Perfect docking

[Blackswimmer]

I'm trying to create a spacedock, and I'm sending it up in parts, but I want to make sure the parts line up perfectly, instead of being at angles. Anyone know if it's possible to make sure 2 docked parts aren't rotated relative to one another?

[zzz]

Docking camera mod. Or place some small parts near dock at both crafts to use it as guides. And multiple ports docking - perfect aligning, but more complicated and not usefull too much now.

[AustralianFries]

1) Get both ships within just a few meters of each other.

2) Align ship A at 90 degrees, making sure the ship is perfectly horizontal.

3) Align ship B at 180 degrees, making sure the ship is perfectly horizontal.

4) Dock.

5) Profit.

[gompasta]

Or make a bicoupler. Thats what I do with things that may be a pain to align.

[Peenvogel]

You can use the nav ball and line both ships out to the artificial horizon when you make your approach. The last few meters you can eyeball it to be exact. If you fail, you can always back up a little with your RCS and re approach.

[stupid_chris]

I have two suggestions for this:

1: You could use multiple docking ports. For example, you use symmetry and you put four dockingports jr. on one end of a rockomax X200-8 fuel tank. You send it up, then when you make your other craft, you start from the one that's already in orbit, you detach the fuel tank with the dockingports to have an exact copy, you dump the rest of the ship (now a lot easier to do with .20) you build your new ship, attach the fuel tank with the dockingports where you want it, send it up, and you should have two identical multiple dockingports that should give you a stong connection if attached correctly. I used this before there was the dockingport sr.

2. I recommend Downloading HydroTech RCS autopilot. Now don't get fooled with the autopilot part, it can dock things automaticall, but I never use it for that. The interesting part is that it comes with cameras and targets you can attach to your ship. The thing is, it has an option to automatically and perfectly align the camera and target of your choice. So if you switch that thing on, you can do your docking as you wish without worrying of your orientation because it will hold it for you. Really useful when trying to dock really really large payloads. Combining this and the above said method of multiple docking ports make it a lot easier and usually docks all the ports correctly on the first try

Hope i could help ^^

[White Rider]

If you are still having trouble just dock as normal... Then undock and let your craft and let it drift backwards slightly. Realign, then just a slight puff of rcs should have you docked again all neat and straight.

[dr_jt]

Kerbals fall out of chairs.

Edited June 6, 2013 by dr_jt

[stupid_chris]

I also use the HydroTech docking autopilot in manual docking mode because I like the cameras and targets. It allows me to pretty much perfectly align every time. It also seems more real to me because real space docking also uses visual targets.

Exactly. I very rarely use anything else of the mod, and occasionally only put it on automatic docking. And when I do, I try aligning myself at least a bit correctly, else it tends to spend a loooot of monopropellant to align before docking. I onjly use the autopilot when I'm docking something really large that has a really low FPS. I switch it on, then go get myself a coffee or something and I usually come back 5-10 minutes latter and the docking is done and wonderfully aligned.

[Blackswimmer]

Thanks to everyone for the help, I'll put a few of these suggestions into practice and see what works.

[FlamedSteak]

Dock to stabilise and align your approach perfectly then undock, backup and realign.

It's certainly one of the hardest things to do in this game, especially when dealing with large station parts and especially if you don't have your rcs jets balanced to the centre of mass.

[Ells]

Has HydroTech been updated for 0.20, can't find it?

[satcharna]

I'd also recommend the Kosmos mod. It adds the APAS docking port, which has integrated guide fins, which lock the port into one of three possibly angles. If you hit it wrong, you'd just need to decouple, spin a bit, and then recouple.

[stupid_chris]

Has HydroTech been updated for 0.20, can't find it?

I haven't used it yet, but from what I heard, it's working for now. Talked with the guy who made it and he told me he's working on a new update to be released soon!

[NeoMorph]

Don't the common berthing mechanisms have 45 degree angle snap on docking?

FusTek Common Berthing Mechanisms

[Ells]

I haven't used it yet, but from what I heard, it's working for now. Talked with the guy who made it and he told me he's working on a new update to be released soon!

Cool thanks, ill need the XL HydroTec ring a lot when he makes it lol

[Brabbit1987]

I also use the HydroTech docking autopilot in manual docking mode because I like the cameras and targets. It allows me to pretty much perfectly align every time. It also seems more real to me because real space docking also uses visual targets.

o.o wow, didn't know that mod existed. I would use it, but I think it would turn docking into something way to easy for my tastes, pretty neat though. I actually like when docking is hard .. makes me feel good when I have a successful dock. I feel like I would lose that feeling if it became to easy.

[stupid_chris]

o.o wow, didn't know that mod existed. I would use it, but I think it would turn docking into something way to easy for my tastes, pretty neat though. I actually like when docking is hard .. makes me feel good when I have a successful dock. I feel like I would lose that feeling if it became to easy.

It's actually really useful. You should give it a try. The best thing is that it adds docking cameras without modifying all the dockingports. And it also gives you target, which give you a visual aid of WHERE you should be going. If you don'T use the AP at all... it'S still rather hard. It also let's you control your RCS much more efficiently, letting you control the amount of angular and normal acceleration you want. Really a great mod. Extremely useful. And like I said, when you have low FPS modules, switching the AP on is a blessing.

[Tex_NL]

THSS has triangular docking ports with docking guides. You'll need to be pretty good aligned before you can dock them but once your docked you're absolutely spot on.