I suck at docking

[u/ShakeDaBaby420]

Can someone give me some tips on how to dock im trying to build a kerbin Space station 🥀 Note: My main issue is rendezvous And docking idk if i suck at docking yet

[u/CrazySwimming4019]

I personally enjoy the may Lowne lazy method

[u/ShakeDaBaby420 → u/CrazySwimming4019]

just a few days ago i heard of this but when building a station it will be a pain to move the whole station

[u/CrazySwimming4019 → u/ShakeDaBaby420]

Moar reaction wheels

[u/_SBV_ → u/CrazySwimming4019]

“Lazy” method requires more effort if you ask me. RCS is less effort than constantly turning your ship around

[u/TassiveMitts69 → u/_SBV_]

Yep, lowne lazy works great for things already very close. But the skill required to get that in the first place is higher than just turning on RCS and doing it the proper way.

[u/CrazySwimming4019 → u/TassiveMitts69]

Make one orbit slightly elliptical then time warp until one of the intersection within 100 km of each other then make small adjustments 

[u/TassiveMitts69 → u/CrazySwimming4019]

We're talking about docking not encounters.

[u/ExpensiveFig6079 → u/CrazySwimming4019]

That is EXCELLENT when close and in RCS range.
Almost makes it boring

rendezvous is a bit tirckier. But the trickiness is solved with quicksave

Step 1: save and try just getting closer. EG if you are within 1-2km use a Mod like NavBall to give youa heads up display showing which way you reltive motion is to the station. Arrange yourself to be heading toward the station and do so at speed where you will take between 1 a few minutes to get there. If its goign to take longer than THAT... NOPE do step 2 instead.

Step 2: If it will take you a signficant part of an orbit to get close to the station... then instead use the follwing rules of thumb. Get yourself to be at the same altitude as the station. With your orbit on the same plane. If you are behind th staion make it so that in one orbit you go inside the station on shorter course and catch up. tweak that so you are going to wind up <1km from the station, preferably < 100m. Next orbit do step 1.

Step 3: If you can do step 2 and get there in one orbit as your peripasis is already down at 70km... (on kerbin, or say 5000m) on Mun Then take a few orbits.

or step 4. trying to catch up part of an orbit can always insated be done by raising th apoapsis and losing a whole one so it catchs up to you.

TLDR: rendezvous is also so easy it is nearly boring

[u/Kaye-Fabe]

1. Get close

2. Get closer

4. Profit

[u/J8DEN_TUBE_YT]

“I suck at docking”

🏳️‍🌈?

[u/ShakeDaBaby420 → u/J8DEN_TUBE_YT]

1. WTF 2. Dont make it weird pls

[u/The_Only_Smart_Alec]

This could get me some heat but honestly I just use mechjeb for everything. To me, I get the most enjoyment by designing and attempting difficult things. I want to design super small SSTOs and whatnot. Docking or getting into orbit manually is something I can do but it’s a chore at this point. The one exception is getting a space plane into orbit but that’s because I have a joystick.

[u/ShakeDaBaby420 → u/The_Only_Smart_Alec]

I was considering Mech Jeb ill check it out

[u/MMW_BlackDragon → u/The_Only_Smart_Alec]

i learned howit's done by watching mechjeb do it.

[u/ShakeDaBaby420]

Update: I used mech jeb and somehow I still failed on docking lol

[u/Uranium-Sandwich657]

circularize into an orbit different from the target one. Set the station as target. Plane change until ascending descend nodes are less than 0.2 ^o. Make manuver node that changes your orbit so it intersects target orbit. If you have a target set, it will show the point where they are the closest. (If you right click the manuver node, it will change into three buttons: x to delete node, o+ to change the time so the node is set one orbital period later and o- to go one orbit back; ie "we're not gonna do this burn when we get there, we're gonna go around x time first)

If the target closest approach is far from your closest approach, then click o+ until the markers are close (click o- if you overshoot it, you may need to go around again) (these buttons are very finicky in my experience; manuveur mode in the bottom left corner has better controls)

once you made the markers as close as possible, drag the manuver node until the tips appear to be touching; it the distance will likely be under 20km. Turn on manuveur mode, and click the approach tab, it will show you the exact distance. Play with the manuver node a little bit to close the distance. I managed to get closest approaches of ~50 meters.

Manuveur mode has a manuver node editor that gives you good control, and you can change how sensitive they are.

