Floating Base Help

[ScottyDoesKnow]

I'm trying to make a floating base for Laythe but I'm running into a ton of problems, mainly it exploding every time I try to load it up. I'll land a landing pad (big square of panels with the cylinder structural pieces underneath) with a small probe/parachutes/engine coupled on top. After landing, the probe/parachute/engines module takes off and explodes somewhere.

I've noticed that after landing, the craft is listed as "Splashed Down" in the tracking station and everything is fine. But once I decouple the probe on top, it's now listed as "Landed" in the tracking station. If I try to load it up, it'll look good for half a second, then it'll drop to the bottom of the water. Seems like a fix to make sure your bases don't fall or get stuck underground when they change topography.

Anyone know how to prevent it from becoming "landed"?

[sdj64]

You could try building in a probe core and some RTGs into the base platform. It sounds like it might be classified as debris if you decouple the only probe core and go crash it somewhere.

[ScottyDoesKnow]

You could try building in a probe core and some RTGs into the base platform. It sounds like it might be classified as debris if you decouple the only probe core and go crash it somewhere.

The pad does have a probe, and I've tried controlling from both when separating, no luck.

[locustgate]

Do you use girder struts, they tend to explode if they don't connect, end/sphere to end/sphere.