Cargo Bay

[Km250]

So I am very new to the game and I am wondering if I can put a rover inside a cargo bay? 

[Foxster]

You can put whatever you like inside a cargo bay. Whether you can get it back out is another matter. 

[Geschosskopf]

4 hours ago, Km250 said:

So I am very new to the game and I am wondering if I can put a rover inside a cargo bay? 

Welcome to the forum!

Anyway, yes, you can put rovers in cargo bays.  However, a usefully large rover needs a pretty big bay and the stock game really doesn't give you much there.  The biggest cargo bays in stock, the Mk3 fuselage, is very narrow and tall inside.  Rovers need to be wide and low for stability, so the Mk3 shape is just wrong for them.  You should probably look at mods if you want to carry something besides a small jeep-like thing.

As for how you put a rover in a cargo bay, you need some way to firmly attach the rover during flight and then detach it at the destination.  Normally, you do this with docking ports, one on the inside of the bay and the other on the rover.  So, you build the rover by itself and save it as a subassembly with the docking port as its root part, then build the carrier vehicle and put the other docking port in its bay.  Then load the rover subassembly and attach it to the docking port in the bay.  You might also want to run some struts from the rover to the bay walls for added stability.  These will break when you undock the rover.

Using docking ports lets you put the rover back in.  If you don't plan on that, you can use a stage separator or decoupler instead.  Just be sure to tweak the decoupling force way down so it doesn't throw your rover hard enough to break it.

[ajburges]

If it fits* you can put it in a cargo bay.

Some considerations:

> The Mk3 bays are cripplingly narrow. Rover wheels need a to be practically on each other for a properly narrow wheelbase to fit (keep them to the flat part of the bay; driving on the walls is an exercise in frustration). If you don't like clipping, this requires an unstable high rider configuration.

> The Mk3 ramp is very short for a typical bay height. This creates a step ramp. You need a short wheelbase to drive past the top of the ramp without bottoming out and low overhang to avoid hitting the ground/ceiling.

[Jas0n]

It's probably easier to just attach it using docking ports or the grabber. Or you can look into mods such B9 that add bigger cargo bays.

[Hodari]

If you really want to, you can fit a rover into the 2.5m service bays. It'll take a bit of careful design, but if you're trying for something like an Apollo style Mun landing, it can be done.

[Rocket In My Pocket]

1 minute ago, Hodari said:

If you really want to, you can fit a rover into the 2.5m service bays. It'll take a bit of careful design, but if you're trying for something like an Apollo style Mun landing, it can be done.

I find it's generally easier to just hang it under the lander, or slap it to the slide. Then put the whole shebang in a fairing for ascent.

Driving out of service bays is just so wonky sometimes.

[Hodari]

5 minutes ago, Rocket In My Pocket said:

I find it's generally easier to just hang it under the lander, or slap it to the slide. Then put the whole shebang in a fairing for ascent.

Driving out of service bays is just so wonky sometimes.

Yeah, it probably is easier that way in most cases. Just saying it IS possible if you're trying to recreate a real-life craft or have some other reason for wanting to do it that way.

[Hodari]

Here's an example of what you can fit in a 2.5m bay.

[Rocket In My Pocket]

Nice! I like the seats on the front, reminds me of those odd "under-cab" trucks you used to see awhile back.

Spoiler

 

[Wanderfound]

8 hours ago, Hodari said:

Here's an example of what you can fit in a 2.5m bay.

Or this: