Gravity assists. One of the most effective ways to save fuel for a conventional launch to a far away planet. I was wondering. Are they good to work with? (I know they could be tricky)
If so, how would I use Luna as a gravity assist platform? I don’t know how to go fast enough to actually go on a good trajectory.
Something I notice isn't mentioned(at least not directly) is that if your craft is behind the body in question, then you'll get a relative boost in speed. If you're craft is ahead of the body, then you'll lose speed relatively. If used in the right combination, you can maneuver across the system with a minimal amount of ∆v regardless of the destination
I managed to get to Urados with half the fuel by aerobreaking. I did a simple Hohmann transfer to Cylero, slingshotted half way to Tydos, used some fuel to insert myself into a Tydos flyby, and set a course to Urados. I managed to aerobrake and insert a probe into orbit In Urados using aero braking. I highly recommend using this tactic if you are in desperate need to save fuel.
@ColdAerospace Alright thx I noticed that while testing gravity assists.
gravity assist - this is a good breakdown of how they work - luna doesnt have alot of mass, but can still add some velocity in a flyby - for example, if you draw a line from your closest point of the flyby (periapsis of the hyperbolic trajectory) thru the center of luna, that is the direction of gravity force added (relative to the velocity before entering lunas SOI). aligning that with your flight path is the tricky part, then the time in luna SOI, velocity, and altitude of the flyby will affect the magnitude of the assist...closer and slower encounter = more gravity applied in that direction
Simply, More Mass = More Gravity
More Gravity = More Velocity During Flyby
Flying By Closer To The Celestial Body Gives The Most Velocity Possible In A Flyby
Luna Isnt the best when it comes to flybys, but if you do want to use it, try being as close as possible to earn the most velocity.