Do you design your space stations before you construct them?

[Blind Dead McJones]

This is just something that I thought about. Before I accidentally deleted it, the one space station I had was an improvised design that I mostly made to learn docking.

I think it looks very different from the stations I see other people make. So how do you design your stations and bases? From a blueprint or the seat of your pants?

[Rabada]

Generally I only do this if I'm designing a large orbital power plant for Interstellar mod. Btw, the select root mod is useful for designing space stations this way

[bobcook]

Nope, just let stations evolve as it suits me. I create new modules that look interesting or might be challenging to assemble, then throw them into orbit and see what happens. Have made some really interesting stuff, and also become very good at docking odd things together.

[Jouni]

I prefer making my space stations functional these days. This is a good example of my design principles:

Basically it's just some docking ports, a probe core, and a power supply. I usually have a fuel tanker assigned to the station to make it useful as a refueling base. Most stations also have some kind of habitation module for storing spare kerbals. Then I start collecting ships drifting around at random orbits to the station, until I run out of docking ports.

[TerLoki]

A little of both. I primarily play career and, as a consequence, build all my space stations in it. Now I always have a rough "layout" when I start designing, and it's usually follows a similar pattern between stations. But plans change based on how well one space station is doing compared to the others, mods that get added, or even simply parts that get unlocked.

A good example from my last career is Libra Station, a research/kethane refining platform built mid-way through that career around Minmus; and Capricorn Station, same deal, but without the kethane facilities and built around the Mun later in career. Libra came out looking a bit junkier and more haphazard, using Gigantor solar arrays that were poorly aligned, requiring docking adapters to be shipped up at one point, and with the "level" system I usually use (crew modules on one plane, unpressurized utilities on another) being totally screwed up pretty much from day one. Libra was, basically, a bigger modular Skylab compared to Capricorn's ISS.

Edited May 1, 2014 by TerLoki

[O-Doc]

I design in the VAB. If the whole thing doesn't fit in the VAB or SPH then, I design in sections. I really need to get a good eyeball on the thing before it goes into space. I need to make sure CoM and potential CoT points are where they should be in case it needs orbital adjustments. Part of the fun is then figuring how to break the thing down, send it into space and put it back together again. Not to mention designing the builder crafts that are going to have to put long, floppy, asymmetrical parts into perfect alignment.

[TerLoki]

I design in the VAB. If the whole thing doesn't fit in the VAB or SPH then, I design in sections. I really need to get a good eyeball on the thing before it goes into space. I need to make sure CoM and potential CoT points are where they should be in case it needs orbital adjustments. Part of the fun is then figuring how to break the thing down, send it into space and put it back together again. Not to mention designing the builder crafts that are going to have to put long, floppy, asymmetrical parts into perfect alignment.

I hear that. That's part of the reason I settled on my "no bigger than a two hitchhikers and a Mk. 2 lander can" yardstick for all modules (packed) other than the core. Helps keep things simple. Of course I can't really do that for fuel transfer tanks since those are all made of Rockomax 64s with extra doodads to help maneuver.

[undercoveryankee]

My first station started out as a rough Skylab/Salyut equivalent, mainly intended to test transposition, docking, and extraction before I started doing Apollo-style Mun landings. Then I needed to start putting Extraplanetary Launchpads stuff in orbit, so I just stuck modules on wherever they would fit. Ended up with a bunch of docking ports that I can't use because they're too close together.

I'm building a second generation of space stations now, and this time I started with a list of capabilities I want to have, so I can plan where I'm going to put everything.

[Random Tank]

Yeah I do

(This is filler)

[qromodynmc]

Kinda. Not exact design though,like I plan 4 stages,Rcs module,Electricity module,crew module,and fuel module.

[Frank_G]

I used to design my stations prior to the mission, but after some months of gaming, all my stations looked somewhat the same. I then returned to just launching a predesigned station core or main truss and add stuff according to the current needs. The results are more satisfying and unpredictable and it creates more interesting gameplay as you sometimes need to rearrange the modules before being able to attach new parts.

[Superfluous J]

I too just have a rough idea of what I want, and build it in the VAB/SPH and see how it goes there.

I do frequently build the entire thing in the hangar and then split it into pieces for launch and assembly.

And no, my stations almost never end up looking anything like I expected them to, as I change them all the time - usually before I've even launched the whole thing into orbit.

[Sufficient Anonymity]

I tend to mock them up in the VAB, then split them into subassemblies, launch and redock. I do the same with my interplanetary ships, which, incidentally, tend to end up sharing some station components - I have standardised fuel and habitation/science blocks, then specialised sections, like drive stages and shields which only get used with vessels, and reactor blocks, which only get used as part of a station.

