General Question Best planet for first interplanetary flight

[IronRain]

So, I've got vacation now, and I seriously (/desperately) want to do a interplanetary flight. But what is the easiest planet to start with for an interplanetary flight (except of the moon of course )

Thanks!

IronRain

 

[Loru]

I think Mars is the best target. Quite close and it may teach you basics of interplanetary travel. I suggest reading some tutorials.

 

[KosmoKen]

Its really up to you. What planet do you want to visit first? Traveling to Neptune is pretty much done the same way as traveling to Mars, it just takes longer. A better question is what ship, and TransX or IMFD?

 

[insanity]

Mars isn't a bad candidate because you have somewhere to land, but I think the inner planets are far easier to get to than Mars is.

 

[Izack]

Personally, I chose Venus. On second thought, Mars seems easier, though as KosmoKen said, it's pretty much the same for all the planets outwards of Earth, just with increasingly enormous distances.

 

[garyw]

I went to Venus first as its closer so takes less time. Mars is a good second.

I'm in the process of trying to plan a fast interplanetary trip to Jupiter...

 

[Urwumpe]

Venus - it is in a less eccentric orbit, closer to the ecliptic and larger than Mars.

Or you use Jupiter - it takes some practice to miss Jupiter.

 

[HAL9001]

with an realistic smashing spaceship (DGIV)? than mars, because venus is very dangerous.

with an DGIII i would fly to venus, too.

 

[IronRain]

I was thinking of Venus too (because I like the planet ) but maybe is Mars easier since there are more tutorials out there. I've tried TX-Earth to mars from.... sorry I forgot the name :blush: but when he's setting up the plan in 5 minutes, it takes me 15 minutes or more... so I think I give IMFD a chance too...

 

[Mojave]

I would go to Mercury. Mainly, because that's the only planet I haven't been to yet.

 

[Jarvitä]

Jupiter or Saturn. They're big (hence hard to miss), and with all the moons, you've got a lot to do once you get there.

 

[IronRain]

and is there a good tutorial someone can recommend?

 

[Spike Spiegel]

There are a couple. The one I originally followed was in the "Go Play in Space" manual, available here: http://www.migman.com/sw/orbiter/go-play-in-space.php. It uses IMFD.

Flytandem has a TransX video tutorial on this page: http://www.flytandem.com/orbiter/tutorials/video/index.htm. You may need that video player he mentions though. It was the only one that played his videos for me.

 

[eveningsky339]

Mars and Venus. I give two because a trip towards the sun is different in several ways from a trip away from the sun.

Jupiter is your next best choice because it is rather hard to miss (though I have succeeded in doing so on many occasions). The longer distance can make correction burns a little more tricky, though.

 

[n122vu]

Mars was my first interplanetary target. Have been there a couple of times with both transx and IMFD. A good feeling to turn prograde and see that big reddish-orange ball right in your face...

Second was Jupiter with the Arrow freighter. Have not visited any others yet. I would love to do the Voyager missions but the perfectionist in me (damn that side of me!) doesn't want to do it unless I can get as close to historically accurate on the flyby dates as possible. Same reason I haven't done a complete Apollo mission yet Curse you, mild OCD!!!

Anyway, like I was saying, I went to Mars first, and I thought it was very cool.

 

[kwan3217]

Mars, because the default scenarios with the DeltaGlider all seem to be on March 14, 2001, which is during a launch window to Mars. You can get there with about +2300 prograde, +2000 out, and +300 plane change on TransX.

 

[cjp]

Or you use Jupiter - it takes some practice to miss Jupiter.

:hesaid:

 

[IronRain]

I'm reading Go Play In Space now, and I think I understand it... I will try to fly to mars since that's the example in the manual

 

[Hielor]

Mars, because the default scenarios with the DeltaGlider all seem to be on March 14, 2001, which is during a launch window to Mars. You can get there with about +2300 prograde, +2000 out, and +300 plane change on TransX.

Careful with this, though--a whole lot of people trying to get to Mars from the starting default scenario end up smacking into the Moon, which just so happens to cross the ideal flight path

 

[IronRain]

I did it! yeah I'm happy now! I wanted this for a long time, but I was always afraid that I would fail. But I did it!

now I need to practice a lot I guess... what I really want is first to get MRO in orbit, then the 2 rovers and eventually Phoenix... but first practice with the DG(IV).

Thanks everyone! :tiphat:

my first picture of me approaching mars: