Rescue a kerbal in Orbit... who has no RCS fuel left

[DBT85]

I got Jeb stuck in orbit with no RCS fuel left in his suit. I was about 10m away from his rescue with Rescue 1 when his RCS gave out.

 

My question now is, is the only way to capture him going to be using some kind of Shuttle or something that I can open bay doors with? Or maybe, just maybe, a perfectly positioned capsule within his arms reach.

 

Halp.

[DD_bwest]

ouch thats gonna be a hard one..

do you have the external command seat unlocked?    when you right click on it so that you can enter, i find its range to teleporting the kerbal into the seat to be pretty decent,  you may have luck with that.    and whatever it is you send, attach plenty of ladders to try and grab onto.

goodluck!

[paulprogart]

It's not that hard if you're reasonably proficient at rendezvousing and docking because it's basically the same thing.  I actually think it's a little easier because you can approach from any angle.  Might take a few tries your first time, and it does take patience, but it's totally doable.  Once your rescue vessel is in orbit:

1. Find Jeb in Map View and set him as the target
2. Do a basic rendezvous to get close, then move towards him until he is just a few metres away
3. Rotate the vessel with Q or E so the hatch/ladder is where Jeb is floating
4. Edge ever so closer very slowly, like 0.5 m/s or less... Likely you will need to switch to fine adjustment mode first by pressing <mod> first (the indicators will turn blue), unless your vessel has weak RCS
5. When you're about to bump Jeb, switch to him by pressing [ or ]
6. Press F to grab the ladder, and climb up/down as necessary until he can board

If you bump Jeb and he starts tumbling then you can timewarp briefly to get him to stop before trying again (unless you find that too cheaty).

Also if you are launching a new rescue vessel for this purpose you can design it to make the job a little easier by ensuring the hatch is in a nice accessible spot, and maybe add some extra ladders (assuming they are unlocked) to increase your margin of error.

Good luck!

[Reactordrone]

And if you do try the command seat method, add two seats and you'll be able to move EVA propellant from a new crew member to the depleted suit via resource transfer when they're both sat in the seats.

[fourfa]

10 minutes ago, Reactordrone said:

And if you do try the command seat method, add two seats and you'll be able to move EVA propellant from a new crew member to the depleted suit via resource transfer when they're both sat in the seats.

huh, I never knew that. Thanks!

Command seat capture range is easy mode.  Mk3 cargo bay (You Only Live Twice style) is more fun.  For more challenge, try 2.5m service bay, or 1.25m!

[bewing]

Does your rescue ship have another kerbal in it? Unless it's been changed, if you get another kerbonaut close, you can transfer RCS fuel between EVA suits, even without the command seats. Otherwise, you can do some very very careful piloting of your rescue ship, to get the ladder within Jeb's reach.

If you want to send up a new rescue ship, stick ladders all over it that lead to the command pod.

Once he grabs one ladder and gets stabilized, you can have him let go and start the ship rotating under him to get him onto a better ladder. It takes a while before they drift out of grabbing range.

 

Edited February 8, 2017 by bewing

[paulprogart]

14 minutes ago, bewing said:

Unless it's been changed, if you get another kerbonaut close, you can transfer RCS fuel between EVA suits, even without the command seats.

That doesn't work in stock 1.2.2.  You can't even see the fuel meter for one from the other.

Probably at least one mod that allows that though, so that is another option if OP is not averse to mods.

 

[bewing]

Yup, you're right. That technique doesn't work anymore.

[Cubfan]

I don't know if you're still trying to rescue Jeb, but I wanted to mention that you can grab a floating Kerbal with an AGU. Unless they've removed the ability in one of the recent updates, it would be the easiest way to get him.

[Delay]

7 minutes ago, Cubfan said:

but I wanted to mention that you can grab a floating Kerbal with an AGU

But how would Jeb survive re-entry? He doesn't have RCS as mentioned in the OP's post.

