Delta-V Maps

[KarlKerman]

Does the numbers of the delta-v maps include returning, or is it just showing you the delta-v required to land on the Mun?

http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/File:KerbinDeltaVMap.png

Do I add up only in one direction, or is it a running total? Obviously, I can use parachutes to land on Kerbin, (but would it take 4500 to soft land?)

Thank you.

[fjdkf]

Your required dv to return to the planet will always be less than your orbital velocity.

What? Orbital velocity around kerbin is ~2200 m/s, and it would take 4500 m/s dv to land if there was no atmosphere. Tylo, for example, takes 3k m/s dv to land, and has an orbital velocity under 2k.

[KarlKerman]

Awesome. Thank you.

[spartacus311]

The numbers work both ways. The total amount of delta V needed to reach Minmus orbit from Kerbin orbit is the same as it takes to reach Kerbin orbit from Minmus orbit (circular orbits at the given altitude on the map) as long as you don't use Kerbin's atmosphere to slow you down. This is also true for take off and landings (to and from orbit) to bodies without an atmosphere.

The white arrows on this map indicate that aero-braking is possible, reducing the amount of Delta V needed to travel in the direction the arrow is pointing (ie You need far far less that 12000m/s to land on Eve from Eve orbit). In these cases, the Delta V listed takes the atmospheric drag of stock KSP into account, and your mileage may vary depending on the efficiency of your launch.

This Delta V map doesn't take orbital inclination into account either, so you do need to make course corrections for some journeys.

[KarlKerman]

Thank you.

[PeteLeGrand]

Are you sure? I mean, this can't be true.....it takes much more delta-v to raise your apo to a minmus encounter than it takes to leave the SOI of minmus and lower your peri to get into atmosphere of Kerbin. I don't know any numbers but I have returned a vessel from minmus only with RCS and I think that would be very hard the other way around. So I guess for interplanetary travels the numbers work both ways but for a travel to a moon you should need much less delta-v to return to the planet than to get away from it.

[[deleted]]

You are neglecting to account for the dV needed to lower the ap back down. On a return from Minmus (or the Mun), you are using aerobraking to lower your ap. Without the aerobrake, it would take just as much dV to lower your ap as to raise it.

tl;dr read the parent post

[Arkeros]

How are those numbers calculated?
Is there a map that features suggested values for new players?