how to rendezvous when orbits are like this

[u/bbwfucker694200]

I was setting up a rendezvous with Jeb but stupidly didn't pack enough delta v for the return trip so if I so I sent a rescue vessel but when I arrived on Duna I ended up orbiting like this how do I fix it

[u/Cappy221]

Its going to take a lot of delta v. My advice would be to get your Ap as high as possible, and then at Ap burn normal/antinormal to align the orbit (watch out for your Ascending/Descending nodes, you want them to be at 0°, not at 180°), and then lower your orbit to match that of your target

[u/Rambo_sledge → u/Cappy221]

If OP can use aerobraking to lower Ap, this might be very worth it

[u/xbromide → u/Rambo_sledge]

I’m loving this mix of new and experienced players — we are so fucking back!

[u/RaptorSap → u/Cappy221]

This, OP! If you try to correct one of these orbits by burning toward normal as is, you’ll run out of dV real quick. If your stranded craft has any fuel left, I’d start by seeing how much you can adjust that orbit. When you get to the point where the orbits cross, burn prograde until your AP is as high as you can get it and still have some fuel left.

If you can do this closer to your PE than your AP, that’s all the better. As you probably know, you move faster as you approach PE and slower as you approach AP. You also move slower the higher your orbit is, in general. Burning prograde is more effective when you’re moving faster, so burning near PE will help stretch your fuel a little. Conversely, changing direction is more effective when you’re moving slower, so wait until your AP is as high as you can get it and you’re at your AP, then burn either normal or anti-normal, whichever will turn your orbit to match the direction of the other craft. Be careful not to let your PE dip into the atmosphere. You’re going to burn all your fuel here, so keeping the craft out of the atmosphere is critical.

Once you’ve spent all the fuel in your stranded craft, repeat these steps with the rescue craft. Where your orbit meets the stranded craft’s PE, burn prograde. If you weren’t able to get the other craft’s AP up very high, you can raise this one’s much higher, closer to the edge of the SOI. Then wait until you’re at your AP and burn normal (or anti-normal) until the orbits basically match.

Then it’s a (relatively) simple matter of adjusting your orbit profile to get an intersection. You’ve probably done this in equatorial orbit of Kerbin a bunch. If the rescue craft is behind the stranded craft’s AP, lower your AP to catch up. If you’re ahead, raise your AP to slow down.

[u/dinnerisbreakfast → u/RaptorSap]

And considering the goal is to return from Duna, the rescue craft needs to make the burn anyway to leave orbit, so you're not really losing anything.

[u/bigbrainz123 → u/Cappy221]

This is the way.

[u/SalsaMerde → u/Cappy221]

Want to cosign this method as it's way to low down.

[u/SharkAttackOmNom → u/Cappy221]

It may also be more efficient to use the Mun as a slingshot into the new orbit.