I wonder does is ever possible to create complex space station in KSP like MIR or ISS

[Pawelk198604]

I know for sure that experienced players like Mr Scott Manley yes, but how easy do such feat?

 

Does there a tutorial for this?

 

How to make solar arrays MIR or ISS and stuff like that?

  

[I_Killed_Jeb]

I don't understand, orbital construction is about as complicated as... docking

[Reactordrone]

If you want to role play it you can build modules that have to meet certain weight and size parameters and launch everything on a standard type of launch vehicle. 

[HvP]

You will need to master rendezvous and docking to build complex space stations in KSP. There is a simple tutorial for this here.

Although you can launch fully built stations in one piece, it's usually not practical to do so and often impossible for really large stations. It's best to design them to be docked together in modular sections which are launched separately and then connected by docking ports in orbit. Most people do this by having each segment of the station be moved into place by a detachable "tug" segment that has a probe core with enough monoprop and RCS to maneuver the module into place to dock with the central station. Once they are connected you can decouple or undock the "tug" section and either deorbit it or keep it to continue attaching new segments as you bring them into orbit.

[Curveball Anders]

9 hours ago, I_Killed_Jeb said:

I don't understand, orbital construction is about as complicated as... docking

Except that docking nodes are quite weak.

EVA Struts (one of DMagic's modlets) is a very nice mod (if you don't wanna go full KIS/KAS).

It allows for strutting up wibblywobbly station constructions.

 

[Geonovast]

Keep an eye on the Konstruction! mod too for when it gets updated.  It has special docking ports that let you weld pieces together as if they were attached in the editor.

[incal1]

Big stations built with lots of docked modules have a tendancy to start shaking around for no reason.

But you don't need a mod to prevent that. If you enable advanced tweakables you can just click on the main parts of each modules and use autostrut.

[RealKerbal3x]

33 minutes ago, incal1 said:

If you enable advanced tweakables you can just click on the main parts of each modules and use autostrut.

Sometimes autostrut can cause weird problems too, however.

[Dafni]

3 hours ago, Geonovast said:

Keep an eye on the Konstruction! mod too for when it gets updated.  It has special docking ports that let you weld pieces together as if they were attached in the editor.

Works fine in 1.6.

Roverdude confirmed this too.

[Geonovast]

54 minutes ago, Dafni said:

Works fine in 1.6.

Roverdude confirmed this too.

I must be having another issue then, as installing it in 1.5.1 cause my install to crash during loading.  I guess I'll find out when/if I transition to 1.6

[Tyko]

1 hour ago, RealKerbal3x said:

2 hours ago, incal1 said:

If you enable advanced tweakables you can just click on the main parts of each modules and use autostrut.

Sometimes autostrut can cause weird problems too, however.

Autostrut to Grandparent is the most safe way. Most people set Autostrut to "heaviest" which can cause every part to recalculate where it's strutted to whenever a new module is attached - this is what usually breaks things

It also helps to build in a way that makes structural sense -

• Don't build long chains of parts just hanging out there. Physics in the game matters - if you have a big heavy component dangling out on the end of a series of other parts it's going to tend to whip around.
• Definitely keep your heaviest modules closest to the center and, preferably, balanced with another heavy module on the opposite side.
• Also use the biggest docking ports you can near the center. the bigger they are the less wobbly they'll be

This is a bit smaller than ISS, closer to Mir, but it demonstrates the ideas I mention above - all the hab modules are weight balanced and the heavy fuel tank (pointing down) is centered and close as possible to the core. This is a very stable setup and easy to expand further

Edited January 8, 2019 by Tyko

[Gapone]

The station modules are actually pretty light unless they are fuel tanks

[Dafni]

34 minutes ago, Geonovast said:

I must be having another issue then, as installing it in 1.5.1 cause my install to crash during loading.  I guess I'll find out when/if I transition to 1.6

Oh sorry, I did miss the 1.5.1 bit. I just assumed it was about 1.6

That said, the Konstruction ports worked fine for me in 1.5.1 too   - I only used the ports though, trimmed off everything else. Did only use them once or twice on that install, but never got crashes. There must be something wrong with your install.

[Cavscout74]

@Angel-125 also has weldable ports in his MOLE & DSEV mods.  They work for me in 1.5.1 (mod is updated for 1.6, I just haven't tried it yet).  The only catch is you have to weld them with an engineer on EVA, and you have to weld the correct port - IIRC, the port for the part being added is the one you need to weld, although quicksave/quickload is your friend just in case.

[AngrybobH]

Complex space stations are more a function of how much computer you have and mods to provide parts and hold it together. How to get it there and assemble it is a fun (for me) problem to tackle but also depends on the mods you have installed. The most complex station I have built started as a small mun orbit platform for the easy transfer of kerbals and science to and from the surface. It turned into something else because of contracts to expand it were the easiest money at the time annd I was trying to fund a manned(kerbaled?) mission to Jool. 

This thing is over 400 parts and brings my current computer down to about 10FPS. Still playable but a bit stuttery (is that a word?). This was built from more than 15 launches. It didn't start complex but I build stations to always have expandability in mind. So, my advice is to start small and then add modules until your computer melts or you are satisfied with it.

