MPDerksen

So what is the Maneuver column for? I looked in the Wiki before asking. Can I stick an RA-15 on these "tiny" cores and not have any issues?

So the table below, from the Wiki, is what I'm basing my probes on. I also went into the VAB to confirm the presence/absence of the reaction wheel. Without one, I need an engine with a gimble. Only the bottom 4 have that. I really don't need even Prograde/Retro control, just basic SAS to hold while I burn to circularize. I really just need a core, a few small solar panels, minimal fuel and engine (an Ant would likely even be just fine) as a base for the RA-15. I want to rack up 3-4 of these for delivery. But that part is fairly clear. I'd love to see a few ideas of what parts you would use to make these. When I look at KerbalX, it's hard to find basic stuff. Everyone wants to show off their Tie Fighter, but I rarely find simple, helpful examples.

Electrical: RA-15 requires 68.6/sec, and the HECs is 3/sec. 2, 1x6 solar arrays generate a mere 3.28/sec, and around Duna on 0.431 of that. (see me trying to read, understand and learn BEFORE asking?). Please explain the gap in my math.

Very thoughtful reply. Thank you. One note, however, is that Ike is in the way of positioning Dunastationary satellites, from what I have read. Also, after bewing's comment about the required antenna, I checked the Wiki CommNet page and realize I not only need an actual RELAY option, but the -15 if I want to be sure to connect. This has downstream effects of needing a larger amount of solar, and a bigger base to attach everything to. If I use a rocket with 3 satellites on it to drop them off at the requested orbit, how much dV is likely required to circularize? The one below has 779 dV Vacuum. Last, do I need the battery on here? Since the HECs 2 has 1,000 battery, will the solar panels recharge that? My intention is to plop 3 of these around Duna, more for RP than an specific mission. I think it's time to get Mechjeb.....

Clever. Thanks again

You've mentioned this to me a few times in the past, and I'm not clear if I altered any settings (PC). The rest of your comments are helpful, as always. How do I check my orbital period? Michael Looking back, it's quite amazing what I've already learned to do: EVA between ships and/or a station, docking, biome-hopping on Minmus. Each was overwhelming at first, but this forum (Bewing, Snark, Floppy and others) have all been very helpful and patient. I appreciate it.

So more to do with my probe design (forgetting batteries) than needing a reaction wheel? That's not what the wheels are for? My KSC tracking station is fully upgraded, so a probe should only need a simple "16" antenna from Duna, right? And when Duna gets between my probe and Kerbin, I just lose all control? If so, that would be why I want to establish my relay network first. Any suggestions on the orbits (and quantity of probes) for my relays would be welcome. I can visualize just 2, in synchronous orbit in positions that cover the "backside", but 3 in rotation seems actually easier. Provided they stay separated.

Multiple options to select a core, HECs, OKTO etc. I have the tree mostly unlocked. I'm not clear on the difference between them, and how to select between. Also, even with battery power, I sometimes cannot maneuver without engaging thrust. Is that simply because I don't have any RCS? I had a probe with an Ant engine, and couldn't rotate even the little probe. I reverted and replace it with a spark, then I could orient just fine. I think I'm missing some of the "rules" for making a probe. Do I need a reaction wheel? RCS? Last sub-question: If I want to put 3 relays in orbit, how close do I have to be for them to stay separated? Example, if I want to put a relay network around Duna, I'm thinking about 200K orbits. Can this be 198-202K? Or should everything be tighter than that? I'm not modded, but would add one if that's the way to be successful. I ask this part assuming I want to send unmanned probes in the future, but assume I need CommNet active to control the landings on the backside. (Unless I am wrong about that part).

nice catch. hadn't thought of that. Thanks. I think I'll wrap up the Station contract on the next launch. I need 7 more seats. If I put a small hitchhiker on top of an MK2 pod, that's 7. Then, land, grab science (and the the points for "plant a flag on the Mun" contract), come back up, refuel and go home with the extra pilots I have at the station. The next part won't look pretty, but functional. I watched it in 1000x mode. The batteries are dropping to near zero as I pass the dark side, but fully recharge before sunset. So yeah. More of both would be a good plan. a few extra ports on the next section for just that is the plan.

Got it. when you said it was slow, I had no idea! Is there any harm in just time warping a few years? This thing become nearly useless, since by the time you can get it somewhere, you are advanced enough in the tech tree to need 300+ to do anything.

That was pretty easy. Of course, you have to remember to take the core out of hibernation for it to actually function so I can dock. Now a question: Jeb got 10 science by taking a Crew Report on the way up. I transferred him to the science module, but there is nothing there to process? How do I move the data to the lab?

Pretty excited about this. I had to built my own hub, and based this off the Orb8er design. I have it in LMO, waiting for the existing station to catch up. I still have 90 of mono, and 1028m/s for maneuvering. Around it, there are 2 docking ports, and 2 Jr. ports. The rocket is connected to another booster, but I'm hoping to save it there as a fuel source for my lander(s), since it has no probe core for control once I decouple it. The plan is to get in a parking orbit, then separate the existing station in 2, and re-dock them with this hub. Once I finally send up more seats in the hitchhiker launch, the mission will be complete. I also need to calculate the electrical requirements of the Science Module and make sure to send enough solar. I haven't unlocked the XL yet.

It’s still a bummer that I have zero control on the dark side with a probe core. I can’t fire the engine at all once I lose CommNet. I guess I need a relay in synchronous orbit? Otherwise I’ll need a pilot for dark side science. Should I be planning on taking the science jr. on my biome hops? Or is the fuel not worth it? Maybe that’s more appropriate when I move on to Minmus.

