[PART, 1.0.2] Anatid Robotics / MuMech - MechJeb - Autopilot - Historical thread

[zombiphylax]

Heres the fun part, im running paid version 0.15.2, yet when I look up the mechjeb parts, it tells me its not available for this version of KSP...

Did you replace your old MechJeb plugin with the new 1.8.4 plugin in your plugins folder? Older versions of the plugin tend to be broken with new parts.

I\'ve been having a random problem that springs up every once in awhile. Using the ascent autopilot, my craft will climb to 10km, start pitching over east, and then around 45degrees above the horizon it suddenly pitches my craft west. I haven\'t been able to replicate this on demand though, so I have no idea what is causing it.

[Fortunateson1969]

Okay. Let me tell you my dream.

I have a burgeoning little colony on the Mun. Using parts from about a dozen plugins and such, the Mun is no longer a thing that Kerbals just look up and wonder about at night.

However, due to my lack of piloting prowess, I choose to use MechJeb a bunch. (Actually its mostly to land on a dime while my landings are 'somewhere over yonder' style). My latest Mun Project, MunLab I, stacks a re-designed MunBase module on top of a big ol\' rocket and, I figured since I seem to lose BigTraks more than I can land them, I should throw a whole bunch on there. Using a radial mechjeb to control the now unmanned and autonomous Munolith and Public Transportation craft, I figured that these puddle jumpers would be the bees knees.

However, they are not. Upon reaching the mun and preparing to land them one by one (after I got the Lab down of course), I found that I had no control over the beasties like I would if they had a capsule in them. They are still orbiting the Mun, trash for the ages.

I was under the impression that the MechJeb modules would allow me to control my craft, sans capsule, as long as it had an SAS module. Now, the puddle jumpers do-am I right? I\'ve tried using (embarrassing) amounts of RCS thrusters, but the things seem to spin my poor traks the opposite direction of the thrust. Oy.

Being able to solve this would result in me being able to land a WHOLE lot more on the Mun and beyond and really kick start my exploration (in my own mind). Any thoughts?

(Posted to BigTrak to see if they had any answers too)

[Zombieweasel]

Unfortunately without a 'Capsule' module your vessel lacks the inherent control it gives. Even with loads of RCS and SAS modules you dont get the control it requires.

[Fortunateson1969]

UGH. That is a total bummer.

I guess (hopefully) soon multi-craft controls will be implemented, along with docking (I see them going hand in hand).

Looks like my massive expansion onto the Mun is grounded for now

[zombiphylax]

Zombieweasel isn\'t exactly correct. A radial MechJeb should make the ejected debris it\'s attached to show up as 'YOUR-CRAFT-NAME debris' in the tracking station. I just tested this to make sure. So I\'m not entirely sure what the problem is, but you didn\'t have unrealistic expectations. Are you positive you have a radial MechJeb connected directly to your BigTracks rover?

Edit: Just to be painfully clear, my test included a command module with an LFT and the small LFE. Then a decoupler, and a regular LFT and a large LFE, with a MechJeb radial attached to this lower stage. So my command module was on the top stage, and the MechJeb was on the lower stage.

[Fortunateson1969]

Zombieweasel isn\'t exactly correct. A radial MechJeb should make the ejected debris it\'s attached to show up as 'YOUR-CRAFT-NAME debris' in the tracking station. I just tested this to make sure. So I\'m not entirely sure what the problem is, but you didn\'t have unrealistic expectations. Are you positive you have a radial MechJeb connected directly to your BigTracks rover?

Edit: Just to be painfully clear, my test included a command module with an LFT and the small LFE. Then a decoupler, and a regular LFT and a large LFE, with a MechJeb radial attached to this lower stage. So my command module was on the top stage, and the MechJeb was on the lower stage.

Pardon my complete ignorance, but I don\'t know what an LFT or an LFE are...

