Background processing specific
Using MechJeb, TAC-LS with internal background processing, Persistent Rotation and AmpYear I came to the following conclusions:
The EC usage by the Kerbals on unloaded vessels is calculated by TAC-LS in the background
I'm not sure if Persistent Rotation also calculates unloaded vessels in the background
When I load another vessel I see the orientation is anywhere, but the setting of MechJeb Smart A.S.S. kicks in and orients it as I wanted - this setting is saved for each craf
BASED ON MY POTENTIALLY FLAWED UNDERSTANDING -
Packed vessels don't have their part tree loaded- they're treated as a single entity. Thus, mechjeb - and solar panels, for that matter, are neither one going to work as expected -since they're both part modules.
So... something with a vessel module - of which, without looking at code, I would suspect TAC is a candidate... would need to handle this. I don't THINK it makes any sense to try to 'orient' a packed vessel, but I think it W
