Your "Rules" on unmanned flights?

[Doozler]

After a few (!) missions to recover Bob from the Mun, I now have several pilots in Munar orbit who need to catch a bus back home.

It would probably be easier to send an unmanned bus, but I don't know if that counts as cheating.

So: what are your rules for when unmanned craft are acceptable - and why?

Do Kerbals not trust a computer to drive for them? Does the Kerbal Trade Union of Pilots forbid unmanned fuel transfer vehicles? What do you think?

[Champ]

Leave no débris In kerbin SOI

[Red Iron Crown]

I use unmanned craft without reservation where appropriate. No limits on them other than what the game enforces.

[Othuyeg]

I have probe core in almost all of my crafts.

[KerbMav]

While not yet using a life support mod, I would not send a single Kerbal on a long interplanetary mission just to take some atmospheric readings.

I do have single Kerbal crafts in operation around Kerbin - a tanker and a miner/tanker - but they are only travelling alone a week at most.

First Mun/Minmus flybys and landings are also a (career mode induced) exception now and then.

So I do not forbid the use of unmanned ships, I deliberately use probes if I deem it otherwise inkerbale.

[cantab]

Unmanned probes are harder, since you need to remember a power supply or you're SOL.

[Taki117]

Since I'm using RemoteTech all probes must have an uplink to either KSC or a relay station at all times. Probes go where it is too dangerous for a kerbal to go. (Surface of eve, Jool). Probe Tugs are a must for station building. No debris left in orbit. If there is a chance it will be it gets a probe core.

[mellojoe]

Real life uses unmanned crafts ALL the time. I think you are free to send unmanned craft to any celestial body you choose. China has an unmanned craft at the Moon right now. So, sending an unmanned craft to orbit the Mun? Not cheating at all. In fact, more realistic than sending 20 kerbals to the Mun. Send that unmanned craft, rendezvous with your Kerbals, and bring those men home!

[Red Iron Crown]

Unmanned probes are harder, since you need to remember a power supply or you're SOL.

That is offset to a degree by the much lower possible mass of an unmanned probe, in my experience. Assuming you don't use command seats for everything, that is.

[aleis]

I usually pot a probe core and at least one of the single panel solar on most my craft. Incase I have my Kerbal somewhere and those tons I forget to deploy solar arrays and time warp.

As for when I build probe craft. On missions that are non return and not post of a base. Refuel mission. And Obviously any com sats

[Doozler]

@ Mellojoe,

Oh I agree, probes are definitely more realistic, I just didn't want to get too realistic and end up with a mostly unmanned space program

I think I've decided that the bus will need to have a driver. Some of those Kerbals have been in one-man capsules for a while and will need a chauffer to drive, make tea and scrub their backs while they relax in the hab modules.

What is it that probes CAN'T do? Is it just flags, samples, reset experiments? Oh and open solar panels. That's quite a bit now I think of it!

[dr_jt]

For fun I put up a multi part station around Kerbin and Minmus and I'm about to start landing a base on Minmus. None of it is manned. When everything is in place I'll send Kerbals to them. I tried to send a station to Duna but messed up the encounter and that sucker ended up in deep space but no problem because no kerbals on board.

[Red Iron Crown]

What is it that probes CAN'T do? Is it just flags, samples, reset experiments? Oh and open solar panels. That's quite a bit now I think of it!

Crew and EVA reports and fix broken landing legs, too.

[mellojoe]

I think I've decided that the bus will need to have a driver. Some of those Kerbals have been in one-man capsules for a while and will need a chauffer to drive, make tea and scrub their backs while they relax in the hab modules.

This sounds like a great plan!!

Do you use mods? You should look at Crew Manifest (not mine, but i'm a huge fan of it). It allows you to control the amount of crew on a vessel while it is on the launchpad. So you can put a ton of command pods and/or hitchiker cans, and then only put a single kerbal onboard. It allows you to name them, too, so you could have Busdriver Kerman if you wanted. It also makes it easier transfering crew inside of a craft or between two craft once they are docked.

[Nathair]

I'm using Remote Tech2 and life support. Those mods alter the equation enough that I don't really feel the need to impose any other restrictions on unmanned flights, they no longer feel as "cheaty" as they did in vanilla.

[Doozler]

@ mello,

No, I'm still fairly new so am going mod-free for the first playthrough (whatever that means!). Sounds useful though - I'll add it to my list of potentials!

[possum]

I will not use probes for science if a manned landing is possible. Also unmanned probes can not dock to anything, however manned ships can dock to unmanned stuff.

[Red Iron Crown]

Also unmanned probes can not dock to anything, however manned ships can dock to unmanned stuff.

If you are using this rule for realism reasons, you may want to rethink it. Unmanned docking has been going on for decades.

[Nepos]

Unmanned crafts are fine. take a something that can host a Kerbal or four and go get them and bring them home

[Tex]

I'd say just go for it. If the Kerbals don't like having a probe drive for them, point out that it'll only get the craft to the Kosmonauts so they then can fly it.

[possum]

If you are using this rule for realism reasons, you may want to rethink it. Unmanned docking has been going on for decades.

That rule is there to keep me from going too unmanned.

[Red Iron Crown]

That rule is there to keep me from going too unmanned.

Ah, self challenge. Carry on, then.

[mellojoe]

Now the challege becomes ... how MANY kerbals can you rescue at one time?

I like the idea of a space bus. I'd start with the 2-man lander can as my command pod. Then stick any number of hitchhiker cans immedietly below as your passenger area. For a bus, each Kerbal has their own seat. For a luxury cruiser, a maximum of 2 kerbals per 4-man hitchhiker-can. For long term living, 1 kerbal per hitchhiker. But for your bus, command pod on top: and again, either the 2-man lander can or even the 3-man pod, but only have 2 drivers. Or a pilot + co-pilot with a little room to stretch their legs. Then 2 hitchhiker pods would mean 8 passengers. Thats a pretty good bus at that point. Docking port on top, cause you never know when that will come in handy. Batteries and solar panels (no RTG's) for clean living. No nuke motors either: there are people present. But those LV-909 engines are pretty good. And a boat-load of parachutes for a safe landing. When you get good at deorbiting at Kerbin, you should be able to get them close enough to the KSC to pretend there is a ground crew awaiting to bring them back to the KSC.

Go nuts with it. Have fun!!

Now it makes me want to put a bus in orbit around Kerbin as a rescue craft on permanent stand-by.

[Padishar]

When you get good at deorbiting at Kerbin, you should be able to get them close enough to the KSC to pretend there is a ground crew awaiting to bring them back to the KSC.

No, when you get good at deorbiting you will put it down on the lawn outside the astronaut complex...

[cantab]

Now the challege becomes ... how MANY kerbals can you rescue at one time?

There's a challenge at the moment with a bunch of stranded Kerbals across the system. Rescuing them all in one trip would be quite the achievement.