I don't think a kerbal survives re-entry just with a grabbing unit. Of course, I never tried so if I'm wrong, please correct me.

[Cubfan]

3 hours ago, Delay said:

But how would Jeb survive re-entry?

The way I've seen it is, your Claw is on the nose of your command pod. Your shield would be on the bottom. So as long as you re-entered facing retrograde (with a proper shield) Jeb should be protected from the heat.

Of course, I would save beforehand. If he doesn't make it, you can always just take to him to Mun. Either your base, or the rescue craft itself can land and drop a ladder. Then release Jeb and let him fall. He'll be fine. Just don't let him hit your solar panels. They won't be.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Cubfan
I said prograde but meant retrograde, obviously.

[Kryxal]

I wonder ... if you grab Jeb like that, can you then transfer monoprop to him?

[fourfa]

EVA fuel is not equivalent to monoprop in stock. There is of course a mod for that

[Soda Popinski]

I just had a vision of a spider-web like build with a command pod in the center with a bunch of extension ladders radiating outward.  If you can get slow enough, have the "web" run into Jeb, and have him grab the ladders, and climb to the command pod.  Alternatively, throw a CLAW over the command pod, to grab him first if matching relatively velocity is too difficult.

You'll need to put those ladder rungs around the command pod so he can climb to the hatch.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Soda Popinski

[HalcyonSon]

Grabbing something as small as a Kerbal with a Klaw is nightmarishly hard.  It would fit his BadS label to a "T" though if you could bring Jeb back in a blaze of glory.  My first choice is the expert pilot method - just a Mk 1 Capsule and a Probe Core with no extra ladders.  It's actually not that hard with a couple RCS 4-ways.

When it comes to solar panels and kerbals... the tiniest bump ends in destruction.  I sent Val and a flock of trainees to play leap-ship ar Minmus, and one of them bumped a 3x2 solar panel at less than 0.1 m/s.  Turned that panel into confetti.

[Firemetal]

The way I would do it is send up another craft that has a service bay. Inside the service bay, put a command chair. Get the rescue craft close to Jeb. Like really close. Then switch to Jeb and right click + board the command chair. Then just return the service bay to Kerbin. Problem solved!

Fire

[Cubfan]

1 hour ago, HalcyonSon said:

When it comes to solar panels and kerbals... the tiniest bump ends in destruction.

I love when they headbutt landing legs, too. Just stand up next to one and they don't break, they simply explode and disappear completely. Can't be repaired.

As far as Grabbing Kerbals, though, I think it might be a bit easier than you're expecting. I'm sure you've done the "recover such and such module and return to Kerbin" contracts. The "module" is usually a tiny piece of debris not much bigger than a Kerbal. It shouldn't be that much different.

[DBT85]

Ha, thanks for all the suggestions folks!

Despite having a lot of hours in KSP I also managed to get Valentina stuck around Minmus last night. All part of the challenge.

Of course, the fact that I've disabled all the other ground stations and as yet don't have a relay network up is also hindering my recovery efforts with an unkerballed vessel.

I'll let you know how I get on!

[bewing]

Playing KSP is all about trying new and wacky things ... and sometimes it doesn't quite work out ... so learning how to do wacky rescues is also part of the fun.

[DBT85]

Oh yeah, I'm probably 200-300 hours in, but I've not played for a while so I'm making weird mistakes lol. Rescue 1 sent up to save Jeb ran out of electricity because I didn't put any solar panels on so couldn't move it without the engine running!

I'm about to attempt a recuse of Jeb and once complete I'll go and get Valentina. I have enough dV to get her out of a Minmus orbit but not enough to get her into a low enough Kerbin orbit, so I figured I'd leave her there for now where she's a little easier to get to!

All to be done with Red Dwarf on in the background. My go to background show (along with Blacadder) for some 17 yerars!

