Satellite contract and the meaning of "unmanned".

[ROXunreal]

"Launch a new unmanned probe with power and an antenna".

If I use the hitchhiker compartment as a fuselage, will the contract still work? The whole thing being controlled by a probe core of course. Additionally, if there is a Kerbal in the hitchhiker compartment, will that break the contract? (he has no control of the craft from in there) And if yes, will putting him on EVA remedy this?

Basically I want to fulfil a satellite and space station contract at the same time.

Edited January 18, 2015 by ROXunreal

[Norpo]

Hm, i'd imagine having a kerbal on board, regardless of whether he is in control would break the contract, but I don't know for sure. Also not sure if having space for a kerbal would break the contract either.

This calls for SCIENCE!

[Kryxal]

Put a test craft on the pad, if it meets the contract requirements you'll get a checkmark in that part. Of course you'll want to pull the craft, but it's maybe 5 seconds and fully recoverable.

[LethalDose]

"Launch a new unmanned probe with power and an antenna".

If I use the hitchhiker compartment as a fuselage, will the contract still work?

Okay, I gotta ask: Why do you want to use a hitchhiker for the body of a simple satellite?

[Norpo]

Okay, I gotta ask: Why do you want to use a hitchhiker for the body of a simple satellite?

I imagine this is why:

"Basically I want to fulfil a satellite and space station contract at the same time." - from the OP

As I understand it, he wants to have the probe to have the crew CAPACITY needed to fufill the space station contract (as it doesn't actually need the crew members inside), while also having a probe contract being completed. Quite clever, but i'm not sure if it'd work (that's the question)

[klesh]

Depending on the orbit heights required, you could bring the ship + probe to the probe orbit, decouple it from the side/top whatever, then move the station to its own orbit.

[LethalDose]

I imagine this is why:

"Basically I want to fulfil a satellite and space station contract at the same time." - from the OP

As I understand it, he wants to have the probe to have the crew CAPACITY needed to fufill the space station contract (as it doesn't actually need the crew members inside), while also having a probe contract being completed. Quite clever, but i'm not sure if it'd work (that's the question)

Whoops! Missed that. Thx.

[Reactordrone]

I've flown a manned space station to Duna that had a lander onboard. Once I got there I loaded all the Kerbals into the station and flew the lander unmanned to fulfill a satellite contract so you can definitely launch manned and then remove Kerbals to tick the unmanned box.

[ROXunreal]

As I understand it, he wants to have the probe to have the crew CAPACITY needed to fufill the space station contract (as it doesn't actually need the crew members inside), while also having a probe contract being completed. Quite clever, but i'm not sure if it'd work (that's the question)

It worked

I did what Kryxal advised, just tested the objective fulfillment on the launchpad. It appears I was missing a 1 Kerbal capacity (needed 5, forgot that hitchhiker has only 4). As for manned or not, going on EVE and then switching to the empty station as the active vessel does it.

My biggest concern was that any command module that CAN be manned was mutually exclusive with having an unmanned probe as far as contract completion is concerned. Luckily it turns out that this is not the case at all, if a space station has everything that's needed in the satellite contract and it's empty of Kerbals, it's enough to get them money.

I now have a cozy little station in orbit around Minmus - my first space station ever in this game.

Edited January 18, 2015 by ROXunreal