New large docking port

[creator1629]

has anyone tried using the new large docking port? im wondering if it is more stable and has less "wobble" than its smaller counterpart. im curious if its a valid replacement for the double or triple docking port set ups people use now to increase stability on their space staions

[SkyRender]

I have indeed tried the new docking port, and it is stable as a rock for the most part. You will get wobble if you accelerate, of course, but when not accelerating it can handle quite a lot of weight without wobble. One word of warning, however: turn off ASAS on both craft before you try to dock! ASAS is properly handled between multiple vessels now, which means the magnetic force won't happen if you leave it on for one or both vessels.

[A Fat Pokemon]

I feel like it is, though I haven't really put it through any major stress tests.. Though I do like how it looks on my station, since you don't have to transition from the big parts to the medium parts to dock craft together with the medium sized port.

[creator1629]

awesome, that was one of the things i was really looking forward to, it seemed strange to have large structures attach to such tiny docking ports before. though i wish they had added a large version of the Rockomax Hubmax Multi-Point Connector to accommodate the new large docking port

[KinkyFerrets]

I've put a X200-32 with ASAS, large RCS tank, large probe body, and docked it to a crew tank, ASAS, Large RCS tank, large probe body, X200-8, and Skipper, with no wobble at all. TBH, this probably replaced the CBM mod for me.

[Kerbin Von Braun]

This was a very useful and much appreciated update! I like the old Kerbin standby, Bigger is better! and this is going to help IMMENSLY with my creations THANK YOU DEVELOPERS!

[Vanamonde]

It does exhibit much less wobble, but if you overload it with mass or Gs, it tends to fail in a weird way. It does not break or explode, but seems to turn mushy and let the parts above and below it run into each other and explode. This is actually 2 orange tanks that started out one above the other, but now are overlapping, an instant before they detonated.

[Mokmo]

There is a Fustek part out there called the "Common Berthing Mechanism - Active" which is so much like the Clamp-o-tron Sr they'll actually work with each other!

[jshier]

I can't seem to get my Sr.s to dock with each other. Nor can I control from one on my lander. Am I missing something?

[HoY]

There is a Fustek part out there called the "Common Berthing Mechanism - Active" which is so much like the Clamp-o-tron Sr they'll actually work with each other!

The CBM ports are All compatable withth stock ports, because they are stock ports with different models exactly the same just an extra size and new skin. Going to stick with CBM for the look tho. Plus the new update will have 45 degree snap to angles so you will only be able to positively dock at the proper rotation!!

Edited May 23, 2013 by HoY

[jshier]

Turns out my Sr.s were on backwards. Whoops.

[miketheveeg]

I have indeed tried the new docking port, and it is stable as a rock for the most part. You will get wobble if you accelerate, of course, but when not accelerating it can handle quite a lot of weight without wobble. One word of warning, however: turn off ASAS on both craft before you try to dock! ASAS is properly handled between multiple vessels now, which means the magnetic force won't happen if you leave it on for one or both vessels.

aha.... ty

was wondering why the magnetics were not kicking in

was bumping the station again and again using a semi-manual docking

[John FX]

Always good to know things like "Turn off (A)SAS on BOTH ships or no docking for you!"

[Rage097]

I haven't tried the large docling port yet but i'll probably use it for connecting the larger components of space stations together.

[Klajan]

Well before I go ahead and deorbit my spacestation to replace the dockingport, I wonder if anyone has tested if the new large dockingport is more stable than the Heavy Duty Docking Port by Temstar? Currently so stable, I get NO wobble at all with this.

[HoY]

What are those MASSIVE panels from??????

[Caelib]

I can't seem to get my Sr.s to dock with each other. Nor can I control from one on my lander. Am I missing something?

Did you orient them correctly/opposing each other? That was the first mistake I made! One side will have attachment-point/construction label and the other will look like an airlock -- make sure the airlocks are facing each other (if you haven't already tried this yourself) --- otherwise, I have no idea why it wouldn't be working.

[Klajan]

Kosmos Space Station Parts Pack. They generate 200 Units power, which is a "bit" overkill but hey, they look cool.

[Commander Zoom]

Well before I go ahead and deorbit my spacestation to replace the dockingport, I wonder if anyone has tested if the new large dockingport is more stable than the Heavy Duty Docking Port by Temstar? Currently so stable, I get NO wobble at all with this.

I've already replaced my Temstar HDDPs with these, so I'll let you know. (Still using the Zenith family of boosters to launch everything, though.)

[AnalogAddict]

Oooh nice, new large docking port? I must try this out

[erkha343]

I have indeed tried the new docking port, and it is stable as a rock for the most part. You will get wobble if you accelerate, of course, but when not accelerating it can handle quite a lot of weight without wobble. One word of warning, however: turn off ASAS on both craft before you try to dock! ASAS is properly handled between multiple vessels now, which means the magnetic force won't happen if you leave it on for one or both vessels.

Multiple ASAS isn't fixed, is it? I still have problems

[DerekL1963]

I wonder if anyone has tested if the new large dockingport is more stable than the Heavy Duty Docking Port by Temstar? Currently so stable, I get NO wobble at all with this.

I've never been able to dock using that system, but I've been badly wanting to add them to my stable. So last night I hacked a Zeus and an Olympus with the Clamp-o-tron Sr, docked them, and firewalled the throttle on the Zeus... and there was only the tiniest bit of wobble. (Or maybe I was imagining it...) It did take a couple of tries launching Olympus to work out proper strutting though. (I.E. I added struts until it stopped blowing up.)

[Klajan]

Good thing to know, so the Clamp-o-tron Sr seems to be a bit more wobbly. I did test it out myself right now and as long as you don´t try to dock gigantic parts with huge engines the Clampotron should be enough. For my spacestation it is to wobbly thought.

[Tiron]

It does exhibit much less wobble, but if you overload it with mass or Gs, it tends to fail in a weird way. It does not break or explode, but seems to turn mushy and let the parts above and below it run into each other and explode. This is actually 2 orange tanks that started out one above the other, but now are overlapping, an instant before they detonated.

I've seen that happen in 0.18 and 0.19 with regular CoTs, and found an easy solution: Add some struts across the joint. They seem to stop the shifting and break the instant you decouple it.

[spin86]

I've had one strange bug (0.20) and I'm not yet sure if it was because of the new large docking port, or probably due to subassembly loader:

I put my subassembly rover on top of my lander stage and got the whole thing into Mün-orbit. For some strange reason the lander engines had zero thrust as long as the rover was connected. Engines to full throttle-> no change in velocity. Undock Rover -> everything works fine.

Ragequit.