Forgot a docking port, please help

[abowl]

Hi all,

This is rather embarrasing. I currently have a vessel orbiting Ike that is supposed to detach a rover for the surface. The only problem is i forgot to put a docking port in. So i cant detach it. I am looking for suggestions for what to do. I thought about changing the kerbal on board to an engineer via the save file, and hacking in a screwdriver as well. But that seems complicated and risky, potentially jeopadizing the save file. I also thought about editing in an entire new craft. But not sure how to go about that. I am basically looking for any help, before i send a replacement craft. Thanks in advance:) Dearest KSP Noob.

PS. To whom it may concern i included a picture of the craft. There is supposed to be a small docking port or decoupler between the Probe core and the small fuel tank on top of it.

Edited August 3, 2015 by abowl

[mckamx]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/113111-1-0-4-Kerbal-Inventory-System-%28KIS%29-1-2-1

Allows you to attach components that you forgot, or just decided you didn't need until you got back to kerbin (e.g. parachutes).

[abowl]

Ye, i have that mod. Its great. Unfortunately there is no engineer on board. I will have to send a new one. Am looking for any suggestion to avoid this. Its the 3rd time i try to do this Ike Rover contract. And even this one failed because i forgot a docking port. It sucks big time.

[FancyMouse]

I don't think KIS (I assume by screwdriver you mean this mod) can help since it can only detach part that doesn't have other parts attached to it - leaf node of the tree, in other words. In your case unless your rover has only one part (which can't be possible), then you'll basically need to break it apart and reassemble it, which is the most complicated part (way more complicated than just learning KIS).

[goldenpeach]

well, if you are willing to do so, you can use hyperedit to teleport a transport ship and an engineer(and using KIS) near the other ship. I don't see other way to put that docking port.

[Richy teh space man]

One thing I can suggest for the future, after finding bugs on my Moho rover mission, is always and ALWAYS test your long range rovers on the nearby bodies in the Kerbin system. Inevitably you'll find things that need correcting and adjusting there.

Alternatively, if you can live with yourself for doing so, use Hyperedit to put a rover lander in the Ike system. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/37756-1-0-HyperEdit-v1-4-1-May-14-2015-Teleporter-Orbit-Planet-Editor-More

And just pretend that its the original one you sent and you fixed the bugs before you sent it.

[Tarheel1999]

The answer is Hyperedit. Put an engineer in a pod. Put a screwdriver in the pod. Launch. Use the orbit editor in Hyperedit. Select rendezvous. Select your target. Enter a value of .2 and hit apply.

[cantab]

So from left to right I'm seeing:

Big lander

Docking port

Rover

Absent docking port

Satellite

Docking port

Orbiter

Is that right?

In that case the best thing I can come up with is to undock the orbiter, then take the lander down with the rover and the satellite attached, and attempt to smash the satellite against the surface of Ike.

[Gargamel]

^ and that is the Kerbal Way.

Been in your shoes. It sucks. Was bringing up the umpteenth segment of my Station when I realized I had all the remaining ports facing the wrong way.

Another option is to build it the correct way, in the same state you have it now, and hyper edit the new ship into the orbit of your choice. This is the type of thing that somebody should have caught before launch, so I don't consider it "cheating" to "cut and paste" in a new ship.

[Levelord]

1. Press alt+f12 to bring up the debug toolbar.

2. Select Whack a Kerbal

3. Aim your mouse on the part you want destroyed

4. Shoot the white balls at it

5. ???

6. Profit

That's how I would to it if I needed to detach parts of a ship

[Sharpy]

Well, the engineer can attach a separatron. With exhaust of separatron aimed right, any part can become a decoupler.

[Caelib]

Here's my advice: de-orbit the craft in a spectacular fashion ... make it explode upon the surface in a grand fireball (or just leave it there as a reminder of the time you forgot something). Learn from your mistake ... the pain of having to start from scratch on this mission is what helps you learn to remember those little details!

[Xyphos]

Smile, it could be worse: it could be a drilling rig sent to Gilly, and forget to put the drills on it. ...yep, I added everything but the drills. *doh*

[Jr6150x]

Cough* you could always decouple any extra parts w/ a engine and aim VERY carefully. That satellite might work well if im judging what you have adter that decoupler correctly. Another way is to attempt a lithbrake, destroying everything in front of the rover, besides the rover.

[PB666]

One thing I can suggest for the future, after finding bugs on my Moho rover mission, is always and ALWAYS test your long range rovers on the nearby bodies in the Kerbin system. Inevitably you'll find things that need correcting and adjusting there.

Alternatively, if you can live with yourself for doing so, use Hyperedit to put a rover lander in the Ike system. http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/37756-1-0-HyperEdit-v1-4-1-May-14-2015-Teleporter-Orbit-Planet-Editor-More

And just pretend that its the original one you sent and you fixed the bugs before you sent it.

Alternatively. Copy and paste the craft into a sand-box mode and test.

This is not a bad idea, there are still a few VAB bugs. Certain thin parts and the radial attachment part (stackstarter) where the part on the port (desired) ends up attaching to the radial attachment part. You can't always catch the error before launch, and end up with a port that is permanently blocked. Its good to test in space or on a nearby moon.

- - - Updated - - -

Here's my advice: de-orbit the craft in a spectacular fashion ... make it explode upon the surface in a grand fireball (or just leave it there as a reminder of the time you forgot something). Learn from your mistake ... the pain of having to start from scratch on this mission is what helps you learn to remember those little details!

Find the highest peak on the satellite body, set the orbit to intercept the peak so that the non-rover part is smashed by the peak, then prey for a lucky landing. (Like its not going to work). You could try to rescue the rover with a claw, but you would need to release it. What you need is a mod that can saw.

[samstarman5]

Before trying any of these, make a backup of your current save. With that to go back onto, you can go hogwild with trying anything suggested here or that you might think of.