Page 1 of 2
Navigating a Planet
Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 9:29 am
by DarkMere
When I have to navigate to a position on a planet using longitude and latitude, for example going to Dav's Hope. I suck at doing that like nothing else. I always finally get to the place but it takes me ages messing up over and over. I wish I could plant a personal beacon or something but of course I can't.
Is there technique for making this easier that I am missing? Or do I simply have to learn how not to suck at it?
Re: Navigating a Planet
Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 11:03 am
by TorTorden
The simple solution.
https://hotdoy.ca/ed/bearing/If you want a little more, here's handy pic.

Personally I just cruise in orbit along the cardinals until I am a few degrees off my intended mark which when is I drop down to surface and zero in.
Re: Navigating a Planet
Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 1:29 pm
by DarkMere
TorTorden wrote:The simple solution.
https://hotdoy.ca/ed/bearing/If you want a little more, here's handy pic.
Personally I just cruise in orbit along the cardinals until I am a few degrees off my intended mark which when is I drop down to surface and zero in.
Thanks for that Tor. Fantastic, if I mess that up then there is really no hope for me.
Re: Navigating a Planet
Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 3:18 pm
by Cmdr Kharma
There is defiantly no hope for me......
Even using that I fuck it up......
Brain seems to just shut down......

Re: Navigating a Planet
Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 3:55 pm
by LeDoyen
what i do is zero in on one coordinate, and keep it steady while orbiting... then i just wait for the second to go to where i want and i drop in just a bit before reaching said coordinate.
Re: Navigating a Planet
Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 4:03 pm
by sean_crow
Hmm, I just mark the destination, go to orbital cruise with minimum speed low above dropping height and between 300 and 150 km (depending on body size) distance I drop in.
I feel like between 15 and 45 degree everything is possible.
Edit: Sorry, I didn't even understand the question

Re: Navigating a Planet
Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 4:17 pm
by LeDoyen
i don't think you can mark planetary coordinates yet. that feature has been requested for a while but still not there :/
Re: Navigating a Planet
Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 4:35 pm
by JohnLuke
You can also use the Planet Navigation feature of
Screen Shot Changer to give you a heading from your current location to your target location.
Just one of many very cool features of this program written by Commander de Carabas.

Re: Navigating a Planet
Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 5:23 pm
by damon8r351
I usually nail down the correct latitude first, then zero in on the longitude. So when I approach the planet, I'll orient so the planet's terminator is pointed up and down, because that's usually a decent indicator of what is north and south (not always). I'll zero out the throttle once the coordinate indicator comes up to set my speed to 30 km/s, and make necessary adjustments until my latitude is close to correct. Then I'll head east or west at normal orbital cruise speed, making small north/south adjustments when necessary, until I'm within 15 degrees of my destination, which is the time I begin my descent at a shallow angle. I usually get below 3 degrees of longitude and less than 1 degree of latitude in proximity to my destination that way, and it's usually about a 5 minute flight from there before I land.
Re: Navigating a Planet
Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2017 6:41 pm
by David c
If you have been to Dav's Hope once the next time you visit it will show up on your contacts list when you get close like any surface installation. I think the same applies to all of these special locations. However it doesn't excuse the fact that I can enter Lat & Longitude into my 6 year old car sat-nav and have the location displayed on screen so our ships should be able to perform this task from orbit .