I could attach a pic, but how my MunLab works is that there\'s a rocket with a shroud...dome thing who\'s name escapes me at the moment with the MunLab module inside, with a command module on the top, with a MechJeb 1m below it. Then, the BigTrak (4x) are attached radially below that shroud, but on the Munar Insertion Module (One stage below the MunLab technically)

I used to have the radial MechJeb shoved up the BigTrak\'s nose, but now I have it resting stylishly on the SAS module. I guess the big question is, could you control your lower, autopilot-controlled stage with the SAS/RCS modules on it?

[chickenplucker]

I remember this getting asked about a while back and the answer being what Zombieweasel has stated. There\'s something about a command module that allows you to exert more force on the objects its attached to. If its missing the crafts stability goes out the window. I\'ve ran into this a bunch of times with Cuttlefishes flailing all over after a Bigtrak drives off with the command pod. Most of the time you can still somewhat control it by firing the engine at the right times as it spins wildly out of control, best of luck touching down again though. I\'m not sure if SAS or RCS will give you enough torque to get a craft back under control, but there\'s only one way to find out (make sure to mount the RCS tanks at the center of gravity and not radially or else you will get some more funky issues ).

LFT and LFE = Liquid Fuel Tank and Liquid Fuel Engine.

[Fortunateson1969]

I remember this getting asked about a while back and the answer being what Zombieweasel has stated. There\'s something about a command module that allows you to exert more force on the objects its attached to. If its missing the crafts stability goes out the window. I\'ve ran into this a bunch of times with Cuttlefishes flailing all over after a Bigtrak drives off with the command pod. Most of the time you can still somewhat control it by firing the engine at the right times as it spins wildly out of control, best of luck touching down again though. I\'m not sure if SAS or RCS will give you enough torque to get a craft back under control, but there\'s only one way to find out (make sure to mount the RCS tanks at the center of gravity and not radially or else you will get some more funky issues ).

LFT and LFE = Liquid Fuel Tank and Liquid Fuel Engine.

Wowee-Mr. BigTrak himself!

Cheesewhiz. Looks like I\'ll just have to prep by continuing to put up a Munar Positioning Network until that glorious day.

You should have seen the MunLab I Mr. Plucker. You woulda been so proud. (No you wouldn\'t have, I bolted 4 BT\'s onto the side of a rocket like an afterthought in true Kerbal Style)

[Zombieweasel]

Yea i guess i wasnt very descriptive ;D

Capsule modules have basic control systems that allow it to roll and spin by itself.

When your trying to control a vessel that does not have a Capsule module it lacks those basic control systems. This makes them Exceedingly hard to control properly. SAS modules do not currently give you the same effect as the basic capsule does.

I think it would be very nice if there was some way to either make an SAS module that could give you that basic control or have mechjeb modules give the vessels they are attached too the same controls.

Either that or a way to attach multiple capsules to a rocket.

[purple100]

You\'re in luck. Somebody just released this: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=14831.0

It\'s a little buggy at the moment, but it solves the control problem.

[r4m0n]

You\'re in luck. Somebody just released this: http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/forum/index.php?topic=14831.0

It\'s a little buggy at the moment, but it solves the control problem.

Shouldn\'t solve the control problem, as that pod is just a Strut ;P

[purple100]

Strangely, it does. Don\'t ask how.

Edit: Okay, I\'ve been test driving this thing. You have stumbled across something new in KSP modding. Go ahead and hook up a radial mechjeb to one of these pods, and they are no longer unmanned. Crew is assigned. The mechjebbed+mkI pod vessel retains the full maneuverability of a normal capsule-controlled craft... but pitch and yaw are reversed. Roll is still normal.

Here\'s the kicker: I uninstalled this mod for a minute, thinking I\'d compare the vessel behavior without it. Since this modded part uses the same name as the standard capsule, the multiple capsule test vessel loaded up without the mod installed, and behaved the same.

There\'s gold here. Somebody figure out how to fix the reversed controls, and we\'ll have a great time!

[r4m0n]

Strangely, it does. Don\'t ask how.