Well, I just modified about everything. I went with a near duplicate of Orb8ter's Station tutorial. Except I used 6 boosters in Asparagus staging instead of just 4. I got the 2 modules you see here around Mun, and docked together. I need to create a central hub, or earn enough science to unlock the HubMax, then position it between these 2 points and add more hab space. The mission requires 15 seats. I have 7. Still, a significant amount of progress tonight. Looking forward to landing, getting a little more science and putting those Kerbals to work in the lab.

done. Flipped over at 300m, less than 100m from the surface. Immediate failure. even with a reduced payload. Scratching my head here, since I'm not really understanding the WHY part, so just throwing random ideas out.

Tried it. Using ONLY the SRB I can go almost completely straight up. I can turn it a little, but stays in control. I get an Ap of about 65K before burn-out. As soon as I engage the Mainsail, I start flipping end over end. I kill the engine, and the flipping just keeps going and never even slows down. I tried with a Poodle instead and got the same result. I’m going to try to remove part of the mass up front and see if I can reduce the issue, but I would really like to get this part in orbit, since it’s the biggest part of the station I want to construct. Once I get this up, I think the rest will be easy.

Here is what I'm trying to launch, and below that is the tech tree that is currently unlocked (so you can see what parts I have to work with. As soon as the mainsail gets triggered, I get loose. If I try and turn over at all, it goes crazy. I'll try Bewing's idea. I am happy to construct smaller payloads, but I'm stuck not really knowing how to piece things together with the limited parts I have currently unlocked. Maybe I need some additional Mun landings to collect more science, bigger parts, and then I can build the station?

I need to put a larger payload in orbit around Mun. My design looked reasonable, with 6 SRB and a Mainsail in the middle. I crashed almost right away. So, I waited to engage the mainsail until I got some momentum for the fins. Again, as soon as I try and turn over on the slightest gravity turn, I lose control. Do I need some additional reaction wheels? How do I even begin to evaluate the proper build for this launch? Perhaps I need a smaller payload and just dock it all together in smaller pieces?

BTW: the only probe core I have unlocked yet that has the Biome part of KerbNet would be the Rover core. I can put that on top of the fuel can just fine, I think.

I was not aware of KerbNet, but will use the better core on my lander then. thanks for that tip. So I collect my surface sample at the Mun Pole, and got in the lander. At that point, the data was tied to the lander. When he bailed out to EVA into orbit for rescue, I should have taken the data from the lander, but it was left behind at that point? The mission calls for 3 pilots and 3 scientists, but 15 seats. I'm going to send up the core hitchhiker module first, with the 6 Kerbals. then I'll send the solar array with relay. Finally the Science processing unit and fuel tanks at separate flights. 4 total to get it built, but the mission will technically be complete with the first launch (assuming I can build enough dV to get it up in the first place).

I play on PC, and so far, with no mods. My next mission is to construct a Mun orbital station, and I plan to use it primarily as a lander refueling platform to mine Mun for science. I struggle with knowing the location of the various biomes. I launch the game through Steam. I don't know how to actually find, and add, a mod, but would like one that helps me identify the biomes, if such a thing exists. Second, looking at the archives in my research station, I'm not at all sure how to read which ones I've gotten, and which I still need. Example below: I'm guessing I did NOT get the Pressure Scan from the Highlands? Then why is it on the list? last thing: If I collect my science in a lander, and then bring it to the station I get LESS value if I beam it home, right? So I should set about collecting as much as possible, then shuttle it home as a big package? How will I transfer the science data from the Scientist, to the lander, to the station, and finally to the returning capsule? I ask because in a previous mission, I lacked the fuel to get off Mun and into orbit. I had to EVA them, and the lander fell back and was destroyed. Once I rescued and got them safely home, I found that I lost most of the science that was collected on that mission. I'm not clear what I did wrong, but want to avoid it in the future. The picture below is the station I will be assembling. I need to house 15 Kerbals to complete the mission, and the mobile lab is more for RP than function.

You guys are awesome. Thanks. I was planning to try the RCS (turns out it wasn’t enough, but helped), but had completely forgotten about the EVA packs. I had drained them getting the stranded Kerbal to my lander (I was 3K away!!!). turns out, when she got onboard it refueled to the full 5.00. I had them abandon ship one at a time, near the Ap, and was able to position both in orbit with a Pe just over 20K. That’s enough, I hope. I need to reserve a little to get to the rescue ship when it arrives. From here it should all be pretty basic. I’ll make sure to do at least 1 EVA report in case I can get a last little bit of science.

My lander picked up a stranded Kerbal at the pole of the Mun. They are happily playing cards in the lander that only has 500m/s of fuel left. Not enough to get into a stable orbit for docking an pick up. 1. No way to Amazon Prime them some additional fuel? 2. There are 2 of them, so should I make 2 trips and retrieve them? Or is there a configuration that I can grab them both in a single shot? 3. How do I make sure to get the science out of the lander and bring it home? It’s currently stored in the lander (retrieved from a Goo, etc. and surface samples). I don’t want to leave 300 science behind.

http://i63.tinypic.com/2nw1h5z.jpg that was actually pretty easy! I was even able to refuel so I can make another trip down.

Rescue completed. Sort of. I think I put the RCS on incorrectly, and I couldn't move forward/backward with the H/N keys. So I was not able to actually DOCK. To get what I could from the mission, I just EVA'd over, and left Jeb (and all my science) in LMO. I guess I could have EVA'd the Scientist over to at least grab the data, but it was 2:00am. I'm modifying my standard Rescue craft that I've used a dozen times, with a different/better RCS layout, and I'll practice in LKO before trying to go line up with my little lander again. One question: Once I match orbits pretty close, can't I select Jeb in the lander, Target my rescue craft and turn retrograde to line up? Then switch back to the rescue craft for the final docking? (my RCS on the lander is also wonky).