Combining non-stackable stuff - e.g. SENTINEL + relay antenna

[Neilski]

Stupidly trivial question, and I know I'm probably not thinking laterally enough (I also know that stunning things are possible in KSP) but I'm stumped about how to fit certain components onto a single vessel "cleanly".
Googling and searching here hasn't helped so far.

My current and fairly representative problem is how to launch a small sat with both a SENTINEL and a relay antenna of the "axial dish" kind (RA-2 for example). My starting point would have been to have both of them on the nose, but I can't put them both there cos they don't stack.

[AHHans]

I use the interstage nodes of the fairings for many of these problems. The SENTINEL in particular looks out to the side, so I can stack something else above it without the whole thing looking strange.

You can also put the relay antennas at the side of the satellite(s). I usually put more than one dish on my relay satellites, so I put 2 - 4 of them radially around the central tank.

[Neilski]

  On 2/8/2020 at 3:22 PM, AHHans said:

interstage nodes of the fairings

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Thanks. I don't know what this means though (very noobish today!).

  On 2/8/2020 at 3:22 PM, AHHans said:

You can also put the relay antennas at the side of the satellite(s). I usually put more than one dish on my relay satellites, so I put 2 - 4 of them radially around the central tank.

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Ah, OK, hadn't thought of that (was trying to save mass). I guess that approach also implies a pretty large fairing...

[AHHans]

  On 2/8/2020 at 3:42 PM, Neilski said:

Thanks. I don't know what this means though (very noobish today!).

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When you first place a fairing base, then you have only one attachment node on top / "inside" the fairing. But if you open then PAW (right-click window) of the fairing, then you can switch on the "interstage nodes". If you then try to place something then you'll see several attachment nodes "floating" above the fairing base. Place something on one of the "floating" node, and by default a truss structure from the fairing base to the node will show up. This truss structure can be disabled in the PAW, and it will also go away if nothing is connected to the interstage node anymore - even in flight.

  On 2/8/2020 at 3:42 PM, Neilski said:

I guess that approach also implies a pretty large fairing...

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Well, have you seen what some people send into orbit? But, yes, that requires a fairing that's bigger than needed if you would mount the dish in-line.

[Neilski]

  On 2/8/2020 at 3:58 PM, AHHans said:

Place something on one of the "floating" node, and by default a truss structure from the fairing base to the node will show up.

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Oh wow, I had no idea! Nice one, thanks

[Edit: yes, they look pretty darn cool. I have no idea how people discover this stuff though, because the Wiki says almost nothing on the subject...  ]

Edited February 8, 2020 by Neilski

[AHHans]

  On 2/8/2020 at 4:16 PM, Neilski said:

Oh wow, I had no idea!

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Yes, it's all in the manual. ... Or will be, once they get around to write a real manual.
(Just next to the autostruts.)

[Neilski]

LOL yes!