Kerbisynchronous Orbit (or really any Kerbin orbit). Not how but why?

[CrashyMcCrashFace]

Since Kerbin has many powerful ground stations all over the planet is there a reason to put satellites in orbit other that "it's fun"? Yeah, I'm totally fine with "it's fun" but just wondering if it's helpful otherwise. I can see why satellites are useful around the Mun or other planets for when there's no line of sight or distances are very far.

[Snark]

2 hours ago, CrashyMcCrashFace said:

Since Kerbin has many powerful ground stations all over the planet is there a reason to put satellites in orbit other that "it's fun"? Yeah, I'm totally fine with "it's fun" but just wondering if it's helpful otherwise. I can see why satellites are useful around the Mun or other planets for when there's no line of sight or distances are very far.

It only has the ground stations if you leave 'em turned on. 

There's a game option "Enable Extra Ground Stations", which is turned on by default.  Turn it off, and you only have KSC.  Then building a communications network becomes a bit more of a challenge.

(Of course even there you don't need to have a synchronous satellite if you don't want to-- for example, you could have a constellation of low-altitude satellites.  But it does give synchronous ones at least some point.)

My personal way I like to play:  1. Commnet enabled, 2. Require signal for probe control, 3. No extra ground stations, 4. Occlusion modifiers set to 1.0.  But that's just because I enjoy setting up comm networks and it's a major source of fun for me.

[Gargamel]

Along with commnet building, like Snark says, I have also played games where I have Space Elevators.    I will put a station or satellite in KSO which represents the top of the elevator, it will be built to resemble as such.   I will then build a craft, with certain restrictions applied (size and mass), and launch it.  I will then hyperedit it to a rendezvous orbit with the KSO station.   I keep a "space tug" docked to the station, and it can go collect the lifted craft if they aren't self powered, for docking and construction of bigger craft. 

[CrashyMcCrashFace]

2 hours ago, Snark said:

It only has the ground stations if you leave 'em turned on. 

There's a game option "Enable Extra Ground Stations", which is turned on by default.  Turn it off, and you only have KSC.  Then building a communications network becomes a bit more of a challenge.

(Of course even there you don't need to have a synchronous satellite if you don't want to-- for example, you could have a constellation of low-altitude satellites.  But it does give synchronous ones at least some point.)

My personal way I like to play:  1. Commnet enabled, 2. Require signal for probe control, 3. No extra ground stations, 4. Occlusion modifiers set to 1.0.  But that's just because I enjoy setting up comm networks and it's a major source of fun for me.

Things just got WAY more interesting. Thanks. Occlusion modifiers set to 1.0 limits the signal range?

[DerekL1963]

44 minutes ago, CrashyMcCrashFace said:

Occlusion modifiers set to 1.0 limits the signal range?

It controls how far you can see "over the horizon".   You can see that in flight if you set occlusion < 1.0, you'll actually see your CommNet connection line dip into the planet's surface as that setting lets you "see" over the horizon.

I usually play with .98 for worlds with an atmosphere (some atmospheric ducting, which is a thing IRL), and 1.0 for vacuum worlds.

[MaximumThrust]

I disabled ground stations, put occlusion at max, and range very low, because I like doing networks and want them to be needed. Also to use the beautiful antennas from the JX2Antenna mod, from @Snark. With my configs, the KSC signal don't cover much, and the vessels don't get signal from the constellations without a dedicated antenna.

I have placed a very powerful relay at a sync. orbit, directly above KSC. I use it to control launching and landing vessels with the internal pod antennas, and to redistribute the signal from KSC with more power. It's cool to launch, delivery the payload, lose signal on the other side, and regain it before the deorbit burn. Also helps delaying a little the plasma blackouts in unmanned vessels.

I found it a better solution than putting antennas in every launch vehicle, and a nice excuse to put something in the sync. orbit. 

Edited March 31, 2018 by MaximumThrust