New - a couple of questions

[DanimalXIII]

Hi, I'm new to the forums and new to the game (started playing yesterday) and I have a couple of questions:

1, I managed to get one of my astronauts in to orbit, unfortunately I ran out of fuel so he is just orbiting the planet; will he die? and if not; once I'm a more advanced player will I be able to retrieve him?

2: What use is the unmanned Stayputnik mk1? (i'm in career mode) But currently this thing seems to be pretty useless. Is it there to help rely radio messages from further a field?

Thanks in advance.

[steamypete]

Welcome to the fun!!

You better start planning a rescue mission. Your kerbal should be all right until he is rescued. I've done it lots of times. He's not going to run out of air or something.

[DarthJazno]

Hi, I'm new to the forums and new to the game (started playing yesterday) and I have a couple of questions:

1, I managed to get one of my astronauts in to orbit, unfortunately I ran out of fuel so he is just orbiting the planet; will he die? and if not; once I'm a more advanced player will I be able to retrieve him?

2: What use is the unmanned Stayputnik mk1? (i'm in career mode) But currently this thing seems to be pretty useless. Is it there to help rely radio messages from further a field?

Thanks in advance.

Yep, you can retrieve him, provided you have the skills. Send up an unmanned capsule and have him EVA over to the empty capsule. This may be awhile, since you will have to rendezvous which is an art in of itself. (Or you can download Mechjeb for some help). The Stayputnik allows you to have missions without running the risk if stranding or killing your Kerbals! Hope that helps.

[DanimalXIII]

Thanks for the replies guys, I think that it will be some time before I rescue him haha!

The Stayputnik allows you to have missions without running the risk if stranding or killing your Kerbals! Hope that helps.

Yeah I get that, but as I'm in career mode I need to get science, I can't science with an unmanned module can I?

[Lazro]

<snip>Yeah I get that, but as I'm in career mode I need to get science, I can't science with an unmanned module can I?

You can, in fact. Just attach some science bays or sensors. Remember to add batteries, solar panels, and an antenna or else return it to Kerbin.

[Trinexx]

I can't science with an unmanned module can I?

You can science just fine, but you can't generate any crew-specific experiments (crew report, EVA report, surface sample). Things like the goo container and material bay should work just fine with an unmanned probe.

[capi3101]

1. How far up on the tech tree are you? I wouldn't attempt a rescue until you've unlocked RCS at Tier 5 (RCS is helpful for close-in maneuvers after a rendezvous, whether you can dock or not).

2. The Stayputnik is available at Tier 4. Of course, the only power supply you have at that level is the Z-100, but you can paste a hell of a lot of Z-100s on a Stayputnik; its big advantage is large surface area. Put it on a sub-orbital trajectory with the apoapsis over 100k (i.e. don't circularize), attach batt after batt to the booster, add an attenna, and run your experiments while the craft is still in flight. Transmit as you go. Better still, add a chute and you might be able to recover the craft on landing - it's light, a small chute can handle it.

[Oddible]

As far as your rescue goes, you cannot fly a command pod without a Kerbal in it I think, so you can add the Stayputnik to the ship so you have control over the vehicle while you fly your empty command pod to pick him up.

The Stayputnik itself is a satellite core. It is the control mechanism for unmanned missions or when you don't plan on returning home - send it, transmit, leave it.