Rescue Mission

[arkie87]

So in 0.90, you get rescue missions before you can set the poor kerbal as a target. I think i need to upgrade mission control to get patched conics, but i dont see anywhere what i need to be able to set a target (unless that's patched conics as well).

I was wondering if anyone tried rescuing someone without patched conics... i tried but kept on overcorrecting until i was nearly out of fuel ...

Edited December 18, 2014 by arkie87

[Taki117]

Patched conics aren't required, (I don't think) however, maneuver nodes are extremely helpful. Fortunately, you can leave your poor kerbal up there for a while (until the contract expires, so something on the order of years) You should however, be able to set him as a target without a need to upgrade anything.

[wolfedg]

Im having a different problem, I managed to get a fairly close approach to the poor kerbal 16 ish km, but i cannot switch to him. I even tried going to the tracking station and the launch button for him is grayed out. Im wondering if you have to be able to eva to do it as im not far along in upgrades. But if that is the case then why am i offered the contract? Sadly my ship is out of elecrical power b/c of the long rendezvous, so modifying its trajectory is not an option until a kerbal is onboard.

Edited December 16, 2014 by wolfedg

[MartGonzo]

Im having a different problem, I managed to get a fairly close approach to the poor kerbal 16 ish km, but i cannot switch to him. I even tried going to the tracking station and the launch button for him is grayed out. Im wondering if you have to be able to eva to do it as im not far along in upgrades.

16 km isn't close enough to be able to switch to the kerbal, I think you need to be less than 3 km before you can take control of them.

[colonel0sanders]

So in 0.90, you get rescue missions before you can set the poor kerbal as a target. I think i need to upgrade mission control to get patched conics, but i dont see anywhere what i need to be able to set a target (unless that's patched conics as well).

I was wondering if anyone tried rescuing someone without patched conics... i tried but kept on overcorrecting until i was nearly out of fuel ...

You can set the guy as target, but you can't do it from the map or tracking station. If you can get close enough to see him in the distance (50km? maybe 25km) then you can doubleclick to set as target. I managed to rescue one person like this.

[Taki117]

16 km isn't close enough to be able to switch to the kerbal, I think you need to be less than 3 km before you can take control of them.

To expand on this you need to be within 2.5km (I think it's 2.2km on approach) before you can switch.

[RexKramer]

The rescue missions are quite challenging without Tracking Station upgrades. It is possible to complete them, but the difficulty certainly is motivation to upgrade the Tracking Station. This is intended, so that upgrading the Tracking Station is not just to make it look better, but also to give it added functionality.

[Frank327]

You can set the guy as target, but you can't do it from the map or tracking station. If you can get close enough to see him in the distance (50km? maybe 25km) then you can doubleclick to set as target. I managed to rescue one person like this.

This is true and very important. If you've done these rescue missions before with patched conics and manouvre nodes you can do a decent job of it without them. If you can guess your way to being some 25-50km away, get out of map mode and double click the kerbal in the distance. From there it's just as difficult as it always is. When I accepted the mission without thinking too much about it I was also afraid that I wouldn't be able to complete it but it was surprisingly doable.

[WanderingKid]

A few ideas for anyone trying to do a rescue without upgrades:

- Wait. Yup, wait. Put the rescue lander on the pad and wait until ImLost Kermin is directly overhead. The idea is you want to pull into an orbit a little lower than them right behind them.

- Before you launch, Mouse over their Apo and Perios and find out what height you need to aim for. When you get to 60-65k (best Isp), throttle back up and push your Apo to the Perio.

- Circularize as normal.

- If you haven't caught up to your target beforehand, try to line up your Per and Apo to their Per and Apo. You want to only be 1k off their orbit, slightly behind, slightly lower. Adjust this if you're way off.

- Eventually you'll get in range. Set target, rondevous as normal.

It takes more time but a lot less dV this way. At least for me.

Edited December 16, 2014 by WanderingKid
Slight clarification

[arkie87]

You can set the guy as target, but you can't do it from the map or tracking station. If you can get close enough to see him in the distance (50km? maybe 25km) then you can doubleclick to set as target. I managed to rescue one person like this.

Oh wow. That is very good to know. I tried doing it in map mode, but it wouldnt let me, like you said. Didnt know i could do it in staging screen. Thanks!

[Francesco]

An old trick for Kerbin rendezvous without maneuver nodes is this equation:

(Difference in orbit altitude / 5) x 12 = Distance from target at which to perform an Hohmann transfer burn

So if the stranded Kerbal is on a 100km circular orbit and I put my ship on a 75km circular orbit, I'll wait to be 60km behind it to raise my apoapsis.

[crdriggs]

Im having a different problem, I managed to get a fairly close approach to the poor kerbal 16 ish km, but i cannot switch to him. I even tried going to the tracking station and the launch button for him is grayed out. Im wondering if you have to be able to eva to do it as im not far along in upgrades. But if that is the case then why am i offered the contract? Sadly my ship is out of elecrical power b/c of the long rendezvous, so modifying its trajectory is not an option until a kerbal is onboard.

I can park my ship right next to the kerbal in orbit, but how do you switch over to control him?