I love docking

[HeadHunter67]

That's pretty clever, thanks for the pictures and explanation.

I had tried the structural fuselage with a port on the nose but couldn't quite see it in IVA on the launch pad, so I figured I was doing it wrong.

[loknar]

(images public on facebook - not sure if they work: link https://www.facebook.com/dr.julien/media_set?set=a.10151507056005566.1073741829.623630565&type=1)

Preparing for duna... which will have quite a lot of docking involved. Single-port docking on simple parts has become routine and simple. However, I really have to make a quicksave before getting close to docking, sometimes the ports stop working and there is no way to get them to join. <citation needed>

The SNM (Service Nuclear Module) is sent to the KSS to refuel. Easy single-port docking.

The station however, was pretty insane docking ; Huge RCS-unstable modules that require 2, sometimes 4, simultaneous ports. I hope I can soon continue expanding the station when KSP or my CPU is faster.

[FenrirWolf]

My first try at rendezvousing and docking took me so long that I thought it would be a nearly impossible feat to repeat, much less turn into a regular activity. But now it's almost routine and I have a lot of fun doing it.

[loknar]

What are the steps you follow to make a rendezvous?

Here is the steps for me that use the least game time. No mods. Burns should be more and more precise, remember to calculate burn time (ignore the calculated on screen figure) and start burning before the manoeuvre time and adjust. example a 30 second burn starts at T-15 and ends T+15.

1) Launch and burn until you're in a very elliptical orbit that touch the target's orbit at the apoapsis.

2) Match inclination by burning north or south at the inclination nodes. Aim for 0.0º

3) Maintain orbit and wait a few rotations until you're relatively close <600km. Ideally, behind your craft.

4) calculate a burn with the add manoeuvre tool that will very closely match the orbit.

Even if your burn was good, the predicted positions of the manoeuvre will be wrong unless you've been planning this too much and wasting time. So next step;

Another manoeuvre should be made while both orbits are close to each other to ether catch up with your target or wait for it.

5) Add manoeuvre that will bring down any of the future intersects down to <5km at the other side of your orbit. Trial and error, camera angles...

6) Preparing for the <5km interception, repeat step 4 again, to perfectly match the orbit. This burn should be small and precisely done. This step is optional.

Removing your manoeuvre after execution, check the results on the map and you should have a very close encounter in the next intersect or the one after that.

7) Approaching the new closest interception, burn close to retrograde so as to match the target's retrograde as well. The green indicator (you) should move closer to the blue (target). The details of this method depends on your speed relative to the target that should be displayed on top of the Navball by now. Don't reduce your speed too much or you'll never reach the target. If you understand the navball you should have a <150m interception in 5-8 minutes as I consistently do these days, and activate RCS for the final approach.

[Ph34rb0t]

Someone is using my parts! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

*Falls off chair in amazement*

[Juffin]

I think that docking is space kiss

[loknar]

Space centipede.

[Flixxbeatz]

You can feel the awesomeness of docking if you've already mastered it that it becomes a part of your daily KSP life.

[HeadHunter67]

You can feel the awesomeness of docking if you've already mastered it that it becomes a part of your daily KSP life.

I agree. I can't always manage it manually (or sometimes I just don't want to), but it's a very satisfying feeling to do so.

It's a rewarding skill to learn (as is rendezvous).

[SkyRender]

Docking is pretty awesome, it's true. Though I've noticed some... anomalies?... when doing multiple trips between docking with an orbiting site and the surface below. It seems like the controls for the craft that undocks get progressively less responsive and more prone to getting mercilessly tossed about by phantom forces each time. Quite annoying. I shall blame the I-beam parts, as my tests have indicated that they continue to be the primary culprit behind the phantom force problems.

[DChurchill]

You can feel the awesomeness of docking if you've already mastered it that it becomes a part of your daily KSP life.

This. It totally changed the way I design craft. Very rarely now do I have a landing mission that doesn't have a separate orbiter/lander configuration.

[Flixxbeatz]

This. It totally changed the way I design craft. Very rarely now do I have a landing mission that doesn't have a separate orbiter/lander configuration.

But of course,you have to experience how frustrating to do it by yourself (especially if you're doing a pure-stock save without any plugins and part add-ons) first to the point of giving up just before you will see how awesome it is -- hour-long dockings, navball disorientation, rendezvous problems, underestimation, overestimation, ASAS reliance (spazzing), wrong keyboard presses, orbital collisions, and fuel shortages.

You can't enter a planet without passing through the atmosphere (if it has an atmosphere in the first place...)

[TomcatMVD]

I love docking too. My struggle is building space-worthy craft... I would starve as an engineer.

[ajpaschall]

Docking is fun, unless I screw up my RCS placements (eg. oddly shaped structures), then it's a nightmare.

[mellojoe]

For the longest time, I couldn't dock. I let MechJeb handle it all. Finally (release of .21) I reinstalled the game, and did NOT install MechJeb. Best decision I've made in a long time. It forced me to do things that I had just observed.

I was also inspired by the Apollo anniversary, and doing my readings saw the Titan craft and the Gemini missions. I ended up doing a re-creation of sorts. This taught me how to dock manually. I love it now. I can't believe I was so scared of it previously. Now, sure it is still difficult, but I can do it.

[thunderstar]

Someone is using my parts! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

*Falls off chair in amazement*

wooow i never thought the autor of the mod im using here would comment here! and btw your mod is amazing! is very useful, i think i built most of my station with the Kerturn IB, you should continue doing hystorical rockets!

how about a kerturn V?

[Tripzter]

For the longest time, I couldn't dock. I let MechJeb handle it all. Finally (release of .21) I reinstalled the game, and did NOT install MechJeb. Best decision I've made in a long time. It forced me to do things that I had just observed.

Personally i found mechjeb to be quite helpful teacher. Its nice learning how to do things with precision. From observing the darn thing i can now randevo and dock in 10ish minutes using big giant parts. Small agile ships in 5ish or so minutes from start to finish.

[HeadHunter67]

how about a kerturn V?

The necessary interstage is included in the Kerturn pack - with NovaPunch it could be done! The biggest issue is that it's incredibly wobbly.

[JiWint]

It wasn't hard to rendezvous and dock for me.I didn't use any tutorials ._.

Just used rcs and nav ball

[HeadHunter67]

Once you learn the techniques, that's honestly all you really need. After tutelage from Blizzy and PebbleGarden, I was able to accomplish a direct launch-to-rendezvous on my second attempt. All it took was a "pair of balls" - the NavBall, and the Mark I Eyeball.

[thunderstar]

UPDATE!

working on two stations trying to do space race style or something

here's the first station, there will be another 3 modules an one solar panel thingie on the other side

first crew ever arriving

the other station from the TKS pack, its still awating for more modules

[HeadHunter67]

I am considering doing a KOSMOS-style Mir-like station some time soon. Meantime I am designing a modular system for station construction.

[thunderstar]

cool, after im done with this stations i'm planning to do a manned mission to duna or a mun station but i still not sure

[bonyetty]

Docking is fun, unless I screw up my RCS placements (eg. oddly shaped structures), then it's a nightmare.

If you use docking mode(click on the middle button, bottom left, under the green rocket and above map button) as it will balance your RCS. Space bar will switch between rotation and translation. WASZ are used for both and SAS turns on automatically in translation mode.

[thunderstar]

for some strange reason, docking mode makes my dockings a lot harder :I