[1.9.x-1.12.x] StationKeeping Restationed - Precise Synchronous Orbits

[linuxgurugamer]

Nice little mod written by @HenryBlatbugIII, original thread is here: https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/158348-122-stationkeeping-precise-synchronous-orbits/

The new version for KSP 1.4.1 has new dependencies

Dependencies

• Click Through Blocker
• ToolbarController

CKAN has been updated to install the dependencies, if needed.

Description

This mod adds an interface in the Tracking Station that lets you precisely adjust the orbits of your ships.  It's intended to assist with creating CommNet networks, e.g. making precise geosynchronous orbits or using multiple relays with exactly the same orbital period.

Select a ship in the tracking station and click on the Station Keeping icon in the toolbar.  If the ship's semimajor axis is within 1% (configurable) of your target semimajor axis (whether that is a geosynchronous orbit or a different target that you've typed in), you can click the button to set your semimajor axis precisely.  The ship will burn the right amount of fuel (using its most efficient engine) to get to the target.  This mod does not include an option to set the other orbital parameters, since a difference in any of the other parameters will not cause the ship to drift farther and farther from its intended position as you timewarp.

Download

https://github.com/linuxgurugamer/StationKeeping/releases

Dependencies

• Click Through Blocker
• ToolbarController

Installation

Simply extract the StationKeeping folder to your "Kerbal Space Program/GameData/" folder, and make sure the dependencies are also installed.

Useful Links

• Resonant Orbit Calculator
• Visual RemoteTech Planner
• Tutorial - How to Create a Satellite Network with Evenly Spaced Satellites

Settings

In StationKeeping/PluginData/StationKeeping/config.xml, there are two options you might want to change:

• RealSMA: Set this to 1 if you want the mod to show the actual semimajor axis of the orbit (distance from the center of the planet) rather than the KSP default altitude (distance from the surface)
• Tolerance: By default, this is 1%.  This is how close you need to be to your target orbit before the mod will let you set your orbit.

License

CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution)

Edited April 8, 2018 by linuxgurugamer

[leatherneck6017]

Thanks for taking on yet another one! This is indeed handy. Sucks to go to all the trouble setting up a fancy ComNet only to have their orbits change over time.

[Gordon Dry]

@linuxgurugamer I just downloaded it and found two identical config.xml inside the archive, one in GameData\StationKeeping\PluginData\config.xml and one in GameData\StationKeeping\PluginData\StationKeeping\config.xml - which one should I keep?

[linuxgurugamer]

24 minutes ago, Gordon Dry said:

@linuxgurugamer I just downloaded it and found two identical config.xml inside the archive, one in GameData\StationKeeping\PluginData\config.xml and one in GameData\StationKeeping\PluginData\StationKeeping\config.xml - which one should I keep?

This one, I think:  StationKeeping\Plugins\PluginData\StationKeeping\config.xml

But I'll check it out and get out a new update 

Edited April 5, 2018 by linuxgurugamer

[linuxgurugamer]

The one you want is:  R:\KSP_1.4.1_dev\GameData\StationKeeping\Plugins\PluginData\StationKeeping\config.xml

I'll be pushing out an update which deletes the extra ones

[Gordon Dry]

Thanks

[linuxgurugamer]

New release, 0.2.0.1:

• Deleted extra xml files
• Deleted unnecessary directory in the top PluginData directory
• Added Real SMA toggle so no need to edit a config file
• Added tolerance as a slider so no need to edit a config file

[cnose]

Thanks for taking this on Linux! Quick question: does this work with vessels that only have RCS? I checked the original thread and it appears that the original creator was going to add that feature.

[linuxgurugamer]

I haven't changed the functionality, so if it didn't have it before, it doesn't have it now.

[Jesusthebird]

Awesome. Ima play with this tonight alongside the revived .035m probe mod

 

ckan has it labled as max ksp 1.2.2, just fyi

Edited April 7, 2018 by Jesusthebird

[linuxgurugamer]

6 hours ago, Jesusthebird said:

Awesome. Ima play with this tonight alongside the revived .035m probe mod

 

ckan has it labled as max ksp 1.2.2, just fyi

Restart CKAN, and refresh, it is updated properly in ckan.