Oh, I see what is happening... He didn\'t change the part name, so it is still using the real mk1 pod when it loads in the flight scene... So yeah, it will have SAS force AND load the crew...

Can someone try making a duplicate of the MechJeb pod and making it a Strut as well? I\'m guessing this could be used to make a proper unmanned pod with SAS force.

[shhhilent1]

Excuse me, but the manual isnt loading

[Fortunateson1969]

Strangely, it does. Don\'t ask how.

Holy KSPmonauts Kerbman!

Is it just me-or have a lot of big names been in on this problem? Or is the KSP community just not that big.

I\'ll give this a shot. I\'m not going to complain too much because I\'m sure you\'ve heard it all, but I don\'t look foreward to having to put a capsule in the BigTrak. It\'s hard and I still haven\'t been able to do it right.

Thanks all!

[shhhilent1]

Hmm, the ILS is nice, but id rather like a landing autopilot only, horizontal

[antiquark]

Does anyone know how to make the ascent autopilot more stable for massive rockets? It works fine for large rockets, but once you get into 'extra large,' there\'s a point where the nose of the rocket starts spiralling slightly, then the whole rocket is eventually spinning out of control.

[Fortunateson1969]

Does anyone know how to make the ascent autopilot more stable for massive rockets? It works fine for large rockets, but once you get into 'extra large,' there\'s a point where the nose of the rocket starts spiralling slightly, then the whole rocket is eventually spinning out of control.

If you\'re using a bunch of SRBs like I do, I\'ve found that I can achieve perfect stability by lashing everything to everything else. Boosters to boosters, boosters to main rocket...

[SOLIDninja]

Hi there!

Can mechajeb keep me pointed at Kerbin like Dynasat? Dynasat wont keep my probekit satellite pointed at kerbin because the dynasat keeps breaking off!!

Thanks!!

-Joe

[Nibb31]

If you\'re in a circular orbit, then antiradial (Rad-) should keep you pointing towards the planet you are orbiting.

[Kreuzung]

Hi there!

Can mechajeb keep me pointed at Kerbin like Dynasat? Dynasat wont keep my probekit satellite pointed at kerbin because the dynasat keeps breaking off!!

Thanks!!

-Joe

The DynaSat decouples on activation. If you want to build a sat for yourself, you can user the DynaSat adapter, it\'s a decoupler that will make the decoupled parts act like a satellite.

[SOLIDninja]

The DynaSat decouples on activation. If you want to build a sat for yourself, you can user the DynaSat adapter, it\'s a decoupler that will make the decoupled parts act like a satellite.

yeah thats the thing i don\'t want to decouple a satellite from my craft - my craft *is* a satellite and it want it to act like it - every time i use the dynasat decoupler under my probekit parts it just detatches and flys away.

[SOLIDninja]

If you\'re in a circular orbit, then antiradial (Rad-) should keep you pointing towards the planet you are orbiting.

Much appreciated!!!

[undragonslayer7]

Up until yesterday MechJeb was working amazingly for me (and most of it still is) but I ran into a problem with timing my auto-piloted ascents to rendezvous. I followed all the instructions in the manual, unless I missed something all four times I read it. First you do the practice launch with the height and heading you want to rendezvous with, end the flight, land or crash, and then do the same thing with the timer on. But during the final ascent MechJeb always pitches my rocket sideways and it crashes into the ground a short way from the KSC, killing the kerbonauts. Does anybody know how to fix this?

[Menelmacar]

yeah thats the thing i don\'t want to decouple a satellite from my craft - my craft *is* a satellite and it want it to act like it - every time i use the dynasat decoupler under my probekit parts it just detatches and flys away.

The dynasat converter is meant to do that you build the sat on one side, decouple it when you want and it flies of and does it\'s sat thing. If you want your satellite to be the craft you need to add a relay antenna (config edit for this is in the first post - I use the probodyne dish for that) or put 'comsat' in the name.