Can a payload be launched unfueled?

[OhioBob]

Is there a way to launch a payload with the propellant tanks empty? Instead of building an enormous launch vehicle to lift my payload fully fueled, I'd rather launch it unfueled on a smaller rocket. I could then launch a couple follow-on missions to rendezvous with it and fuel it in orbit. If anybody knows how to do this, your help is appreciated? (I suspect I might have to edit the ".craft" file.)

Edited November 21, 2014 by OhioBob
Changed to answered

[Pecan]

Yes, there is no problem with launching payloads with empty tanks. All you have to do is right-click the tanks and adjust the amount of fuel in the VAB/SPH.

[Belphegor]

you can drag the green bar when you right click the tank to adjust the amount of fuel it holds at launch

ninja'd

Edited November 21, 2014 by Belphegor

[Superfluous J]

If you're willing to mod, I'd suggest you get TAC fuel balancer or (My preferred fuel balancing mod) Goodspeed Fuel Pumps. Then instead of launching your ship empty, you can leave it full and just not use as large a lifter. Before launch, set all the fuel to pump out of your ship into the booster, and if you've worked it all out, by the time you get to orbit it'll be dry, and you'll have saved some cash, mass, and headaches on your booster stage.

I've actually sent up large ships with just little dinky fuel tanks attached to mainsails and LV909s. The fuel tanks were there only as a target for Goodspeed to pump fuel to, the vast lion's share of fuel came from the craft I was lifting.

Edited November 21, 2014 by 5thHorseman

[tomf]

Or in stock you can try running a fuel pipe down from your payload to a lower stage, that way you need to have fewer tanks on your booster saving a bit of money.

[Superfluous J]

Or in stock you can try running a fuel pipe down from your payload to a lower stage, that way you need to have fewer tanks on your booster saving a bit of money.

The problem with that is, your ship will forever have a fuel line connection marring its otherwise pristine surface, which admittedly isn't that big a deal but always REALLY bugs me.

[GoSlash27]

OhioBob,

Yep, just as the others here said. I do the same thing all the time.

Best,

-Slashy

[FunnyBunny14]

Right click on a fuel tank (or use Alt and right click) and then use Alt and right click on another fuel tank (but no more than 2 tanks selected or else it can't be done). Once you've done that you'll see two buttons. In, and out. I'm fairly certain those functions speak for themselves. As long as you then have fuel left in your craft, you can pump fuel (and oxidizer) into the payload.

[OhioBob]

Thanks, guys. I thought those green bars where just indicators, didn't realize they were sliders. I'll consider some of the other suggestions as well.

[Zylark]

The problem with that is, your ship will forever have a fuel line connection marring its otherwise pristine surface, which admittedly isn't that big a deal but always REALLY bugs me.

You and me both. I got the same obsessive refusal to have strut remnants on my pristine ships.

More on topic, sending up payloads dry is pretty simple. As have been mentioned there are several ways of doing this. Empty the tanks before launch, or use payload tanks as fuel-source for your first stage by means of mods - like Goodspeed Fuel Pump that is a must have either way to cut down on tedious manual fuel transfers. Especially useful for when using in orbit Fuel Depots and such. Just dock, and fuel is transferred automatically according to how you've configured your fuel tanks. Now if only Goodspeed would include other resources like say Life Support and such...