Good Basic Design For Space Station?

[draeath]

Is there a way to target a docking port without having to already have your nose in your station's nether regions? (eg from a few hundred meters out)

[allmappedout]

Is there a way to target a docking port without having to already have your nose in your station's nether regions? (eg from a few hundred meters out)

AFAIK, no, unfortunately. Indeed, it is frustratingly close - I'm surprised you can't target as soon as physics is enabled, or at least as soon as you can switch craft...

[bptrav]

I just started my first space station yesterday, but one thing I found very helpful for modular designs is to save each "piece" of the station as a sub-assembly. That way you can stick them together inside the hangar and see exactly how they will look/work before you actually bring them to space.

[superm18]

Try building the whole thing in the VAB and then splitting it up for launch.

[Kasuha]

AFAIK, no, unfortunately. Indeed, it is frustratingly close - I'm surprised you can't target as soon as physics is enabled, or at least as soon as you can switch craft...

Huh? I am usually targetting docking ports from 100+ meters distance.

I just started my first space station yesterday, but one thing I found very helpful for modular designs is to save each "piece" of the station as a sub-assembly. That way you can stick them together inside the hangar and see exactly how they will look/work before you actually bring them to space.

I found this way very convenient, too. I load the lifter, then stick station parts (multiple) to it according to what's needed and how much it can lift.

The only problem with subassemblies is that you can only stick your parts to what's in VAB by one end which may be limiting. All my parts have a docking port on both sides (if not more), so I don't have that problem.

[Ascension Islander]

[offtopic]Talk about some necro-posting[/offtopic]

I love building stations, just for the challenge of it. I usually start with a 'command module' that I place into the desired orbit (usually 300x300). After that I'll send up a tug, followed by every piece that I've pre-planned on my doodles at work. I keep lights and solar panels to a minimum to help mitigate lag.

[Nano606]

AFAIK, no, unfortunately. Indeed, it is frustratingly close - I'm surprised you can't target as soon as physics is enabled, or at least as soon as you can switch craft...

You can, all you need to do is highlight the docking port on the other ship and double click on it. It can get a little hard getting the right part highlighted when you are a fair distance away, but you can still do it.

[KvickFlygarn87]

I just started my first space station yesterday, but one thing I found very helpful for modular designs is to save each "piece" of the station as a sub-assembly. That way you can stick them together inside the hangar and see exactly how they will look/work before you actually bring them to space.

Necro.

Don't do it.

[Willy101]

On July 23, 2013 at 11:55 PM, Snooze said:

You're going to end up one of two things (or, quite possibly, both): Docking Master or King of Over-engineering.

By that I mean that you're going to build it in parts, docking expansions as you go along, or you're going to build something incredibly Kerbal and launch it in one go. Or both.

I went modular.

The Mirai is currently in high orbit waiting for me to throw more fuel tanks at her. She also help me build two interplanetary ships by docking a lander to the end of an arm, removing it, then docking a tug at the other end.

P.S. The whole station runs perfectly well on two RTGs.

Are docking port sr.'s any good because I only use the normal ones

[Snark]

This is an ancient thread, more than three years ago; KSP has been through multiple revisions since then, and so much has changed in the meantime that referring to an old thread like this one is of dubious usefulness.  Locking the thread to prevent further confusion.  If you have a question about station-building, feel free to spin up a new thread.

Just to answer the recent question, though,

45 minutes ago, Willy101 said:

Are docking port sr.'s any good because I only use the normal ones

The larger ports have a significantly "stiffer" connection, so if you have big multi-component stations with wobble problems, moving to the large-size ports can significantly reduce wobbling.

[Vanamonde]

@Willy101, there is, however, a current thread in which to share space stations. Maybe post yours there?