How do you save stranded kerbals?

[Mr Tiddles]

when you get the mission get a kerbal in space, how does it work?

[Pecan]

Sticky thread at the top of the page: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/87518-21-Jul-KSP-First-Contract-%28v0-24%29-Frequently-Asked-Questions

1) Send up a ship with a spare seat inside for the Kerbal to get into.

2) Rendezvous with the Kerbal.

3) Use '[' and ']' to switch between vehicles so you can control the Kerbal.

4) Use the Kerbal's RCS-pack ® to manoeuvre to the ship, grab (F when prompted) and board it (F again, if needed).

5) Land the ship.

Edit: Added the word 'inside' to point one so Alshain can complete the mission *grin*

Edited October 10, 2014 by Pecan

[Alshain]

Last time I tried you could not complete all the objectives with an external seat.

[tater]

This needs to be addressed in 0.26. Yes, you can google the keycap, but it is not the least bit clear that the "][" keys will work, since you cannot switch in tracking station view because the astronaut is not "owned" by you. say there was multiplayer, would using those keys allow you to control another player's ship? No.

[Zylark]

Easy way is to have the 1 seat capsule with some kind of probe attached so as to fly it unmanned. When on the launchpad, go to map-view, select the stranded kerbal as a target and wait until he is above KSC (they always seem to be in an equatorial orbit). Take a note of the Kerbals altidude. Then launch and aim for an AP some 20km below the orbit of the stranded Kerbal. Once at AP, get circular and then simply plot an intercept to the Kerbal. Once within a few hundred meters, equalize relative velocities, switch over to control the Kerbal and then just maneuver him to the rescue-capsule and enter it. De-orbiting is a breeze, point the craft retrograde, and burn about 200dV. If you've forgotten to attach parachutes, you got a problem a bit later on