Question about space stations.

[MaybeADragon]

If I send a small remote aircraft to dock with a space station and then send everyone inside back to Kerbin, can I control the station via the small remote control ship I sent to the station?

[daniu]

Yes.

But depending on from where you docked, the navball may be twisted; it always considers "control module's top" to be the periapsis reference.

That means that if you docked to the front, it's upside down; if you docked radially, it's to the side.

[Starwhip]

Yes. And if you right-click on a capsule, you can select, "control from here" and fix the navball.

[MaybeADragon]

Community of the year, love you guys. THANKS!

[airbus a320]

Once you dock something to the station it becomes a single spaceship. If there is at least one powered unmanned command module (remote guidance unit, probocowtfcodyne, stayputnik...) attached to your station you can control it.

[Claw]

As long as there is a probe core and power anywhere on the ship, you can control it.

Note that your station could show up as debris depending on the circumstances for your kerbals leaving. Best case, you will have to turn off the debris filter to find your station. Worst case, if your debris is set to 0 your station might be deleted.

It will not be marked as debris if there is a probe core attached before your kerbals leave.

[daniu]

It will not be marked as debris if there is a probe core attached before your kerbals leave.

When is it marked as a Space Station btw?

Mine is shown as a normal craft.

[cantab]

It's a good idea to have a probe core ss part of the "core" of the station, ensuring it will not become debris.

If you let it run out of electricity you'll lose control, but you can always fix that by docking a power supply to it.

[Claw]

When is it marked as a Space Station btw?

Mine is shown as a normal craft.

Right click on any controlling part (probe core or pod) and select "Rename Vessel". You can select the craft type from the popup.

[Starwhip]

When is it marked as a Space Station btw?

If you right click, there is an option to rename your craft. The little symbols underneath the rename bar let you change the category; it doesn't do that automatically.

[cantab]

There are some rules about what type of craft the game assigns automatically, depending on what parts are on it. I don't know them all, but having a lander can makes it a lander, and the external command seat seems to make it a rover. It may still be that nothing makes it automatically a station or a base.

[Pecan]

There are some easy rules too - If it's in the sky it's a ship or a station. If it goes out of control blame the computer and make it a probe. If it falls out of the sky it becomes a lander; briefly. If it survives it's a base, unless it's moving, in which case it's a rover. if I make it it is debris ^^

[Othuyeg]

My personal advice is to always put a probe core on your space station if you are unsure if you are going to have it manned at all times or you are planning to do crew transfers of any sort.