How to Save a Kerbal drifting in space?

[JedTech]

Clumsy Jeb underestimated how much Mono-propellant he needed, thus he is now floating helplessly in solar orbit.

I can get rendezvous with him using a rescue spacecraft. But once I am right next to him, what can I do? He can't fly over and grab the ladder. So, any suggestions on how to get Jeb into a rescue ship if I send one?

Details:

• Early career mode (no ladders or command seats available)
  
• KAS, DRE, and FAR installed
  
• For fun, I want to save Jeb before I am allowed to unlock any more science.
  

Edited June 12, 2014 by JedTech
Answered

[entaran]

Depends how good you are at fine piloting. It's possible to extend a ladder from the side of your spacecraft and edge it close enough that when you hit ] to swap to jeb, he can hit f for grab.

Alternatively, use an asteroid claw and ram him.

[Oafman]

Build a ship with a big funnel on the front, and a door at the bottom of the funnel (eg a lander can on its side or something). Move up to Jeb so he gets caught in the funnel, and slides down to the door, then switch to him and grab. Then share entertaining pics with us!

[QPDO]

Has anyone tried to use KAS to get another kerbal to Jeb, place a connector on him and tow hin in ? I actually haven't checked of you can put KAS parts from one EVA on another.

[Claw]

Yeah, a scoop option works pretty well if you can't quite pilot the ladder to Jeb. If you do try to pilot the ladder to him, be careful not to send him spinning away because then it's a real pain.

If you don't want to build a funnel/scoop on the front, you can also send up an external command seat. They have a bit bigger boarding radius.

Also, if you send a capsule/can to save him make sure there is avtually space. Daring rescue kerbals often like to stow away. You wouldn't be the first to execute a heroic rescue mission only to find out after you got there that there are no empty seats.

[Boffinbox]

you need to have a "home" craft with empty seat, and a detatchable rcs probe with ladders attatched all over it. fly near the stranded kerbal with the probe and then switch over and grab the ladder. fly the probe back to the home craft, and you know what to do.

[Kasuha]

Build a ship with command seat. Then get the seat near him, switch to Jeb, right-click on the seat and click Board.

If you build your ship with two seats, you can send another crew member to the other seat and then you can transfer some EVA propellant to Jeb's backpack.

[Pecan]

...then you can transfer some EVA propellant to Jeb's backpack.

Oooh, I didn't know Kerbals could transfer RCS fuel. Same way as transferring between tanks, I assume? Right-click one then alt-right-click the other?

[JedTech]

Oooh, I didn't know Kerbals could transfer RCS fuel. Same way as transferring between tanks, I assume? Right-click one then alt-right-click the other?

I didn't know that either. I'll try that out. The game save I am playing in is extremely early in career mode, so I don't have ladders (other than the ones built into the pod), and I don't have command seats.

[Kasuha]

I didn't know that either. I'll try that out. The game save I am playing in is extremely early in career mode, so I don't have ladders (other than the ones built into the pod), and I don't have command seats.

In that case it might be good idea to leave the rescue for later when you have more technology. If he is in solar orbit it will take some time to catch up to him and doing a few Mun/Minmus missions to raise your tech first will not make that mission significantly delayed.

[cantab]

Even without extra ladders, you can still fly so the command pod is close enough that you can switch to Jeb and grab it. It's difficult - it will probably be one of the most challenging things you do in KSP - but it's possible.

[JedTech]

Haha! Are we comparing this Ladder rescue mission to other tremendously difficult feats such as round trips to Tylo and Eve?