How are cargo bays used?

[vger]

I haven't been able to find any details on this. Descriptions seem to imply that this can be used to capture or deploy small vehicles, but I see nothing which explains how this is accomplished. Is maneuvering a probe into a cargo bay the same as a docking procedure?

Also, how does one go about launching a craft with a smaller craft inside of the cargo bay? It seems logical that one should be able to right click on a cargo component and then choose a saved craft to put in it, but I didn't see that functionality.

Without further detail, based on how I remember the game working pre v1.1, the ONLY thing I could see being able to do with this is putting a rover inside that was launched BEFORE the craft containing the cargo bay, which seems like far less than what one should be able to do with these parts.

[sumghai]

4 minutes ago, vger said:

I haven't been able to find any details on this. Descriptions seem to imply that this can be used to capture or deploy small vehicles, but I see nothing which explains how this is accomplished. Is maneuvering a probe into a cargo bay the same as a docking procedure?

AFAIK, that is exactly it - you add a docking port to the cargo bay, which docks to the corresponding port on the probe you want to capture, and then you close the bay doors around the probe so that you can timewarp / re-enter the atmosphere safely.

7 minutes ago, vger said:

Also, how does one go about launching a craft with a smaller craft inside of the cargo bay? It seems logical that one should be able to right click on a cargo component and then choose a saved craft to put in it, but I didn't see that functionality.

No, the cargo bay isn't a spawn point for payloads.

One would usually build the payload first, then manually add the cargo bay around it, and finally building the rest of the "launcher" craft.

Alternatively, build and save the payload separately as a subassembly, to be inserted into the launcher craft in the VAB.

[bewing]

To deploy: a cargo bay has two attachment nodes. You put a decoupler on (say) the front attachment node inside the cargo bay in the VAB, with a small ship or rover attached to the decoupler. Some struts to keep it from wobbling around during launch. Launch into space, open the cargo bay, fire the decoupler, wiggle the payload out of the bay, and send it on its way.

To stuff a prebuilt thingy into the cargo bay: build and save the payload ship. Build and save the booster ship with the cargo bay and decoupler. Hit "open". Click on the payload ship and hit "merge". If you set the root properly on the payload ship, it will attach to the decoupler -- but that last step of getting things to attach properly inside a cargo bay is very fiddly and annoying. They want to stick all over the outside of the cargo bay, rather than where you want.

Capturing things into a cargo bay involves some kind of docking maneuver, yes. The MK3 ramp is probably necessary if you are trying to load up a rover off the surface.

Edited June 10, 2016 by bewing

[max_creative]

I use them for basically everything. They have there normal uses like space shuttles and cargo planes, then there are other uses. They can be used for hangers by tweaking to 50% open. Ramps can be used to hide LV-N's for safety. They can also be used for storing small craft like RCS tugs. Mk2 bays are good for protecting radiators during aerobraking.

Mk3 ramps also are good for the mouths of space whales.