Vessel recovery.

[velve]

Hi again sorry for being a bother, I've run into a bit of a problem. I hope the forums don't get angry at things like too much posting and such, this is a very difficult game lol.

So first of all....I landed on the MUN for the first time!!!!! Completely manual and without any mods, very happy about this and proud. But anyway I decided to take the chance and recover my samples in the hope that I could make it back to Kerbin, unfortunately I only had 1 and a half tiny tanks of fuel to exit the MUN. after many many failed attempts I managed to break out of its gravitation at about 770m/s which I account as being quite lucky as that is as I ran out of fuel.

So now I'm caught up in Kerbins orbit and my plan is to do a rescue mission of some sort to recover the +- 200 research points on this out of fuel vessel. I really need the points see. Luckily it is caught in a flat orbit over Kerbin space station, I have no idea how but it's good news. So how would I go about doing this? The stranded ship/vessel has no docking port is there any other way I can save this excursion as I am very proud of it? The research is....almost sentimental of value too haha

[Alshain]

Use the claw to grab it and drag it back home. It works on more than just asteroids.

BTW those fuel tanks should have gotten you back from the Mun. Tips for that include :

1. Don't over thrust. It doesn't take much to get from the surface to orbit, you only need ~8km to be safe. I think the max elevation is 7200 something.

2. If your orbiting the Mun equatorial in the same direction the Mun orbits Kerbin (i.e. you took off at a 90 degree incline from pretty much anywhere but the polar regions), wait till your craft is directly between the Mun and kerbin and burn prograde, this will take your perigee perfectly into Kerbin's atmosphere with a very short burn. If your orbiting the opposite direction, start with your craft on the far side and it will do the same.

Edited June 17, 2014 by Alshain

[LethalDose]

If the vessel is in orbit near a station, I would ditch the vessel (sorry), and have your kerbonaut EVA, gather all the science from the vessel, then spacewalk over to your station. Then send up a rescue vessel to the station and bring the science and your kerbonaut home.

You could also get out and push the vessel with the EVA: basically, EVA and run into it retrograde over and over until you knock the periapsis down into the atmosphere.

[Alshain]

If the vessel is in orbit near a station, I would ditch the vessel (sorry), and have your kerbonaut EVA, gather all the science from the vessel, then spacewalk over to your station. Then send up a rescue vessel to the station and bring the science and your kerbonaut home.

Except recovery of a vessel that landed on the moon is worth science!

[Taki117]

...

You could also get out and push the vessel with the EVA: basically, EVA and run into it retrograde over and over until you knock the periapsis down into the atmosphere.

This! Point your craft retrograde, gather all the science into the pod, decouple the pod (So that Jeb isn't pushing things that he doesn't need to) then push against the back of the pod. Leave yourself some EVA propellant to get back into the capsule and refill. Rinse and Repeat as much as necessary to get below 69.1Km (Though if you can I would get down to at least 45km)

[LethalDose]

Except recovery of a vessel that landed on the moon is worth science!

Yeah, but it's worth jack stuck in orbit. I know the OP would rather bring it back, hence the parenthetical apology, but sometimes you gotta make choices. It's "a bird in bush" kinda thing.

The claw is also a good idea, but I got the impression that was beyond his current tech level.

[Claw]

Congrats on getting to the Mun!

This does sound like it's a good opportunity to learn how to get out and push (like others have suggested).

Taki said this, but it's important. If you try this, just make absolutely sure you keep track of the EVA fuel. You wouldn't be the first to strand a ketbal without EVA fuel, and that's even more of a pain to rescue.

Hi again sorry for being a bother, I've run into a bit of a problem. I hope the forums don't get angry at things like too much posting and such, this is a very difficult game lol.

You don't need to apologize for asking questions. Just be nice about it. If others get angry with you it's their problem and it'll get sorted out.

[bdito]

Do you have any mono propellant and RCS thrusters left? You can use those. The H key will thrust prograde and the N key retrograde (when facing your prograde vector indicator).

Otherwise I'd try to push it like Lethaldose said or build a recovery vehicle with the claw on it. I've used the claw to deorbit debris. Use the claw to dock with it, turn retrograde, burn until your on a collision course with kerbin, detach, take over control of your stranded vessel and land. Let the recovery vehicle crash and burn,

[velve]

Right thanks guys! So the methods include the claw or pushing with EVA(this is an interesting one thanks). This is all really cool this game doesn't stop amazing me.

The claw is indeed a bit out of my tech level at the moment I can see it but I need 100 research more. So I like this option I think with the EVA I will just send my poor kerbal into the sun.

Also about the thrust issue I have been having. It is now gone, I cannot beleive I did not familiarize myself with the manouvre mechanic. I used it to get within something like 1000m orbit around Minmus. Now to build up research for the claw. Its funny, I had one successful trip to the moon, after that about 20+ failed attempts.

Thanks for the help guys

[SRV Ron]

Congratulations on landing on Mun with its uneven surface and difficult reference to actual distance from the surface.

Would like to see a pic of your moon ship to see if anything else is needed, or you just need to fine tune your flying skills.

[Kerba Fett]

Congratulations on your Mun landing. It sounds like you're in the early stages of your career so for your next trip you may want to head to Minmus. Although its farther, it only takes a bit more fuel to get there and you save way more fuel getting to the surface and back to Kerbin because of its much lower gravity.

There are large totally flat areas to land on and you EVA pack can easily take you on 10km excursions from your lander to get samples from nearby biomes.

You also get more science points for EVA's, surface samples and any other science you do there.

Edited June 17, 2014 by Kerba Fett