Part for symmetry docking.

[Vaporized Steel]

Hi everyone.

 

I’ve been working on a project  some time ago which I postponed in finishing due to a very high unplayable part count in 0.25. I’m trying to recreate it with some new part count lowering techniques.

 

I’m trying to create a 8 module (octagon) ring station. Each module launched seperately. I already learned to use modded rcs thruster parts. Use real fuels mod to lower fuel tank count per module. Excluding batteries to save part count and such workarounds.

 

And I was wondering about whether their is a part in the mod repository that could help me further.

 

One issue with in orbit assembly and forming a ring is docking symmetry. To solve this you use 2 docking ports per attachment point. So thats 4 docking ports per module. Plus the center of the octagon station is gonna be connected with bridges of procedural structural hulls. That means another 8 docking ports over 4 modules and another 8 docking ports on the center hub.

 

Thats 48 docking ports!!!!!

And thats excluding additional docking ports for other craft to dock at.

 

I was wondering if theres a mod out there that is a 1 part docking port with 2 docking nodes attached to it. This way I can save 24 parts and can conserve a whole lot on part count with the rest of the part saving techniques I have in mind.

 

Or a docking port that has only 1 attachment point but can only be docked at from a preset symmetrical direction. Something like a square shaped docking port. So that a connected module is either attached 12, 3, 6 or 9o clock but always symmetricall.

 

If such a mod doesn’t exist may I advice someone to make such a part in case more people are interested.

 

Edited December 16, 2015 by Red Iron Crown
Fixed gigantic fonts. :)

[Vaporized Steel]

Im sorry for the large letter size. I screwed it up by copy pasting from my phones word program and i cant full edit my op and dont know how to change the site from mobile version to regular. Can a mod please edit the character size. 

Very very sorry

[Tex_NL]

It's not hard to remove the font size. Just edit your post. Select the entire text and click the T_x (Remove Format) in the top right of the editor window.

The Tutorial link in my signature might give you some useful tips on building circular stations.

[Vaporized Steel]

I dont have that option. Monitored and re checked 5 times to see a font size option. I do have a font size option when creating a new thread. Not in edit mode though. I think its because im on my phone and I cant find a "full site" option or have a desktop around.

Havent visited ksp since the forum change.

Edit: nor can i read signatures. Ill get back and fix this in 2 hours when i get back home.

Edited December 16, 2015 by Vaporized Steel

[Red Iron Crown]

Got it for you.  

[Vaporized Steel]

I'm at my desktop, finally.

All edit options and signatures are visible now. Offtopic: If anyone can elaborate on how to use full edit options on the Mobile version of the site I'll gladly hear them out.

 

Thanks Tex_NL, I browsed through your tutorial. I think it's a very easy and beautifull design.

My ambitions with my ring station however are pretty hardcore.

I think I got a old install where I made subsections of my ring station design and You'll find out the kind of standards I have set for my ring station. One of the criteria is that it's dockable in space and that all the sections attach to one another, without any gaps. I got that worked out with mods, it just ends up with a little to much parts in the end. The spacestation is also very big, where one module is so heavy it requires a rocket as large as the VAB to get it into LKO.

I'm going to look for that savegame and post the picture here and you'll see why I specifically need the kind of docking port I'm asking for.

Maybe if you can take a look at the design you have a good solution to the problem.
Either way I'm going to supply the pic or recreate the module. In the latter case it's going to take some time.

Edit:Unfortunately I have to rebuild it, which also means I have to remod, I'm rebuilding it now so I can show it.

Edited December 16, 2015 by Vaporized Steel

[Vaporized Steel]

20 Milioan!! Kiloohgraahms?
I know this is quite ambitious
But simply a matter of part resizing,

The last version was a long time ago but wasn't octagonal either but also segmented into 12.
Sorry I mistyped that in the OP.

But this should get the idea across about the necessity of having 1 docking ports with 2 attachment nodes to dock each module in space. This is to ensure that when docking in orbit that each module attaches parallel to the other module.

However, for each docking port I need a structural element (part clipped inside the curved end of a module in order to position them correctly. In this case there are 48 docking ports because this is not a octagonal station.
That's 48 structural elements for 48 docking ports is 96 parts. Excluding those for docking other craft.

 

So the question was.....?

 

If there are docking port parts available with either 2 attachment nodes like the already existing stock Bi adapter (TVR-200L).
Basically the same as a TVR-200L but already with 2 docking ports attached to the Bi ends as a 1 part object. So I can save part count.

I just calculated that the center of the ring will need more then 96 parts (structural elements and docking ports) So that´s about 200-250 parts just for enough docking ports to make it dockable in space.
So that's why I could really really use such a part.

Hopefully such a part is around, perhaps anywhere inside a spacestation pack or other mod that I don't yet know about.
 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 17, 2015 by Vaporized Steel

[Vaporized Steel]

From the lack of replies I take there isn't such a part available. But I wanted to bump the thread just one more time to reassure this. If the part I desire is unavailable I'm going to start a new thread to suggest it being made.