How do you build your space station?

[RainDreamer]

Do you:

1. Plan out every details in advance then build your station in space?
   
2. Just send something up, like a core piece with lots of docking port, then just build things as you go and link modules together later on?
   

I am kind of stuck at the moment with my space station design stage and is considering the latter path, just winging things as they go and hope for the best.

[Captain Sierra]

Just winging it is great in a lot of cases and can lead to spontaneous beauty. That said, it also leads to most components being able to do a little bit of everything, then specializing in 1-2 things, which also works pretty well for remove/replace and rearranging.

I personally plan out any of my important stuff so as to optimize my modules for their task, negating redundancy and surplus. That said, it involves a good bit of time commitment in the VAB and on paper, so if you've already burned a bunch of time and just want to put something in space, go with the "just wing it" approach.

[Lhathron the Elf]

Usually I don't have a purpose for my stations (other than practicing orbital rendezvous), so I usually put some core up there (sometimes with HyperEdit to spare the time, so I can get to the fun stuff) and add different nodes (like for science or refueling) although I usually never use them. I always play in career.

[katateochi]

Both ways have merit.

For me the biggest reason to do option 1 is to be able to "launch" the whole station on the runway and get an idea how bad the lag will be once its all assembled and also see what % of its power it uses per hour during the night.

But option 2 is probably more fun and can produce problems that are also fun to solve, like parts not being able to fit and needing a special docking adapter to be flown up or something like that.

I used to do option 1 more but I've been doing option 2 more in the latest version of career. What I'm doing now is round certain planets I'll accept all station contracts and I then assemble the new station near the station from the previous contract and then once the contract is completed I dock them together. So I'm hoping for a totally disastrous, laggy mess of a station to result from this but so far the biggest is my Mun station which is a 3 contract station.

[Groot]

I choose 2, my stations don't even have much right angles. I mean between modules that are connected by at least one other module.

[Cuky]

I usually build the whole station, including docking ports in the VAB. I then check if there is enough space for future docking of crew and resupply vehicles and adjust if I need to. Than I chop it into multiple modules (save them as subassemblies) and than launch them one by one on best suited lifter that I already have in my fleet. After I assemble the station in orbit I usually tend to find something that I have missed, or I just find it lacking some maneuvering space after craft or two are docked there, so I expand it a bit. Then I stop because I start to get really low FPS rates.

[Slam_Jones]

Usually send up a basic station core (with some living space, life support, plenty of docking, etc) and then send up whatever else the station might need in subsequent launches.

Tried building a Mk3 SSTO to ferry modules up to LKO, but haven't made a successful one yet :\ Maybe soon

[thadisjones]

I take the modular approach. I put up a core functionality node, that has a command pod, science lab, power generation and storage, and large docking ports pointing in all directions. That goes into orbit where I want it. Then the things that are large single/simple components- living quarters, empty orange tanks, docking pylon structures- get slapped onto a simple reusable lifter (since they aren't heavy for their size) and sent upstairs. Crew goes up by spaceplane, fuel goes up by lifter, and with a little monoprop-only service tug I can easily rearrange and discard modules as wanted.

[timsfitz]

I launch the whole 500 part monstrosity all at once. Sometimes even with tugs and small ships already attached. The frame rates are a bit slow at first but usually there's few issues. It's much faster than multiple launches and dockings and I've even sent them to other planets without the need to refuel. One I sent to Laythe launched with an SSTO already docked.

Come to think of it, single launch stations are the way I've always done it

[FlyingPete]

I tend to send up a core piece first- usually just some structure with a bunch of docking ports attached. Then send up different modules for fuel, control, crew quarters, lab, extra docking adapters etc. When I decide to build another I'll migrate all unwanted ships to the new station, dock a tug to the old and send it off to the Mun or someplace. So a little bit of both methods.

[Spektyr]

I've done it both ways. When I have unlimited (or just a hell of a lot of) resources I'll typically launch the vast majority of a station all in one piece, then send up full orange tanks to dock to it for refueling.

