Bug #25191
Targeted craft's orbit mysteriously changing
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Description
When trying to dock with a space station, the orbit of the space station will suddenly start changing. The station does not have engines and yet I have watched the orbit shift as if it is accelerating radially outward from Minmus. The orbit was 50.2km to 50.4km and it changed to 45km to 55km. It has happened at Kerbal too. While random, this happens fairly frequently and is a serious bug.
History
#1
Updated by MisterDoctor about 4 years ago
Updated by there are two issues that could be related that I've seen:
- sometimes there is "residual acceleration", usually left over after having gotten into orbit. I think it's specifically left over during the transition from atmosphere to outer-space, but not sure. I think changing acceleration right at the transition point causes it, and if there is an explosion or something at that moment, you can end up with ridiculous amounts and end up accelerating right out of the solar system.
- sometimes there develops a significant difference between "physics space" and "warp space". I have seen vehicles that I have targeted slide large distances back and forth when switching between normal time and warp time. I can slide it back and forth as many times as I want by activating 5x time warp, and going back to 1x. the vehicle will smoothly slide from place to place, and the distance will update as it slides, say from 1.2km away to 542m away, or whatever, and then back again.
your issue sounds like it could be the second one (though it could also be neither)
#2
Updated by Rascal3198 about 4 years ago
Updated by As you approach the object, it will suddenly start moving..usually away from you. If you hop out to map view, you can watch their orbital parameters start to change. I have actually lost Kerbals stranded in orbit by having their orbit shift them into the atmosphere! I discovered that if i quickly exit out to the tracking station and come back, the phenomenon stops leaving the craft in its altered orbit.