station module docking

[TerrificToby]

Hi all,

I have placed my space station in a 400km orbit around kerbin, but i haven't a clue how much fuel i'll need to dock a second module. If it helps i'm using KW rocketry, tiberdyne space shuttle system and KSPX. Docking itself i can handle, but i don't know how much fuel i'll need to get my habitation module and docked. my module itself consists of three 2.5m battery banks, samwiched between two hitch hiker storage containers, a rockomax brand adapter on either end and a clamp-o-tron on the end of those.

Cheers,

Toby

PS:does Mechjeb 2.0 include a working interplanetary autopilot and, back on topic, how reliable is the docking automaton?

[Uberick]

In order to get into orbit around Kerbin requires approximately 4500 delta v. To reach a 400km orbit should require a few hundred more, so try to give your vehicle 5500-6000 d/v and that should do it. My recommendation would be to bring a little extra fuel if you use your station for refueling. . . it can't hurt.

[miketheveeg]

PS:does Mechjeb 2.0 include a working interplanetary autopilot and, back on topic, how reliable is the docking automaton?

I tried the docking autopilot and shut it off as it wasnt going where it should have and gave up and been docking myself these days

edit : opinion: didnt like auto-dock.. just been trying damn hard to make my RCS center of gravity

[SouthPhilly]

Can't really give you an answer as to figure out how much fuel you will need to get your station part where you need it to be. The answer depends on a lot more info than you gave...

Things like how much does the payload weight, what motor you're planning to use and a bunch of other factors. The biggest thing is getting the payload to orbit... after that most orbital maneuvers really don't need a lot of fuel to complete if you think out what your going to do and in what order.

My general setup for putting up station parts is to have a 3 stage lifter thats usually a 2.5m main core with 2 large SRB's and 3rd stage to circularize my orbit. You should try out Lionsheads Ariane5 mod...http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/12106-0-20-Lionhead-Aerospace-Inc-ESApack-v0-2-updated-now-%21%21 before this pack was released I based my heavy lifter made using KW parts on the Ariane rockets.

I use Mechjeb 2.xxx(whatever the latest version is) to do most of my launches and it's great. I let MJ get me to a 100k orbit then I hook up a unmanned tug(I've got 3 in orbit at all times) that consists of the docking port with the cover, and a KW 2.5m RCS tank, KW 2.5m Fuel tank, can't remember the motor I used but you don't need anything big and some other pieces to make it look pretty and work. I keep the tugs fueled up by transferring fuel from the 3rd stage tanks (always remembering to leave enough fuel to deorbit the 3rd stage), then I kick off the 3rd stage and send it home.

Then I use MJ to raise orbit to either 10km above or below the target stations orbit to get myself with in a km of it. Then I use MJ to match velocities and get me to about 100m's. Then most of the time I just dock myself. But MJ does a nice job at docking, a little to slow for me. But it does it good and clean.

Quick question... what are you planning on doing with 3 2.5m battery stacks!!!! Thats a lot of uneeded wait...