How to effiently control an E class asteroid

[kookoo_gr]

Just what the title says. How can i control a class E asteroid so i can do the required maneuvers i want to bring down its PE? i tried placing some RCS tugs with ASAS units radially at the asteroid but had no better control.

Edited April 8, 2014 by kookoo_gr

[ScottyDoesKnow]

Easiest is pulling, you don't need too much clearance between the engine and the asteroid for it to still work. I set up 8 modules with rcs and 5 large ASAS each around it and then pulled. I could max throttle if I had RCS on but not without (and that's with 0.04 TWR). The least time consuming (but painstaking) way I found was when I was pushing it: I freed the pivot, went into IVA, zoomed in on the navball, and manually herded the center of mass marker around (aiming just to the left of it makes it move right, etc...).

[Stazi]

Easiest is pulling, you don't need too much clearance between the engine and the asteroid for it to still work. I set up 8 modules with rcs and 5 large ASAS each around it and then pulled. I could max throttle if I had RCS on but not without (and that's with 0.04 TWR). The least time consuming (but painstaking) way I found was when I was pushing it: I freed the pivot, went into IVA, zoomed in on the navball, and manually herded the center of mass marker around (aiming just to the left of it makes it move right, etc...).

Got any screenshots of what you used to move the Class E? I've got a 3,000+ ton rock that I managed to nudge into orbit using a nuclear tug, but it just doesn't have the d/v or thrust to handle anything more with it. I was planning on pushing it to LKO to use as the base for a station, but at the rate it's going I might be better off switching to a D or C.

[biohazard15]

Here is my tug.

[Xaiier]

Pulling is definitely optimal, to turn the thing just have lots of SAS/RCS and time, make sure to lock the pivot while turning and unlock while pulling.

I've not actually pulled this one but I have a 1500t E class I pulled into a 500km orbit by just sending 3-4 of these ships in succession when they ran out of fuel, it would be fairly easy to make a larger version with the bigger tanks and more engines though.

[Stazi]

http://i.imgur.com/kkYTOOH.png

Pulling is definitely optimal, to turn the thing just have lots of SAS/RCS and time, make sure to lock the pivot while turning and unlock while pulling.

I've not actually pulled this one but I have a 1500t E class I pulled into a 500km orbit by just sending 3-4 of these ships in succession when they ran out of fuel, it would be fairly easy to make a larger version with the bigger tanks and more engines though.

Is pulling it easier with the pivot unlocked then? I've kept it locked when I tried a tug for pulling, but I didn't think about trying it unlocked.

[Xaiier]

Is pulling it easier with the pivot unlocked then? I've kept it locked when I tried a tug for pulling, but I didn't think about trying it unlocked.

Yes, as long as your ship is almost lined up with the COM anyways, unlocking it lets it swing back and forth and it stabilizes itself. If you are too far off the COM though it will swing wildly and that will be bad.

[Ruedii]

Pulling is definitely optimal, as having the center of mass towards the back, it reduces it's effect on the craft if it is not on center.

You could try dotting it with a large number of "control tugs" These are relatively small tugs with RCS ports and reaction wheels.

You can also put parachutes on all these control tugs if you want to try to bring the asteroid down to Kerbin.

Edited April 7, 2014 by Ruedii

[ScottyDoesKnow]

Got any screenshots of what you used to move the Class E? I've got a 3,000+ ton rock that I managed to nudge into orbit using a nuclear tug, but it just doesn't have the d/v or thrust to handle anything more with it. I was planning on pushing it to LKO to use as the base for a station, but at the rate it's going I might be better off switching to a D or C.

Mine had plenty of dV but that's because I used the launcher in my signature to put a 640t tug into orbit. 20 nuclear engines and over 1000dV, had to launch it not quite full cause it was a bit too heavy after a redesign, would be about 700t full. This is the pusher, but the puller is just the same thing with the nukes on the other end and an upside down probe core just under the pod to control from.

My tip to you is to do your inclination change right after you get it captured in Kerbin orbit. You might even want to shift your orbit around a bit so the aN or dN are closer to your apoapsis.

[Anton P. Nym]

I pushed with this vehicle for about 160m/s to make a plane change and had no trouble. The trick (for me, anyway) was to align the craft with the maneuver node, use RCS to translate until that maneuver node aligned with the rock's marked Centre of Mass, and then moved in to "Claw" the rock. My craft had plenty of torque and RCS to compensate for any slight misalignment... but I must admit it took a while to execute the maneuver properly, and I have another and longer burn coming up to get it captured by Kerbin.

-- Steve

[kookoo_gr]

thanx. I copied a tug from one of the above pictures and lowered its PE to 19 million km will continue at another time with better tug.

here is a pic along with my previous attempts