Debris obsession

[JaySmoka]

Is it just me or someone else has the same obsession? I can't just fly a rocket and let debris behind.

As a newbie, do you have tips for my rocket designs? I want to build a space station at 250 KM to be able to refuel. I didn't find yet the best design to get in orbit to dock parts and this with leaving a minimum of debris.

I know I can turn off the debris persistence... for me me it's not an option I like challenges. I want debris, but not in orbit around Kerbin

Please share your tips!

[Guest]

One thing I build into all my designs is a set of retrorockets to deorbit upper stages. Rear-pointing Sepatrons that fire when you separate the pod from the booster usually do the trick.

[planetx]

I take the part for the station and put it on the end of a "tug". The whole thing gets lifted with lots of rockets. I make sure that when I detach the last "lifting rocket", everything is still on a sub-orbital (aka crash and burn) trajectory. The tug is responsible for circularizing, rendezvous, and docking. Then when the new piece has been docked to the station, I undock the tug from the new piece and the tug burns retrograde to de-orbit. Zero debris, nice and clean.

[ATSinged]

I find leaving no debris in orbit to be a fun challenge when I'm designing, my latest lifter does have one stage that would stay in orbit but I stuck a probe core and a battery on it. Once it is ejected and I've finished circularizing my orbit with the CM, I'll switch back to that cast off stage and use the remaining fuel to deorbit, there is usually just enough.

[cxg2827]

any stages which can get left in orbit i place a probe core, battery and solar panel so i can deorbit it with any remaining micropropellant or fuel.

[JaySmoka]

That's a good idea, i'll try.

For now, the best way I found is when doing gravity turn, when periapsis is near 0m, I separate the last stage and finish getting in orbit.

[SecondGuessing]

All of my upper stages are equipped with probe bodies, solar panels and either RCS (for MKO+ orbits) or a huddle of sepatrons (for LKO orbits). I can't stand debris.

[kaorixx]

I build my stages to burn in the atmosphere, and the main stack gets progressively blown up by the next engine, so no debris here, but may I suggest the sunbeam lazor mod? You can build an orbital lazor station that blows up debris on the way by

[RoboRay]

I keep debris under control by...

• Staging when Pe is 20km or less, so the booster is removed.
  
• Use a probe pod and battery on booster stages that reach orbit, so I can deorbit them with the leftover propellent.
  
• Discard transfer-injection stages on a collision course with the destination body.
  

[SoldierHair]

You can always build a long range missile and crash into debris.The only manly way.Or add dockports to them and send an escort ship to return it back to Kerbin.

[BloodyRain2k]

Is it just me or someone else has the same obsession? I can't just fly a rocket and let debris behind.

As a newbie, do you have tips for my rocket designs? I want to build a space station at 250 KM to be able to refuel. I didn't find yet the best design to get in orbit to dock parts and this with leaving a minimum of debris.

I know I can turn off the debris persistence... for me me it's not an option I like challenges. I want debris, but not in orbit around Kerbin

Please share your tips!

My tip is turning the mini radial engines in mini LRBs, I always put 4 of these slightly angled on my stages that go into orbit so I can get them out after circulization.

Aside that does only careful design help, make everything after orbital insertion ssto and deorbitable, or put a docking port on it and collect it later for deorbiting.

name = smallRadialEngineLRB
module = Part
author = NovaSilisko
mesh = model.mu

rescaleFactor = 1

node_attach = 0.0, 0.0, -0.1690665, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0

fx_exhaustFlame_yellow_tiny = 0.0, -0.4017511, 0.03656602, 0.0, 0.9, -0.1, running

sound_vent_medium = engage
sound_rocket_mini = running
sound_vent_soft = disengage

cost = 240
category = Propulsion
subcategory = 0
title = Rockomax 24-77 LRB
manufacturer = Rockomax Conglomerate
description = Tiny engine! But very useful, good for craft where larger radial engines won't fit. Although, you may need more of them to lift larger payloads.

attachRules = 0,1,0,1,0

mass = 0.09
dragModelType = default
maximum_drag = 0.2
minimum_drag = 0.2
angularDrag = 2
crashTolerance = 7
breakingForce = 200
breakingTorque = 200
maxTemp = 3600

ActivatesEvenIfDisconnected = true

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleEngines
	thrustVectorTransformName = thrustTransform
	exhaustDamage = True
	ignitionThreshold = 0.1
	minThrust = 20
	maxThrust = 20
	heatProduction = 150
	fxOffset = 0, 0, 0.01
	PROPELLANT
	{
	 	name = LiquidFuel
		ratio = 0.9
		DrawGauge = True
	}
	PROPELLANT
	{
		name = Oxidizer
		ratio = 1.1
	}
	atmosphereCurve
 	{
		key = 0 300
		key = 1 250
 	}

}

MODULE
{
	name = ModuleGimbal
	gimbalTransformName = thrustTransform
	gimbalRange = 1
}