[flightmaster]

Trial and error for me! I think about it in my head for a while, build it and then send her up! Usually ends up with me getting annoyed at myself for having to launch seven versions of the same basic structure because of certain elements that I've forgotten. I should really utilise a checklist type method but each station is unique so it can be a bit tricky to figure out what needs to go on and what doesn't

[Kerbonautical]

Generally I only do this if I'm designing a large orbital power plant for Interstellar mod. Btw, the select root mod is useful for designing space stations this way

I tried Interstellar the other day and really didn't get along with it. So many parts, so little explanation. It seems all encompassing but it needs better descriptions. Plus the Alcubierre is step too far from reality for me personally since it's supposedly more or less impossible in practice for many many reasons.

On topic: my stations get designed on the fly. Just last night I realized that the Munar station I placed in a polar orbit to scan for Kethane would be of little use to me now that the Kethane has been mapped, so I sent up an engine to push it into a horizontal orbit since it didn't have any form of propulsion.. I like having to try and work around my short sighted failures personally so I never over think it. Though I do have a number of template designs that I regularly return to such as the one-size-fits-all docking module that has something for everyone.

[RW-1]

I tend to have a heavy launcher subassembly already set.

I quickly put together a tug at top, and then begin on my "Module" of the day, week, whatever strikes me.

Kerbal Station One is a giant, and it will be interesting to see if it holds together if/when I try to take it out to the Mun or minimus.

For the next one, I plan on having smaller modules as described above with all necessary items so they could separate and function as mini-stations all on their own, then if planned right you could assemble in orbit, take it out to say, Jool, break them off one to each moon, etc.

It's fun building for buildings sake.

[Taki117]

I tend to do a little of both. I will make a basic plan as to what modules I want, but once it gets into orbit, it's anything goes, whether it looks good or not.

[cantab]

For my only station so far I designed a station core to start with, which I'll then add modules to as and when takes my fancy. I wanted the core to be big, have the main fuel and monoprop storage, and go up in a single launch without stretching belief too much which meant it couldn't be shaped like a wheel or a pancake.

Eventually this is what I came up with. It barely fit in the VAB and was launched fully fuelled. I'd planned on using four lifter cores but had the subassemblies with the wrong root nodes so just did two cores and added some SRBs.

And in orbit:

I've yet to actually add any modules, not counting the semi-permanently docked space bus there now with five Kerbals aboard.

[Funkestech]

Well I try to, I really do, but I always end up with something totally different, I guess you just can't foresee every unexpected situation, but that's good, that makes the simulation more enjoyable for me.

[Tortoise]

I draw how I want it to look, then build it in space.

[LethalDose]

I usually sketch out ideas so I can figure out how to break the station into modular chunks for launch, and have an idea of how it will all go together in situ. I dislike launching parts to later find out there are CoM issues if/when the station needs to rotate, or the solar panels are poorly positions, or other similar, mundane complications.

[Zylark]

In my current career, my stations are not overly planned per-se, but they do follow a basic recipe, and parts (modules) are bolted on according to what that station is supposed to do. All my stations start out as one of the new huge tanks as the core. This got large docking ports in either end for modules, and radially three large docking ports for fuel tanks that can be attached and detached.

Kerbin Station:

Main function is to receive crews from missions and then send them back down in a return vehicle - which is basically just a one or three man capsule with some tiny engine bits attached. None of my actual craft are supposed (or designed) to de-orbit Kerbin with the exception of the science samples return vehicle, that deorbits three science-jr pods plus a kerbal at a time.

As such, this got plenty of space for crew, and four inline docking ports in the back for return-capsules to park.

Mun Station:

Supposed to refine kethane. Tried first with one large converter, decided it was too slow, and sent up another converter module that I placed in the middle.

Duna Station:

Does refining and science. Having learned from Mun that a good refinery needs two large converters, this got designed with that from the get-go. At the far end is also a science lab and a little docking hub. This one does not feature the large-truss docking ports extensions of Kerbin or Mun stations, as all the parts had to not get caught in the engine-exhaust blast of the crafts that hauled the modules to Duna.

Kerbin Biofuel Station:

The odd one of the bunch, as it do not follow the basic design of the others. The reason for this, is this being a highly specialized station with just one basic task: Create fuel from Greenhouses. It's not quite complete though, it produces fuel too slow. So It'll probably more or less double in size and capacity.

Edited May 2, 2014 by Zylark

[Robotengineer]

I don;t really design, I have modules I know I want to put on, but other than that, its sort of whatever.

[StrandedonEarth]

De-what? The Kerbal way is to just slap it together and hope it works!

[Aragosnat]

Depends on how far away the station will be. Those that are going to orbit around other planets tend to either be really small with out RSC thrusters (20-30 tons) will still have monoproellent or really large for me at least and will usually have at least one or two full fuel tanks or at the very least have easy spots to dock with so the tanker can top them off hopefully.

The other type is stuck around Kerbin as assembling it in pieces is a lot easier to do in Kerbin's SOI then OMG I missed my launch window and also tend to be used to help store fuel so Kerbin outbound crafts can top off before leaving. This type also has the pusher for the core being able to be removed so it can swapped out for other parts as well as prevent accidental engaging of thrusters effect.