Edited February 9, 2017 by DBT85

[HalcyonSon]

1 hour ago, Cubfan said:

I love when they headbutt landing legs, too. Just stand up next to one and they don't break, they simply explode and disappear completely. Can't be repaired.

As far as Grabbing Kerbals, though, I think it might be a bit easier than you're expecting. I'm sure you've done the "recover such and such module and return to Kerbin" contracts. The "module" is usually a tiny piece of debris not much bigger than a Kerbal. It shouldn't be that much different.

Landing legs no longer explode from Kerbal bumps in 1.2.2.  I'm grateful for that one.

The smallest "module" I've had to grab so far is a Swivel.  Not much larger than a Kerbal, but more massive and a more uniform shape.  I've grabbed a Kerbal before, and it is very difficult.  About the only thing big enough to hit is their head, and they're so light that the slightest nudge sends them somersaulting away.  Alignment must be PERFECT for the Klaw to close on a Kerbal.

[Cubfan]

33 minutes ago, HalcyonSon said:

I've grabbed a Kerbal before, and it is very difficult.  About the only thing big enough to hit is their head

Thankfully, they do have pretty big heads. And I'm personally thankfully they can't use them on landing legs anymore. I hadn't realized they removed that "feature". I've been careful not to fall near my landers. Nice to know I can fly around at will now. 

1 hour ago, DBT85 said:

Oh yeah, I'm probably 200-300 hours in, but I've not played for a while so I'm making weird mistakes lol. Rescue 1 sent up to save Jeb ran out of electricity because I didn't put any solar panels on so couldn't move it without the engine running!

Ah, ya gotta love the Kerbal life. I cannot tell you how many times I sent a ship on its way, set the alarm, then jumped back for the maneuver or SOI change after months or even years, only to realize I forgot to extend the solar panels. It's a miracle I haven't smashed my laptop.

[DBT85]

Stage 1 of my recovery mission is compete, 4 relay sats are in a 1000km orbit spaced 90ish degrees apart all with a 1h 52m 52 sec orbit.

At least now I can send probes up to do this.

I have 11,000 credits lol.

 

EDIT:

Took a rescue mission to generate some funds and then successfully managed to rescue Jeb with the same craft, though modified to include RCS for the fine tuning needed to present him with a ladder in the right place. Hurrah!

Valentina is still flying around Minmus and that's too far for my relay satelites which only have dual HG-5s on. So It's either a manned mission or wait for more tech. Of course, I realised this AFTER sending a ship out to get her... lol

Edited February 9, 2017 by DBT85

[Zeiss Ikon]

FWIW, if you have only Mk. 1 Command Pods to hand (or lack the boosters to send up a Mk. 1-2), it is possible to stack two Mk. 1 pods.  I recommend struts to stabilize them, and you'll surely want some extra RCS fuel for these jobs -- but being able to fly the mission from one pod and have an empty pod for the stranded Kerbal to grab/board greatly simplifies some things -- not least being reentry.  Especially if you remembered to put a heat shield on the second pod, as well as the primary one (actually, a Mk. 1 will survive reentry from a near-circular LKO without a heat shield -- or would in demo, anyway, haven't tried it since buying the game -- but coming back from Mun or Minmus, it'll melt down on a direct entry).

Be very careful trying to reenter tandem pods, though; if they get too far apart, you won't be able to switch from one to the other.  Set parachutes to "open when safe" and trigger them before starting reentry, and at least everyone will get down safely.

[Ultimate Steve]

On ‎2‎/‎8‎/‎2017 at 10:59 AM, Delay said:

But how would Jeb survive re-entry? He doesn't have RCS as mentioned in the OP's post.

I don't think a kerbal survives re-entry just with a grabbing unit. Of course, I never tried so if I'm wrong, please correct me.

Once upon a time, I had a ringstation that I never used, so I sent up an SSTO to evacuate the crew and de-orbit the thing. But I was short on seats, so I stuffed one Kerbal into the cargo bay and re-entered perfectly fine. Landed on the runway first try, even!