Ways of attaching payload to your rocket

[phemark]

Hi,

I have no problem lifting several payloads and releasing them one-by-one in space.

However, I want to have payloads attached next to each other. For instance, I want to send 2-3 satellites to Duna (+- identical ones, so same weight distribution), but I want them stacked one next to each other, and not one on top of each other. I tried using those cubic structural things, but they dont attach the way I would like them (they seem not to attach with each other sideways).

So:

1) How do you attach your payloads? Always vertically, or horizontally as well? Any other ways?

2) Ways of attaching payload horizontally/next to each other?

And slightly different question:

3) When creating rovers in VOB, how to know how it will be connected once in subassembly? How can I make it connectible in that place, where I want it?

Thanks!

Edited April 25, 2014 by phemark

[Osprey]

Radial docking ports and attach them that way?

[FREEFALL1984]

if its just something like a satellite which I never intend to refuel or recover I just use radial decouplers but then you need to account for the weight of the decoupler itself in your design to make sure the centre of mass stays central. but as osprey said, radial attachement points with a docking port on work just fine, you just need to make sure you have the design of the satellite nicely balanced.

Most of the time though if im setting up comms networks, its simply easier to have everything stacked vertically,

[Mystique]

For multiple small probes I use modded multicouplers (from Near Future Propulsion Pack, if I remember it right) which converts 1.25/2.5 m node to bunch of smaller nodes, which allows to stick up to 8 small probes vertically in "crown" styled way. I don't like stacking things in one line, because it makes craft too long, woobly and unstable during maneuvers. The only disadvantage is that if I detach one of the probes and then maneuver with main craft, its center of mass will be swayed to either side, but it's not a problem if you have SAS and/or RCS with enough torque.

Attaching subassembly may be tricky, it all relies on your root part, which will not be included in subassembly during saving and next part that is attached to root/first part, which will become subassembly's attachment point. Easy stock way: create docking port or any other part which won't be part of your final design, but imagine that this is port of main carrier craft you're attaching your rover to. When you'll detach rover from this first unneeded root part and save it as a subassembly, it'll become attachable by part that was attached directly to this docking port (let it be another docking port, but this one is a part of your actual rover).

Or you may use mod that allows to change "root" part, which, in turn, will allow to easily make any part of subassembly attachable (though with a little practice).

[Osprey]

For multiple small probes I use modded multicouplers (from Near Future Propulsion Pack, if I remember it right) which converts 1.25/2.5 m node to bunch of smaller nodes, which allows to stick up to 8 small probes vertically in "crown" styled way. I don't like stacking things in one line, because it makes craft too long, woobly and unstable during maneuvers.(though with a little practice).

You could do this with the stack adapters that convert 2.5m to 3-4x 1.25 stacks. Flip it upside down and place on the top of the rocket, put a docking port on top of each of these and stick a probe each on to those?

[Garek]

And slightly different question:

3) When creating rovers in VOB, how to know how it will be connected once in subassembly? How can I make it connectible in that place, where I want it?

There are, as far as I know, two ways of creating a subassembly:

a) separating a sub-tree from your current vehicle

grabbing your current vehicle by it's root

in case a), the sub-tree, and in turn the subassembly can only be attached with the same node it was previously attached with. E.g. you have a stack of capsule, 6-way-hub, fuel tank. Now you take hub and tank and save them as a subassembly. Since you split the sub-tree off at the node connecting the hub to the capsule, the subassembly can now only be attached with that node

in case , you should be able to attach the subassembly with any open node of the root part which can also be normally used to attach that part.

In any case, keep some things in mind:

1) KSP crafts and subassemblies are always structured as trees, and attachment rules are mostly what you would expect from a (abstract and very simply implemented) tree, not neccesarrily from a spacecraft. E.g. there is a significant difference between a part being attached to a craft, and a part being the reciever of such attachement.

2) for some inexplicable reason, a part can have only two nodes with which it can be attached to a vessel, while a less limited number of nodes can allow other parts to attach to that part in turn

3) if you reattach a subassembly it basically behaves as if you had manually attached all the parts of it. Which also means that all open nodes of the subassembly, even if they can't be used to attach the subassembly, can be used to attach to the subassembly once it's reattached.

4) There is a mod, SelectRoot, where you can change the root of your craft-tree and it will rebuild the tree accordingly. It can really help with tricking KSP into creating the structure you want.

5) Just a word of caution: Unusual Roots, e.g. building a rocket from the engine up instead of from the capsule down, can lead to weird behaviour.

Really, the crafts being structured as trees, with practically no editor support for reorganizing that tree, is a giant PITA. I can see why they save crafts as trees, and especially now with so much already built based on that structure I would not want them changing it, but a little bit more support in the editor and less hidden implications would be nice.

[Mystique]

You could do this with the stack adapters that convert 2.5m to 3-4x 1.25 stacks. Flip it upside down and place on the top of the rocket, put a docking port on top of each of these and stick a probe each on to those?

Yep, it's the same idea. But those modded parts really look much better (I really don't like the look of stock ones), are low-profile and have up to 8 small nodes at enough distance to stick all those probes together.

[phemark]

Thanks for answers, will try them later:)

[Osprey]

Yep, it's the same idea. But those modded parts really look much better (I really don't like the look of stock ones), are low-profile and have up to 8 small nodes at enough distance to stick all those probes together.

Ah, I see, that's where we differ then, as I only use stock parts. Well, with the exception of the Kerbal Space Coffin.

[Dkmdlb]

It might be a little difficult to see, but you can see a pair of small lander probes with toroidal and oscar-b tanks hanging from the structure left of the solar panels. That's one way to deliver multiple probes.

http://i.imgur.com/IyureJ6.jpg

[BudgetHedgehog]

<snip>

http://i.imgur.com/IyureJ6.jpg

Oooh... where d'ya get the sun glint from?!

[SRV Ron]

On this modified Jool rocket are eight probes connected with stack separators. You launch the probes separately either with action groups or by right clicking on the stack separator. Then just use the [ ] keys to select the probe for control. Get too far away, go to map mode and find the probe or mothership to switch back to control.

In the example below, an ion powered probe has been launched and is now under control. The Mothership is in the distance.

In the second example, a rocket powered probe has been launched. The ion probe and Mothership are far away being id as distance markers. Map mode will be needed to select them for control.

Edited April 25, 2014 by SRV Ron

[Claw]

I tried using those cubic structural things, but they dont attach the way I would like them (they seem not to attach with each other sideways).

They do attach to eachother sideways. Except that you have to surface attach it instead of stack attaching to the node. So touch the mouse to the surface you want to stick it on, then rotate as desired. I will usually then place a decoupler on the stack node of the cubic strut and build (or attach a subassembly) from there.