Stacking rockets on-top of one another.

[BowWhalley]

Hello, I just got the full version yesterday and I have been watching ALOT of Scott Manley videos. I am trying to make my first space station however I need to send it up on a 'lifter' I believe they are called. Pretty much what my understanding of a 'lifter' is, its some rockets that send a probe/satelite/ect to space or often kerbin orbit.

I am trying to design a 'Lifter' separately to the space station so that I can stack them later and re-use the 'Lifter' on other projects. I have tried stacking them and it does not want to connect. I am not sure if it is with my design of the 'Lifter' or something else. If someone can help me out with design/what I need to do, or link me to a tutorial on this then that would be great.

Thank you for taking your time to read this, Sincerely Bowan Whalley

Edited September 2, 2015 by BowWhalley

[Dafni]

Look for a youtube tutorial on subassemblies, if I understood you correctly that is what you need to look into.

[_stilgar_]

You have to change the root part (4th gizmo) to the one with connection node where you want it to connect. Then either save it as a subassembly or load it via "merge" option.

[Clipperride]

First of all, welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of KSP!

The trick is to build your entire stack (rocket) and then remove the Lifter section and place that in the subassemblies drop box. Then you can build mission specific top stage (which can be saved as a normal craft) then click the subassembly you previously saved and place it underneath. Basically, if it has a way of being controlled (crewed pod or probe core) you want to save it in the normal way, if it is a section you have removed, you can save it in subassemblies. Hope that helps

Have fun!

[BowWhalley]

Look for a youtube tutorial on subassemblies, if I understood you correctly that is what you need to look into.

Thankyou very much, turns out the problem was something to do with 'root'.

Also does anyone know of a mod that can assist with matching orbit of another probe/satelite/rocket/ect ?

[Geher]

Thankyou very much, turns out the problem was something to do with 'root'.

Also does anyone know of a mod that can assist with matching orbit of another probe/satelite/rocket/ect ?

You can use Mechjeb for this. Mechjeb can be used as an autopilot or just as a good assistance.

When you want to launch into the same orbit as your target you can use the Ascent Guidance. Just click on Launch into plane of target and Mechjeb shows you how much timewarp has to be done before you can launch. Then you can click on Show navball ascent path guidance and when it's time it'll show you in what direction your gravity turn needs to be done.

Once you're in orbit you can use the Maneuver Planner to Hohmann transfer to target.

But early contracts (like rescue contracts) are mostly aimed for equatorial orbits where launch time doesn't matter. So there go just in an eastward orbit and use the Hohmann transfer to target option.

[_stilgar_]

Also does anyone know of a mod that can assist with matching orbit of another probe/satelite/rocket/ect ?

But it's easy even without a mod. Move as close to that object as you can, select "Target mode" in SAS, burn retrograde until your relative speed is 0. You are now in perfectly matched orbit.

[tbarcello]

But it's easy even without a mod. Move as close to that object as you can, select "Target mode" in SAS, burn retrograde until your relative speed is 0. You are now in perfectly matched orbit.

OMG, you must be incredible!

Person is asking for mod, did you really have to flex your ksp skills?

And moving as close to the object as you can IS the most of making same orbit, which you kindly ommited, not the retrograde burn, which every single player can do.

- - - Updated - - -

You can use Mechjeb for this. Mechjeb can be used as an autopilot or just as a good assistance.

When you want to launch into the same orbit as your target you can use the Ascent Guidance. Just click on Launch into plane of target and Mechjeb shows you how much timewarp has to be done before you can launch. Then you can click on Show navball ascent path guidance and when it's time it'll show you in what direction your gravity turn needs to be done.

Once you're in orbit you can use the Maneuver Planner to Hohmann transfer to target.

But early contracts (like rescue contracts) are mostly aimed for equatorial orbits where launch time doesn't matter. So there go just in an eastward orbit and use the Hohmann transfer to target option.

