KSP Wobbling in a vacuum

[Defective2000]

I built this probe to fly into the sun, but upon decoupling the second to last stage, this happened-https://youtu.be/DEPa5NtZqgU

Please disregard my video recording skills, I recorded it with my phone. Anyway, if anyone has advice or knows why this is happening, please comment.

[HvP]

1 hour ago, Defective2000 said:

I built this probe to fly into the sun, but upon decoupling the second to last stage, this happened-https://youtu.be/DEPa5NtZqgU

Please disregard my video recording skills, I recorded it with my phone. Anyway, if anyone has advice or knows why this is happening, please comment.

Hello @Defective2000 welcome to the forums. Sorry you're having trouble though.

My best guess as to what's causing your ship to tear itself apart is overuse of autostruts. Specifically, when autostrut to heaviest part is used and then you decouple the game has to reattach the autostrut to the new heaviest part on your now separated ship. But often the act of decoupling causes a slight bend between joints and when the autostrut reattaches it can amplify this bend. If more than one part is autostrutted they can start pulling against one another in weird ways.

This assumes that you are using autostruts. You can force the game to show what parts are strutted by going into the Alt-F12 menu during flight. Under the Physics tab there is an option to Visualize Autostruts. I would recommend turning all of the autostruts off before you undock.

[bewing]

Clipping a bunch of parts around the decoupling point can also cause RUD issues. But I suspect HvP has the right answer.

[Tex_NL]

@HvP Buddy, you took the words right out of my mouth.
I read the title and watched the clip. First thought: autostruts.

I've been saying it for months and I am so glad more and more people are finally coming to a similar conclusion: Autostruts are evil.

[Defective2000]

Thanks guys, but the only struts I ever use are the strut connectors placed in the VAB. Before this I didn't know they existed. How do you even use them anyway?

Edited July 15, 2017 by Defective2000
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[Defective2000]

Well, i have looked into autostruts some more and found how to place them. Then I enabled then of some fuel tanks and like magic, no RUD. Thanks guys.

[HvP]

On 7/15/2017 at 5:33 PM, Defective2000 said:

Well, i have looked into autostruts some more and found how to place them. Then I enabled then of some fuel tanks and like magic, no RUD. Thanks guys.

Interesting that you had the opposite problem of what we were thinking.

If turning on some autostruts fixed your problem then what @bewing said about having parts clipped together might have been the cause. Or, maybe this was just an isolated case of the jitters. I'm glad you were able to save the mission anyway.

Have fun!

[KerbMav]

I suddenly fear for the integrity of my space station ...

Having the most heaviesterer part in the game as a "strut core" on my station should protect me, as long as docked ships have no autostruts or are not of a to complicated design, no?