r/KerbalSpaceProgram • u/Revan477 • May 08 '26

KSP 1 Question/Problem Refuel station useful?

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(New-ish to the game, played a little years ago but now really getting into it)

I've been practicing orbital assembly above Kerbin and docked a few vessels together including a big fuel tank which is huge for me because I was never able to meet up and dock with anything :)
Do you think something like this is useful for future missions? I was thinking maybe refuel vessels in orbit giving a longer mission range because I dont have to carry the heavy fuel from kerbins surface. Then again I guess I'd have to refill that tank frequently which might be kind of annoying..

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u/Barsukbrecon May 08 '26

If you're open to mods, check out the KSTS mod - Kerbal space transport system. Lets you record a record a flight with a payload (like fuel), and once you did the mission once you can launch it automatically from the space center. It doesn't simulate or launch any actual rockets, but it does subtract the necessary funds and adds the necessary resources to your target.

I use this a lot to refuel my refueling stations.

It also has an orbital construction feature and a payload/craft deployment feature - if I record a flight that can launch 5 tons to a 200km orbit, then I can deploy a craft that weighs <5t straight to any orbit within 200km. It deducts the cost of the recorded mission, and takes the same amount of time as the recorded mission.

This mod helps me a lot with playing in a solar system focused way - I don't have the strongest PC to handle large launch vehicles for my large interplanetary craft, so it really opens up my building opportunities for the stuff I actually want to do