Is it possible to transfer fuel between vessels without docking port?

[ondra55]

So I landed on mun without any damage in rocket and crew save, but rocket only got around 170 delta/V of fuel. and I need to get them back, is there any possible way?

[Streetwind]

Welcome to the forums

You can construct another rocket with enough spare seats, and land it near the first one. Then your Kerbals can just jetpack-fly over, and you can take them home.

Of course, you'll have to make sure that the new rocket actually has enough fuel. And that it also lands safely. And that you didn't forget the parachutes, or to empty the seats. Else you may well end up with a classic recursive rescue mission.

Or... well, if you want to cheat... you could. But surely nobody would want to do that, right...?

Spoiler

Press Alt+F12.

 

[Kerbart]

You can use The Claw

[Grogs]

Heh, I just did something similar in my career game, and I should know better. I had a contract to put a base on the Mun and another to land 4 tourists on the Mun. I figured I would just kill two birds with one stone and land the tourists with the base. Since the base was meant to be 'permanent' I only sent enough fuel to get it down, planning to just send a regular lander down to collect everyone and take them home. Only problem - tourists can't EVA. Oops. Now I have to build something that can land next to the base, roll over, dock, and then reorbit. Those are the kind of things that make KSP what it is. It's frustrating at times, but still fun to try and fix your mistakes.

[AHHans]

1 hour ago, Kerbart said:

You can use The Claw

Two comments about using the Claw: depending on your difficulty settings you cannot transfer fuel though a Claw (the "Resource Transfers Obeys Crossfeed Rules" setting). The exception to this is that freshly created fuel from an ISRU ignores these rules, so it is possible to refuel anything with an ISRU equipped rover.
The other is that even though fuel doesn't flow through a Claw, tourists can crawl through one. (Don't ask me, Kerbals are apparently very malleable.)

[king of nowhere]

so, to make it short, your options are

1) send a rescue mission, transfer the astronauts to the new craft, abandon the old craft. no tech required

2) send a refueling mission, attach with the claw and transfer fuel. not available at higher difficulties. requires the claw unlocked

3) rend a rover capable of producing fuel in-situ, and attach it to the craft with the claw. requires the claw and convert-o-trons.

4) cheat

1 is the simpler option (except 4, of course); 3 is the more effective, since your rover will stay there and you'll be able to use it again