Weld/Fuse Docking Ports

[JimmyAgent007]

Id like to be able to add a part like a separator to the docking ports. However its job would be to melt the two of them together. This would make a much stronger connection when making things we have no intention of undocking. It would also avoid the debate on making docking ports stronger. So when you dock you just activate the part and it makes the weld and you are left with a single piece rather than two ports that you need to keep doing the math for to see if it breaks. Now, they can be detached via an EVA kerbal in case you do mess up with the weld and the weld part itself can be repaired afterwards with the EVA kerbal like wheels and such can be fixed. Currently if you want strong docks you need to dock with a bunch of ports at once and that increases the part count and the stress calculations. This idea make sense to anyone else? Anything to add?

[Beeman]

I'd be okay with that, I suppose. For building big, interplanetary ships.

Then again, the senior docking clamp thing seems to be really stable enough.

[Burninate]

At present, the ISS has the option to "dock" craft with a lower-strength narrow attachment system, or to "berth" then with a high-strength, wider porthole attachment system. The reason docking is used is because berthing requires manual removal of bolts and reconnection of wiring and other overhead, taking several minutes - which is not acceptable for modules that the crew is relying on as escape pods in the event of a breach. Berthing, on the other hand, allows for much easier movement of cargo between modules.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/07/nasa-planning-module-relocations-future-vehicles/

[JimmyAgent007]

Some of the docking rigs ive made are rather stable, but still there is a lot of wobble. Id like something that eliminates wobble and makes it easier on the math. If you have a big ship there is enough of that going on and the less objects making lag the better.

[shand]

the main problem with this is that we currently only have point connections, the only way to make a joint more rigid under the current model is to increase the number of connections. so either use multiple docking ports, or have multiple docking port nodes in a single part (if thats possible)

The ideal solution would be to make the attachment points, surface attachment - so the entire surface area in contact is attached, but i would have no idea how to acheive this.

For now, you may be interested in quantum struts.

[SyberSmoke]

Well the way I see they got ports to work was to create a very loose physics spring that interacts with the connection points from a distance. There should not be any reason though that the physics spring could not undergo a state change and be allowed to "Tighten Up" once a ship is docked. The spring is useful for pulling in a docking ship. But after they could change t to a more rigid or even a permanent format as the Quantum Strut mod demonstrates.

[Seelenamt]

Edited November 9, 2019 by Seelenamt

[Psycix]

What I'd like to see is to have two docking ports "consume themselves" (or eject in parts to the side) and directly connect the two crafts to each-other without anything in between, as if the two crafts were attached to eachother in the VAB.

This would delete the docking ports, freeing up the two attachment points for both craft parts that had the docking ports, and attaching those two together.

[leax256]

What I'd like to see is to have two docking ports "consume themselves" (or eject in parts to the side) and directly connect the two crafts to each-other without anything in between, as if the two crafts were attached to eachother in the VAB.

This would delete the docking ports, freeing up the two attachment points for both craft parts that had the docking ports, and attaching those two together.

I would like this also.

[Rolf]

What I'd like to see is to have two docking ports "consume themselves" (or eject in parts to the side) and directly connect the two crafts to each-other without anything in between, as if the two crafts were attached to eachother in the VAB.

This would delete the docking ports, freeing up the two attachment points for both craft parts that had the docking ports, and attaching those two together.

Excellent idea there. It would also make accidental undock impossible. I once had undocked one part by mistake and had to re-dock it. Thankfully usually once it is docked, speed is very similar so re-dock wasn't very hard.

[Mr. Scruffy]

speaking of which - yesterday i had a 0-effort redock. The two parts where connected on big ports and i wanted to use the small ones sitting on the opposite side of each part. So i undocked, rotated the first by 180°, then the other by the same, and as soon as the rotation was complete - zapp - reconnected. ´Neat´, i thought, ´my first successfull manual docking - hehehe.´

On topic: How about having this ´docking connection made permament´ as an EVA? You know, get a kerbal out to wield the parts together.

[Rolf]

How about having this ´docking connection made permament´ as an EVA? You know, get a kerbal out to wield the parts together.

That's great idea also!

[sumghai]

I don't like the idea of permanently fusing or dissolving docking ports together - what if you wanted to rearrange your space station / vessel whilst in orbit?

I currently use a legacy version of the Docking Struts mod to add additional strength to docked connections, while being easily removable if and when I want to undock. It would be better to integrate this functionality into each docking port by default.

[meeware]

I like Mr Scruffy's idea. EVAs to render docking ports fixed. You'd need an EVA to unstick them too.

[Enceos]

My bad for necroing the thread, it's just something I still remember was discussed on the forums. Our prayers have reached the heavens )

Surprise!

 

[ment18]

8 hours ago, Enceos said:

My bad for necroing the thread, it's just something I still remember was discussed on the forums. Our prayers have reached the heavens )

Surprise!

 

Is this a mod or stock 1.1?

[Enceos]

@ment18 Done by a person working for Squad, but we'll soon find out.

[Moesly_Armlis]

1 hour ago, Enceos said:

@ment18 Done by a person working for Squad, but we'll soon find out.

This might qualify as ..

 

 

HYPE!

[Wjolcz]

KIS and KAS pleeeeaaaaseeeeeeeee

[Snark]

6 hours ago, ment18 said:

Is this a mod or stock 1.1?

Sorry to rain on everyone's parade, but... it's a mod.

 

[max_creative]

Solution to no wobble: launch it in one piece! (Bigger explosions!) ...or use multi port docking... ...with senior docking.

[Moesly_Armlis]

3 hours ago, Snark said:

Sorry to rain on everyone's parade, but... it's a mod.

 

 

This addition to stock would enhance base construction as well as vessel construction.  Do not care too much for the welding but to have docking ports remain locked would make my constructions so much easier.  Have a toggle to lock and unlock the docking port.

When two pairs of docking ports are joined simultaneously and one pair is then undocked the result is the other pair also becomes undocked.