Hello.

[Gonzo]

Played the demo for a month, then bought the game. Aeronautics has always been an avid interest of mine, and this game was quite the welcome addition to my collection. The subforum description says ask for tips, so I will.

How the [FLUFFY BUNNIES] do I get a station really going? I did get a module in orbit with a sputnick head, 2 fuselage sections, 4 clamp-o-trons, gas tanks and jets for rcs, and both nuke and solar energy. I then changed it from probe to station. I have two lift vehicles that seem to work fine, but I am having trouble matching orbits with the station. Hell, I'm having trouble just getting on the right trajectory to go the same way as the station!

And let's assume I successfully do this. How do I attach new sections to build a station? Do I have to dock from the side? or do I make some weird design rocket with the control unit off to the side, allowing end on docking?

I did a search for info on this, but none of the forum posts that resulted were helpful. Also, none of the tutorials I have found on line seem to cover this. So, I did try to help myself first before being the FNG asking dumb questions!

Thanks in Advance,

Gonzo Kerbal

Edited April 30, 2013 by sal_vager

[sal_vager]

Welcome to the community Gonzo

I recommend Scott Manleys youtube videos on rendezvous and docking, you'll find they help a lot!

You need docking ports of course, and as long as you can get the ports on your station modules to line up you'll be fine, there's no right way and some people use a puller tug, others a pusher, others fit probes and RCS to every section so they can all fly independently

It's really up to you and you can try all three methods or think up a fourth

[Capt'n Skunky]

Happy Launching!

Arrr!

Capt'n Skunky

KSP Community Manager

[Vanamonde]

The easiest way to match orbits is to have every flight head east, 90 on the navball, during ascent. This will put everything in an equatorial orbit and close to everything else's orbit.

There are many ways you can arrange station parts because a docking ring anywhere on the addition can mate to a docking ring anywhere on the station, though some placements will be harder than others to fly. I like to build a station part kind of upside-down, with a docking ring at the nose, and the control module toward the back, with the flight parts attached by ejectable links. That way you're flying straight ahead for docking, and after attaching the piece, you can throw away everything but the working parts. But there are different approaches.

[X_DARTH_GIZMO_X]

Welcome! hope you find the game Amazing. and the community Welcoming.