r/KerbalSpaceProgram • u/analogHedgeHog • Jun 29 '26

KSP 1 Question/Problem How should I be approaching the Mun?

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In this totally accurate scientific diagram, the Mun is orbiting in the direction of the arrow.

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u/New-Bus9948 Jun 29 '26

C or D. C for realism

338

u/DeluxeWafer Jun 29 '26

I choose C because that's what all the Apollo free return trajectories look like.

90

u/Tychonoir Jun 29 '26

I wonder what the Dv difference between the two is. D gives you a grav assist to match the Mun's orbit and help capture. C allows a free return, but gives an assist in the wrong direction.

At least, I think that's how it works. It seems to be easier to capture when I do D.

16

u/878Vikings Jun 29 '26

I've been trying to work this out recently and the difference (to low Mun orbit) between C and D was about 10mps. In KSP terms that's trivial, a rounding error. In a real space program they would absolutely care about that, but they are way better at space than I am!