Matching Rotation

[Excalium]

Is it possible to use a mod such as MechJeb to be able to match an object's rotation when attempting to dock? I.E. Interstellar docking scene.

[Human Person]

Docking Port Alignment Indicator can help you with that. You still have to do it manually.

[Kryxal]

Mechjeb does have the PAR+ and PAR- buttons, those should do the trick.  Expect it to be PAR- when you target the docking port, getting that wrong can flip your rocket at a bad time.

[Helmetman]

Autopilots will definitely help. I'm not sure if you want this just to be precise with docking or that you have actual need for having it docking in a specified orientation?

If it's the latter you could also use 2 symmetrical docking ports in reflection to one another.
So you have 2 docking ports on the module your trying to dock with, and 2 on the orbiter your docking with.

This will make sure it docks at a preset orientation. You only have to make sure they do so properly by building it neatly enough in the VAB/SPH.
But a little bit of testing will get you there.

[Vanamonde]

Modding question moved to the modding subforum. 

[Alshain]

The big issue with this is rotation stops when you leave physics range, so you need to get the resistant rotation mod.

[FungusForge]

8 minutes ago, Alshain said:

The big issue with this is rotation stops when you leave physics range, so you need to get the resistant rotation mod.

You mean the Persistent rotation mod?

[Alshain]

6 minutes ago, FungusForge said:

You mean the Persistent rotation mod?

Yep, Android auto correct strikes again.

[Jas0n]

On 9/18/2017 at 5:22 AM, Kryxal said:

Mechjeb does have the PAR+ and PAR- buttons, those should do the trick.  Expect it to be PAR- when you target the docking port, getting that wrong can flip your rocket at a bad time.

That wouldn't work, because the PAR only makes your craft parallel to the target, not aligned in terms of rotation.

[TheKurgan]

MechJeb's docking autopilot can align the docking port with a moving ship (rotate to 0°) Then you could disengage it.

 

Edited September 22, 2017 by TheKurgan
Misunderstood the OP...

[Alshain]

20 minutes ago, TheKurgan said:

Well, here's what I do...did... I proved to myself that I can dock completely manually... a bunch of times, then I just use MechJeb's docking autopilot. 

I find the tedious things that I KNOW I can do pretty well just bore me, so I automate them. Same as launching a rocket... I know I can do it (pretty efficiently actually )  so now I use the Gravity Turn mod to do it for me.

In my little mind, it's only cheating if you can't do it manually.

Being able to dock has nothing to do with the OP's question.  He wants to match rotation, like in Elite Dangerous.  He doesn't have to, he wants to.

[TheKurgan]

1 minute ago, Alshain said:

Being able to dock has nothing to do with the OP's question.  He wants to match rotation, like in Elite Dangerous.  He doesn't have to, he wants to.

my apologies... I guess I misunderstood.

All the same, the docking autopilot will match rotation, then you could disengage it?

Just trying to help.

[sarbian]

10 hours ago, Jas0n said:

That wouldn't work, because the PAR only makes your craft parallel to the target, not aligned in terms of rotation.

If only there was a check box that does just that in the interface.

[Jas0n]

2 hours ago, sarbian said:

If only there was a check box that does just that in the interface.

Is there? If it is my apologies, I don't remember every detail of mechjeb.

[Excalium]

2 hours ago, sarbian said:

If only there was a check box that does just that in the interface.

Yeah I tried using PAR. Mechjeb will attempt to line up if I set a certain degree number, but when it can’t catch up to the rotation, it will keep changing rotation direction, attempting to find the quickest direction of  rotation to match up with the set degree.

An alternate solution could be disabling Mechjeb’s control over rotation, and I could match the rotation manually. (Much like how Cooper was controlling the rotation, while Tars was controlling forward, backward, left, and right.)