A fresh start comes with a great success! [Picture heavy!]

[Margaul]

Thanks. After I get a little feedback on it, I probably will refine it and post in the tutorial section. I think a lot of people have their own way of doing EVERYTHING in this game, and sometimes it's nice to see multiple perspectives. For example, I know a lot of people that use the "I,J,K,L" buttons for RCS when docking, but I didn't use them for a long time because I wasn't smart enough. Now that I've been playing for awhile, I use them a little more, but I still dock without them 90% of the time.

[Margaul]

One thing I'll add: When you are building ships that you intend to dock, place the RCS right on the center of mass when you are building. As soon as you are done building the ship/stage that will be doing all the docking you will want to place symmetrical RCS thrusters right on the center of mass. Typically you will want four sets of thrusters. This will ensure that when you use the RCS system, your ship won't move weirdly.

The center of mass will show up as the yellow and black ball. Try to get the RCS as close to the center of this ball as possible.

[Odo]

Wow margual. your a saint xD I'm not on my computer yet but this already looks a lot better then other tutorials. can't thank you enough will be replying, hopefully sometime today telling you how it worked

[Margaul]

Remember, take your time. Docking takes practice.

[Odo]

Remember, take your time. Docking takes practice.

Trying this docking tutorial now

[Odo]

This tutorial has worked extremely well all the way up to the RCS part. When I hit H nothing happens! however the other ijkl keys work just fine. Help please! Im scared Ill wreck the target if I use my main engine to move forward

[Odo]

Note: These instructions are intended for Odo, who started this thread, but I'd like feedback because I intend to post it as a tutorial if it works well

This set of instructions is a little different. I'm assuming that you've read the first two sets of instructions. I'm mostly just showing the differences between docking from launch to docking from two different orbits.

1. The first thing to do is make a maneuver, and then burn till your orbit intersects with the targets orbit. When I started this, I was in a polar orbit and I was moving down to the targets orbit. For ease of showing examples, I'm showing the orbits when I was ready to make the corrections. As you can see, my intersect is at the "bottom." I'm flying the lander in these pictures.

2. Because the lander is behind the command module I'll be docking with, I'll burn to make an orbit that is slightly lower in altitude on one side. This will allow the lander to catch up. If the lander was in front of the command module, I would make an orbit that was slightly higher in altitude. This would allow the command module to catch up to my lander.

3. After the orbit looks the way I want it to, I'll time warp until the intersects get closer together. The first picture shows the orbits right after the burn and the second picture shows when I have intersects that are nice and close.

As you can see, I ended up an intersect that is really close. If the orbits never quite meet up like that, you may have to make a small burn. As you set the manuver up, the program will show you a projected intercept. Work the node till you have an intersect that is close together.

4. Once the ships are close together, make burns that will lower your target speed to 0.0 m/s. Then point the ship at the target, and use RCS to burn closer to the target. Make sure you are targeting the target docking port. Also, use the "[" key to switch to the target ship, and point it toward the docking port of the oncoming ship.

5. Make RCS burns that are similar to the maneuvers in the 2nd tutorial I wrote until you ships dock up. Remember when the ship's docking ports touch, turn off the SAS systems on BOTH ships.

Congratz! If you have done all this, you've managed to dock!

WOOHOOO!

*Hugs Margual* thank you thank you thank you!

[Margaul]

Did you figure out the RCS problem? It sounds like you were in docking mode. I always dock from the staging mode.

But congratz on the docking! Looks great!

[Odo]

Did you figure out the RCS problem? It sounds like you were in docking mode. I always dock from the staging mode.

But congratz on the docking! Looks great!

nope I was in staging mode. And I never figured out the problem :C I just winged it with the main engine. Docked first try thanks a ton

[Odo]

My First space station is now in construction :3

[Margaul]

Hmm... odd that holding the "h" and "n" key didn't working with the RCS on but the other RCS keys did. I wonder if you have a mod going that is interfering. I just checked on one of my ships, and I didn't skip a step, so I'm a little stumped. The only thing I can think is that perhaps you didn't hold it long enough to move. They work really slowly with bigger ships. I know that with some of my ships I have to hold it on some maneuvers till my finger hurts. You might click on the "resources" menu to display your fuel quantity and then try and see if it consumes monopropellant.

If it doesn't, you might drop a post on the support section.

Good luck with space station. I had a lot of fun building my little station. I'm going to build a replacement for it, then I'm going to disassemble the current station and transport it to Jool, if I can. Should take the better part of a month to figure out.

[Spaceisbeautifulul]

Did you finally dock?

Wait a second, why would I care.

This is the internet people! Nobody cares about each other on the internet!

No but really, congrats.

[Odo]

Did you finally dock?

Wait a second, why would I care.

This is the internet people! Nobody cares about each other on the internet!

No but really, congrats.

Haha thanks. Also Margual no mono was being consumed. It just wasnt doing jack diddly squat. Launching the space station now! Hopefully I wont run into any unexpected problems.

[Odo]

I have of course run into an unexpected problem XD I cant tilt the rocket without it spinning wildly horizontally. So... Ima have to come up with a plan to get this thing in orbit. Its too top heavy.

[Odo]

Woohoo! Got it into orbit

[Margaul]

Yeah. I would pop a quick post on the support forum or the How To forum and see if anyone can help figure out why your RCS wasn't working to thrust you forward and backward.

Good luck on the station! Post a thread with pics soon!

[Odo]

Yeah. I would pop a quick post on the support forum or the How To forum and see if anyone can help figure out why your RCS wasn't working to thrust you forward and backward.

Good luck on the station! Post a thread with pics soon!

Will do. I'm launching the stations life support systems right now (hitchhiker cans and such)

[Spaceisbeautifulul]

Could we see a picture?

[Odo]

Could we see a picture?

Yeah sure Just got the first life support system attached. Theres gonna be 2 for symmetry :3 One thing I noticed though is that if you undock to spin your craft around into a better angle and then try to dock again at the same docking port, it wont work :C no magnetic field or docking capabilities or anything like that. They just touch eachother and then nothing. Getting picture.

[Odo]

Could we see a picture?

THe Part with solarpanels is the core, and the part on the left is one of the 2 life support systems. Once the other one goes on the right, Ill attach some of those very large orange tanks on either side. Also this is the Space Station Columbus. I'm thinking about making some lil crafts that can detach from this station, like little probes or landers. One named Lewis, one named Clark. They could go do recon and exploration and then return back to the station.

[Margaul]

Looks like you are already becoming a pro at docking. Station looks great!

[Odo]

Looks like you are already becoming a pro at docking. Station looks great!

Not a pro yet. There used to be 4 solar panels

Thanks!

[Odo]

Anyone know whats up with not being able to dock back into a clamp a tron once you undocked it..?

[Margaul]

yeah...you have to reset the docking by getting about 5-10 meters away. Usually I just back off using RCS and then back forward again with RCS. I have to do that with some of my ships to make sure the center of gravity doesn't get weird. undock, backoff, rotate, back in.

[Odo]

yeah...you have to reset the docking by getting about 5-10 meters away. Usually I just back off using RCS and then back forward again with RCS. I have to do that with some of my ships to make sure the center of gravity doesn't get weird. undock, backoff, rotate, back in.

well that doesnt work too well for me since I cant move forward or backward with RCS XD I gotta rotate the whole thing around, use the main engine, then turn back around etc. its really hard :C