Abandoning a contract with no expiration date or cancel button.

[Zosma Procyon]

I there a way to get rid of a contract with no expiration date or cancel button, that you don't want or can't figure out how to do? Specifically, I'm talking about docking two vessels in orbit. I've been trying for over a month. I can get craft into essentially the same orbit, within 100 meters, match speeds fairly well. But primarily because of the defective circuitry in my own peripheral nervous system (meaning I have extremely poor hand eye coordination), I can not get two craft stationary relative to each other or dock them. I've tried with both airlocks and the Klaw. I've even been considering cheating by launching two craft docked, and undocking in orbit, then docking again before they get more than 20 meters apart. At this point I'm just sick of it and want to get rid of that contract to open up another slot for a three star contract. I haven't tried using addons; not because I'm against them, but because I'm not sure they'll work in career mode.

So if there a way I can get rid of this contract? It has no expiration date or cancel button. And if I get rid of it, is there a progression i'll miss. I realize my lack of docking skills limits my orbital rendezvous potential, but I prefer direct assents.

Edited October 3, 2015 by Zosma Procyon
answered

[Harry Rhodan]

I haven't tried using addons; not because I'm against them, but because I'm not sure they'll work in career mode.

They do work. Mechjeb might have the problem that its modules are spread all over the tech tree but you can always dock manually with Docking Port Alignment Indicator.

[Kobymaru]

Sorry that docking has been such a frustrating experience

Here's a few tips on how to build craft for docking:

- Add Probe cores or pilots, so that you have SAS available

- Add Reaction Wheels, if your craft is bigger

- Balance the RCS thrusters for translation. There's a mod that helps you do that: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/35996-1-0-2-RCS-Build-Aid-v0-7-2

- Add plenty of RCS fuel so that you have many tries. For small craft about 150 units, for large craft (which you shouldn't use jus yet) about 400 units

Here's a few tips on how to do the docking:

- Definitely install Docking Port Alignment indicator! Honestly, I don't even know how to dock without it anymore.

- Take your time, stay calm, do it step by step:

1. Use your main engine to get into the vicinity of the target craft

2. Kill all relative velocity when your are "close enough" (within 100m)

3. Active Docking Port Alignment indicator, and select the correct target docking port.

4. Right-click on the docking port of your controlled craft and select "Control from Here"

5. Activate RCS and SAS

6. Orient (rotate) your craft correctly, which means the docking port directions are parallel

7. Fix your offset on each axis one by one, using the Docking Port Alignment indicator:

- Get a feel for how a marker moves when you use RCS into one direction

- Pick one direction (x or y, not z just yet) and move so that the large green bar is centered. Then kill your velocity in that direction

- Pick the other direction (y or x, not z just yet) and move so that the large green bar is centered. Then kill your velocity in that direction

- Get closer to the target docking port (that would be z-direction)

- While getting closer, fix the other axis offsets that will arise (x and y). If you feel that you can't because it's going too fast, slow down in Z again.

- When you are within 2m, you can stop fixing smaller offsets in x and y because they will be amplified by the small distance in Z and because the docking ports are actually *very* magnetic and very generous.

- If you feel that the other docking port has "grabbed you" magnetically, disable SAS and RCS, let go of controls and let the crafts wobble itself out. When it's done, you will be docked.

Edited October 2, 2015 by Kobymaru

[RCgothic]

A tip is to have both vessels facing Normal/Anti-Normal. That prevents rotation as the craft orbit.

Also I don't think re-docking the same vessel undocked counts. I discovered that by trying to dock to a probe launched on the same lifter.

Edited October 2, 2015 by RCgothic

[Yasmy]

Open the debug menu: Alt-F12.

Go to the contract section and select the contract.

Hit the complete button.

Alt-F12 again to get rid of the debug menu.

The problem with the contract system is it can push you to work on one thing, while you want to do something else. If you want a contract gone because it is interfering with your enjoyment, get rid of it.

[Zosma Procyon]

Mechjeb did the trick. My docking craft used the Klaw instead of an airlock, so I had to tap it in over the last 10 meters. I almost salvaged a shipwreck from Kerbin orbit, but my pod landed on a mountain and rolled down a few hundred meters. Ended up in pieces. Anyway I finally got the docking contract out of the way. This is solved.

[pandaman]

Docking is HARD (with a capital F), took me ages to get the first one, I'm still not that good, but confident enough to include it in mission plans.

It's well worth the effort to learn as it opens up so many other options for future missions. I suggest keep trying at your leisure without the pressure of a contract to fulfil, you won't regret it once you have achieved it.

[jwbrase]

At this point I'm just sick of it and want to get rid of that contract to open up another slot for a three star contract.

From my observations (though I haven't heard it confirmed anywhere), the contracts that have no expiration date and don't allow you to cancel don't seem to actually eat a contract slot, don't even have a decline button, and you get the rewards for fulfilling them whether you actually accept them or not (note, for example, you can fulfill multiple speed/altitude/distance record contracts in one flight session). While you've fulfilled this contract, it might be useful to know for similar contracts in the future. They seem to be complete freebies.

[EliasDanger]

Scott Manleys kerbal space program career mode guide videos on youtube really helped me figure out how to do docking easily. I don't need docking port alignment mod.