You should see version 0.2.0

[Wyzard]

Since this mod is meant for stabilizing multi-satellite configurations, I'd like to point out this tutorial which explains how to deploy rings of evenly-spaced satellites, and this resonant orbit calculator which automates the math.  It might be helpful to add links to these in the thread's OP.

 

Edited April 8, 2018 by Wyzard
Fixed the broken tutorial link

[UnanimousCoward]

For RemoteTech users, there's also this one: Visual RemoteTech Planner. It will show you the distances between satellites (useful for planning orbital maneuvers), the dark time and required amount of electric charge, the dV required to get from your planned parking orbit to the desired orbit for a single launch, and 2 types of resonant orbit and the required dV for multiple-satellite launches.

I'm not 100% sure that the antennas listed and their power consumption are up to date, but you can add custom ones.

[linuxgurugamer]

22 hours ago, Wyzard said:

I'd like to point out this tutorial which explains how to deploy rings of evenly-spaced satellites,

The link is broken

[Wyzard]

1 hour ago, linuxgurugamer said:

The link is broken

Oops, sorry — that's what I get for trying to trim out the unnecessary (or so I thought) human-readable thread name from the URL.  I could've sworn it worked when I tested it.  Anyway, here's the complete link to the tutorial.

[Gordon Dry]

I suggest that RCS should be taken into account for slightly SMA changes.

Satellites are not prone to have engines, at least when they're small and well balanced with RCS.

[linuxgurugamer]

New release, 0.2.1:

• Added ability to use RCS
• Added toggle for RCS only
• Updated toolbar Control so blizzy is now controlled by the ToolbarController
• Removed all Blizzy options
• Added current altitude & Set toggle

[Dafni]

Neat. Very handy little mod. Thank you very much @linuxgurugamer

[Machine Maker]

is the latest version compatible with ksp 1.4.x? or should I download the 1.4 release? well apparently I cant read. lol nvm. 

Edited December 4, 2018 by X1machinemaker1X

[Dafni]

@linuxgurugamer or @HenryBlatbugIII is there a version of this lovely mod in existence that works on KSP 1.3.1???

Many thanks in advance and apologies for my ignorance.

[linuxgurugamer]

2 minutes ago, Dafni said:

@linuxgurugamer or @HenryBlatbugIII is there a version of this lovely mod in existence that works on KSP 1.3.1???

Many thanks in advance and apologies for my ignorance.

You can try these two, I wasn't doing this for 1.3.1:

https://github.com/swilbur/StationKeeping/releases

[Dafni]

10 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

You can try these two, I wasn't doing this for 1.3.1:

https://github.com/swilbur/StationKeeping/releases

Thank you. I found this link too, but the dates of the uploads indicate they are releases for KSP 1.2.2 (1.3 was released in March 17 IIRC)... so I never thought about trying. Will do that later today. Thank you so far, appreciate your time @linuxgurugamer

10 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

You can try these two, I wasn't doing this for 1.3.1:

https://github.com/swilbur/StationKeeping/releases

Just tried, doesent work for me (in KSP 1.3.1) But thank you nevertheless @linuxgurugamer

Edited December 10, 2018 by Dafni

[linuxgurugamer]

Then try the earlier one I did for 141

[Dafni]

Just now, linuxgurugamer said:

Then try the earlier one I did for 141

I figured out what was the problem with the previous one, the 1.2.2 one. People in the old thread reported it would work, so I had a closer look. Turns out the download for their 1.0.1 had an addition folder in the folder structure, messing the whole thing up. Now it works.

Thank you again @linuxgurugamer

[Dafni]

Again, love this simple mod. It makes the comm networks neat and stable.

Many thanks again @linuxgurugamer and the original creator @HenryBlatbugIII