Trouble with docking

[spacedoctor42]

I'm trying to figure out how to dock but I can't seem to get it right. I've been following Scott Manley's tutorial on the subject and I am now orbiting 17.8 m away from the target but I can't seem to get the actual docking part right. Can you guys help me out?

Edited March 15, 2015 by spacedoctor42

[WanderingKid]

What in particular seems to be the trouble?

Generally, what you do is rt-click the docking port on your ship, and control from there.

Next, on the target, rt-click the target docking port, and target there.

On your navball, it should say target on the top. Click it if it says orbital or surface.

Next, on your navball, turn the ship towards the pink circle in a circle. That's towards the target.

If you have RCS on your ship, touch h/n to go forward/backwards, and ijkl for translation.

As you get near, line up your ship so the ports will face each other for a flush contact.

[Empiro]

It sounds like you've got the hard part down.

If both you and your target can maneuver, I suggest switching to your target, control that craft from the docking port, then right clock on your ship's docking port, and point its docking port to your ship. Then switch back to your ship and point your docking port at your target's docking port.

Then you can just lightly tap the 'h' key with RCS enabled to send yourself toward the docking port.

Keep the relative speed under .2 m/s and you should be docked in no time!

[Starwhip]

Sounds like a station-keeping problem. With your navball in "target" mode (click the text that says "orbit" or "surface" on the top), point retrograde and thrust forward with your engines or RCS thrusters (The "H" key) until your velocity reads 0 m/s, or as close as you can manage.

Then try again: Face the target (Purple circle on navball), switch to second ship, have it face the first ship, then thrust forward with either to dock. Should be MUCH easier.

[Kurld]

I went away from the game for about a year, last time I played was .23-ish I think. I didn't have any trouble docking at that time. Now... sheesh. The target marker in the nav-ball jumps around all over the place. I can't match velocity to save my life. It's like the effing ships have a mind of their own. SAS seems to be broken, especially if any RCS is in play. Sometimes the rate of closure approaches 0 meters per second, but it does not stay there and sometimes I swear the two vessels are actually accelerating away from one another with no imput. These are very simple craft I'm trying to dock.

I'm tempted to load up the old version and see if it's me, or the game.

[spacedoctor42]

Got it!!! The ship was upside down which made the RCS controls a bit wonky.