can you rotate a docked space statoin piece?

[skyace65]

I'm beginning work on my first large scale space station and I wanted to know if I can rotate a piece of space station once it's docked or if I have to be extremely precise.

[DChurchill]

Nope. Precision is your best bet. Get Lazor Docking Cam which will give you an angle to work with. I can usually get it to within half a degree which is almost imperceptible.

[Captain Sierra]

Nope. Precision is your best bet. Get Lazor Docking Cam which will give you an angle to work with. I can usually get it to within half a degree which is almost imperceptible.

Lazor docking cam is amazing. Fine controls also help. Note, percision is everything when you are like me and building a space ring docking station.

[skyace65]

Nope. Precision is your best bet. Get Lazor Docking Cam which will give you an angle to work with. I can usually get it to within half a degree which is almost imperceptible.

thanks for the help , but I don't think I'll use lazor, I usually prefer to not play with mods if possible.

[Skorpychan]

Generally, not while still docked.

My suggestion is to use a space tug. Undock, rotate, re-dock.

[Amphiprion]

There is a mod that will allow your docking port to rotate...

[Kimberly]

I always make sure it's rotated right before I undock the vehicle that brought it to the station. It's easy enough to undock, rotate it properly and then redock again, you just have to pay attention and get it right before your construction vehicle leaves.

[Tex_NL]

If I recall correctly there is a mod that offers rotation on docking ports. I believe it uses Damned Robotics to add thin plates that can be placed behind docking ports and allows you to rotate them on command.

I haven't got a clue what it was called and how easy it is to find on the Spaceport.

[DChurchill]

Lazor docking cam is amazing. Fine controls also help. Note, percision is everything when you are like me and building a space ring docking station.

I love the Lazor stuff. I use the regular cams and the robotic arms. Just not interested in weaponry.

[Mr Shifty]

Here's the mod:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/37707-Magic-Smoke-Industries-Parts

[DChurchill]

Hmmm. I might have to try that. Even half a degree is generally not close enough for me. The problem is that I know it's not zero, even if I can't see it.

[rryy]

A good way to get it as precise as possible would be to orient the navball of the two crafts so they are roughly the same. Make sure the "Control from here" is set so the two craft are parallel. Then, switch between the two craft and adjust the orientation of one to get it to match the other. If you did it well, the navballs will look the exactly the same when you switch between the two craft.

[Tex_NL]

Here's the mod:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/37707-Magic-Smoke-Industries-Parts

Yes, that's the one I was thinking about.

[Mr Shifty]

Just did my first docking in Orbiter last night (DG to ISS). It's really nice to have the docking HUD with your approach corridor, and docking MFD with closing velocity, cone of approach, and 3-axis rotational + 2-axis translational alignment on a single display. I wonder if something similar could be created for KSP: a closing velocity display, roll alignment indicator, and approach corridor projected into space. With those 3 and the NavBall, docking would be a cinch.

[HeadHunter67]

Docking Washers is an interesting plugin for those who need it perfectly accurate. But I tend to just include RCS on my station modules, because I don't use a construction tug (though my station's escape vehicle could serve that purpose if needed) and it allows me to just undock, move about a meter away, roll in RCS and engage SAS to lock it in position and re-dock.

If you're making a ring station with an un-modded game, more power to you and best of luck!

[krenshala]

I'm planning to make a ring station as well, and am already seeing the difficulty. I really need to learn to dock properly before I try this, I think. Of course, I've already started launching peices.

Personally, I was going to use the "dock, check angle, undock and try again" method. Remember, at a certain point the margin of error is small enough it won't matter outside theoretical studies.

[lammatt]

yes

use the docking washer mod