Currently in my career mode game I recently took a Kerbin orbit station mission and don't have everything unlocked, so I sent up a core piece with a 3-man capsule/escape pod, science lab, hitchhiker pod, and power, then followed it up with a hitchhiker/fuel/docking section with an RCS tug to meet the 11 Kerbal capacity requirement. I'll add modules to it as I decide they're needed. Currently I'm planning to give it some science equipment, extra power, fuel, and docking capacity but I'll leave those missions for when I have greater need of those resources at the station, since I'm trying to scrimp and save for my research building upgrades.

[StormKat]

I'm with thadisjones on this. Although lately I have been sending up core frames that provide only the overall shape of the station. They have no power, no probe cores, no kerbals, and minimal fuel. Then it's just a question of sending up those modules separately.

[Itsdavyjones]

My preference is to launch it in pieces, depending on the design.

[Van Disaster]

Tend to build a few extra modules in the VAB once I've built the core, and then save those off. Usually need to send up some newly designed bits once it's in space anyway...

[DMSP]

I tend to send it up in one piece if I can... Of course, I have docking ports, but...

[phunk]

I build each section as a subassembly, and put them all together in the VAB to make sure everything fits correctly before launching the sections separately. I save the complete station in the VAB so new sections can be tested for fit before they are launched.

[Alshain]

I build each section as a subassembly, and put them all together in the VAB to make sure everything fits correctly before launching the sections separately. I save the complete station in the VAB so new sections can be tested for fit before they are launched.

This. Couldn't have described it better... except I usually build the station first and then create subassemblies from that. Almost the same though.

[rynak]

Do you:

1. Plan out every details in advance then build your station in space?
   
2. Just send something up, like a core piece with lots of docking port, then just build things as you go and link modules together later on?
   

I am kind of stuck at the moment with my space station design stage and is considering the latter path, just winging things as they go and hope for the best.

Something in-between. The core, supply tanks and solar trusses are planned in advance. However, for the later two, there's not much to plan - it's just a giant fuel tank with some RCS and a small probe after all. Similiar for the solar trusses. Each part i send up, has ports to attach additional ones, so as long as i keep weight and symmetry halfway balanced, i can then extend it as i later see fit.

I've seen people send up really giant sections up in a single go, but i prefer keeping the segments at medium weight and single purpose.

All of this is for Kerbin of course - for other planets and moons, more planning and tricks are called for, because each flight takes a lot of time. For the kerbin station, the parts usually stay at a weight manageable enough that i can even let a strong spaceplane lift it into orbit.

[trainmax]

I also like many people (including NASA) send up the core first. Then I just fly the other modules up, dock and BAM Space Station.

[justidutch]

I have done both, but lately I do the planned station thing. Recently I have enjoyed playing sandbox so I can think of grandiose and grossly-engineered projects to attempt. The one pictured below is not yet finished, so far it has taken 11 launches. It comprises 90 of the Mk3 crew cabins (space for 1440 Kerbals) and 12 of the Kerbodyne S3-14400 Tanks. Next are a science lab section and an observatory. I would like to add a snack/piano bar but don't know the layout of that yet.

[Engineer of Stuff]

I use my largest rocket and put as much as I can on it. It usually takes 2-3 trips.

EDIT: 300 posts!

[Skorpychan]

I plan it loosely. I know generally what I want on it, so I design lifter-sized modules with docking ports.

The 'core' is living quarters, a fuel tank, and a cube node thingy with adapters and docking ports on, and reinforcing struts. Adding onto that is usually more tankage, a science lab, Kethane refinery parts, power packs for the above, and a few standard small craft.

It's the same system as my interplanetary missions; those are assembled as stations, docked to a tug, and sent off.

[Jarin]

Seat-of-the-pants assembly all the way. I generally toss up a heavily-over-engineered supply core to start with (10 years of life support, 20 rtgs, etc), then just attach stuff out from there until it does what I need.

[Scarecrow88]

I usually send up a framework with senior docking ports for adding modules. I try to plan to have enough for any/all of the following: refuelling tanks, habitation, communications, science lab etc. Docking ports for visiting ships to attach to are included in the appropriate modules.

[thadisjones]

...a snack/piano bar but don't know the layout of that yet.

Wow, you really go all out on that. Put in a concert hall, tell the kerbals that the 1812 Overture is written for ACTUAL CANNON EXPLOSIONS, and you'll pack the place.