K&K Bases Confusion

[Bakkerbaard]

For the space station I asked about earlier, with the docking ports, I need a base on the Mün to refuel the tanks so ships can fill 'er up and grab a sandwich on the way to the great unknown.

I will be back to ask lots of questions about rovers and drilling and whatnot, but first and foremost I would like to know: How the blody hell do I get a Planetary Base on a planet(oid)?!

Putting a Central Control Hub on the Mün is pretty easy, but how do I stick parts to it then? I wanted to add a habitat, but I could at first even figure out how to get that airborne. By the time I had that going I had also figured it might be easier to stick them together in orbit, along with all the other expansions and then just land that in it's entirety. Docking the habitat proved to be it's own kettle of piranhas, as the damn thing went bananas and just slammed into the the hub. This is where you learn the importance of savegames.

So, yeah. The K&K Planetary Base stuff confuses me a bit. How do I get it where I want it? I've screwed around a bit with the removable landing gears, but that puts the docking ports at different heights. RCS doesn't seem to be very helpfull either, if docking in orbit, but that might be my placement. I used the aerodynamically shielded fiveway port, with one in the middle of the roof on the front end and two on each side at the back end. I figured with five blowholes that would give MechJeb enough to work with. Also did the needed Control From Here things, as MechJeb won't do anything anyway, so I think I couldn't forget anything there....

Anyway, I'm rambling. If you see a question there somewhere, go ahead and answer it. ;o)

[GrouchyDevotee]

PS4 player here.

I haven't been able to make base parts connect while landed, yet. It's apparently a complex process of landing various parts and using a rover of some kind to move the parts into position.

I'm currently just starting to fiddle around with this.

But for a small-ish simpl-ish base, just land it as one piece.

Central core of a Hitch-hiker can under a Science lab with a MK-2 lander can on top of it,

a fuel tank and an engine under it

And a three way symmetrical fuel tank and engines around the base.

lots of landing legs, batteries, some solar panels, and some communications equipment.

make sure you can do EVA's by keeping the hatches clear. Probably want to be able to do some science.

Might have to refuel in orbit, and the tricky part is getting it into space, and then to your destination.

Keep the weight centred or you won't be able to land.

I consider Landing lights required equipment.

 

 

 

[Markrc93]

Well, depending on your mod layout, there's three other methods I can see (I use the first two personally) outside of what you've already been trying (I honestly have no experience with on the ground docking methods: so I can't give you much to improve your method there, though I'm sure others might be able to)

Planetary Base Systems + KIS/KAS:

Launch a base segment (like a lab, habitat, greenhouse, etc), optionally with two end storage parts (so you can haul extra stuff, and still easily balanced). Then KIS/KAS pipe them together like so:

Spoiler

Second option, if you use Extraplanetary Launch Pads: you can launch a workshop (with survey stakes) and some rocket parts (or make them on site) and then construct a big base directly, like so near your survey station (I don't have a screenshot of the construction process)

Spoiler

Third option: if you use Ground Construction: you can launch your box of materials, a workshop, rocket parts and then build it there.

Edited May 11, 2018 by Markrc93
Added a detail