Using colonies for interstellar travel?

[M_Rat13]

So, with the introduction of colonies, and the ability to visit other solar systems, I thought I'd ask some of the more intelligent community, and granted, we don't know much about how the game will work yet, but, if it is similar to how the first game works, what sort of colonies would you set up to help start your interstellar journey, and why? I have my own thoughts based on my limited knowledge of space travel, but I want to see what more experienced minds come up with, to verify or dismiss my own thoughts, which I will discuss as the conversation goes on.

So, let's talk colonies for interstellar travel.

[nsgallup]

A moon or minmus base is probably a good start, or just a kerbin orbital base

Edited August 24, 2019 by nsgallup

[Bill Phil]

Might need Helium-3 from Jool for Daedalus - so a few colonies there.

[TBenz]

1 minute ago, nsgallup said:

A moon or minmus base is probably a good start, or just a kerbin orbital base

This right here.

Set up a colony with assembly facilities in low gravity or orbit somewhere, then you can build really big interstellar ships without needing to worry about lifting them off Kerbin.

[DunaManiac]

I think to start, a LKO orbit to launch vessels without having to even launch them from KSC, than Mun or minmus colony to sort of Demo it, then branching out to Duna and Eve, then maybe a Jool drydock (like in the trailer) so you can launch spacecraft out to other star systems easier, maybe on Laythe too.

[nsgallup]

The only reason for surface launches is to make it easier to gather production materials

[M_Rat13]

41 minutes ago, DunaManiac said:

I think to start, a LKO orbit to launch vessels without having to even launch them from KSC, than Mun or minmus colony to sort of Demo it, then branching out to Duna and Eve, then maybe a Jool drydock (like in the trailer) so you can launch spacecraft out to other star systems easier, maybe on Laythe too.

This is the sort of thing I was curious about. With the ability to create new VABs in the most optimal positions possible, where are the likely places you want to go to get the smaller delta v requirements for interstellar travel?

I've been messing with a delta v planner, and for some reason, getting from anywhere to Minmus is super efficient, with only the Joolian moons requiring a large about of delta v more to get to over the alternative. 800 m/s single trip, or 1600 m/s round trip, over going from a Pol colony, the most efficient way to get around the Joolian moons. Of course, that ignores interplanetary windows, that apply to Eve and Duna, which have nearby moons, but considering you'd have to build a colony with VAB on Gilly/Ike, Minmus still looks good. 

TLDR: Is Minmus OP, or is the site I'm using bugged in some way? Because Physics would suggest it might be. https://13375.de/KSPDeltaVMap/

[nsgallup]

Minmus is one of the best places for a base because it will have resources + very low gravity

[Chilkoot]

I expect for huge interstellar ships,  we'll be harvesting raw materials from mineral-rich low-gravity rock/iron bodies like Minmus, then launching proper from orbital fueling stations that harvest from Jool.

[M_Rat13]

5 hours ago, Chilkoot said:

I expect for huge interstellar ships,  we'll be harvesting raw materials from mineral-rich low-gravity rock/iron bodies like Minmus, then launching proper from orbital fueling stations that harvest from Jool.

That actually sounds like it might be true, even just looking at the trailer. We only ever see interstellar type ships around orbital stations. Although, if you wanted to set up a station orbiting Jool, it's probably best to get resources from Bop and Pol, and maybe Vall.