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Mun base location ideas?


Ivory

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Hello everyone!

I was away from the game for a while and I see alot of things have changed. I have been getting ready to set up a base on the Mun and I was curious if anyone had any thoughts on a good location? Or if it even matters where.

Thank you!

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I don't have any favorite spots, nor do I build bases much.

Here's a couple things to keep in mind though.

1) Mun is tidally locked just like our Moon. Per the Kerbal Wiki, "The Mun longitude for which Kerbin remains directly above in the sky (at the zenith) is about 47 degrees east". You can stare at Kerbin all the time.

2) You want someplace easy to come and go. This means equatorial locations are the best.

3) You could use a map ahead of time if you like. This site is awesome: http://www.kerbalmaps.com/. Use the slope map feature.

4) You could use a mod like ScanSat to scan the body first, then determine a landing location from the map data and your visual surveys.

5) You could send small landing probes to multiple viable locations with bright lights to both examine and mark your landing zone.

Surely there are even more ways to make finding a landing site fun and exciting!

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Although harder to reach, having a base at the poles would solve power generation issues. You would have the sun in the sky at all times as opposed to having no sun half the time. This may become even more useful with the addition of resource mining as you could mine continuously.

Of course, should you want to set up base elsewhere the slope of the terrain and the proximity to the equator will be two main concerns. Also remember, should you set up base in a crater, to be mindful of the crater walls when ascending to LMO. There have been a few times where I have crashed into crater walls because my eye was on the navball and not the terrain.

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Make it next to the anomalies. The Neil Armstrong memorial is a good place with flat ground, and I think Kerbin is just above the horizon.

I would second this. The memorial is nicely placed so that Kerbin is always visible, and it's not far from the equator so pretty cheap/easy to get to/from :) It's also relatively flat in the immediate environs, certainly enough room for any kind of base that doesn't lag you horribly ^^

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Aim for large craters. They tend to have flat bottoms.

And I have that rule to always have Kerbin above the horizon, just to simulate the radio connection. Never used any mod adding that, but at least it gives me the thoughts that my Kerbs dont feel too lonely in their little base.

Edited by Veeltch
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I've been to Mun several times taking my rover out to some of the anomalies. I've picked a spot for a base southwest of the Armstrong Memorial, I believe it's the Midlands. I picked the spot because it's kind of center to all the anomalies on Mun, which I intend to visit with rovers once the base is completed. Having scouted it out with the rover, I've left the rover parked there as a landmark, easy for the base components to find when landing. :)

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I'd go for anywhere close to the equator. The reason is, that those locations are easy to reach from Kerbin. Beware when putting your base in a crater, as it might be challenging (or at least: tedious) to drive a rover over a crater wall, and sending out rovers to gather science is imho one of the main purposes of a mun base. (Another thing: If you build rovers for your Mun base, put a claw on them. This will make "docking" much easier than only having docking ports which might not end up at a usable height if the base isn't landed on even ground.)

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Although harder to reach, having a base at the poles would solve power generation issues. You would have the sun in the sky at all times as opposed to having no sun half the time. This may become even more useful with the addition of resource mining as you could mine continuously.

Yes, even NASA considers this as the best location.

Personaly, i would train a bit with landing and placing stuff until v1.0 comes out. You really want resources near your base. If you build now a big base and there are no resources, you would really be pissed. *g*

Or you take it as a new challange. More bases, more fun. ^^

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As of the last few versions, the Armstrong memorial is right in the middle of a cluster of kilometer-sized craters. There's a decent amount of level terrain immediately around the memorial itselfâ€â€plenty of room for a substantial base, but you'll need to nail the landings to within a couple hundred meters.

Also, the surrounding craters make it rather difficult to get very far with rovers going in any direction but north.

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How about making it DIRECTLY on the South Pole of the Mun? Then every time you're there you realize "I'm upside down right now! :sticktongue:"

You mean like this? Thanks for reminded me of my first South Pole landing. 0.19 I think. Rover wheels were invented but I had not yet modified my rover. :).

4f1L69Wl.jpg

Caption: Bill was all panic like when he was told they were landing on the South Pole.

"SOUTH POLE! ARE YOU NUTS! WE'RE GONNA FALL OFF!"

Jeb wasn't sure but was willing to chance it. Who really knew?

Part of this Mission Album.

Edit:

OP: Any location that has a great view of Kerbin, just above the horizon, is a good location.

Edited by Landge
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Although harder to reach, having a base at the poles would solve power generation issues. You would have the sun in the sky at all times as opposed to having no sun half the time. This may become even more useful with the addition of resource mining as you could mine continuously.

I made a base like that at one point. Had a single, vertically oriented panel. It worked :)

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How about a Mun base that hangs bat-style from underneath one of the Munar arches? Perfect use of the Klaw!

Seriously, has anyone done this? I would love to see pics.

Someone did it with KAS winches before the Klaw was a thing. I have no pics though :)

As for Mun bases, my 2 favorite spots for flat land are (as has been said) next to the Armstrong Memorial and (my personal fave) just south of the Mun arch on the next big crater over from the Memorial. You can't miss the arch, it's on the far Northern rim of that huge crater and the crater floor just to the South of it just on the equator is pretty flat.

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I like the Armstrong location for ease of use. I also like the canyon that stretches east from one of the farside craters. There is a grouping of biomes close by, although I really haven't had the need to gather science lately. I like the approach, trying to hold off on firing retrograde until I am inside the canyon walls. There really isn't too much level ground there, however. I like to think of it as my secret Mun base... only I guess it's not too secret anymore :/

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0 degrees latitude (so equator) 47 degrees east("tidal meridian"(the longitudinal point on a tidally locked body in which its parent body or the body it never stops facing is directly above in the sky(and yes I made Tidal Meridian up.)))

I wish someone would make a video about landing there on Youtube. Not good with coordinates, but been thinking about a Mun base since 0.24.2 and that is exactly the spot I want. Thanks for the tip, I at least have a rough Idea of where to look.

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A polar base is really handy for solar power; simply orient your panel straight up and let it rotate to follow the sun all the way around the horizon.

Also, a polar base can have "easy" access if you plan ahead. To get there from munar transfer orbit: make the encounter Pe close to zero, then burn north or south until Pe is just over your base. To leave, simply launch directly into the retrograde direction; no orbiting required.

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How about a Mun base that hangs bat-style from underneath one of the Munar arches? Perfect use of the Klaw!

Seriously, has anyone done this? I would love to see pics.

I don't think the Klaw can grab onto planets or moons, only 'roids or other things in flight.

And it's really time I paid a visit to the Armstrong Memorial

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Either the biggest, flattest spot I can find, or wherever's closest to where my orbit ends up around the Mun. Mostly depending on my available DeltaV.

My last attempt was the latter, but ended up as 'wherever it stops rolling' when I ran out of fuel near the ground and snapped half the legs off, along with the engine. Contract complete, it works fine. Totally.

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Although harder to reach, having a base at the poles would solve power generation issues. You would have the sun in the sky at all times as opposed to having no sun half the time. This may become even more useful with the addition of resource mining as you could mine continuously.

Of course, should you want to set up base elsewhere the slope of the terrain and the proximity to the equator will be two main concerns. Also remember, should you set up base in a crater, to be mindful of the crater walls when ascending to LMO. There have been a few times where I have crashed into crater walls because my eye was on the navball and not the terrain.

Yeah, this is the way to go if you have power generation problems. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_of_eternal_light

I've tried to plant a module at the south pole of the moon in RSS, but overshot the landing. Still, I'm watching it over time to see how much light it gets over the course of an earth year.

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