Frustrated base builder.

[rockbloodystar]

Hi

So I'm in my fourht "a mining base would be great" phase. This time I'm using all the tricks I've read on here and I'm still having massive problems docking to units on the surface.

I'm using the SPH to get sensible units, with ports lined up. The issue is that their varying masses cause them to compress the wheels and landing legs to different heights.

Do I have to simply test every one of the docking combinations on the runway and have variations in wheel placement?

I'm thinking now about using RCS to hover into place or even building it in orbit and landing a complete base.

With this difficulty of land docking I am dreading building the craft that will lift fuel into orbit. My current (desperate) thoughts on that are to have adocking port on the surface pointing at the sky and drop onto that directly. This strikes me as daft, but the faff of rolling these things around Minmus has been very off-putting.

I am trying to avoid KAS for the permanent structure at least as itmakes the base more like a collectiong of ships rather than one base structure. I may end up using it as a fuel line for my lifter.

Is there anything anyone can suggest?

Thanks

RBS.

[Taki117]

Try turning off the suspension (Or locking it) this way, once you lower the legs, all your ports will be the same height.

I also direct you here for more base building tips

[Bobe]

My first kethane lander was a self-sufficient mining, processing and refuelling station, although it weighed in at roughly 40 t. It worked perfectly for non-atmosphere worlds, able to return half of its original yield to Mun orbit having used the other half to produce more fuel to burn. Naturally it was more efficient on worlds with lower gravity.

I then experimented with KAS and separate smaller modules to create an actual mining operation, but after numerous frustrating glitches resulting in pipes and landers being sent hurtling into space, I gave up and returned to my trusty heavy lander.

It just seems far more convenient and economical to have one mobile drilling station than having multiple landers.

I eventually built an actual refuelling station that is sent to orbit a single world. It handles storage and processing, and provides docking capabilities for multiple ships. The original lander is then used as a ferry between the surface and the station.

[rockbloodystar]

Try turning off the suspension (Or locking it) this way, once you lower the legs, all your ports will be the same height.

I also direct you here for more base building tips

I'm definitely at stage 3 of that. I can't see a way that works yet, short of RCS.1i

[Taki117]

I'm definitely at stage 3 of that. I can't see a way that works yet, short of RCS.1i

Have you tried rasing the legs on the modules closest to whatever it is you are trying to connect? Also, it may be helpful to note that you may need to lower more than just the set immediately next to your module, but several sets along that branch. (I ran into a similar problem with my Mun Base Kethane Refinery)

[Tank Buddy]

Docking landed ships has always been sketchy. I am building a Modular Mun base, and one of the modules just wouldn't dock. I sent another one and it worked just fine. You pretty much just have to fiddle around until it is just right.

[WhiteKnuckle]

Do I have to simply test every one of the docking combinations on the runway and have variations in wheel placement?

This is a good idea for just about anything. It's much better to fly things 100m, try them, and find out they don't work than it it to fly them halfway across the solar system and then find they don't work.

Testing at KSC is never perfect, but it'll help a lot.

[Captain Sierra]

rockbloodystar,

I'm an avid user of Temstar's pack and, in his apparent absence, I'm working to modernize it and give it atmospheric landing capabilities. There are a few tricks you need to know.

1) lock suspension on landing legs, ALWAYS. The landing leg suspension causes massive problems with modules of different weights.

2) don't be afraid to lower the legs on the module being carried. If you are using a small crawler, you can lower the legs on the module you are carrying with G and get it to stand up on it's own feet. Now, this only works if suspension is locked. In the case of things of different heights, lower a few legs on the base to get the target port to sag some.

Last solution I can give is you may want to try moving the large fuel tanks empty, if possible. With tweakables and CoM reacting to that, a little shift in the design of the fuel tanker rover can enable it to be launched empty, rather than full.

[Landge]

Don't you know it! Traveled all the way to Duna. Undocked my rover and drive all over, taking in all the great vistas. I come back to dock and depart only to find this...

AAARRRG!!! It worked perfect before 0.22. Only by throttling up the lander, taking the weight off the landing legs was I able to squeeze under to dock again.

Now I use those Modular Girder Segments to fix the height of my landers. Here's an example I used for my Fuel Depot.

And another for my Kethane Rig...

[rockbloodystar]

Try turning off the suspension (Or locking it) this way, once you lower the legs, all your ports will be the same height.

I also direct you here for more base building tips

This certainly seems to be working.

Many thanks

RBS

[Taki117]

This certainly seems to be working.

Many thanks

RBS

you're welcome. I had the same issue with the KSPI parts on my Munbase. The reactor/electrical generator section was much heavier than the rest of the base so it had a habit of collapsing the legs.

[MockKnizzle]

Like others have said, lock the suspension. Don't rely on wheels to stay at the same height. I haven't had any problems at all with my Temstar-inspired modular base, both testing on Kerbin and up on the Mun.

[SSSPutnik]

I just built a big flying base with everything included...

Ships can land and refuel using KAS.

[rockbloodystar]

The finished article!, thanks again guys!