Docking: Unnecessarily Difficult Structures Edition

[Ringer]

So I'm good with docking. I decided it's time to try something huge and needlessly complex. I tried THIS ONE and THIS ONE.

Each is composed of two more-or-less identical vessels, meant to dock in two areas (with multiple docking ports at each). I was unable in either case to get all the docking ports to register as docked; pretty good alignment isn't good enough. I thought having more docking ports would shove them all into place, but the game has no problem aligning 3 ports on one 'arm' and 1 on another, even though the vessels are very rigid. It should work geometrically.

In case it isn't clear from the pictures, I'm going for something a bit like this:

DD        DD        DD        DD
||        ||        ||        ||
||===[]===||        ||===[]===||
||        ||        ||        ||
DD        DD        DD        DD
          DD        DD
          ||        ||
          ||===[]===||
          ||        ||
          DD        DD
DD        DD        DD        DD
||        ||        ||        ||
||===[]===||        ||===[]===||
||        ||        ||        ||
DD        DD        DD        DD

...where the D's are the docking nodes, and each H-shaped vessel is 4x symmetrical, viewed from the side (so there are two docking nodes between each connected vessel. I feel like I've set myself up for a good challenge here. I want to make a huge interlocked behemoth! Any thoughts on how to make them fit together a little better? Anyone else want to try along with me?

[Flixxbeatz]

I see quantum struts.

Anyone who is using all-stock won't be able to utilize this, and I've tried something similar like this myself before on my all-stock save file. Phantom forces tend to rock the whole assembly to the point that you'll be just pissed off and eventually abort the maneuver due to severe docking node-induced wobbliness. And it was already a tricoupler-dock design.

Neat assembly, nevertheless.

[CalculusWarrior]

My suggestion? Remove all but one docking port from your attachment points. Then you won't have to worry about getting each and every section lined up perfectly.

If this leads to structural instability, then follow Captain Kalawang's suggestion: Quantum Struts!

[DrDima]

I've been succesful docking 7 ports simultaneously, but never tried off-center. Even the slightest inclination difference will probably fail the simultaneous docking.

It's possible in theory, just approach at mm/s and make sure you align both vessels to the north or 180 and get the right rotation, additional sas probably helps too. On the other hand, yes multiple docking ports are still wobbly and if you want stability quantum struts is the way.

[Ringer]

Yep, not using quantum struts would result in destructive ASAS anxiety attacks. I just tried another design -- with one port per 'arm' as you said -- and it worked! However, this required switching vessels and trying to give them the same roll, and a pretty lengthy, sub-0.1m/s approach. Due to the greater distance between docking ports, it's easy for only one arm to attach; I probably need the roll to match within a degree or two.

Now to do this about 7 more times, or until my laptop can't simulate the parts anymore! Update: it starts lagging with just 3 of these

Edited May 13, 2013 by Ringer

[Merinsan]

Yep, not using quantum struts would result in destructive ASAS anxiety attacks. I just tried another design -- with one port per 'arm' as you said -- and it worked! However, this required switching vessels and trying to give them the same roll, and a pretty lengthy, sub-0.1m/s approach. Due to the greater distance between docking ports, it's easy for only one arm to attach; I probably need the roll to match within a degree or two.

Now to do this about 7 more times, or until my laptop can't simulate the parts anymore! Update: it starts lagging with just 3 of these

I tried building a shipyard in orbit by docking strut like objects in orbit. Besides the fact that my design made it very hard to get things square, it started lagging well before the point where it would be recognizable as a shipyard. And as soon as I tried using what I had there as a shipyard it became ridiculous. I deorbited it soon after that.