MerlinsMaster

Link?

Does anyone know if this runs on 1.7.0? I just installed it, but I'm not seeing the SIM button.

Hmm...I'm at work right now, so I can't test those links, but I will ASAP. They should be compatible with current KSP, but I will make some new files. Okay, so the rover is really just a plane without wings. To move you need to start the engine, but only a little bit (less than 1/4 throttle), and shut it off as soon as you're rolling at about 10 m/s. Don't make any sharp turns, and when you want to stop, be gentle with the brakes. As for the design, to build it, stick two Science Juniors on the back of a cockpit. Stick a science container on the back of those. Put 3 batteries on each side. Put a small liquid fuel tank on top of the second Science junior. Put an intake on the front of the fuel tank, and a Juno engine on the back. Then use the move tool the adjust the position of the engine. Put on the landing gears as shown in the picture. Also put those additional science instruments on the side as shown. If you still have trouble replicating what is shown in the picture, then go ahead and wait for the download, which I will prepare when I can. If you think of the other issues that you had, let me know and I'll be happy to assist.

So, I've been away for a bit. So there are no strut connectors anymore? What replaces them? That complicated winch system?

That is an interesting idea, which would be fine for a small ship, but the ship in question is huge, so like you said, it would be a violent docking to be sure. Yeah, Winchell Chung from the Atomic Rockets website had expressed the same concern with me on Twitter, which I agreed with. Of course, this is set in the 24th century, and it's not unreasonable to assume that they have much more advance reaction control technology. Yeah, I've read a few of her other books, so I'm more or less expecting that to be the case.

Well, before you say that, check this out. According to my research, Pell Station is about 3600 feet in diameter. I'm not sure exactly what size the Norway is. I'm guessing about the size of a container vessel. It probably doesn't matter that much, as I'm sure in the 24th century, they have sufficiently advanced reaction control technology that a large ship docked with the station wouldn't be a serious issue.

I had thought of that, but my concern was that they wouldn't be at the point of closest approach long enough (a couple of seconds) for the docking clamps to take hold (keep in mind, they would probably be pretty huge). But that's probably the best option, barring tractor beams or the earlier mentioned elevator option.

But in that situation, the docking port, while spinning, was only moving in one direction. Coop only had to match that direction, and then match the spin. In my scenario, the direction is continually changing. It is changing in a predictable manner, however, so it's conceivable that with a good enough RCS system and sufficient manueverability, that it could be done.

I like her too. I read the Chanur series first, and now I'm just starting the Union-Alliance books. As for the ships being able to perform that maneuver, the problem is that the lateral movement of the ring is pretty fast, and the direction is constantly changing. A smaller ship, like the Rocinante in the Expanse, for example, might be able to do it because it is so maneuverable. But the Norway, as best as I can tell, is roughly the size of a medium container vessel, and I have considerable doubts it would be possible. Also, I was just discussing this with Winchell Chung from Atomic Rockets, and he expressed a concern that the Norway docking with the station would put the station wildly off balance. He said it would be like putting a cinder block in a dryer and running it.

That's crazy, I was thinking that exact thing.

That's true, which is why I decided to make this post. It seemed silly to even ask, as I know already that there is no good way to dock on the ring, but I guess I wanted to make sure that I wasn't missing anything.

Hey Guys, I'm currently reading Downbelow Station by C J Cherryh, and I thought it would be fun to recreate the titular space station in KSP. There is, however, a problem I'm running into. In the book, all of the docking ports on this space station are on the ring, not the hub. Given the diameter of the station and how fast it would have to spin to generate 1g, the surface of the ring is moving by at about 73 meters per second, way too fast to even hope to perform a successful docking. So to anyone here who has read the book or is even just familiar with the story, what am I missing here? Cherryh's work in science fiction is for the most part pretty well grounded in scientific accuracy, so how is it she did not think of this? If anyone has any insight into this subject, I would really love to hear your thoughts. Thanks.

Many thanks for that wonderful compliment! If you're serious when you say that this tutorial kept you from quitting KSP, then the hard work I put into this has been totally worth it! Happy space travelling! And don't forget to check out part two, in which you'll be able to unlock the remainder of the tech tree in only two missions!

Sorry about that. When I was designing it, I originally had it clipped in the Materials Bay, but then changed my mind and forgot about it. I'll update the craft file ASAP. The Mimnus tanker is intended to dock with the Transfer Module in LKO, refuel it and then undock. I designed it so it can be deorbited afterwards, but I like your idea of keeping it in LKO for use as part of a space station or fuel depot. You can jettison those before you leave LKO, if you like. The original intent for those was just to get the fuel tanker into orbit and rendezvoused with the ship, but there is plenty of fuel left in those and it seems silly to let it go to waste. And the extra thrust, while unnecessary, is always nice. The only downside is that once you decouple them, they will be forever in a large, highly elliptical orbit between Kerbin and the Mun.