Quick Dive: Interplanetary Transfers and Porkchop Plots

A star system is a big place, and getting between planets is no easy feat. The bones of Launch Window makes this feat a little easier, so I'm glad to be able to share with you a bit about how this works!

A classic interplanetary transfer requires planetary alignments to enable a Hohmann Transfer. It's the most efficient, graceful, and friendly way to get from one body to another. You yeet on an escape trajectory from Planet A in such a way as to intercept Planet B at exactly the right time, needing the least amount of fuel to escape Planet A and capture around Planet B.

Here's a handy graphic to show what I mean:

Now, it wouldn't be much fun if you could only do this single optimal transfer. What if Planet B needs supplies sooner? What if your fleet won't be ready in time and you need to depart later? What if you simply don't care about efficient fuel use because your reserves are overflowing? What if you love efficiency, and want that perfect transfer after all?

Well, you're in luck. Because you are in control, because this is a game...

Through the wonders of Porkchop Plots, you can assess a whole range of departure dates (X axis), times of flight (Y axis), and required delta-v (blue = less, red = more). With this graph you gain an understanding of your options and can choose the right transfer for you (don't worry this visual is a WIP, I will make it more pretty):

Please note, no animals were harmed during the making of these porkchops.

It's clear to see the two upcoming Launch Windows in the above example, with a whole range of transfers to choose from depending on your colony's circumstances.

I hope you enjoyed this quick dive, please let me know if you have any questions, or if you'd like to hear more about other aspects of the game!

Fred

gumptiongames