Pointing at Target - SAS

[Lorunification]

Hey Everyone,

I would assume this has already been discussed somewhere, couldn't find it though.

I get quite confused by the fact that i can't tell my pilot to hold on target while the relative velocity is near 0. As soon as the velocity relative to the target gets close to 0 the target and anti-target vectors get deactivated.

Is there any reason for this? Is there a fix for this or is it intentional?

Regards.

[KerikBalm]

do you mean prograde or retrograde?

That is intentional, because people may use, for example, pointing retrograde for a reverse gravity turn/suicide burn on landing.... but then when they are getting ready to tough down, retrograde moves all over the places, and the craft spins out of control.

Likewise, the point at maneuver node moves all over the place when the maneuver is nearly complete....

I haven't used point to target yet... but I don't see why that should cause a problem at low relative velocities

[Lorunification]

Thank you for your answer, but i actually mean target and anti-target. If you have 0 relative velocity to you target then prograde as well as retrograde are inactive - that makes total sense since they are not actually present if you dont have a prograde vector.

But at the same time the markers for target and anti-target are inactive although they make total sense.

[Bogeyman]

Are you sure that your SAS is actually set for the target? If it says "Orbit", of course you will not be able to point to a target. You need to set your navball to "Target" and then the Target/Anti-target buttons should appear again. That has nothing to do with your relative velocity.

[Lorunification]

Yes i am sure. I'm quite capable of playing ksp. Here are two screenshots to clarify my point.

Sorry for the bad lighting, but that is the only craft currently in orbit that is capable of showing what i mean.

As you can see, in the first picture, the pod has a relative velocity of 0.2 m/s. The Prograde and Retrograde markers are inactive. That is correct since at low relative velocities the vector is not clear (As already mentioned)

The second picture, however, is taken moments after. It shows the same craft just slowed down the remaining 0.2 m/s of relative velocity.

As can be seen the target and anti-target markers are also inactive. Hence making it impossible to tell SAS to point at the target although the target as well as anti-target vectors are clearly and uniquely defined and present in the system.

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I hope this makes the issue more clear.

[gogozerg]

I agree, this is an issue,

Very useful on retrograde when landing, but targeting a close object becomes impossible.