How do you use the service bay?

[Hakkonen]

The notion of being able to put things like sensors and batteries inside another part rather than having them stuck willy-nilly all over the outside of the craft is a good one... but how the hell does it work? I put a thermometer, pressure sensor, and battery pack inside the service bay in the VAB, but when I opened the bay in flight, it was empty.

[AgincourtDB]

I've put things in there and had them persist in-flight, so not sure what problem you're experiencing....

[Kerbonautical]

If you put them attached to the bottom by default the items are upside down and protruding through the bottom. Make sure the orientation is correct. It should be easy to see with something like a goo canister.

[Renegrade]

I love 'em! I put batteries, goo pods and such, and no longer have weird greeblies ruining the lines of my ship.

Only downside is that a bay was somehow occluding the parachute on one side of the ship (not attached to nor inside said bay; the mirror parachute on the other side was unimpacted somehow), and the default orientation for surface-attach things is weird (I guess they're trying to attach to the outside of the bay as per normal parts).

[peachoftree]

orientation is automatically correct if you turn off angle snap (works for many instances of surface-attachment weirdness)

[Mister Spock]

Is there any limit on how much stuff you can cram in there? I just loaded one up with 4 batteries, 4 goo, 2 thermometers, and an antenna. Everything seemed to work, although I didn't get a chance to test the antenna.

[Alshain]

No limit, as long as you can lift it's weight.

[Aerindel]

I love them. Thats what I do with them. No complaints.

[Mister Spock]

Very cool little part! And so nice to get it so early in the tech tree. Really enjoying it.

[LordFerret]

Batteries, science experiments... and even a light - so I can see what the heck I'm clicking on out there in the dark.

Anyone tried fitting a Kerbal in there yet? I don't have the external command seat yet, but I'm dying to know ..... what if? lol

[Alshain]

Batteries, science experiments... and even a light - so I can see what the heck I'm clicking on out there in the dark.

Anyone tried fitting a Kerbal in there yet? I don't have the external command seat yet, but I'm dying to know ..... what if? lol

Yes. At least in the 2.5m one. Kudos to you if you can get them in the smallest one.

[monstah]

I love them. Thats what I do with them. No complaints.

Um, ew?

[magnemoe]

I love it, in an 1.25 meter I have the octo probe, droge parachute, 4 small batteries and a small hex container with life support, the science version has goo container, thermometer, seismic detector and barometer and two science storage containers.

[Idrryl]

I've been using them since 0.25 when they were just another mod, brilliant piece of work.

I love it, in an 1.25 meter I have the octo probe, droge parachute, 4 small batteries and a small hex container with life support, the science version has goo container, thermometer, seismic detector and barometer and two science storage containers.

That probe setup sounds interesting for bringing your rocket back, kudos to you.

[federicoaa]

Service bay, probe and batteries inside, nose cone on top, and rest of the rocket below. Attach a couple of solar panels on the sides of the service bay and you get a nice simple rocket.

[adinfinitum]

Service bay, probe and batteries inside, nose cone on top, and rest of the rocket below. Attach a couple of solar panels on the sides of the service bay and you get a nice simple rocket.

If you stick a couple of OX-SAT panels inside the service bay, then you don't even need solar panels on the outside

[Moesly_Armlis]

Rover Wheel - Probodobodyne, reaction wheel, small battery, solar panel, antenna and thermometer. Had some Mun temperature contracts and used this to hop in the air to get temperature while flying and to roll to the next way point. Managed to get it up to 30 m/s and competed 3 contracts before trying its limits.

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Honestly those service bay doors should have snapped off and I was having too much fun using them for extra traction and hopping.

Edited May 12, 2015 by MoeslyArmlis
Service bay doors are tough

[KSK]

Service bay, probe and batteries inside, nose cone on top, and rest of the rocket below. Attach a couple of solar panels on the sides of the service bay and you get a nice simple rocket.

Oh - I like that - have some rep. Very neat way of building a streamlined rocket before unlocking fairings.

So far I've used the service bay for holding Goo pods and thermometers on science missions or a probe core, battery and solar panels for my automated rescue/orbital tourism missions.

[T.A.P.O.R.]

If you have an antenna inside, transmit doesn't seem to work with the doors closed.

[TothAval]

This is how i use Service Bays so far, i have now done most of the 90 science research in my career.

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edit: can anyone help me with the imgur album embedding? how is it done?

eidt 2: found it myself i mastered the google

edit 3: but i haven't mastered spelling yet^^

edit 4: transmitting and stuff only works with doors open, although i one time had the feeling the solar panels charged the battery while the doors where closed, but

i didn't try to replicate so far.

Edited May 1, 2015 by TothAval

[Norpo]

Yes. At least in the 2.5m one. Kudos to you if you can get them in the smallest one.

Does that mean, in theory, you could pack a bunch of kerbals in the Service Bay, stick a parachute on it, and a heatshield, you get a high-capacity emergency return vehicle? I'm pretty sure things inside cargo bays don't qualify for aerodynamic heat or drag..

Someone has to try this.

[T-Bouw]

Rover Wheel - Probodobodyne, reaction wheel, small battery, solar panel, antenna and thermometer. Had some Mun temperature contracts and used this to hop in the air to get temperature while flying and to roll to the next way point. Managed to get it up to 30 m/s and competed 3 contracts before trying its limits.

Rapid-fire mouse-clicking on the next button made it into a movie ha!

Very Kerbal!

[klesh]

I put it in the VAB once, tried putting a thermometer on the inside, and it went it backwards with the face of the thermometer inside the bay. I tried using the rotate tool to spin the thermometer around, and found it could not be selected. I took the entire bay off and havent used one since. I'm not really a huge fan of their size and looks either.

[Kelderek]

I've been using this setup for a few missions and it works great:

All of the science in one place, a couple lights, and a few RTGs for power. I love these new bays!

[Robotengineer]

Batteries, science experiments, KER comps, kOS processors, just about anything I can fit in them.