Orbital base checklist

[Sharpy]

I've managed to bring the Class E asteroid into LKO and I'm keeping it as the refuelling station, and building a base on it. And I really don't want to forget anything.

There are the living quarters. There's a science lab and basic scientific experiments. A range of docking ports in all sizes. Antennas. A probe core. Some xenon for visityng ion crafts. There's the whole refinery size: ore tanks, fuel tanks, drills, ISRUs. There's a separate tower with a bunch of gigantors, kept away from landing ships.

Do you have a checklist of what a good orbital base should have? Or maybe thoughts about things often forgotten?

Edited August 10, 2015 by Sharpy

[Zais]

For me, this is all I need in a base.

[GoSlash27]

Sharpy,

I like to keep a couple "hands" around. Simple little RCS tugs with different sized docking ports on each end.

They allow me to handle and manipulate sections around the station.

Also, don't forget the RCS storage tanks!

Best,

-Slashy

Edited August 9, 2015 by GoSlash27

[Dawnkeeper]

How about lights:wink: (Preferably colored to indicate different sections) I always forget those.

[Superfluous J]

In addition to little tugs like GoSlash mentioned, I like to have some docking port converters. A Jr on one end, and a regular one on the other, with the small grey adapter between. Same with a Sr to a regular docking port. That way, you can mix and match in any way you want with docking ports and you never end up with the problem where you want to dock 2 things together and don't have a port of the correct type.

I tend to ignore anything extraneous though. Once you've emptied the asteroid of ore, I'd send the drills, isru converter, and now empty ore tanks away, perhaps to a new asteroid or just deorbit them. I'd also lose all the solar panels. Part count and frailty are your enemies when refueling behemoths.

[jackboy900]

Maybe phase out the drills for a small drilling craft you can send to the mun/minmus for harvesting?

[legoclone09]

I just have normal docking ports and a senior. I never add more

[xtoro]

How about lights:wink: (Preferably colored to indicate different sections) I always forget those.

I use Surface Lights for color coding things.

[Sharpy]

Maybe phase out the drills for a small drilling craft you can send to the mun/minmus for harvesting?

I think it's still a long while before this one is depleted. Spent a thousand out of its three thousand tons to get it into LKO, and that converted to a really staggering amount of fuel.

[ComradeWolfe]

How about lights:wink: (Preferably colored to indicate different sections) I always forget those.

Brilliant! I never thought to do this, but it makes absolute sense!