How do you move asteroids?

[Invader Jim]

I captured a Class B. With RCS and SAS for stabilization I was able to get it into a high elliptical Kerbin orbit. Once the RCS fuel ran out every time I would turn on thrust the asteroid would just spin. The contract requires I get it to a Mun orbit. I disconnected several times and grabbed the asteroid in a different place but still all I do is spin. Would a bigger ship work? Add tons of RSC fuel? The asteroid is clearly larger than the ship.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Invader Jim

[Ferdoni]

That is because you are possibly thrusting aside from the centre of mass wich causes a spin.

To resolve that problem

1) Right click on the asteroid

2) click on 'target centre of mass'

(now you sea a purple marker on the navball)

3) right click on the Grabbing Unit

4) Click on free pivot

( you can now change your direction of your vessel without turning the asteriod)

5) move the marker on the navball exactly on the purple prograde target marker

6) when you are exactly on it, right click on your Grabbing Unit

7) Click on lock pivot

8) THRUST!

Prograde target marker:

Edited June 1, 2015 by Ferdoni

[Xannari Ferrows]

Rockets. The perfect solution.

[n0xiety]

Always pull the asteroid with free pivot instead of pushing it. Pushing it invites the kraken with open arms as the asteroid gets bigger.

Edited June 1, 2015 by n0xiety

[Geschosskopf]

I find it very hard to move asteroids as they have hearts of stone. I've had best success by telling them really tragic stories, like how some poor Kerbal got off his Eve lander to get a surface sample, only to discover the lander had no ladders so he couldn't get back in it, or how a Ground Tour ship was nearly home after a 10-year voyage only to be eaten by the Kraken within sight of Kerbin. It has to be something like that, and it has to be true, too. They remain unmoved when told about how you forgot to open a probe's solar panels or install an antenna on it, and they can tell when you're lying or passing off somebody else's tragedy as your own .

[A_name]

Always pull the asteroid with free pivot instead of pushing it. Pushing it invites the kraken with open arms as the asteroid gets bigger.

With this method be careful that your rocket thrust is not hitting the asteroid otherwise you won't go anywhere.

[n0xiety]

With this method be careful that your rocket thrust is not hitting the asteroid otherwise you won't go anywhere.

He is right but only if the thrust is directly hitting the asteroid. For example if you have a long ship and place the thrusters at the tip even if they are looking directly at the asteroid they won't effect it after some distance.

[mpk10]

...For example if you have a long ship and place the thrusters at the tip even if they are looking directly at the asteroid they won't effect it after some distance.

Really curious if anyone has done the research to figure out what that distance is?? I imagine it would be different for each engine.

[Starwhip]

Really curious if anyone has done the research to figure out what that distance is?? I imagine it would be different for each engine.

It is approximately the length of the engine plume.

[Invader Jim]

That is because you are possibly thrusting aside from the centre of mass wich causes a spin.

To resolve that problem

1) Right click on the asteroid

2) click on 'target centre of mass'

(now you sea a purple marker on the navball)

3) right click on the Grabbing Unit

4) Click on free pivot

( you can now change your direction of your vessel without turning the asteriod)

5) move the marker on the navball exactly on the purple prograde target marker

6) when you are exactly on it, right click on your Grabbing Unit

7) Click on lock pivot

8) THRUST!

Prograde target marker:

http://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/images/thumb/1/14/Target_prograde.svg/90px-Target_prograde.svg.png

That worked perfectly. However, I ran out of fuel before I could get it into a Mun orbit. Then I did some time warping and I may have entered the Mun's SOI again on time warp. When I stopped the time warp my orbit around Kerbin suddenly had a periapsis of below the ground when it had been 400K. Also, my grabber-satellite was in many pieces and the asteroid is now two asteroids, not one.

I don't know what blew up my ship and split the asteroid in two.

[Ferdoni]

That worked perfectly. However, I ran out of fuel before I could get it into a Mun orbit. Then I did some time warping and I may have entered the Mun's SOI again on time warp. When I stopped the time warp my orbit around Kerbin suddenly had a periapsis of below the ground when it had been 400K. Also, my grabber-satellite was in many pieces and the asteroid is now two asteroids, not one.

I don't know what blew up my ship and split the asteroid in two.

[n0xiety]

I don't know what blew up my ship and split the asteroid in two.

You just met the kraken my friend. I told you not to push the asteroid tho it always invites the kraken always pull it with a free pivot.