It need to be squared!

[Keymaster89]

Hi guys...

recently i completed the stock science tree flying around Mun and Minmus, so i started to aim to other planets.

in order to do that i started to create some heavy infrastructure in my LKO...

I've planned to build 4 station:

1 polifunctional, kinda midway to a tank-spaceport-kerbal's hotel-lab integrated station

1 spaceport, to hold all my service ships

1 super heavy fuel tanker, will hold lots of fuel of any kind

1 mothership's manutention station, for assembling, refueling and hold the new mothership i'll build.

The first was assembled correctly and i'm really satisfied of the result:

SSP "Stardome"

then i moved to the second, but a problem stopped my project:

the core structure of my spaceport need to be squared! How can i arrange my pieces in order to connect all to each others?

to explain myself more clearly i'll make an example:

in this image, i place some structural parts in order to simulate my problem...

as i place the last structure, it connect well to the bottom ones, but the top one is completly free to move... it only seems to interconnect... but when u launch it u immidiatly see that they aren't.

Ther is a way, a building technique, a way to use some parts that allow me to connect any part in 2 different points instead of one? I really need this squared section to be rigid, struts aren't an option.

Any help? ^^'

Edited January 31, 2014 by Keymaster89

[Mr.Rocket]

You could try this, yes i know it's a mod but it does what you should want: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/38577-0-22-UbioZur-Welding-Ltd-2-0-Playtest-5-Now-In-Game-Tool?highlight=welding

You can weld you parts together, making it stronger and have less parts

[Kerbart]

In KSP vessels are topologically organized as a tree, with the control unit at the top and all other parts as nodes or nodes of nodes, etc.

That, in turn, makes it impossible to do what you want to achieve.

[vexx32]

Well, it is technically possible, but it requires four additional ports. Docking ports, to be precise. Attach them in this order --> top girder, port 1, then attach port 2 to port 1, then the fuel tank to port 2. Port 3 goes on the lower girder, and port 4 goes on the fuel tank, touching or almost touching port 3. When you load the craft on launch, ports 3 and 4 will connect, completing the structure. The only other way to do it is being clever with struts.

[Keymaster89]

@mr.rocket: cool! i'll check it later for sure!

@vexx32: mmmhhh... so in order to make anything connect in two points my only option is to use docking ports? weeeeell, not something i was happy to ear... i mean... docking ports have stable connections and i like docking ports a lot, but... i feel unconfortable in use them into the central frame of the station, expecially because it have to resist a lot of torque from my docking sections, and u know, docking ports tend to wobble a lot for my experience... even if i'll never undock them, i'm really worried about it's structural integrity...

i think i have to reconsider a bit my design...

Edited January 31, 2014 by Keymaster89

[SSSPutnik]

Yeah, you can't join something back to itself without using docking ports... Game engine issue.

[Kasuha]

You don't need to use docking ports. You can't make explicit circles in KSP but you can use struts to connect parts as if they're connected in circles.

The workaround with docking ports is just like that, except docking ports are big and ugly and not guaranteed to snap together. And their connection works exactly like a strut.

Javascript is disabled. View full album

[Keymaster89]

O.O!

Wow! i never thought struts could be used to connect things in that way!

That was a perfect visual explanation Kasuha, u opened to me a new world of ship planning to explore! *o*

Pretty straight and efficient.

U resolved my problem completedly! Thanx a lot!