Tips on lowering part count

[Drag146]

Hi everyone,

I started playing KSP a week and a half ago. I have landed on the Mün, launched few satellites. I tried to make my space station, but I failed miserably at docking so I tried to build whole station and the launch it but then KSP started to lag.

So I am here to ask for tips on lowering my part count. It applies not just for space station but also for all crafts.

Thanks,

-Drag146

P.S. Sorry for mistakes, I'm not a native english speaker.

[Flixxbeatz]

Huge space stations are not meant to be built on the ground and then launched at once. The module method works well, and you can practice docking by reading tips and dock once or twice everytime you play KSP.

Also, try sticking to one simple launcher design for every payload. If you are to launch interplanetary tugs or any spacecraft that has fuel tanks in it (unless it's a refueling mission), you can construct something to drain fuel before launching or extra structures that can aid you to lift the thing to get some use for that surplus fuel. You can run refueling missions anytime after, and you can hone your docking skills in the process.

As for struts, use them effectively and don't put too much every connection.

[Henri von Braun]

Huge space stations are not meant to be built on the ground and then launched at once. The module method works well, and you can practice docking by reading tips and dock once or twice everytime you play KSP.

Also, try sticking to one simple launcher design for every payload. If you are to launch interplanetary tugs or any spacecraft that has fuel tanks in it (unless it's a refueling mission), you can construct something to drain fuel before launching or extra structures that can aid you to lift the thing to get some use for that surplus fuel. You can run refueling missions anytime after, and you can hone your docking skills in the process.

As for struts, use them effectively and don't put too much every connection.

But then again, you might use monolithic stations, no? A simple station in orbit to learn the basics of rendezvous, then move on with multi-modular ones. Oh, and BTW, for the part count, don't strut your station.The thing is that the struts, once decoupled and properly separated still count as a part. So, avoid if you can strutting your payload. Also, try to make something to learn. And then, make something cool. But first, as I said , make something useful. Then you'll get the hang of it in no time. That's my tips on this thread.

[ThePsuedoMonkey]

RCS thrusters can also add up quickly on stations, so I try to restrict them to the main structural module of the station. If a station module is too heavy to launch without struts, you can use a pair of docking ports to create a cowling to reinforce it instead, though its mass will eat into your dV and you will want to make sure the parts connect properly. You can also setup an action group to eject the cowling once you no longer need it.

As for docking, it can be much less frustrating to do in steps (zero relative velocity at ~200m, align ports, move to ~100m, zero velocity, align ports, etc.) especially when your RCS ports aren't balanced around your ships CoM. I tend to use that method a lot when using an RCS tug to assemble stations.

[Sirrobert]

If you use Mechjeb, you can try the docking autopilot (it's horribly inefficient though), or use Smart A.S.S. to help line up your docking ports perfectly.

When docking, switch to the chace cam so that yawning up actually points up on the screen (this will help a LOT), and use the HNJKLI keys when docking. They allow you to move left rigth up down and forward and backward, rather than just forward, backward and pointing at different things

[Drag146]

Thanks everybody, I will try everything when I'm back from vacation.

-Drag146

[capi3101]

Hmm...sounds to me like you need to practice docking. I'd suggest the Gemini 6A/7 tutorial on the wiki. Honestly, a space station's going to do you no good unless you can at least rendezvous with the thing, and if you intend for it to do something functional (like refueling), docking becomes a must.

Putting up pieces of the station is a good way to lower your part count; lower mass is always a plus. The Proton-K launcher on the wiki can boost payloads of up to 17 tonnes to a 100 km orbit without major difficulty (since 0.20 I use one of the RC-L01s as the third stage probe core and Skippers on both the second and third stages; SAS on the first stage will give you fits if you leave it turned on). Only 81 parts.

[UmbralRaptor]

1) Use fewer and larger parts. This is easiest with tankage, and may give a performance improvement, given that the larger RCS tanks have better mas ratios than the smaller ones.

2) No doodads. If you're not using FAR, nosecones are worse than useless. Ditto antennas without remotetech or telemachus. Similarly, if you don't have any parts using electricity (ion engines, rover wheels, lights, scientific instruments, probe cores), there's no need for power sources. If your electrical needs don't include rover wheels or ion engines, then solar panels and batteries aren't really necessary. A single RTG will cover *everything*

3) Figure out what the minimum number of struts you need is. Struts are notable for increasingly lag.

3) You don't need very much RCS. A well designed rocket will reach LKO without using *any*.

4) Don't go overboard on stages. 2-3 is plenty to reach orbit. I'm unsure if 4 offers a significant performance advantage.