauts have the
fun of advising you on that

[DocHoliday]

Well, AH explained the reentry procedure nicely. You can search this forum, this topic has been discussed often
enough. Michi made a nice tutorial a while ago on it.

The actualy targetting of the base is a bit tricky though I still can't do it properly with the shuttle. There are a few
things to consider:
1. The orbital alignment to the base
2. The point where you touch atmosphere
3. The point where your speed drops enough that you can fly the craft with the airfoils and presumably still have a
nice comfortable altitude
4. The distance to the base after all before that has happened.

1 - You need to make sure your craft will pass the base one you deorbit and reenter. You can do this roughly in the
MapMFD and you will see if your orbital sine curve passes over the base. Use +normal/-normal burns to get it aligned.
Make sure that the path is slighty east of the base, because by the time you actually come to landing the path will
move towards west (because of Earth's rotation). For a more accurate targeting you can use ReentryMFD, even
better than that is the BaseSyncMFD, by the author of IMFD. Of course the better they get the more complex they are
to use.. BaseSync though is by far my favourite and is quite simple to use. It helps you adjust the orbital plane AND
gives you the info on the distance to the base at the lowest point. Has a good manual too.
2 - This is a hot issue. Literally. You have to make sure the perigee is low enough, so you don't just bounce off the
atmosphere and overshoot the target. If it's too low though, your reentry angle will be higer (I'm still not sure what
the correct angle should be.. It DOES depend on your original apoapsis) and the maximum G and temp during reentry
may kill your crew and ship..
3 - This is directly dependent on the previous point and it's where I have most troubles. When you reenter, you can
adjust the angle of attack and this influences how fast you will lose speed and/or altitude. The effect is, you may
come into atmospheric and subsonic speeds way too early, or too late.. Then you have to limp your way with the
main engine towards the base. And you're dead with a shuttle. This is the really hard part to master.
4 - Depends on how you did in the last point. If you can get your craft to go to normal flight about 50km away and at
a altitude of some 20 or 30km you probably shouldn't have a problem landing.. All the rest is tougher.

There you go, now practice pilot. Good luck!

[freespace2dotcom]

Since Dan crushed that heat error problem with the DG3, I've been having no problems with re-entering

Step 1:  retro burn until you get a decent of about 1 degree as seen on the "d-2" display on the flight computer,

Step 2: turn on the program "pro 104 spec 40" and just let the proggy work it's magic. keep and eye on the "d-3"
display but you shouldn't have any problems.

No guarantees that you can get anywhere close to a base with that stategy, but any landing you can walk away from
is a good one in my book.

Plus My post has the advantage that it isn't nearly as wordy so has a greater chance that it will get it's message
across before mental numbing sets in



Post Edited ( 07-13-04 16:47 )

[DocHoliday]

Hehe, you da man. I guess all I can add is that the final trick to your foolproof descent is where you put your
periapsis..

Ahead of the base for sure, but how much. If we can nail this one down and repeat the result with success, we have
a descent solution

Then all you have to do is fix the distance from the base when you're supposed to burn.. and you've got yourself a
foolproof more or less general solution.. minor differences because of inclination, but nothing you can't sort out on
final approach.

PS: Hehe, less wordy than yours now

[Wes]

AH - well, that all seems basic! Anyone can do all that stuff!  

Thanks again guys - Ill try all your suggestions and Ill let you know how it goes!

Cheers and keep well,
Wes.  



Post Edited ( 07-13-04 20:42 )

[McBrain]

Good luck!!