New SAS = Happy Docking :)

[Carsogen]

I personally haven't tried it yet, but it seems to me that the new SAS tracking modes (prograde, normal etc.) could make it sooooo much easier to dock on orbit.

Previously I found the easiest way was to line up both crafts North-South (in equatorial orbits these don't move like prograde/retrograde) and dock from there, but with auto direction tracking it could be possible to easily maintain orientation while maneuvering craft .

I just wanted to talk about this because my first dock (I still remember it, spaceplane) was one of my greatest moments in early KSP . Anyone else agree?

Cas.

[Daid]

I personally haven't tried it yet, but it seems to me that the new SAS tracking modes (prograde, normal etc.) could make it sooooo much easier to dock on orbit.

Previously I found the easiest way was to line up both crafts North-South (in equatorial orbits these don't move like prograde/retrograde) and dock from there, but with auto direction tracking it could be possible to easily maintain orientation while maneuvering craft .

I just wanted to talk about this because my first dock (I still remember it, spaceplane) was one of my greatest moments in early KSP . Anyone else agree?

Cas.

I'm wondering if you can use the "keep aligned with target" tracking mode even if the vessel has no focus. Because that would make the docking even easier, as the vessel would just keep rotating the dockingport towards you even if you drift a bit off. (or, could cause a shake of death on your spacestation)

[merendel]

I've used mechjeb's smartASS in the past for this but honestly I dont really need it anymore and I doubt I'll use this stock version much for docking. I just dock with standard stability assist although I do like haveing a mod that adds a proper alignment indicator, either as its own window or to the navball. Properly balanced RCS placement also helps alot. There's also an easy trick for no RCS docking as long as at least 1 of the 2 craft has a docking port lined up with its thrust vector. Get close and kill relitive velocity, swap to non thrusting ship and point its docking port at the other ship, swap back point ship at the now aligned docking port and give a little tap of thrust, perfect dock every time as long as you dont take too long.

[theend3r]

I've put off upgrading until all my mods are updated but this feature seems like MJ's Smart A.S.S. only with less options. Does it keep working even when you switch vessels too?

[KingPhantom]

i'm not sure if i like the fact that pods now dont have SAS... i often only used SAS on bigger crafts... now i have to use it every time. but with the new gizmos i han hide it inside the pod

[Carsogen]

I'm wondering if you can use the "keep aligned with target" tracking mode even if the vessel has no focus.

Yeah I'll have to look in to whether in does that.

Cas.

[psyper]

Yeah I'll have to look in to whether in does that.

Cas.

I've seen people fly planes in formation with the unfocused planes keeping their heading towards the target (the one they have focused) so it sounds like this is possible

[Daid]

I've seen people fly planes in formation with the unfocused planes keeping their heading towards the target (the one they have focused) so it sounds like this is possible

Pretty sure there is also a mod that does this. So that could also explain it.

[vexx32]

Perhaps. I've seen people construct 'formations' of planes using the Offset gizmo in the editor. Functionally one craft, but visually several. It's a neat little trick, hehe.

[EdFred]

Any reason why the SAS disappears?

I create a node to circularize my orbit, click on the node tracking, make my burn. Click the green check on the right of the navball when it's within 0.1, and all of the tracking options on the left vanish.

nevermind SAS evidently turns itself off when you complete a node, and hitting the T key brings it back.

[Liowen]

Any reason why the SAS disappears?

I create a node to circularize my orbit, click on the node tracking, make my burn. Click the green check on the right of the navball when it's within 0.1, and all of the tracking options on the left vanish.

nevermind SAS evidently turns itself off when you complete a node, and hitting the T key brings it back.

You can also hit the button next to the target lock and then close the node that way, it won't turn off SAS if done like this. It did scare the heck out of me when I first had it happen since I still had 50% of the burn to go.

[psyper]

Pretty sure there is also a mod that does this. So that could also explain it.

They did state it was due to the other two planes set to follow target so...

[Liowen]

I have encountered a problem with the new SAS system, and it can be very costly and silly if not you are paying attention. I was testing an Eve lander and return craft and finally gotten it down to thee surface without issue, and then I went to take off to see if it could get into orbit and things went from awesome to terribad. I had left the follow retrograde active at the time of landing (had an important phone call while the craft was in reentry so I turned it on to help steady). As the Craft went up it started to pitch over to find the retrograde marker, and.....well....I had to revert back to the VAB because I had forgotten where, or if, I had quicksaved. On the bright side I did answer three of the four questions I had: First would it launch, second would it to Eve, and third would it land safely. Sadly the fourth, and most important, question has yet to be answered; will there be pie after returning from Eve?

......the world may never know......

[timsfitz]

Quicksave often. Especially on important missions.

[Liowen]

Quicksave often. Especially on important missions.

I normally do, but this was more of a test that went on to the next phase. Originally it was to test how the craft loaded/launched, then moved into orbit transfer stage of testing since it was going well. Of then Eve was in nearly the right angle to get an encounter... However the SAS system should go into either an off state or idle (normal SAS function) when a craft is at 0m/s in surface mode, much like it does if out close out the maneuver while you are locked onto it shuts off SAS when this is done. Now that I know that it does this I will make sure to turn it back to its idle state before anything else, just one more pre-launch check list item to take into consideration is all.

[cantab]

Point at target would help if that direction was reliable when you target a docking port. Unfortunately in my experience it's not.

Point normal from the dockee and antinormal from the docker might help.

[Ignath]

I have encountered a problem with the new SAS system, and it can be very costly and silly if not you are paying attention. I was testing an Eve lander and return craft and finally gotten it down to thee surface without issue, and then I went to take off to see if it could get into orbit and things went from awesome to terribad. I had left the follow retrograde active at the time of landing (had an important phone call while the craft was in reentry so I turned it on to help steady). As the Craft went up it started to pitch over to find the retrograde marker, and.....well....I had to revert back to the VAB because I had forgotten where, or if, I had quicksaved. On the bright side I did answer three of the four questions I had: First would it launch, second would it to Eve, and third would it land safely. Sadly the fourth, and most important, question has yet to be answered; will there be pie after returning from Eve?

......the world may never know......

This can happen on landing as well (as it happened to me). When the retrograde marker goes from under your ship to above your ship, SAS wants to flip it over when landed on the surface (when retrograde flips to above you when you stop).

[Liowen]

This can happen on landing as well (as it happened to me). When the retrograde marker goes from under your ship to above your ship, SAS wants to flip it over when landed on the surface (when retrograde flips to above you when you stop).

Yeah I think it would have done that had thi craft not been so heavy, and on Eve it was even heavier due to the gravity (I think). Either way there is always next time I guess

[SorryDave]

I found that the new SAS really helps with landing when set to retrograde, my horizontal speed comes perfectly to zero every time. I just have to remember to switch from retrograde to stabilize before I land ( and don't go up ).

It also helps a lot when changing inclination without adding velocity prograde.

For docking, I found being able to accurately track retrograde helps bring my relative speed to zero without adding "slip".

I found that the best approach to formation flying is to match orbital velocity at the same height. For me, matching relative velocity alone causes slippage if the orbits are not perfectly circular.

[Liowen]

For me on the docking aspect I still like to do that by hand, but I also only starting getting better at it in recent months.