Station building question

[iueras]

Hey guys, I have a quick question about station building... when I am putting my parts in orbit, does the first module I lift and release have to have the command module for the station on it? Or can I, for instance, take my power module up first with no command module after I detach it then dock the living section which will have the command pod to that? Or will the docking clamps not function at all on the uncontrolled module if it doesn't have command of some kind?

[NASI Director]

As long as any of the modules you send up have some sort of probes or command module on them, you can control it. However, you'd be better sending the command module up first as it will provide more torque just incase the station stops facing the way you want it.

[iueras]

I didn't think it would be a problem once they were docked. I was afraid that the clamps on the non-commanded module's docking clamps would not activate when I tried to attach the command module to it.

[That guy who builds stuff]

I didn't think it would be a problem once they were docked. I was afraid that the clamps on the non-commanded module's docking clamps would not activate when I tried to attach the command module to it.

You need each part to have a least a probe core in order to control it. Though once it's attached you can discard it.

[DMagic]

Be careful making stations out of parts that have no probe cores or command pods. This seems to cause docking port bugs that will prevent you from undocking. Even if you detach the probe cores after docking it can still cause this problem.

There are a ton of threads about stuck docking ports. This one in the tutorial section gives an overview of what I'm talking about and how to fix it (it's complicated to fix so you're better off avoiding the problem in the first place), but my advice is to have probe cores or command pods on all components of your station, and to leave them there.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/35777-Can-t-Undock-Bug-How-To-Fix

[espm400]

The way I've always done it is to send a 'utilities' module (electricity, solar panels, and O2) up first with a probe core attached. It's just infinitely easier to dock when both the parts that are docking can at the very least, control their orientation. The probe core doesn't necessarily have to be part of the module, as it's usually part of the orbital tug it's attached to in my case. It's just a bugger to try and dock with something that's 'dead' in space.

[iueras]

Thanks for the info about the stuck docking ports.

LOL I actually just got a LOT of experience docking with dead things. Some Kerbal forgot to put solar panels or even a battery on the command section of the launcher I sent up carrying the power generation module. So about 10 seconds after I launched the entire power generation system for the station, my ship went unresponsive from battery death. And the first rescue ship I sent tore itself in half with the winch and was left with no engine at all. AND the third ship I sent ran out of Monopropellant cause I neglected to turn off RCS assisted turning and it is a heavy beast. So I had to dock two two dead ships, recharge one and tow the otehr out of orbit with no RCS thrusters, nothing for fine control except the Skipper main engine, and both targets were dead in space. Talk about a PITA. Got it done though, everyone lived too.

EDIT: How can I mark this thread as Answered?

Edited July 29, 2013 by iueras

[lammatt]

right click control from here?