Orbital station control problem

[Spingitore]

Hello,

I am trying to build my first space staion in Mun orbit. I was able to bring there the first (and probably only) stage, composed of a science lab and a fuel tank, to use as a base for Mun exploration.

Here a screenshot to give an idea:

 

 

Now the problem is: when I switch to the station from the command pod that just released it, I can't seem to be able to operate anything on the station. I cannot turn on the lights placed near the docking ports, I cannot retract the solar panel or the antenna... Basically I cannot do anything on this station. Is that because a command pod or some form remote command is mandatory even on orbital station? Note that I placed an antenna (Communotron DTS-M1) on the science lab because at first I thought that was the problem, but turned out it wasn't, unless another specific type of antenna is required.

 

[Kryxal]

Yes, you need some sort of pod or probe core.  I have a standard subassembly with a probe core and a couple of small batteries inside a cargo bay that goes on all my ships.

[FullMetalMachinist]

27 minutes ago, Spingitore said:

Is that because a command pod or some form remote command is mandatory even on orbital station?

Yes, you need either a command pod with a kerbal inside, or a probe core. 

[Tyko]

Any ship/base needs some control method - either a Kerbal or a Probe Core. Without one of those you don't have any control system on your craft.

[Spingitore]

3 minutes ago, FullMetalMachinist said:

Yes, you need either a command pod with a kerbal inside, or a probe core. 

 

Just now, Tyko said:

Any ship/base needs some control method - either a Kerbal or a Probe Core. Without one of those you don't have any control system on your craft.

And why Bob Kerman inside the science lab does not count?

5 minutes ago, Kryxal said:

Yes, you need some sort of pod or probe core.  I have a standard subassembly with a probe core and a couple of small batteries inside a cargo bay that goes on all my ships.

The problem is that if I attach a pod to the science lab, I lose direct access to it. How will I transfer science from my landers to the science lab?

[Kryxal]

I'd suggest putting a probe core (but NOT the Stayputnik!) in a cargo bay on the other side, then ... and really, you just need to dock to be able to start processing data, I believe.

[tseitsei89]

13 minutes ago, Spingitore said:

 

And why Bob Kerman inside the science lab does not count?

The problem is that if I attach a pod to the science lab, I lose direct access to it. How will I transfer science from my landers to the science lab?

Because the lab doesn't have any control over the craft. It is a lab and not a cockpit. It has science equipment but not the stuff used in cockpits/command pods/probe cores to actually control the craft.

And as for the second question I dont really understand what you mean here. 

[Spingitore]

10 minutes ago, Kryxal said:

I'd suggest putting a probe core (but NOT the Stayputnik!) in a cargo bay on the other side, then ... and really, you just need to dock to be able to start processing data, I believe.

You mean from the side of the fuel tank? Again I would block the docking port to refuel... The concept of this station was to have a very basic facility with access to the lab in one side and the fuel tank on the other side. Whatever I add will make one of the two useless.. The only place to add something is in the middle.. I was thinking to revert and add a remote guidance there. Will that work?

4 minutes ago, tseitsei89 said:

Because the lab doesn't have any control over the craft. It is a lab and not a cockpit. It has science equipment but not the stuff used in cockpits/command pods/probe cores to actually control the craft.

And as for the second question I dont really understand what you mean here. 

 I mean: if I attach a command pod to the docking port of the science lab, it will become unaccessible to a lander (considering that the other side is already unaccessible being attached to the fuel tank)... how will I transfer the science data then? 

[FullMetalMachinist]

Just now, Spingitore said:

You mean from the side of the fuel tank? Again I would block the docking port to refuel...

You don't have to be directly docked to the fuel tank itself to transfer fuel. Any docking port in any location will let you transfer any resource (fuel, oxidizer, ore, electric charge). 

[tseitsei89]

4 minutes ago, Spingitore said:

You mean from the side of the fuel tank? Again I would block the docking port to refuel... The concept of this station was to have a very basic facility with access to the lab in one side and the fuel tank on the other side. Whatever I add will make one of the two useless.. The only place to add something is in the middle.. I was thinking to revert and add a remote guidance there. Will that work?

 I mean: if I attach a command pod to the docking port of the science lab, it will become unaccessible to a lander (considering that the other side is already unaccessible being attached to the fuel tank)... how will I transfer the science data then? 

Just attach to the fuel tank. Or the other way around if you want (attach pod to fuel tank side and dock lander to lab side).

It doesnt really matter since when you are docked the game will consider everything as one single carft and you can transfer resources (fuel, electricity, science...) however you want. It doesn't matter which side you are docked at...

[Spingitore]

Just now, FullMetalMachinist said:

You don't have to be directly docked to the fuel tank itself to transfer fuel. Any docking port in any location will let you transfer any resource (fuel, oxidizer, ore, electric charge). 

Ok this looks good... so lets say I will attach a command pod from the fuel tank side.. If I then attach my lander to the side of the lab, it will be able to both transfer the data to the lab and refuel from the tank, am I right?

Or maybe I could just leave the station as it is now and use the lander as a temporary command pod? Will the science lab be able to process the data with the lander detached?

2 minutes ago, tseitsei89 said:

Just attach to the fuel tank. Or the other way around if you want (attach pod to fuel tank side and dock lander to lab side).

It doesnt really matter since when you are docked the game will consider everything as one single carft and you can transfer resources (fuel, electricity, science...) however you want. It doesn't matter which side you are docked at...

Ok thanks I got it... I thought I had to dock to the specific component to be able to use it.

[tseitsei89]

4 minutes ago, Spingitore said:

Ok this looks good... so lets say I will attach a command pod from the fuel tank side.. If I then attach my lander to the side of the lab, it will be able to both transfer the data to the lab and refuel from the tank, am I right?

Or maybe I could just leave the station as it is now and use the lander as a temporary command pod? Will the science lab be able to process the data with the lander detached?

Yes you are right.

And I can't see a reason why the station actually NEEDS a command module. So your solution would also work and lab should work just fine without it too. BUT that said if you havent done docking before it will make it a little easier to dock if both crafts can rotate themselves to make docking ports face eachother. But then again it is perfectly doable and not that hard even if you can only control one of the crafts... 

[Spingitore]

14 minutes ago, tseitsei89 said:

Yes you are right.

And I can't see a reason why the station actually NEEDS a command module. So your solution would also work and lab should work just fine without it too. BUT that said if you havent done docking before it will make it a little easier to dock if both crafts can rotate themselves to make docking ports face eachother. But then again it is perfectly doable and not that hard even if you can only control one of the crafts... 

I had to revert the flight because, during reenter of the command pod to Kerbin, Jeb had the bad idea of trying to open the parachute a bit too low after losing a bet, and so I already replanned the new station with a command pod attached:

 

Since with my current science level I don't have a bigger command pod, will the adapter permit the transfer of Kerbals (as well and fuel and data) from the command pod to the science lab and viceversa?

Edited January 4, 2017 by Spingitore

[tseitsei89]

2 minutes ago, Spingitore said:

I had to revert the flight because, during reenter of the command pod to Kerbon, Jeb had the bad idea of trying to open the parachute a bit too low after losing a bet, and so I already replanned the new station with a command pod attached:

 

Since with my current science level I don't have a bigger command pod, will the adapter permit the transfer of Kerbals (as well and fuel and data) from the command pod to the science lab and viceversa?

Yes I believe it will. You can however test that on the launchpad before the launch if you want and see what happens....

[Spingitore]

4 minutes ago, tseitsei89 said:

Yes I believe it will. You can however test that on the launchpad before the launch if you want and see what happens....

I can confirm it does, thanks for helping