Need guidance in understanding how to setup a relay network.

[catloverjerrygarcia]

I have a relay satellite design set to go, but my knowledge of how to setup a network is absolute zero on the Kelvin scale.  Have a look at my relay satellite design below and the launch assembly will be changed as needed to achieve the mission.

Kerbinsat relay satellite. by AdmFranzvonHippie, on Flickr

[VoidSquid]

Basically you want to setup a comm network like this:

https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Tutorial:Setting_up_a_CommNet_system

 

Be aware that you'll need Relay capable antennas:

https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Parts#Communications 

 

Tutorial - How to Create a Satellite Network with Evenly Spaced Satellites:

Resonant Orbit Calculator:

https://meyerweb.com/eric/ksp/resonant-orbits/

 

...or in-game as a mod:

As for your rocket, I suggest you build something with an payload like this, i.e. 3 satellites, each having a probe core, battery,  reaction wheel, solar panels, fuel, small maneuver engine with a decoupler below:

 

Edited August 29, 2019 by VoidSquid

[Superfluous J]

You need to answer a question first. Do you want:

1. A functional satellite network that may occasionally have a gap in coverage, but will facilitate most any reasonable expectation?
2. A perfectly symmetrical network with no gaps that works 100% of the time from everywhere?

All 1 takes is you to luanch a half dozen or so satellites into different orbits. One or two should be polar, and eccentric orbits going every which way chaotically is better than symmetry. If you're in career mode, just completing "launch a satellite" contracts with relay antennas on the satellites is really all you need to do.

[snip]

Edited August 29, 2019 by Vanamonde

[dire]

[snip]

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by all the numbers and stuff. This is rocket science; it's a little bit difficult. 

My advice would be to take it a step at a time. Launch your satellite and see what happens! It will have gaps in coverage.That's OK. You may lose probes if they go dark during a critical maneuver. That's also OK. As you launch more satellites and build better stuff you can come back to these topics several times and learn more each time.

One of the things VoidSquid's picture is trying to say is that generally it's better to have several small, cheap relay satellites than one big one, all in different orbits. The reason why this is, is complicated, but try it out and see what happens.

Edited August 29, 2019 by Vanamonde

[VoidSquid]

2 minutes ago, dire said:

One of the things VoidSquid's picture is trying to say is that generally it's better to have several small, cheap relay satellites than one big one, all in different orbits

Actually I was thinking about the classic triangle constellation here, polar and / or equatorial, for the best possible coverage  

[dire]

[snip]

Try this video where Scott Manley goes through it step by step. If you want a wall of text I can type something up, but try the video first.

 

Edited August 29, 2019 by Vanamonde

[Vanamonde]

Some off-topic and fairly harsh comments have been removed from this thread. Please stick to the subject and try to remember that people are trying to be helpful even if it's not in the form that works best for you.