Any way to better see where KSC is when it is in the dark?

[Oddible]

I used to drop a flag since KSC isn't marked on the planet and when it is dark it is nearly impossible to see. How do you get around this now that career mode doesn't let you have flags until you've upgraded one of your buildings?

Edited March 7, 2015 by Oddible

[Scarecrow88]

Park a probe out near the runway?

[worir4]

The runway lights should be visible or you could just park a simple vessel just out side KSP.

[Van Disaster]

Parking a probe several km away in line with the runway will have the dual function of telling you where to aim at to deorbit, and also giving you a guide to line up with the runway.

[Tex_NL]

Flags, probes, Kerbals, debris. It all works fine but it would still be a very handy addition if the runway would be a targetable object.

[Deutherius]

...it would still be a very handy addition if the runway would be a targetable object.

This. But I'd add one thing - force the game to keep your velocity in surface mode for landing. Nothing worse than finishing a successful mission and crashing because you thought you're still going at 200 m/s.

EDIT: You can also use the fact that half of Kerbin is always illuminated to estimate the position of KSC in map mode based on continents you can see. This became my favorite way of doing it, because I always forget to mark KSC with a flag or a probe.

Edited March 7, 2015 by Deutherius

[Harry Rhodan]

There's also NavUtilities if you're into mods.

[Vashts]

i parked a rover near the tracking station and used rename to mark it as a base. probably the smartest thing ive done in that career.

[Aethon]

I always put a flag at the west end of the runway. Have a Kerbal take surface samples until it doesn't say runway anymore. This flag can be then be targeted, like a homing beacon. You can also use the Alt f12 and turn on biomes visible in the map mode.

Hope this helps.

Edited March 7, 2015 by Aethon

[Srpadget]

I use the "flag at the end of the runway" method. Early in career, before I can plant flags, I just try to avoid night landings.

[Van Disaster]

I used to put flags at the runway ends, but the flag icon obfuscating the actual runway got too irritating. A rover 20km out in the water is my preferred option at the moment.

[mpk10]

I also park a probe near KSC to find it in the dark.

I realize that this wasn't asked here, but it's worth pointing out that another nice thing about a probe, (as opposed to a flag) is that if you have Engineer installed, you can use it to target certain phase angles for interplanetary missions. When you're waiting in orbit, you can't timewarp very fast, so I switch to my KSC probe (which can timewarp all the way to the max speed since it's on the surface) to target the planet and fine tune the phase angle for the transfer window before switching to my interplanetary craft to set up a burn.

[RW-1]

Darn, I just kinda knew it's location on the continent, and knowing that continent's relativity to the others was never a problem for me.

For reentries from either prograde or retrograde orbits, you don't have to know where KSC is, just your deorbit burn points for what you're doing, and you'll get there, and those are not over KSC. Just MO ...

[Phil deCube]

I too parked a simple rover, called "KSC", between the launch pad and the VAB. It serves the dual purposes of being a target for landing on a nice flat area (with Mechjeb), and as a way to time warp at the maximum speed when your ship can't. "Fly" the probe, warp time, jump to ship when Kerbal Alarm Clock goes off for the ship.

[GoSlash27]

I have a network of cheap drones arrayed around the planet to use as markers. 3 at the KSC for final approach alignment, plus additional markers around the planet for LKO intercepts, retroburn waypoints, etc.

They cost a little in development funds, but they make the job easier.

Best,

-Slashy

[nightingale]

I use Waypoint Manager to put a custom waypoint at the end of the runway....