Request: Can someone help me with MechJeb?

[Tex]

I was considering getting MechJeb simply because it's an autopilot system (and also because Scott Manley uses it )

I just want a couple of questions answered about how it works and what it can do to help, especially with docking because I CANNOT dock. At all. Whenever I try, it ends in sad, sad deaths.

Thanks!

[jackal40]

I found that I needed to click on the docking port of my spacecraft and select "Control From Here" when using MechJeb's docking control.

Sadly, this is not working for a spacecraft with the docking port mounted on the side of the ship.

[Karmacoma]

if i'm using mechjeb for docking all i do is select control from here on the port i am docking with then target the docking port of where i want to do and do +target, switch to the other vessel and do the same. Then just move forward slowly with rcs

[brians200]

If you just want a docking autopilot, consider downloading ORDA

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/36379-Plugin-Parts-0-21-1-Orbital-Rendezvous-and-Docking-Assistant-%28ORDA%29-v1-0-9-1

It has been around since before docking was even apart of the game!

[HeadHunter67]

If you're looking for something that will help you with docking, why not something that will help you... learn docking?

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/41851-0-21-0-Interactive-in-game-docking-tutorial

and he also has a really good in-game Rendezvous Tutorial mission as well.

Before I tried these, I relied on the autopilot to do it for me all the time. I realized I'd never learn how as long as I did that - so I gave this a try and now I can do nearly all of my docking and rendezvous unassisted. I've constructed my space station without automated assistance. I think autopilots are helpful to new players, but I've only been playing for about 5 weeks myself.

I don't have anything against using an autopilot, I just think this falls under the old "give a man a fish" parable.

[Specialist290]

Seconding the above post. Even if you're going to use the autopilot every time after you learn, I'd highly recommend learning to do it manually first so you can understand what's going on and be able to do it manually when your autopilot randomly decides to start burning ten times as much RCS fuel as it really needs to to get the docking done.

[John FX]

Docking can get really easy. Now it takes me about 5 minutes and most of that is reducing the rerlative motion of the craft before the actual docking procedure. I get the craft in the same plane with one in a higher orbit. Make a maneuver node that burns the higher craft retrograde until it has a Pe at the same height as the lower craft. Move the node time until the craft are within about 10km at closest approach. Match velocity at closest approach then burn toward the other craft at about 10m/s for every Km. match velocity, burn again. rinse, repeat until you are within 100m of the other craft and your relative motion is 0. face your docking port toward the other craft, switch to the other craft and do the same and switch back. select the docking port as your target and select control from your docking port. Using RCS thrust toward the target then adjust your trajectory (with IKJL) so the yellow bit stays inside the purple bit (getting technical now) keep speed below 0.5m/s. wait. dock. simples. Of course I learned docking before I knew about RCS so when I found out you could have RCS it all seemed very easy from there.