What is the best space station desing?

[Gauga159]

I have a question what is the best space station design i factor in: scientific reserch (aka how much science it will give me) and cost in career and total part count (becouse i have 4gb of ram)

Edited January 20, 2016 by Gauga159

[ineon]

I don't think there is a single "best" design for a space station.

I tend to build modular stations, but mainly because I don't know all of the requirements that I am going to need when I send the first part up. 

[Tex_NL]

The best design is completely dependant of what you want to do with it or the contract requirements.

If it's just science you're after all you will need is:

1. A control node. Can be a crew pod or probe core. Does not matter which.
2. A lab. One is enough. And of course at least one scientist Kerbal.
3. An abundant source of power. Solar is easiest but RTG's will do just fine. Just make sure you have enough.
4. An ample supply of batteries to sustain you during the 'night'.
5. An antenna to send that sweet science home.

You don't even need a docking port. Rendezvous and sending a Kerbal over with the experiment data will do.

However, if you want to keep your options open you should add some extra docking ports.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Tex_NL

[Evanitis]

As a potato-player, (like probably you too, with the 4gb ram - though in this case I believe the processor matters more) I voted none. I can't really justify the (sytem) resource cost of building something big and impressive for it to 'be there'. Sure I did it a few times. But for me it doesn't worth it for the few benefits they have.

Thoughas I see it, the difference between 'a space station', 'a spacecraft', 'a module', or 'a junk with some functionality' is a semantic one. So if I want a certain function available at a specific spot, I don't mind leaving something there that fulfills the purpose with minimal part count. Refueling on LKO? An orange tank with a claw will do, that's universal size anyways. Mobile-lab? Sure, but it should be a separate module (as recovering it might be beneficial later). It might spend a few years orbiting another planet, but the tug (engine module) that brought it there can do more useful things while the Kerbals are experimenting.

I don't think any of the above should be called a 'space station'.

Though making -everything- modular is definately worth it, especially in career games. Once you unlock big docking ports and can rendezvous comfortably, it will be enough to build and launch everything once.

 

Though of course if your pc can handle it, it's nice and fun to leave permanent orbital and surface bases with hitch-hiker modules and two bathrooms at every planetary body.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Evanitis

[David104]

10 minutes ago, Tex_NL said:

The best design is completely dependant of what you want to do with it or the contract requirements.

If it's just science you're after all you will need is:

1. A control node. Can be a crew pod or probe core. Does not matter which.
2. A lab. One is enough. And of course at least one scientist Kerbal.
3. An abundant source of power. Solar is easiest but RTG's will do just fine. Just make sure you have enough.
4. An ample supply of batteries to sustain you during the 'night'.
5. An antenna to send that sweet science home.

You don't even need a docking port. Rendezvous and sending a Kerbal over with the experiment data will do.

However, if you want to keep your options open you should add some extra docking ports.

Well, how do you get data to actually produce science?
Thats mainly the problem with my orbital stations. They look nice and are cool but at some point I always run out of data and usually dont have enough delta v to dock there when I come home from some other planet with a excrements load of science.

I´m still building them because its fun.

[Evanitis]

1 hour ago, Tex_NL said:

1. A control node. Can be a crew pod or probe core. Does not matter which.

I never knew you could store the data in probes. Thanks!

51 minutes ago, David104 said:

They look nice and are cool but at some point I always run out of data and usually dont have enough delta v to dock there when I come home from some other planet with a excrements load of science.

So why not take it with you in the first place if you need the Sci? Mobile lab gets a multiplier if it operates far from Kerbin. In a 'normal' career, processing most of the local data on Duna or Eve orbit is kinda' enough to unlock the rest of the tree. Jool is even overkill.

[Tex_NL]

1 hour ago, David104 said:

Well, how do you get data to actually produce science?
Thats mainly the problem with my orbital stations. They look nice and are cool but at some point I always run out of data and usually dont have enough delta v to dock there when I come home from some other planet with a excrements load of science.

I´m still building them because its fun.

Then you'll need to bring more fuel.

42 minutes ago, Evanitis said:

I never knew you could store the data in probes. Thanks!

So why not take it with you in the first place if you need the Sci? Mobile lab gets a multiplier if it operates far from Kerbin. In a 'normal' career, processing most of the local data on Duna or Eve orbit is kinda' enough to unlock the rest of the tree. Jool is even overkill.

Probes won't store data, but the lab will (as will any part that can hold crew).

To maximize the science yield you should process the data on the surface and in orbit. And then again in orbit around Kerbin. The same data can be processed in multiple locations. You can even take Kerbin KSC data on a Jool grand tour if you wanted to.

[Vanamonde]

Any time you have more than one module, that adds at least 2 to total part count: a docking ring on each module. Also, you will need to have a command part, power supply, regular fuel, an engine, RCS thrusters, and an RCS tank either on each module itself, or on a delivery ship. I have taken the latter approach with my modular stations, having a stage deliver the module and then de-orbit itself for recovery. While that method shaves considerably off of the station's own part count, keep in mind that all those parts still add to lag while present, making docking a difficult process if your PC isn't the fastest. In short, I build in modules because it's fun, but in practical terms, stick to a single launch whenever you can. 

[Plusck]

6 hours ago, David104 said:

Well, how do you get data to actually produce science?
Thats mainly the problem with my orbital stations. They look nice and are cool but at some point I always run out of data and usually dont have enough delta v to dock there when I come home from some other planet with a excrements load of science.

I´m still building them because its fun.

The only orbital station I have that has ever run out of science is the one around Kerbin. I could drop some data off but by the time I'm on the way back to Kerbin, I simply cannot be bothered

Everywhere else, I have sent a mobile lab + light dockable lander with experiments on board. The scientist takes the lander, gets science, comes back and starts researching. Visiting and/or replacement crew refuel the lander, plant flags and get more science, while returning crew take the original reports home with them. Even my first orbital station around Minmus has a couple of reports left still to process (and I'm pretty sure I've missed a biome or two there).

As for the design, I started grand before I had experienced significant lag, and now make minimal hubs with a couple of lamps, solar panels, biggest batteries possible and that's it. The ships that dock to it provide all the other functionalities. That means that the "return to kerbin" part of the ship has to be detachable from the lab itself (which has a probe core, RCS and fuel attached). The station cannot move much on its own, but it can rotate for docking and there's generally always a crew return pod attached to it.

 

Edited January 20, 2016 by Plusck

[suicidejunkie]

Also consider the benefits of just repurposing a spent booster stage.

My most productive station is a 6-orange popsicle booster stage that accidentally made orbit after being used to loft a payload that was too light.

With KIS/KAS, I just bolted on some docking ports, added an antenna, probe core, and RTG combo for fun and SAS, and then slapped other various widgets and knickknacks all over it as I felt like it.  Tankers from minmus come to fill it up, spaceplanes make regular visits, and heavier ships getting launched come by to refill before heading out.

[Gauga159]

wow guys i thought this post wouldn't get this many replies

[SalehRam]

Stations are always the first thing I tend to do or build in my career. And I prefer a single station for each job... Since I am using RT2, TAC LS, then the job to maintain these stations is much more serious, as well as more funny and gives me space to test my space shuttle experience, and I am learning from that day by day...

I also like to make each station as simple as possible, with the minimal requirements to make it functioning 100%. The only thing I add more of it is the docking ports, as I add 1 large port, and 2-3 medium/small ports.

Some very small amount of fuel and small engines to help fixing orbital drifts in case I make a horrible docking attempt and bump the station too much.

Because of RT2, I become forced to build a control station, and that I always put it between 75k or 80k orbit, so it has the lowest orbital period possible. For science stations, I tend to go on high orbit, and for fuel depots, I usually put them between 120k or 150k orbits...

Edited February 10, 2016 by SalehRam

[Evanitis]

11 minutes ago, SalehRam said:

Stations are always the first thing I tend to do or build in my career.

