Can you launch multiple vehicles with one launch vehicle?

[TerminalV]

I built a larger heavy lift vehicle for a Mun mission. It took a manned lander large enough to get there and back with a bunch of science modules. I got thinking that I might be able to use that nice first and second stage to lift several small probes that I could send on one way missions to Mun or Minmus. I loaded four small probes radial attached around a manned center craft (Manned vehicle would just orbit Mun and drop probes and then return to Kerbin) on that launch vehicle. When I release the probes they appear dead and I cannot switch to them to control them. I still can only control the main vessel. What am I missing? Is this not possible to launch more than one probe with a single launch vehicle?

Edited December 21, 2013 by TerminalV

[phunk]

It's absolutely possible. What parts were in the probes? They need to have a "control" part like a probe core, and probably batteries and/or solar panels or they'll just be useless debris once they detach.

[federicoaa]

when detach press [ or ] to switch active vessel, then check the available electricity, if it's 0 then you have a problem

Probes should have a probe from the pods tab, some batteries and solar panels, which you should extend before releasing the probes.

[SpaceToast]

Absolutely. In .22 I made a massive lifter to send 5 landers to jool - all stacked at the top. It worked, lol

[capi3101]

Definitely possible - my Sandstone Yoke rocket delivered a group of satellite probes to Jool (six probes, seven if you count the carrier itself - one for each body plus a spare). Key thing is that each bit must have its own powered control part and you can only directly control one of them at a time; use the bracket keys to switch between individual craft, as others have said.

[TerminalV]

The core of the probe was a Probodobodyne OKTO with a battery and four small solar panels and chute. It was to carry a Sci Jr and 2x Goo container. Below that connected by a decoupler it has three RCS thrusters, small monoprollant tank, and a small fuel tank with engine and landing gear.

When the probe disconnected from the main vessel it did not show up as a satellite in the orbital view. Do I have to do something to activate the probe controller?

[capi3101]

You dropped these probes from a manned vehicle, right? What kind of control pod did the manned vehicle utilize?

[TerminalV]

You dropped these probes from a manned vehicle, right? What kind of control pod did the manned vehicle utilize?

A standard Command Pod Mk1 with a single Kerbal pilot

[KvickFlygarn87]

The core of the probe was a Probodobodyne OKTO with a battery and four small solar panels and chute. It was to carry a Sci Jr and 2x Goo container. Below that connected by a decoupler it has three RCS thrusters, small monoprollant tank, and a small fuel tank with engine and landing gear.

When the probe disconnected from the main vessel it did not show up as a satellite in the orbital view. Do I have to do something to activate the probe controller?

They might've been tagged as debris. Hold the mouse in the middle top of the window in map view, a bar with the different class icons should drop down. Rightclick the debris icon to show debris.

[Dave Kerbin]

You can launch multiple ships from the same launcher however there are two important restrictions to keep in mind:

Each ship will need a probe core or manned pod to control it. Probe cores will also need power, if they run out you won't even be able to deploy solar panels.

While in Kerbin's atmosphere objects must remain within about 2.2km of the ship you are controlling to stay 'active'.

If they go outside this bubble while in the atmosphere they will be destroyed (even if they had parachutes opened or where on a trajectory into orbit)

You can actually go one step further and perform multiple launches at the same time, as long as they all stay within a 2.2km box while in Kerbin's atmosphere. For example here I show how to dock two ships in just over 4 minutes from lift off. You can quickly switch between ships inside the 'active' area by pressing [ and ].

[michaelhester07]

Open your map and click on your ship once you detach a probe. You should see "<your ship's name> probe" and a context menu with "set target" and "switch to". Pick "switch to" to control your probe.

[capi3101]

A standard Command Pod Mk1 with a single Kerbal pilot

Okay. I ask because I've had the game class probes and rovers before the same way as their parent craft - had you used a Lander Can, I would've suggested checking to see if they'd been classed as landers.

Only thing I can think of at this point is that your probes were reclassed as debris for some reason. That usually happens when you decouple something that either has no control component to it at all or when that component lacks electrical power - the part you detach must have its own control and power sources.

Here's an example:

It's not exactly clear from this pic (unfortunately), but you can see a satellite prepared for deployment sitting on the side of the CSM in that shot. It has its own set of solar panels and it has an OKTO probe core. You can kinda see the solar panels for the CSM as well; they're independent of one another. The whole satellite assembly is attached via a stack decoupler on top of a BZ-52.

Something else just occurring to me, so I'll ask for clarification: you couldn't switch to your probes at all, or you could switch to them but not control them. Which is it?

If the latter, try flipping over the decouplers; you want the decoupler to stick to the carrier, if it sticks to the bottom of your satellite, it could be blocking any engines you've got there.

Edited December 20, 2013 by capi3101

[TerminalV]

Thanks guys, I will take another whack at it tonight. Maybe I have a power issue. I will let you guys know.

[Kilmeister]

Something else just occurring to me, so I'll ask for clarification: you couldn't switch to your probes at all, or you could switch to them but not control them. Which is it?

If the latter, try flipping over the decouplers; you want the decoupler to stick to the carrier, if it sticks to the bottom of your satellite, it could be blocking any engines you've got there.

I did that once and I didn't notice till I was in orbit around Eve =(

[TerminalV]

Alright guys, thanks for all the help. Apparently I was just being thick or had something wrong with the construction of my first attempt. I built a better lift vehicle and rebuilt the probes too. Launch and landed two of them deployed from a mother ship in orbit around Mun. Returned mother ship to Kerbin! Thanks for all the help!

[SRV Ron]

Easily done. This design, based upon another player, has eight independently powered and controlled probes for a Jool mission. They are launched by action groups. Four of the probes are ion powered and can parachute down. Four others are short range conventional fuel.

[How2FoldSoup]

They might've been tagged as debris. Hold the mouse in the middle top of the window in map view, a bar with the different class icons should drop down. Rightclick the debris icon to show debris.

This. Since you used radial decouplers they are counted as debris. You should still be able to switch to them using [ or ] though... Once you get docking ports sending up launches full of probes become fun.

Once you are in control of the probe you can also change its type from "debris" to "probe" by doing some magic and right clicking on the control part

Hope this helps,

Soup