Easy (Relatively) Rendezvous and Docking

I set this as a reply, but it may be better as a post. It took a single hint for it to "click" for me, and its a hint the Tutorial totally fails to mention. But this fella does

https://youtu.be/j_57NSlkzt4

https://youtu.be/yFK_axfxLi4

Assumptions:

• you can set a target in map mode

• you know how to use AN/DN to get your orbit on the same plane

• you can then use prograde/retro to get an intercept <5km.

From there I was always lost.

Here’s the hint. The entire point once you set the intercept is to get the prograde marker and the target marker on top of each other and keep them there. (They will generally align as you approach each other)

Once you set the intercept transfer. move the Navball to target mode. And stay in map view so you can see the distance (Right click on your target like above)

Controls (RCS):

• WASD - Handles where the ship is pointed. Use it to keep the Ship/orange thing on Target (pink bullseye)

• H-N is forward backward/throttle to handle m/s speed on Target.

• I-J-k-L will move the prograde (green) marker around and generally minimally affect your relative speed.

• when close to your target [ and ] will allow you to quick switch between ships. You can use this to use the other ship to also target and align itself.

@ 15 km. use RCS and H-N to get speed to 50 m/s. (dont worry about prograde being right on, but if it is...keep it there or start moving it in that direction. But it can be a waste of RCS to normalize it at 50 m/s its much more controllable at slower speeds.)

Before: https://imgur.com/MalZSjN
After: https://imgur.com/86v5a1M

• Note in the case above i used WASD to keep the ship pointed at the Target. And I-J to move the prograde on top of Target. I had to use H a bit to keep forward momentum as well.

From here.... Just make sure your Speed is sane and controllable, Distance is going down and you keep prograde on Tgt from here out.

Basic relative speed rules: You can bend these speed rules as you get comfy).

• @ 5 km use RCS to get speed to 10 m/s. Get prograde on top of the target icon if it’s not already, with your ship point at target.

• @1.1 km move to the normal ship view. Just keep prograde on top of tgt. Control speed.

• Inside 1000 m, Reduce speed 1m/s for every 100 m or so (ie: 9 m/s @ 900m, 8 m/s @ 800.)

• You can also use this time to right click on the docking ports and select "control from here"

• [ and ] to swap between ships at this distance as stated above.

• When under 1 M/s, I will sometimes disable RCS to repoint the ship (orange reticle) back onto the target (pink bullseye) without affecting prograde/thrust

• Ill often stop entirely at 25-50M, make sure I am aligned properly and targeting the docking port and proceed forward with H on RCS

dONE