*imagines Jeb in an Mk1 pod + flea SRB construction landed on Kerbin. "No guys, that's my Station. You won't recover it. I'll stay here and monitor the further launches and the biological effects of... being in a can for long. So bring me snacks."*

[SalehRam]

4 minutes ago, Evanitis said:

*imagines Jeb in an Mk1 pod + flea SRB construction landed on Kerbin. "No guys, that's my Station. You won't recover it. I'll stay here and monitor the further launches and the biological effects of... being in a can for long. So bring me snacks."*

Let me write that in a better way:

I usually do not do: interplanetary stuff, rovers, mining, surface surveys before I get at least one station in low orbit

[RizzoTheRat]

I've never really got in to using labs, so for me stations tend to be either whatever is specified in a contract, or orbital fuel dumps.  Hence they tend to launch in one piece but plenty of docking ports to attach future visitors to.  However since I started using TAC Life Support they make a bit more sense, for example if I get a Kerbin orbit rescue mission I'll usually send up a 3 seater shop, rescue the stranded kerbonaut, but then leave him sat in ship until I get another couple of rescue missions before I bring them home.  With LS I either need to have life support on that ship, or dock with a station which will provide the life support until the ship goes for another rescue.  No need for accommodation though as the ship provides that.

Once USI-LS/Kolonisaiton is stable I plan to switch to that, and then the station becomes pretty much essential as there is a habitation component of life support which is how long they're happy to stay cooped up in a small tin can

[AlextheBodacious]

On 1/20/2016 at 2:28 PM, Vanamonde said:

... adds at least 2 to total part count: a docking ring on each module.... Also, you will need to have a command part, power supply, regular fuel, an engine, RCS thrusters...

Ok, first of it's possible to use the claw, which means it can be one part. Command parts might as well be the only parts, and they can come with their own (limited) power supply. Regular fuel is not necessary... unless you're talking about its trip to orbit, and that's the same for the engine. RCS thrusters aren't necessary, and I can prove it (I didn't know how to translate with them on my first station, which was a big one indeed). All this can be brought on a ferry of sorts if you want to be technical about it, so you really can minimize the total part count to as little as 3 for an entire multi-module station.

[Vanamonde]

On 1/20/2016 at 0:28 PM, Vanamonde said:

... either on each module itself, or on a delivery ship... keep in mind that all those parts still add to lag while present, making docking a difficult process if your PC isn't the fastest... 

Also: 

Quote

Ok, first of it's possible to use the claw... 

Not if you don't want nasty glitches to rip your station apart. 

[Warzouz]

I don't build modular space station, I build space station that can be extended if needed, but I nearly always send the station in one launch except if parts don't fit (like return vehicle or landers)

A many topics on space station, their design largely depends on what you want them for.

• Base for kerbals after interplanetary transfers
• Science data production
• Refuel for inteplanetary flights
• Refuel for science exploration

Refining a station design to your needs is quite a long task. For my part, It takes me many prototypes to end with the Exploration Space station which perfectly fits my play style and mission I like to do.

[Vjrcr]

On 2016-01-20 at 11:07 AM, Gauga159 said:

I have a question what is the best space station design i factor in: scientific reserch (aka how much science it will give me) and cost in career and total part count (becouse i have 4gb of ram)

If you're okay with orbital rendezvous then modular is better, you can use smaller launch stages and if you ever get a contract in career that deals with space stations you can change it to suite your need (in the future).

 

Plus unless you're use a version of Linux then KSP is only x32 bit means 3gb of ram is the max at this point until x64 bit is fixed. You can force OpenGL to help with ram savings if you want.

[Snark]

On 2/10/2016 at 6:36 AM, RizzoTheRat said:

Once USI-LS/Kolonisaiton is stable I plan to switch to that, and then the station becomes pretty much essential as there is a habitation component of life support which is how long they're happy to stay cooped up in a small tin can

One thing to bear in mind, if you've never gone full-bore USI-LS/Kolonization:  it turns KSP into something very different.  You'll be playing a logistics-management game, not really a flying-rocket-ships game any more.  Your time will be spent managing resources, and crew happiness, and various types of consumables, and so forth.

I've done a full-fledged playthrough with that mod.  It was really interesting to try, and I'm glad I did it (the mod is a real tour de force)... but I won't be playing it again, once was enough.  I spent all my time micromanaging resources, not flying rocket ships and exploring space.  It greatly de-emphasized the aspects of KSP that I enjoy the most, and added lots of stuff that's fine on its own merits but isn't really why I play KSP.

So, just be aware of what you're letting yourself in for if you go that route.