When to de-orbit a station?

[AlamoVampire]

Okay guys, I am torn here. My sandbox is at about 9 years and change in age as far as the game clock goes. My first successful station has been in orbit and manned for almost 9 years, its like 8 and a half or something like that. My question is, should I go ahead and de-orbit the station and design and build a new one or leave it up as a testament to the 'early' years of my sandbox's space program?

Edited October 31, 2013 by AlamoVampire

[thiosk]

That question is entirely up to you and your ocd. You could always dock some engines to it and try to make it a Dres orbiter.

[capi3101]

Mir was up there for 15 years; if you're going with historical precedent, yours still has a few years.

Why would you want to de-orbit it, anyway? Seriously, what's your rationale?

[Bacterius]

Ram a booster into it. Deorbiting is for the weak

[nagojolokio]

Some people just want to watch their stations burn...

[AlamoVampire]

Mir was up there for 15 years; if you're going with historical precedent, yours still has a few years.

Why would you want to de-orbit it, anyway? Seriously, what's your rationale?

the stations been in orbit nearly a 'decade' and thought it was time to retire it, beyond that, not sure honestly, beyond, not sure how long leaving it in orbit is ideal, especially with LKO getting crowded.

[pxi]

the stations been in orbit nearly a 'decade' and thought it was time to retire it, beyond that, not sure honestly, beyond, not sure how long leaving it in orbit is ideal, especially with LKO getting crowded.

Well, you could move it into a higher orbit, that's what I'd do. Honestly, my mindset would be 'I didn't put it up there to bring it back down', but that's just me.

[Starwhip]

Well, you could move it into a higher orbit, that's what I'd do. Honestly, my mindset would be 'I didn't put it up there to bring it back down', but that's just me.

So far, the best logical argument I've seen. I have never de-orbited a station. But if you're going to, take screenshots galore of it in space, and all the steps toward the ground.

[blizzy78]

the stations been in orbit nearly a 'decade' and thought it was time to retire it, beyond that, not sure honestly, beyond, not sure how long leaving it in orbit is ideal, especially with LKO getting crowded.

Err, you know that a 75 km orbit has a circumference of 471 km? I'd like to see that being "crowded."

[DrMonte]

Moon station would look better.

[ChrisMayhew]

I wish I could even get my first steps of my station built!

I've got my first part in space and my second part is 500 to 700m away and I just can't seem to bring them close to join them together! Just seem to be going round it all the time! lol

[Traches]

Err, you know that a 75 km orbit has a circumference of 471 km? I'd like to see that being "crowded."

Gets crowded quick if you orbit things in retrograde.

[blizzy78]

heh, good point

[Sirrobert]

the stations been in orbit nearly a 'decade' and thought it was time to retire it, beyond that, not sure honestly, beyond, not sure how long leaving it in orbit is ideal, especially with LKO getting crowded.

Personally I'd say time for a new one yes, but leaving it or not is up to you.

Personally I might keep it as a trophy, but a station destruction can be pritty spectacular to

[kurja]

Err, you know that a 75 km orbit has a circumference of 471 km? I'd like to see that being "crowded."

orbit that is 75 km above kerbin's surface, not a 75 km orbit, I believe

that makes, uh, something like over 2000 kilometers of orbital highway to fill with stations and stuff?

[blizzy78]

orbit that is 75 km above kerbin's surface, not a 75 km orbit, I believe

that makes, uh, something like over 2000 kilometers of orbital highway to fill with stations and stuff?

You're actually right, that 75 km orbit would be a 675 km radius around the center. Which makes a circumference of 4241 km, not 2000'ish.

[sharpspoonful]

Ram a booster into it. Deorbiting is for the weak

Annnd, this has been added to my sig and is my favorite suggestion so far.

[hobbsyoyo]

Err, you know that a 75 km orbit has a circumference of 471 km? I'd like to see that being "crowded."

Maybe not crowded in the physical sense, but after so many crafts are in close orbits it becomes darn hard to select the exact orbit line you want for rendezvous.

[capi3101]

Moon station would look better.

