New stabilizer system doesn't seem to work in space very well for me and my friends.

[GeneralHavan]

So I was excited for the new stabilizer system they implemented in .21. Not being required to turn off SAS ever again was a really nice idea. However, the stabilizer seems to only work on aircraft. Now this makes some amount of sense to me, as flying through an atmosphere does seem to keep a jet or airplane stable because of the air pushing down on the craft in all directions when its going mach whatever.

But in space, it seems to supply too much force. When I which to change the position of the craft, it overshoots and goes back to nearly the original position. Of course, it only nudged slightly in the direction I wanted it to go. This makes me mess up very fine operations, such as orbital rendezvous. My friends often complain about this as well.

I'd like like to know if this is intentional, or if I'm doing something very wrong. For now, this is a very minor issue. I'm not even slightly mad, just a tad annoyed and confused.

[Levelord]

It depends on how big your rocket is. Aircraft usually tend to be small and lightweight, so in addition to the buffer effect of the atmosphere, there isn't a lot of torque required to control the craft.

Rockets tend to be a lot bigger and massive. The new reaction wheel system functions by adding more torque to your craft the more reaction modules you add to your spacecraft. Having a single reaction wheel module giving 20 units of torque is often not enough.

One reaction wheel, 20 units of torque, add another you now have 40 units, add another, you now have 60 units. The more reactions wheels you add, the more stable your rocket becomes and the more responsive your SAS commands become.

Adding a ridiculous amount of reactions wheels, and you can even overcome the off-balance thrust in a space shuttle launch.

[GeneralHavan]

But my problem is it applies far to much torque for its own good. I re-position the craft to a node, for example, and it just moves right back to the same position, only this time it's a bit farther towards the node. I feel like the movement isn't as stiff as it should be while in space. Maybe my idea of physics is wrong, but again I just don't know.

[ouch]

Sounds like you have not found the "fine control" mode. Just push the caps lock key and you will see the arrows on the directional meter change to blue. Once you do that your movements won't jump around on you so much.

[SofusRud]

I think your problem is that the SAS locks in when you let go of the keys. Therefore, when in motion, you let go of the key, the SAS has to double back to where you let go. I suggest tapping F, this resets the SAS to wherever you are pointing, or, do what we had to do before, toggle off the SAS when positioning you craft, stabilize it yourself (by hand or quick timewarp), then toggle it back on.

[OopsThatNotWork]

I think your problem is that the SAS locks in when you let go of the keys. Therefore, when in motion, you let go of the key, the SAS has to double back to where you let go. I suggest tapping F, this resets the SAS to wherever you are pointing, or, do what we had to do before, toggle off the SAS when positioning you craft, stabilize it yourself (by hand or quick timewarp), then toggle it back on.

Haha was literally mid-sentence with my response when i saw yours.

Edit: @OP: Do what this guy said about tapping F, recently started doing that and made things alot better.

[GeneralHavan]

Wow! That was a lot of replies in a relatively short time.

Thanks for the advice guys. I suppose I'll just have to adapt myself to tapping F. I already knew of fine controls but I'm not accustomed to those either.

[Whackjob]

32 reaction wheels, all necessary. Couldn't fly her without them.

#EDIT: Under the old SAS, there would be no way this could fly without shaking itself to pieces.

Edited August 12, 2013 by Whackjob

[magnemoe]

The new reaction wheels works very nice.

This small and symmetric ship used three 2.5 meter sas modules, sent it to Eve except the module docket to the radial tank to the left.

Same ship at Duna

It was deorbited on Tylo landing the Tylo lander who is mounted at one side, used an 180 liter tank as an counterweight so its not balanced.