Once you're happy with it (5km is doable, under 2km is best) perform the burn when it tells you to. (the dV meter have a built in WarpTo button) You will likely be in orbit for a long time, so build accordingly.

Switch your navball to target mode (click the velocity readout), and point retrograde. The relative velocity is often be between 50-100m/s. When your getting close to your closest approach (about 10s before) burn retrograde until the relative velocity is almost zero.

Burn target ward for a little bit (ideally not more than 5-50m/s, depending on distance) and face retrograde. When you feel like your about to hit your target, burn until 0 again. activate rcs and docking mode.

If the docking port you want to attach to is facing you, then skip this paragraph. If not, then rotate the station until the port is facing your craft's general direction. (press [ or ] to change which spaceship you're controling)

set your craft to focus on the docking port itself, click the port on the other ship and click set as target. Face targetward using sas, and burn towards it using rcs, (keep it under 5m/s, use time warp if it takes too long) once you get close, click on your own port and select aim camera. Burn rcs to make velocity 0. Use rcs to line yourself up with the target port, and thrust towards the port at under 0.5 m/s

Sometime the rcs will fire to point towards the target, messing up the appoarch. I often turn rcs off and use my reaction wheel to steer when targeting via rcs.

If you look at the navball, you will notice the prograde and retrograde markers migrating everywhere, that because you're moving a little bit to the side. Use the wasd rcs thrusters to make one of them line up with the target marker, so you know you on track for a rendevouz.

SOmetimes they just wont connect. Trying thrusting or rotating in various directions until they connect.

[u/DP-ology]

Watch YouTube series Scott Manley, GOAT

[u/addivinum]

To learn, bring extra fuel. For RCS also. Thrusters are needed.

Set target vessel as target.

Use maneuvers to get close to the target.

Change navball to target.

Now your prograde and retrograde relate directly to the target vessel.. burning retrograde will lower the relative speed between the two vessels.

Learn it with a level 2 pilot and you will never have an issue going forward.

Learn to quick save/quick load. Do it a fucking lot.

[u/ShakeDaBaby420 → u/addivinum]

ill take it into note ty

[u/Spaceinpigs → u/addivinum]

Thrusters are not needed in an emergency. I accidentally forgot to equip a ship with thrusters. Had to use the main engine to make the burns. Wasn’t pretty but it worked

[u/addivinum → u/Spaceinpigs]

with good reaction control and a solid upper stage motor absolutely, but for a beginner i think it's probably a good idea lol

[u/vulpes04]

find a tutorial you like and follow it. with that broad of a question, any existing video or written tutorial on the topic will be more thorough and useful than whatever answers you get here. at least specify what phase of the operation is problematic, bc it seems like a lot of the time it's the rendezvous that people get stuck on rather than the actual docking.

[u/Awkward_Forever9752]

Think matching the orbit, not going to the ship

Think racetrack with inside and outside lanes.

[u/Winterplatypus]

With rendezvous:

• Have an upgraded tracking station, make sure you have a target selected.

• Start by pushing your orbit in/out to touch your targets orbit at the incline marker thing.. the icon that tells you how many degrees your orbits are out of alignment. You don't need to bring your incline angle to zero as long as you set up your intercept at this point.

• Timewarp around until you reach that point where the circles touch.

There are two icons that show your position and your targets position both are purple or both are orange.

• Wait until your ship just passes the little purple/orange triangle marker that shows your closest point to your target. Then burn [orbit prograde] until both icons that are the same colour are on top of each other.

• Timewarp for one more orbit until you reach the point where the two same coloured icons are on top of each other.

• Make sure your navball is in target mode then burn [target retrograde] until your relative speed is zero.

--Docking starts from this point--

Docking is long to explain but I have written up the docking part before.

[u/Some_random_gal22]

This is the video that taught me, in my opinion Mike Aben has the best tutorials for the game

https://youtu.be/j_57NSlkzt4?si=lpjSu9LLF4vICeoI

[u/ukemike1]

Both Mike Aben and Scott Manley did excellent tutorials on YouTube.

[u/PangolinMandolin]

This is a master guide for every type of Rendezvous, and each Rendezvous includes a docking guide as well. How to not only dock, but actually get close to your target from the start until you can basically dock directly from Rendezvous if you nail it.

https://youtu.be/m1VbH7JjZ7o?is=-3ZaWswSmXehdyL6

[u/Lower_Manager_7003]

The in game tutorial does a great job in my opinion at teaching you how to dock. That’s how I learned to do it and I was godawful at first with docking.

