New Kerbie and a really Newbish question

[weefek]

Hello everyone,

I've been playing KSP for a few days now, just in sandbox mode. After seeing a few videos I became quite intrigued and just HAD to play!

I have successfully built a few rockets and some planes. I haven't landed on Mun yet, but I have made successful trips there and back to Kerbal. Reaching orbit, and general orbital maneuvers I have figured out (I am not proficient by any means but I can do it).

My super newbish question is this: In all the pictures I see of space-stations, they have (what I assume are) fuel lines running inside the struts (by struts I mean the structural cubic parts that connect different sections of the ship, usually the solar panels are mounted to them.)

I cannot find these ANYWHERE in the parts list. Are these part of a mod? I am attempting to build my first space station. Just a small one for refueling on long journies, and just to say that I did it.

Another quick question that I may just have to figure out on my own: Are geosynchronous orbits possible?

Thank you everyone and glad to be here !!!

[AeroEngy]

I am new to the forums but have been playing for a little while now.

Synchronous orbits are possible in KSP. See here for a table of altitudes.

There is no part that I know of that sounds like what you are describing. Maybe it was a fuel line that was somehow part clipped inside of cubic strut ... As far as I know that wouldn't be necessary because I think all of those are capable of fuel transfer on their own. I am not at my main PC so I can't test it right now. but you should be able to at least manually transfer fuel between parts connected via cubic struts.

[iStickyDuck]

The fuel lines are in the propulsion section and have probably been no-clipped inside the strut. But if you are using them for a station you can alt-click or ctrl-click on two fuel tanks and transfer them without the need of fuel lines which automatically transfer fuel from one tank to another in a single direction

And yes Geosynchronous orbits are possible.

[Starwhip]

Speaking of geo...er, Kerbisynchronous orbits, the altitude is around 2,868,750 meters. A little less or more doesn't really matter. I have 2 satellites up there for weather condition mapping. (Not really, but that is what they would do)

[Sirrobert]

The fuel lines inside struts are there automaticly. If you mouse over a part in the VAB, it sais 'fuel crossfeed capable'. That means it can carry fuel through the part. Only a few parts are not capable of fuel crossfeed. Mostly the stage seperators, which prevents fuel from flowing between stages. You can manually pump fuel from all parts of a craft to all other parts of a craft (that can hold fuel, obviously), regardless of fuellines or fuelcrossfeed.

For refueling stations, you just need a few relativly full fueltanks with a docking port on it. Dock whatever you want to it, and alt click 2 different tanks to pump between them

[willwolvescry]

Welcome! First question is that feul lines like that aren't needed because they are similar to that of struts in that things will mostly pass through them. Second question is yes but they are hard and pointless to achieve since without mods there is no true communications where as the communications mod would give them a purpose.

[weefek]

Thank you everyone for the great replies.

I built a small station core last night, but missed my manuevering burn by 10s and ended up in the ocean. After multiple other failures... Some due to my stupidity (most due to my stupidity) and some due to weird glitches (parts suddenly not being attached to each other?..)

Anyway , I am really liking the game so far and of course the Kerbal community is GREAT!

Thanks again everyone

[Sirrobert]

Parts suddenly not being attatched sounds like they simply failed due to to much stress. Hit F3 to check the mission log, see what it sais

[Xacktar]

Welcome aboard!

Parts randomly coming off could be stress, like Sirrobert said, or a decoupler on the wrong stage. If stress, you can do a few things, MAOR STRUTS(use struts to tied the thing together more securely), Manage your acceleration with a bit more gentle touch, or redesign around distributing the upward force over a larger area to prevent stress points.

Good luck!

[AeroEngy]

Welcome aboard!

Parts randomly coming off could be stress, like Sirrobert said, or a decoupler on the wrong stage. If stress, you can do a few things, MAOR STRUTS(use struts to tied the thing together more securely), Manage your acceleration with a bit more gentle touch, or redesign around distributing the upward force over a larger area to prevent stress points.

Good luck!

This is generally the except KSP annomaly resolution path.