Thankyou very much, turns out the problem was something to do with 'root'.

Also does anyone know of a mod that can assist with matching orbit of another probe/satelite/rocket/ect ?

As Geher pointed out - mechjeb. Hohmann transfer to target, then when it's done, do the match planes with target and finally fine tune closest approach and match velocities with target.

Edited September 2, 2015 by tbarcello

[Val]

...

As Geher pointed out - mechjeb. Hohmann transfer to target, then when it's done, do the match planes with target and finally fine tune closest approach and match velocities with target.

I always do matching of plane, before Hohmann, but otherwise the same.

[DCWarHound]

Thankyou very much, turns out the problem was something to do with 'root'.

Also does anyone know of a mod that can assist with matching orbit of another probe/satelite/rocket/ect ?

Yeah,mechjeb

Use auto rendezvous to get within 300m of the target and then docking guidance to autodock with the target.

[tbarcello]

I always do matching of plane, before Hohmann, but otherwise the same.

Oh yeah, that depends which comes first.

[BowWhalley]

You can use Mechjeb for this. Mechjeb can be used as an autopilot or just as a good assistance.

When you want to launch into the same orbit as your target you can use the Ascent Guidance. Just click on Launch into plane of target and Mechjeb shows you how much timewarp has to be done before you can launch. Then you can click on Show navball ascent path guidance and when it's time it'll show you in what direction your gravity turn needs to be done.

Once you're in orbit you can use the Maneuver Planner to Hohmann transfer to target.

But early contracts (like rescue contracts) are mostly aimed for equatorial orbits where launch time doesn't matter. So there go just in an eastward orbit and use the Hohmann transfer to target option.

Thankyou VERY much , I found the Maneuver Planner to be a bit innacurate. I was able to dock to another rocket with Rendezvous AutoPilot and Docking Auto Pilot.

Thankyou Oh So VERY much .

I would change the prefix of this thread to 'answered' but I am not sure how, may someone please tell me how?

EDIT: Here is an image if anyone wants to see what I was doing and how it turned out

Edited September 2, 2015 by BowWhalley

[Geher]

Thankyou VERY much , I found the Maneuver Planner to be a bit innacurate. I was able to dock to another rocket with Rendezvous AutoPilot and Docking Auto Pilot.

Thankyou Oh So VERY much .

I would change the prefix of this thread to 'answered' but I am not sure how, may someone please tell me how?

EDIT: Here is an image if anyone wants to see what I was doing and how it turned out

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CN5cTGCUsAEVo7H.jpg

Looks good! Congratulations! You can learn a lot from Mechjeb's Autopilot and then with some practice you can do it manually even better (and more efficient) than Mechjeb.

This Thread shows you how to change unanswered to answered.

[Clipperride]

To change the status of the thread to Answered, you need to edit the original post, hit the Advanced button and you'll see a Prefix drop box near the top. Select Answered. Click save changes and you're done.

Docking is one of those things that seems really tough at first, but IMO is worth mastering. Although, one of the many appeals of KSP is it let's you play your way. As long as you can link 2 craft, its your choice how you do it :-)

BTW, did you know you can click on the centre of a manoeuvre node and move it around your orbit? It was discovering that that made things easier for me.

[BowWhalley]

Looks good! Congratulations! You can learn a lot from Mechjeb's Autopilot and then with some practice you can do it manually even better (and more efficient) than Mechjeb.

This Thread shows you how to change unanswered to answered.

To change the status of the thread to Answered, you need to edit the original post, hit the Advanced button and you'll see a Prefix drop box near the top. Select Answered. Click save changes and you're done.

Docking is one of those things that seems really tough at first, but IMO is worth mastering. Although, one of the many appeals of KSP is it let's you play your way. As long as you can link 2 craft, its your choice how you do it :-)

BTW, did you know you can click on the centre of a manoeuvre node and move it around your orbit? It was discovering that that made things easier for me.

Thank you very much.