How to assure your satellite remains perfectly Keosynchronous...

[Sharpy]

Don't treat this too seriously

++

 

[Starman4308]

Wonderful! Our engineers will put this in place immediately to ensure 24/7 geostationary coverage over all Kerbin, not just over the equator!

Though, ironically, I've just realized that's pretty much what a regular radio/cell tower is, albeit at a much lower altitude.

Edited October 4, 2016 by Starman4308

[steuben]

Seriously? This! Is! KSP!

Though the real trick is doing it without using launch clamps. Just one big tower of parts.

[Sharpy]

By the way, I approached it again, and it really works... as long as you don't switch to the satellite.

First, besides the satellite, pack up the largest KAS container, load up a launch clamp, the screwdriver and an engineer.

Then reach KEO vicinity, switch "Speed" to "Surface" and burn retrograde until you're at 0.0 (at KEO that should be a very small burn).

Deploy the satellite, move it into vicinity of the KAS cargo compartment. Extend antennas and solar panels - you won't be able to do it later.

Get the engineer in position. Get the launch clamp from the bay and attach it - must be one move, don't drop it anywhere along the way. That's why the sat must be close to the bay.

From then on, the satellite is an extreme kraken bait. Do only the bare minimum to escape alive! Do NOT try to board the ship. That function is already broken!

Using jetpack, have the engineer burn retrograde, good 100m/s. Switch to the craft and chase the engineer. Meet up at least 3km away from the satellite. Do NOT board.

Quicksave, quit game, start it again.  Load. Through tracking station switch to the engineer, board the craft and return home.

The status of the satellite is "Landed at Kerbin". When you "fly" it, it wobbles hopelessly and glitches the game to hell and back. But as long as you leave it alone, it's working, and perfectly geostationary!

 

---

why the need to do it at GEO and nix the speed? The problem is if the surface speed is far from zero when you leave the satellite's physics bubble, it will be treated as 'moving over terrain' and likely scrapped by the game. But if you unload the physics bubble with the satellite actually (momentarily) stationary, the clamp will freeze it in the "Landed" state. That's also why any other location may be difficult to achieve, as the satellite will drift/fall/orbit relative to the surface. You must unload it when the surface speed is IIRC less than 0.5m/s.

 

 

Edited October 4, 2016 by Sharpy

[problemecium]

Pfft.

And here I was expecting to see you abusing the "landed while in space" bug (that thing that goes "cannot timewarp while moving over terrain" even though you're obviously in orbit).

[Sharpy]

19 minutes ago, parameciumkid said:

Pfft.

And here I was expecting to see you abusing the "landed while in space" bug (that thing that goes "cannot timewarp while moving over terrain" even though you're obviously in orbit).

Nope. I'm abusing the sweet spot in that bug, where your speed relative to terrain is low enough that you are not considered "moving over terrain" but actually landed. By doing this in KEO I can reduce my speed relative to the surface to zero. The game no longer protests against "moving over terrain".

I still can't timewarp while in control of the probe but for entirely different reasons. The game, instead of protesting my inappropriate movement speed and refusing actions it considers dangerous in such a situation, meekly accepts the facts that the craft 2700km above Kerbin remains entirely immobile and 'landed', goes down that rabbit hole, and suffers grievous damage to the engine in the process.

Example: Why you shouldn't board the craft... The engineer's soul gets in and takes over the ship, while the dead husk of his body floats away.

Specifically: Bill grabs the hatch, I press 'B'. Bill seems to be still on the ladder, but the focus goes to the craft. The game says 'Controlling: Bill Kerman'. There's no IVA picure in the corner, but I'm clearly in control of the ship. I can click 'transfer crew' and I see Bill Kerman and 'Transfer', but no 'EVA'. Pressing 'c' doesn't show the inside; I can fire the engines, turn the craft etc. But on the map, the craft is shown as a Kerbal icon.

Meanwhile, the kerbal on the hatch lets go and floats away. I try to switch, focus, can't. See on map - nope. That's a dead husk of Bill Kerman, while Bill currently is the ship.

Timewarp is another victim. And if you rightclick a probe core, your two available options are 'Toggle Torque' and 'SAS mode'. 'SAS mode' toggles torque. 'Toggle torque' renames vessel

[monstah]

8 minutes ago, Sharpy said:

The engineer's soul gets in and takes over the ship, while the dead husk of his body floats away.

(...)

Meanwhile, the kerbal on the hatch lets go and floats away. I try to switch, focus, can't. See on map - nope. That's a dead husk of Bill Kerman, while Bill currently is the ship.

What. The. Hell.

Brilliant writing here, by the way

[rcp27]

I think you've just described the weird ending bit of 2001: a Kerbal Odyssey  

[Avonix]

This is the most useless, convoluted, and overall most messy way to make a Geosync satellite!

I love it.

 

Edited October 4, 2016 by Avonix