How do I recover scrap from the surface??

[Loren Pechtel]

When the scrap is in space I take a claw, grab it as centered as I can and bring it home.  (Pretty please, either make the IJKL commands work on the current view direction or give us a command to right the rocket--I hate having to play with the RCS engines just to figure out how they are going to behave!)  This time, however, the contract says I'm to return the guy's scrap also--from the surface.  How do I grab it???

[Superfluous J]

The claw works on the surface as well. I'd put it on the bottom of a large lander and land on the item, but that would require pinpoint accuracy. Perhaps something with wheels?

I'd also consider not even taking that contract

EDIT: Also, hit V a few times when trying to grab or dock until you're in "locked" mode. Makes everything much easier with the IJKLHN keys.

Edited March 23, 2016 by 5thHorseman

[Anquietas314]

10 minutes ago, Loren Pechtel said:

Pretty please, either make the IJKL commands work on the current view direction or give us a command to right the rocket--I hate having to play with the RCS engines just to figure out how they are going to behave!)

Switch the camera mode (V I think is the default key?) to Locked and point the camera in the rocket's "forward" direction; now your RCS translation controls will behave like you expect . Be sure to switch it back to auto (or your preferred camera mode) when you're done though, otherwise flying will be very disorienting.

To answer your question, like 5th horseman says just stick a claw on the bottom of a lander and practice landing precisely on a target - GoSlash27 has a tutorial for a landing technique that'll make that easier. I'd strongly recommend making sure the lander's engines are far away from the claw though. Rocket exhaust is dangerous stuff . Also don't forget to consider the mass of the thing you're trying to pick up when deciding how much fuel to bring.

[Loren Pechtel]

25 minutes ago, 5thHorseman said:

The claw works on the surface as well. I'd put it on the bottom of a large lander and land on the item, but that would require pinpoint accuracy. Perhaps something with wheels?

I'd also consider not even taking that contract

EDIT: Also, hit V a few times when trying to grab or dock until you're in "locked" mode. Makes everything much easier with the IJKLHN keys.

That was the only way I could figure to do it, it sounds messy enough I figured there had to be something better.  A rover would certainly make grabbing it easier but how would I get it on the rocket?  (Not that KSP makes for any sane way to deploy a rover in the first place.  I have yet to use wheels other than around KSC.)

[Jarin]

Unless there's some weird requirement that you have to return it all the way to KSP, just air-drop a rover near it with parachutes. A simple sub-orbital rocket hop with the rover in a fairing would do the trick. Once you have it grabbed, just recover the vehicle.

Edited March 23, 2016 by Jarin

[Superfluous J]

1 hour ago, Jarin said:

Unless there's some weird requirement that you have to return it all the way to KSP, just air-drop a rover near it with parachutes. A simple sub-orbital rocket hop with the rover in a fairing would do the trick. Once you have it grabbed, just recover the vehicle.

I'm assuming it's on the surface of another world.

If it's on Kerbin, just get within 2.5 km of it, switch to it, and recover it

[FancyMouse]

17 minutes ago, 5thHorseman said:

I'm assuming it's on the surface of another world.

If it's on Kerbin, just get within 2.5 km of it, switch to it, and recover it

or 22km since it's in atmosphere? In vaccum I know it's 2.25km if I want to be more precise (by looking at what KER shows versus when physics loading lag occurs), but I never know the precise number of the atmospheric physics bubble radius.

[Superfluous J]

12 minutes ago, FancyMouse said:

or 22km since it's in atmosphere? In vaccum I know it's 2.25km if I want to be more precise (by looking at what KER shows versus when physics loading lag occurs), but I never know the precise number of the atmospheric physics bubble radius.

I haven't tested it but I thought the 22.5km bubble was only for things FLYING in atmo. I distinctly remember having a conversation with someone about it. It's where I learned that the bubble is better thought to be around every other ship than around your own. They draw if you're in THEIR bubble, not they in YOUR bubble.

1 hour ago, Loren Pechtel said:

it sounds messy enough I figured there had to be something better.

That pretty much describes every situation in this game involving 2 craft where 1 or both of them are landed.

[Starhawk]

As part of the KRRAKC - Missions of a Rescue Program I'm working on just such a rescue at Vall.

This is my new spacecrane, the Thundercraft 2.  The piloting skill required takes some practice to develop.

Happy landings!

[Loren Pechtel]

1 hour ago, Starhawk said:

As part of the KRRAKC - Missions of a Rescue Program I'm working on just such a rescue at Vall.

This is my new spacecrane, the Thundercraft 2.  The piloting skill required takes some practice to develop.

Happy landings!

How do you shield something like that from the fires of re-entry?

[Starhawk]

5 minutes ago, Loren Pechtel said:

How do you shield something like that from the fires of re-entry?

This will only operate in vacuum after it leaves Kerbin.  It will recover the scrap from the surface of Vall and return it to orbit.  It can then hand off the cargo to another craft (probably a boring Thundercraft 1) which is designed to survive re-entry.

Happy landings!

[Nich]

Check the challenge form there is a challenge for just this with a couple different techniques