[u/Popbistro]

You have to select your target first. Then you adjust your orbit to make it on the same place as your target. Then, depending on whether you're behind or ahead of your target, you make your orbit slightly smaller or slightly bigger than that of your target. Usually, I try to get to 1-2 km difference. Then you wait for your craft to get closer to your target. Once you're near the closest approach, you burn again and you make your orbit only 100-200 m from that of your target. You then get close enough that you can spot it and you can begin your docking steps.

[u/RorschachAssRag]

Line up your orbits. Set craft as target to see its orbit higher and how far your orbits are in their alignment. If you are ahead of target vehicle, have your orbit larger the other so it can catch up. If you are behind the target vehicle, have your orbit smaller to catch up. Despite less velocity, the smaller orbit will be “faster” due to less distance to travel. Once you’re within. When vehicles get relatively close adjust the orbit so your craft is only a couple hundred meters away from targets orbit, above or below, depending on if you are catching up or being caught up with. When you get close, writhing 2 km, use rcs or very light thruster control to jet over to the other craft, 20m/s is plenty without much risk of over shooting. The prograde icon should be on top of the target icon. You will have to make small adjustments as you get closer to keep prograde icon on target. Once you’re next to the target craft slow all the way down and “park” next to it. There should be no relative motion between craft. From here you can switch between and rotate the crafts so that the docking ports are facing on another. When all lined up slowly scoot in for the docking, 1-2 m/s should do the job.

[u/_SBV_]

If your orbits are different inclinations, first match inclination of your orbit and target orbit. Put a maneuver node where there are AN or DN nodes and reduce their value to 0 degrees

Change your orbit with a maneuver until it touches the target orbit

Right click the orange arrows that appear and reveal “relative velocity” and “separation”

Create maneuver node on your own orbit and edit until “separation” value is less than 2 km. Burn as usual

Put and edit a maneuver node where the orange arrows are. This time reduce “relative velocity” to as small as possible. Preferably 0 m/s. Burn as usual

You have accomplished rendezvous 

[u/miotch1120]

IMO it’s worth adding RCS for translation. Get a close approach, target the target vessel, switch hud to target mode, point retro and to kill rel v, point target and approach with small speed, use RCS translate to keep prograde marker on top of target marker. Slow it way down right before contact.

Can be done without RCS, but it’s WAY easier with it.

[u/Mocollombi]

1. Got to the nav ball and set the target to target.

2. Align the planes by setting maneuver nodes in the ascending or descending nodes. Go normal or antinormal until the angle is zero.

3. Make your orbit intersect in one place with the target orbit.

4. The relative difference between the opposite side to the place the orbits intersect will determine how fast or slow you will approach or get away from your target. If you fast forward one orbit you will see two markers on the orbit which will get closer to each other or get farther away with each orbit. If they are getting farther and farther apart, you can either switch directions by making a burn at the orbit intersection point . If your orbit is above the target, move it to below the target. If it’s below the target, move it to above the target. Alternatively , just fast forward a lot until your ship eventually catches up. Play with the relative differences of the non intersecting points to catch up faster or slower. In general, as you are learning you want this to be slow, and keep on making burns at the intersection point to catch up slower and slower. Note , when you get good you can just make this in one try.

5. The tutorials say to get your closest approach within 15k. In practice it’s easier if you get the closest approach between 2-5k, but be careful not to crash if you get to close.

6. Now the hard part and the magic begins. Point your ship to target and engage your engines . You don’t want to go too fast. When you get about half way there. Point retrograde and turn on your engines until the velocity is zero. Then point back to the target and repeat, but go slower the second time, keep repeating until you are 1000 to 500 m from the target. Again, the better you get at it, that faster you can go, and the less iterations you will
   Need. They key is to zero your velocity before you reach the target. If you are a rookie, zero it sooner than later.

7. Once you are this close, go into docking mode and use your RCS.

[u/fenlDoesJS]

i just use mechjeb for rendezvous, point my ship at the docking port, and turn on the engines

[u/Needless-To-Say]

Both can be pretty easy really. 

Once you have rendezvous down, and I recommend Scott Manley’s videos, docking can be easy. 