[Tyko]

15 hours ago, AngrybobH said:

Complex space stations are more a function of how much computer you have and mods to provide parts and hold it together. How to get it there and assemble it is a fun (for me) problem to tackle but also depends on the mods you have installed. The most complex station I have built started as a small mun orbit platform for the easy transfer of kerbals and science to and from the surface. It turned into something else because of contracts to expand it were the easiest money at the time annd I was trying to fund a manned(kerbaled?) mission to Jool. 

This thing is over 400 parts and brings my current computer down to about 10FPS. Still playable but a bit stuttery (is that a word?). This was built from more than 15 launches. It didn't start complex but I build stations to always have expandability in mind. So, my advice is to start small and then add modules until your computer melts or you are satisfied with it.

This is really cool!

Another approach would be to build a number of smaller purpose built stations in that same orbit spaced around the planet or at least 5 km or so apart to avoid physics range. The advantage would be avoiding cool but cumbersome 400 part monstrosities. If they're in the same orbit the Delta-V to move from one to another would be really low - like well under 100 depending on how fast you wanted to get there. It would also give you an excuse to build little inter-station shuttle pods   

Edited January 9, 2019 by Tyko

[Pthigrivi]

I've built a bunch of decent size stations and I've never found I needed to autostrut. Usually the culprit is multiple SAS wheels working against each other and resonating which can shake a station to death. You can solve this by just leaving SAS off on your station and killing it if it stays on after you've docked. You can also kill any wobble or rotation by quickly turning on and then off time-warp in a pinch. And it certainly helps to use Docking Port Sr's whenever you can. 

Edited January 9, 2019 by Pthigrivi

[Pawelk198604]

On 1/8/2019 at 5:47 AM, HvP said:

You will need to master rendezvous and docking to build complex space stations in KSP. There is a simple tutorial for this here.

Although you can launch fully built stations in one piece, it's usually not practical to do so and often impossible for really large stations. It's best to design them to be docked together in modular sections which are launched separately and then connected by docking ports in orbit. Most people do this by having each segment of the station be moved into place by a detachable "tug" segment that has a probe core with enough monoprop and RCS to maneuver the module into place to dock with the central station. Once they are connected you can decouple or undock the "tug" section and either deorbit it or keep it to continue attaching new segments as you bring them into orbit.

I wonder how Zvezda works, I mean does is have any engines I know that the Russians make it use as the command post of entire ISS, and it's used to rebbost station, does it had any engines?

 

I want to create something like that when I relearn the orbital mechanic & docking in KSP 

[HvP]

On 1/9/2019 at 12:12 PM, Pawelk198604 said:

I wonder how Zvezda works, I mean does is have any engines I know that the Russians make it use as the command post of entire ISS, and it's used to rebbost station, does it had any engines?

The Zvezda module has many small maneuvering thrusters along with two hypergolic S5.80 thrusters which are the main engines for the ISS. It's located on the trailing end of the ISS so that it can be used for orbital corrections.

There really isn't an engine or thruster in KSP that directly compares to the S5.80 used on the Zvezda, but the "Place Anywhere RCS Port" is the one that most closely matches the size and thrust capabilities of the real thing. It responds to RCS controls instead of thrust controls however, and won't show up in the delta-v calculations. You'll find that it won't move you very far very fast, which is also true of the ISS.

If you want a more powerful orbital maneuvering system engine you could use the "Puff" monoprop engine, although it's significantly bigger and more powerful than the real thing, it will respond to thrust input and the game will calculate delta-v for its maneuvers.

Edit to add: Thinking about it some more, the engine used doesn't have to be monoprop at all. Considering that the original is hypergolic we can imagine that the fuel used by the "Spider" or "Ant" in the game could be a hypergolic combo like the nitrogen tetroxide/UDMH of the S5.80 (instead of the RP1/oxidizer I'm used to assuming is KSP's basic fuel.) In that case the "Spider" or "Ant" would be excellent analogues to the ISS engines.

Edited January 10, 2019 by HvP

[panarchist]

On 1/7/2019 at 8:47 PM, HvP said:

Although you can launch fully built stations in one piece, it's usually not practical to do so and often impossible for really large stations.

Agreed on the rest of your comment, but regarding this I feel obliged to point out that it really depends on how large your launcher is. Several mods have 7.5m and 10m fuel tanks and engines, and a few others have some seriously OP (realistically so) boosters, like the various Orion-based mods. (the 1960s program, not the new NASA spacecraft)

Using Near Future Launch Vehicles, or Kerbodyne +, or RoverDude's Orion mod, it's fairly easy to loft a fully-built 50-100 part station, provided it's strutted appropriately and has enough control authority.

[MaianTrey]

On 1/7/2019 at 9:13 PM, Pawelk198604 said:

I know for sure that experienced players like Mr Scott Manley yes, but how easy do such feat?

Does there a tutorial for this?

How to make solar arrays MIR or ISS and stuff like that?  

Not to toot my own horn, but I've been doing a stock ISS (that is overly detailed and probably prohibitively large in part count). I've been doing it the hard way (by launching it as was done in real life). There are other methods of launching, and easier ways to connect it than what I'm doing.

And this is where it currently stands. All stock, working Canadarm2, and a working Mobile Transporter on the S0 truss.