How to detach ships and prevent them from crashing?

[dronkit]

Hi!

Suppose I have a crane that detachs a payload or a mother sub-orbital ship or plane that launches a smaller craft to orbit a la X crafts or SpaceShip 2. I can fly, detach, then I can control either the spaceship or the mother ship. But if both are on sub-orbital trajectory one of them will crash! I can either put the orbiter in orbit or safely land the launcher plane but not both :/

Same with say, a crane, I detach the payload wich maybe I need to control to ensure it doesn't fall off a hill or something, but at the same time I need to re-orbit the crane.

Is there any way?

Edited September 13, 2013 by dronkit

[Thomas Cook]

In a stationary orbit I often just retrograde until I got a decent landing spot. After that I immediately detach both ships and prograde the command module back in orbital speeds. If you perform this maneuver it also doesn't have to cost that much delta-v

The landing vehicle still has the deorbiting speeds so that vehicle should land. In a 1x speed you should have plenty of time to perform this maneuver before both ships reach dangerously low altitudes.

[Thomas Cook]

Oops. Excuse me. I think I misread the situation of your question...

[lewisd]

The only idea I have involves mods, but I'm not sure if that's ok with you. For that matter, I don't even know if it would work.

You might be able to use MechJeb2 (or maybe original MechJeb) to fly one, while you fly the other. I'm not sure if it'll be able to control a craft other than the one you're focused on though. But, if that *does* work, then immediately after detaching, you could use MechJeb to quickly set up a maneuver node to put the orbiter back into orbit, and execute it, then switch to your lander to manually control it's landing.

[Thomas Cook]

So both planes are sub-orbital.

I think my answer is semi valid IF you take a trajectory where it doesn't take much effort to bring the crane in stationary orbit. Doesn't have to be a decent orbit, as long ad it doesn't fall back.

Once it has a decent orbit where it doesn't crash back to a planet, you can shift your focus to the lander, which should always have some minutes left before it crashes blind on the surface.

[orangexception]

Try using Remote Tech. I haven't tried using it for this use case yet, but it seems like that's something it can do.

[Read have Read]

Unattended vehicles in atmosphere will be deleted if they get unloaded (2.2km away from the active vessel). There is a mod that will increase the loading range ( romfarer's Lazor), and one I belive by TouhouTorpedo specifically for range that can do even longer distances.

Now control, RemoteTech, MechJeb and kOS will remotely control a vehicle to varying levels. Remotetech, which is not compatable for .21 had many of the same SmartASS as mechjeb, plus the ability to do timed burns. kOS is fully programable with a ingame editor to fly both vehicles to where ever at the same time if you are savvy.

[Evrion]

If I get this right:

You have a Rocket and a Plane. Rocket designed for orbital flight, and plane built for atmospheric flight. In a suborbital trajectory, you detach the rocket from the plane, then want to have both do their thing safely.

First: it IS possible to switch to any craft you have from the map view by simply clicking on them, then selecting "Switch to". (The other option there, "Set as target" is also useful, but not in this case.) The rocket, when it gets to orbit, will be safe, that's the quick part.

So, I would try things this way, if you can get both to an apoapsis of more than 70 km.

1) Suborbital trajectory should be relatively long, say up to 80-90 km.

2) control the rocket, once you get to apoapsis, burn so the rocket is safe.

3) switch to the plane, hopefully before the atmosphere plays havoc with it.

If you can't get them both into space. I would try the same procedure, be quick with the rocket and hope you can recover from whatever KSP's aerodynamics have done with your plane once you switch back.

[stringyquark]

But can you switch vehicles while throttled up? I'm pretty sure you can't in stock.

[Evrion]

But can you switch vehicles while throttled up? I'm pretty sure you can't in stock.

I agree, you can't.

You have to try and leave one craft in a "stable enough" position while you work on the other. If you can't do that, you will have to use, um, I have no idea, mods?

[Sirine]

Unattended vehicles in atmosphere will be deleted if they get unloaded (2.2km away from the active vessel). There is a mod that will increase the loading range ( romfarer's Lazor), and one I belive by TouhouTorpedo specifically for range that can do even longer distances.

Now control, RemoteTech, MechJeb and kOS will remotely control a vehicle to varying levels. Remotetech, which is not compatable for .21 had many of the same SmartASS as mechjeb, plus the ability to do timed burns. kOS is fully programable with a ingame editor to fly both vehicles to where ever at the same time if you are savvy.

Agree. Facing the same problem here.

Note: Press "[" or "]" to quickly switch in between craft.

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[Sirine]

@ stringyquark

@ Evrion

You just press the [ or ] key to switch between them.

[dronkit]

Thanks guys! I'll try some of the mods and stuff!