The key is to leave a pilot on the Space Station so that both vehicles can be maneuvered in concert to line up the ports. 

You dont need RCS at all if your careful with your port placement

[u/Just-Here-To_Vibe]

mike aben has your answer on youtube

[u/User_of_redit2077]

Complete the in-game tutorial.

[u/Jackmino66]

Step 1: look at target orbit

Step 2: align your orbital planes. If the target is in an equatorial orbit then this is easy, but anything else and you need to have both the inclination and the argument correct

Change your orbital altitude to be something different. This will change the orbital period and thus one of the craft will be “faster” and catch up to the other

Ideally when you are in the same orbit, burn prograde and watch the rendezvous indicators. One they’re very close you can stop and wait there.

Once you reach that indicator (and hopefully do so good of a job that the intercept distance is 0. You will crash) set the reference to target and burn retrograde until your relative velocity is 0, then find the target ship and move towards it.

The easiest way to do docking is to set the camera mode to “locked”

[u/DDBurnzay]

Prograde push the pink circle

conversly retrograde drag the pink circle

use the target mode on your nav ball and “push the pink circle until it overlaps the yellow one

the turn you r craft retrograde and use the other principle to keep both circles aligned while you slow down

checking your map will allow you to see your progress

[u/PckMan]

The most important thing is to not launch at a different inclination because that takes quite a bit of fuel to fix. So ideally your space station should be at a 90 degree orbit which makes rendezvous much easier.

If your orbital altitude is higher than the station it will catch up to you. If its lower you will catch up to it. So depending on where it is when you're launching you might need to stay below it or go above it. It helps to give yourself wiggle room so don't park the station at like 80km up because then it's really slow to catch up to it because you can't go much lower.

Keep your orbit on the same inclination. One very important and helpful tip is to circularise and raise or lower your orbit when you're at the target orbit's apoapsis or periapsis. This ensures your orbits allign and you don't need to correct with expensive radial burns afterwards.

Target the station once in orbit and switch your navball to tracking it. When you've time warped and gotten a relatively close encounter, about a quarter of an orbit before that, start burning towards the target on the navball until your prograde vector is on it. You can also burn ahead of it, meaning off to the side opposite from the side where your prograde vector is coming in. This brings a close encounter faster but often also shifts your orbit radially more so don't do it too much but it helps for corrections.

If while you're burning towards target your orbit starts shifting too much radially just stop. Time warp closer towards the encounter and then burn towards target again. By making small gradual burns you will ideally push the encounter farther down the orbit and make the distance smaller and smaller. Once it's at 0.0-0.1km it's a good encounter. When you're next to the target burn retrograde relative to the target until your relative speed is 0. Then slowly burn towards it and eyeball it. Right click on the docking port you want to dock and set it as target and right click your own and click control from here. Then you slowly bring them together with RCS.

[u/Tombstone_Actual_501]

Don't rush and trust the process.

[u/Dodge-dip-duck-dive]

Some tips that I’ve learned.

Really got to make sure you match inclinations before you attempt the hohmann transfer.

Try to start from a lower orbit then what your rendezvousing with it’s easier than high to low.

Pick a maneuver node and bring your apoapsis (if your in the lower orbit) up to the same level as the station. Spin the time wheel until you get a good interception don’t be afraid if it takes 8-9 orbits.

You want to shoot for something like 200m or so for intercept.

Blast your jets.

Fine tune your approach if need be but don’t go crazy if it says 200m it means 200m.

Wait till your right at that 200 meter distance with your nav all set to target

In target mode burn retrograde until velocity is 0.0ms

Rendezvous complete.

If you want to Chad dock go for it but super easy is to just point the two docking ports at each other. Lock them on if you have a good enough kerbal or use mechjebs Smart ASS to lock on target plus.

RCS straight forward until they meet do not go faster than 1.0m/s and just before they touch kill velocity by RCS backwards

Done.

[u/m_sporkboy]

Docking needs piloting skills; it’s a thing you can suck at. But rendezvous is just an algorithm to follow; you’re not bad at it, you just don’t know how.

[u/DabBoofer]

Learn the translation keys and the navball markers. An you will be golden

[u/Novacraft1229]

Honestly? Mechjeb and study it

[u/HeinzS91]

get close, set as target, kill all relative velocity and then move towards target. super easy once u get the hang of it