Need some advice on a two-part Mun lander

[tstehler1]

Hey everyone,

I recently started my space program over, with a brand-new save file and everything. I decided that this was the perfect time to design a completely new ship... a two-part lander, something I've never done before.

Usually, my landers are a single part, with nothing left in the Mun's orbit. What I'm trying to do is develop an Apollo-style craft, with an orbiting service module and dockable/detachable lunar module.

This always works pretty well until a certain point. Once I'm in orbit, I decouple the service and lunar modules, hoping to turn the service module around and dock it with the lunar module. What keeps happening, however, is that the decoupler stays with the [now detached and freefloating) lunar module... specifically, it stays right on top of the module's docking port, making it impossible for me to dock.

Is there a way around this that I simply haven't seen yet? Help appreciated!

Cheers!

[trippytripp]

Try using a stack separator rather than a conventional decoupler.

[tstehler1]

YES!!!!! Thank you!!

[trippytripp]

You're welcome. I'm glad to have helped!

[maackey]

I dislike debris in my orbits, so I typically forego stack separators and attach vessels directly via the docking port. Instead of staging for separation, you can right click on the docking port and select detach or undock and it serves the same purpose with less debris (and fewer parts!)

[NeoMorph]

We need fairings in stock tbh with you. Being able to store uglybugs (ie non-aerodynamic vehicles) behind a fairing both protects the vehicle and reduces drag (ok, not with current KSP but will in future). It also would let you get around the separation anxiety for the OP too heh.

[tstehler1]

We need fairings in stock tbh with you. Being able to store uglybugs (ie non-aerodynamic vehicles) behind a fairing both protects the vehicle and reduces drag (ok, not with current KSP but will in future). It also would let you get around the separation anxiety for the OP too heh.

I know... Fairings would make my rockets so much sexier... I'll upload a screeny of my Apollo lander, it's pretty ugly xD

[tstehler1]

This is it... My Apollo-style ship, waiting on the launchpad for its mission to minmus. This is the first time the kerbals have traveled to Minmus since I reset my game.

Here is the ship just seconds after separation from its final orbital booster.

The service module turns around and docks with the lander, so that it looks like this.

After detaching from the service module, the lander descends on its successful flight to Minmus!

And as you can see in my signature, I got a new medal! I walked/jetpacked around for a while, so that I could get the land nav icon on there too!

Edited May 19, 2013 by tstehler1