Sync MFD

Sync MFD assists the pilot to synchonize with a target vessel or body so that they can rendezvous.

The orbital planes must be in alignment to within 1° for this to work properly, better if they can be aligned almost to zero. RInc in the lower left corner of the display shows relative inclination of the two orbits.

Screenshot of Sync MFD mode

Sync is called by the MFD display selection menu or by the hot keys Shift+Y.

Buttons and Hot Keys

• TGT or Shift+T: Calls up a list of bodies or vessels orbiting the same body as your ship, select one.
• MOD or Shift+M: Select reference axis mode.
  • Intersection 1: Location of the orbit intersection where the ship's altitude is increasing as it crosses the orbit of the target, only works if the orbits actually cross.
  • Intersection 2: Location of the orbit intersection where the ship's altitude is decreasing as it crosses the orbit of the target, only works if the orbits actually cross.
  • Sh periapsis: Location of the ship's periapsis.
  • Sh apoapsis: Location of the ship's apoapsis.
  • Tg periapsis: Location of the target's periapsis.
  • Tg apoapsis: Location of the target's apoapsis.
  • Manual axis or Shift+M: Location of a manually selected rendezvous point, this can be adjusted with the R- and R+ buttons, or with keys Shift+, or Shift+..
• LEN or Shift+N: How many orbits are listed, default is 5 (orbit 0 to 4), can be up to 19 (0 to 18).
• R- or Shift+,: Rotate intersection point in manual axis clockwise.
• R+ or Shift+.: Rotate intersection point in manual axis counterclockwise (anticlockwise).

Display components

• Green circle or ellipse: Your ship's orbit.
• Yellow circle or ellipse: Target's orbit.
• Brighter green radius: Reference axis line.
• Dimmer green radius: Radius vector of your ship.
• Yellow line: Radius vector of the target.
• "Sync Orbit:" (Target name): Target object.
• Ref:: Reference axis, Intersections 1 or 2, Ship's periapsis or apoapsis, Target's periapsis or apoapsis, Manual axis.
• RAnm: True anomaly of reference axis.
• DLng: Difference in longitude between your ship and the target.
• Dist: Distnace in meters between your ship and the target.
• RVel: Difference in velocity in meters per second between your ship and the target.
• DTmin: Difference in seconds between the time your ship and the time the target will cross the axis.
• RInc: Relative inclination of your ship's orbit and the target orbit, how far off are the inclinations of the two orbits.

• Ob: Orbit counter.
• Sh-ToR: Time in seconds until your ship crosses the reference axis.
• Tg-ToR: Time in seconds until the target crosses the reference axis.

So, the idea is to align your orbit with that of the target with Align MFD mode until RInc is as close to zero as possible.

• Call up Sync MFD mode.
• Select which mode you want to rendezvous in using MOD: As your ship ascends (Intersection 1) to the target's orbit from below, or descends from above ( Intersection 2) to the target's orbit, ship's apoapsis or periapsis, the target's apoapsis or periapsis, or some other point using Manual axis.
• If you like, select a number of orbits orbiter will project axis crossings (0 to 18).
• If you want to use Manual Axis mode, rotate the axis point where desired.
• Do prograde or retrograde burns to adjust your orbit. try to get the time to axis crossing as close to the same between ship and target as possible, and get the point where the orbits cross as close to the reference axis as possible. If both work out, the ship and target will be close to one another at the correct time. Watch the Dist readout, that tells you how close you are to the target.

Once you are at the closest point, do a burn to match your velocity to that of the target, and you are ready to close in.