If you're merely changing orbits, for example to fulfill a 'put a satellite in a particular orbit' contract, try to combine the two maneuvers by making the transfer from an ascending or descending node and adding a normal component to the burn.

If you need precision afterwards, start with a high altitude parking orbit. If you're aiming for a polar orbit, arrange that while you're still far away from the body rather than doing it after you've arrived.

Changing inclination is most efficient when you're moving slowly, i.e.

It is easier to match orbital planes if your orbit is roughly the same shape (especially regarding eccentricity) as the target, mostly because you can line up the orbits in the map view much more easily.

It won't work and you'll waste fuel trying.

Don't attempt to match planes anywhere other than an ascending or descending node.

See Maneuver node to see what these symbols look like. For the descending node, burn normal ('up', a pink triangle with a dot in the centre) for the ascending node, burn antinormal ('down', an upside-down pink triangle with radial lines and a dot in the centre). The maneuver you want is pure normal, in the opposite direction from the type of node it is. Set up a maneuver node at the next one of these nodes. If you're orbiting retrograde, your orbital plane 'descends' below the other one at the 'ascending' node.) ('Ascending' is from the point of view of a prograde (eastward) orbit. These are the points where your orbit crosses the plane of the other body's orbit. This will show several new points on your orbit, in particular ascending node (AN) and descending node (DN). Start by select the destination body as a target. This can be used to enable aerobraking to lower your orbit height.Д¬heck out TomPN's calculator for when to use a Hohmann transfer or bi-elliptical transfer.ДЄn important part of intercepting another orbiting body is to align your orbital plane with the target's orbital plane. Opposite burns at these same points will lower your orbit.

Upon reaching periapsis, burn retrograde until your orbit is circularized.

At apoapsis, burn prograde until the periapsis reaches the altitude of your desired orbit.

Start by burning prograde (most efficiently at periapsis) until orbit becomes highly elliptical with the apoapsis higher than starting and desired orbits.

This is because burns are more efficient at higher speeds, due to the Oberth effect (initial burn raises speed to increase efficiency, this is why the maneuver requires such a large change in orbits to be efficient). The bi-elliptic transfer can be more efficient (but slower) than the Hohmann transfer orbit in some cases (when going from a very tight orbit to a very large one: the ratio must be higher than ~12:1). See Tutorial: Earth-Moon Aldrin Cycler.Д«i-elliptical transfer в†’ See also: Bi-elliptic transfer on Wikipedia An Aldrin Cycler is an extension on Hohmann that creates a cyclic orbit between two bodies. Without taking special care a Hohmann Transfer between two bodies does not for a repeating loop. Hohmann Transfers let you move between oribts or bodies with the intention of changing to a new orbit at the far end.

Upon reaching the lowered periasis, burn retrograde until apoapsis falls to the desired altitude.

Burn retrograde at apoapsis until the periapsis reaches the desired altitude.

Upon reaching the raised apoapsis, burn prograde until periapsis rises to the desired altitude.

Burn prograde at periapsis until the apoapsis reaches the desired altitude.

To transfer from a lower orbit to higher: Thus, there are two burns to be made, ideally using engines with high thrust-to-weight ratios low TtW can require up to 40% greater О”v from having to start earlier at less efficient points than apoapsis or periapsis are for changing orbits. It involves first entering an eccentric orbit, then circularizing once reaching the desired orbital altitude.

The ending orbit may be around the same celestial body as it began or for travelling to another body, such as between Kerbin and the Mun. The Hohmann transfer is the most frequently used method of changing orbital altitudes while keeping the same inclination. Hohmann transfer в†’ See also: Hohmann transfer orbit on Wikipedia 4.2.2 Planets inside your original orbit.4.2.1 Planets outside your original orbit.

Kerbal space program prograde