Help-a-Whack: Extraplanetary launchpads.

[Whackjob]

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/35217-0-21-1-Extraplanetary-Launchpads-v3-New-Launchpad-Ore-Scanners

Ok, I think I have the gist of the vast majority of this mod and how things are to be done, but I could use a little guidance. Specifically, the actual building part. It kind of threw me off that it's a rocket in and of itself, but eh. Whatever. When I land this thing, how do I "deploy" it? How do I get an actual pad? And how do I supply it with parts? Do they have to be docked? Or do they just have to be within a certain AoE? The smelter and parts manufactury, how are they supplied with parts also?

I'm considering both a Munar construction depot and a colossal mothership that can manufacture its own throwaway landers and probes. I just want some more details before I really dig in here.

[spudcosmic]

I believe the easiest way to transfer resources to and from all the modules is with the KAS cables. I'm pretty sure that to build a rocket all you need is the required mass in rocket parts plus the desired fuel amount. To deploy the pad all you need to do is action group it or right click. The launchpads do not work in orbit.

[Whackjob]

KAS cables? Is this something in this mod, or is this something new? I do want to keep the mods put in at a minimum. Thanks for lending a hand!

[spudcosmic]

It's another mod that implements rope like cables to connect craft. It's very useful and I highly recommend it with Extraplanetary Launchpads.

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/25563-0-20-KAS-v0-3-1-Kerbal-Attachment-System

[Whackjob]

Crud. There's no way to fuel the extraplanetary launchpad without the need of another mod?

[spudcosmic]

Not exactly, I believe it will work when you dock them manually, that is, if you manage to dock all the modules manually.

[Whackjob]

Oy. So if I put a launchpad construction module on the Mun, I have to launch it built into something with parts containers and docking points. Ouch.

[spudcosmic]

It is also nearly required to have the Kethane mod for EL to work as it is intended to, because EL requires that constructed vessels be supplied with fuel or else launched empty. So unless you want to be trucking an orange tank of fuel to the moon every few launches, you're going to need Kethane to make fuel at the base.

[Whackjob]

Yeah, Kethane is one of the mods I permit myself. I'm up to three, now. Kethane, Engineer (so I can see how much stuff weighs), and now this launchpad thing.

[magnemoe]

Yes, kethane is pretty much required for fuel, think you might need it for mining to work at all.

You can put grinders on the launchpad and add docking ports on this but this creates the standard ground docking problems so KAS is highly recomended.

Note an alternative mod is orbital construction, it lets you launch rocketparts or use rocket parts you create in space. Then spawn ship next to the space dock you selected.

Lots of overlap in uses, orbital can only be used in space, the launchpad on ground, orbital construction works best for smaller stuff and is nice to spawn satelites and probes from an mothership.

[Whackjob]

I'm too bloody frustrated to muck around with this any more tonight. How annoying!

I land a constructor on the Mun. Of course, I didn't realize I'd need to put a docking port on it, so there it is, taking up valuable real estate, being worthless. I go back to the VAB, and design a little ore miner, plus docking port so I can get the bloody ore off of it. I go back to the constructor and... surprise! The ore miner I designed isn't on the menu. So I can't make it anyway!

I wash my hands of it for now. It's a nice concept, but bloody hell! I'm not getting a fourth mod just to make the third mod work.

[magnemoe]

Note if you use KAS, who is an fantastic mod, you can have an kerbal add an kas connector on it. You can probably also use the magnet or grappling hook to dock.

I'm honestly no big fan of the new launchpad as its to hard to add stuff to it. on the old one it was easy to add docking ports, extra fuel and engines, solar panels and so on.

[Diazo]

I'm struggling with this myself. (Not having KAS installed.)

I ended up building a girder platform for the launchpad to sit on that I could stick docking ports on to connect to.

So I have a layer of girders laid horizontally with 3 Docking Port Jr's per side, that gives me 12 docking ports so one of them will have to be usable when I deploy the pad. I then stick the pad on top and strut the hell out of everything. When the pad deploys it is fully supported by girders.

The only catch is you have to use gantry cranes and hold the ships off the launchpad. Otherwise when the physics kick in for the ship you are trying to launch the girders underneath act as a trampoline when the ship settles.

Note that there is a 'phantom' attachment point way off to the side that you can stick a docking port on to attach things to as well. However that throws your center of mass off from your center of thrust and as I have FAR installed I would have to stick a fairing around it anyway so that did not work for me.

For the record, the launchpad flies hilariously when you also have FAR installed.....

This worked in all my tests on Kerbin but I ran out of time last night, the lauchpad is currently in the middle of it's transfer orbit to the moon so hoping this will work when I get there.

D.

Edited September 12, 2013 by Diazo