mic_e

You're of course right, and this is exactly how the mod works. In my last post, I wrote 'docking mode' without really thinking about it, I actually meant 'when a target docking port is selected'.

WhiteOwl: Just tested that at your request. Kitoban's Enhanced Navball and my mod are definitely compatible. Interestingly, the enhanced navball disables most of its functionality while in docking mode, while my mod exposes its functionality only while in docking mode. JewelShisen: Could you please provide an URL? I did not find anything, which is why I wrote this. Savage117: Uhm... I'd love to provide pictures, but... the only visible thing about this mod is the red alignment marker on the navball... If you've any specific requests, I'll try my best...

Note: @linuxgurugamer has continued this mod here: Old Text: When targeting a docking port, your navball gets an additional red marker that shows the orientation and roll of your target. Just point towards that marker, and you'll be perfectly set up for docking; once you're oriented, the rest of the docking can be done using translation controls only. Typically, this plugin allows you to dock by looking at nothing but the navball, never switching vessels, and saving tremendous amounts of RCS fuel. The mod is designed to be minimalistic, and feel as close to stock as possible; all it does is add that red marker. It therefore has almost zero memory/framerate impact and hasn't caused a single crash (that I know of). It is also part-free, i.e. it will automatically work with all vessels. The marker color and texture can be changed via config file (recommended for colorblind people); see the readme file for details. For a long time, I knew that docking needed just something to make it less annoying; some kind of additional rendered line on screen, but I never really knew what precisely it was - until I discovered NavyFish's awesome Docking Port Alignment Indicator mod. It gave me the whole idea for this mod, and I wish to thank him for that. However, the plugin had too many features for my taste; it opened an additional window, and displayed a lot of redundant information that is already in the navball. By that time, kitoban had already written his equally awesome Enhanced Navball mod, so I had everything I needed: The idea, and example code that shows how to draw markers to the navball; I wish to thank kitoban for his pioneering work in that field. In v3, taniwha added code to allow for more targets than just docking ports; this improves compatibility with his Extraplanetary Launchpads mod. Download from: Github, Curse, Kerbalstuff Feedback is always welcome, especially crash or bug reports. Video 5th Horseman has uploaded a short demonstration video to YouTube: Screenshots It's just a red marker on the navball. So enjoy the following pictures of red markers... on navballs. They even have descriptions! We're directly facing the alignment marker. As you can see, the vessels are off quite a bit, but their docking ports are precisely parallel. The target velocity marker is used to 'push' the position marker in the direction of the alignment marker. As soon as it has arrived there, the velocity marker is moved onto the alignment marker. The ships are aligned properly, and ready for docking by moving forward. We have rolled by 90 degrees to prevent the nuclear engines from colliding. As you can see, the alignment marker is now rotated 90 degrees clockwise. Changelog v0, 2013-10-20, KSP 0.22: Initial release v1, 2013-12-18, KSP 0.23: Updated for new version of KSP, changed structure of ZIP file v2, 2013-12-18, KSP 0.23: Added option to change marker color and texture, see readme.txt for instructions. Note: Also works in KSP 0.23.5 v3, 2014-05-10, KSP 0.23.5: Instead of just docking ports, all parts that provide targeting information are now supported. This is mostly relevant for other mods. v4, 2014-07-18, KSP 0.24: Updated for KSP 0.24, changed readme file v5, 2014-10-17, KSP 0.25: Updated for KSP 0.25. Note: Also works in KSP 0.90 v6, 2014-12-19, KSP 0.90: Updated for KSP 0.90, changed ZIP folder structure; also works for KSP 1.0.2 v7, 2015-05-24, KSP 1.0.2: Updated for KSP 1.0.2 to fix issues some people were reporting Code The git repo is on github. License The plugin is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3, or, at your choice, any higher version.

I just wrote a mod to provide this marker: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/navball-docking-alignment-indicator/ Feedback is welcome.

I support this to be in stock KSP.

I support this thread. Maybe someone could write a mod to rename vessels in the tracking station?

Trans-mars insertion would be done by the S-V upper stage. It would be about an additional km/s of delta-v, so the total payload mass would need to be lower. You'd use an Apollo13-style LM descent stage to perform the Mars orbital insertion burn; the stage would separate from the CSM after arrival at Mars. I'm too lazy to do the math right now, but its mass would probably be about the mass of the Apollo LM: It doesn't need to be inhabitable, nor does it need specifically high TWR, it's just a fuel tank and an engine, but on the other hand it needs to provide more impulse than the LM, as it also needs to decelerate the CSM. Rendezvouz with, landing on and liftoff from Phobos would be done using the CSM RCS (Escape velocity is 11m/s, so expect a total rendezvouz/landing/liftoff/escape budget of ~50m/s). The CSM would then perform trans-earth insertion. The main problem would of course be the much higher CSM mass, to provide life support for over an year. So my overall guess is: No, it probably couldn't, but with todays tech (Life support, computers -> lower CSM mass; more reliable tech, more precise simulations -> Lower delta-v safety margins), it probably could.

What about an option to ignore departure or arrival d-v (aerobraking etc...)

Hi, have you considered putting this awesome tool on Github or some other source-code hosting platform? That way, you'd get an awesome bug-tracker, and people could even send you code for additional features/bugfixes/...