Working on one of those myself at the moment. One for Minmus too. Why not?

I wish I could even get my first steps of my station built!

I've got my first part in space and my second part is 500 to 700m away and I just can't seem to bring them close to join them together! Just seem to be going round it all the time! lol

Try SCE to AUX...

On a more helpful vein, do you have RCS on either station piece? Pick one to fly, target the other piece, aim at the pink meatball on the navball and thrust ahead. At 700m you could get awy with a quick burst from any liquid bipropellant engines you might have too.

Edited October 30, 2013 by capi3101

[blizzy78]

but after so many crafts are in close orbits it becomes darn hard to select the exact orbit line you want for rendezvous.

For that I can recommend the Targetron mod.

[chrischambers]

I was looking through all my flying crafts and about 3 of them I have started building Space Stations, and gotton bored and moved on, I will leave them flying or might in time move them to a differant plant, but burning them up, Naa where is the point in that.

[peadar1987]

Try SCE to AUX...

Proud and embarrassed in equal measure that I got this. Perhaps it's time to embrace the fact that I'm a space nerd! :S

[ChrisMayhew]

Working on one of those myself at the moment. One for Minmus too. Why not?

Try SCE to AUX...

On a more helpful vein, do you have RCS on either station piece? Pick one to fly, target the other piece, aim at the pink meatball on the navball and thrust ahead. At 700m you could get awy with a quick burst from any liquid bipropellant engines you might have too.

Thanks for the reply, I have RCS and fuel with a small engine on board the piece I am trying to get near my main section. I guess I just have to try and be patient!

[MockKnizzle]

Thanks for the reply, I have RCS and fuel with a small engine on board the piece I am trying to get near my main section. I guess I just have to try and be patient!

My guess is that you have some lateral velocity when you're trying to close the distance. You described "going around it all the time." ...that's called orbiting. You are orbiting your target just like you are orbiting Kerbin. Am I correct in assuming that you are always trying to burn towards the pink circle-y target marker? If that's the case, then your engine thrust is acting just as Kerbin's gravity does, accelerating you centripetally while you fly sideways. Do you see how that's not gonna get you anywhere?

What you need to do is periodically zero out any sideways velocity you have, so that instead of orbiting around your target you are heading straight for it. Set your navball to Target mode by clicking on the velocity display, and then burn towards velocity retrograde (green X, not pink triangle!) until your velocity relative to your target is zero (or at least pretty close). Now is when you want to orient towards target prograde (pink circle!) and burn. You should see the green circle and pink circle line up, which means that your velocity vector is lined up with the vector towards your target, meaning you're headed straight at it as opposed to slipping sideways.

Rinse and repeat, zeroing out your sideways velocity and re-adjusting to burn towards target and you'll be docked in no time.

[ChrisMayhew]

My guess is that you have some lateral velocity when you're trying to close the distance. You described "going around it all the time." ...that's called orbiting. You are orbiting your target just like you are orbiting Kerbin. Am I correct in assuming that you are always trying to burn towards the pink circle-y target marker? If that's the case, then your engine thrust is acting just as Kerbin's gravity does, accelerating you centripetally while you fly sideways. Do you see how that's not gonna get you anywhere?

What you need to do is periodically zero out any sideways velocity you have, so that instead of orbiting around your target you are heading straight for it. Set your navball to Target mode by clicking on the velocity display, and then burn towards velocity retrograde (green X, not pink triangle!) until your velocity relative to your target is zero (or at least pretty close). Now is when you want to orient towards target prograde (pink circle!) and burn. You should see the green circle and pink circle line up, which means that your velocity vector is lined up with the vector towards your target, meaning you're headed straight at it as opposed to slipping sideways.

Rinse and repeat, zeroing out your sideways velocity and re-adjusting to burn towards target and you'll be docked in no time.

Thank you for your reply! I figured obviously I was doing something completely wrong because I was just going round it like some weird orbit.. I checked out a YouTube video again and figured out that I should be burning retrograde to kill the velocity but your reply explains it all more!

Thanks i'll give it a go later!