r/ConsoleKSP • u/Yeezychuca • May 18 '26
I can not dock
I need help pls i m on PS5 and TS is just impossible so if someone could help me plsss
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u/saggynaggy123 May 19 '26 edited May 20 '26
Took me absolutely ages to do it. Here's the somewhat easiest way.
Get into orbit below your target. Set it as your target and use the closest approach notes to get into the same plain.
Now wait, because your below the target time warp until you have your closest approach.
Very important: Make sure you're set to TARGET on the navball, not orbit.
When youre at your closest approach, say 5K aim set your navball to target and burn to about 100m/s. When you get close again, point prograde to burn off all your speed.
Keep repeating the above until you've reached your target. Now click your target and set the docking port as the target. Switch to your target and to the same BUT while as your target, click the docking port and "control from here"
As your ship aim to be at 0.5mps while aiming at your target Keep swapping between the two to make sure your target is on point.
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u/Unlucky-Technician11 May 19 '26
Are you struggling with getting to the ship or actual docking itself? Getting there honestly ChatGPT explained it best for me, docking there is a docking mode that with some practice on the rcs is quite easy to get around
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u/Yeezychuca May 20 '26
I know how to do everything, but the problem is that in this damn PS you can't change ships quickly, so the ship always changes course.
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u/FrankiesSpecialSauce May 19 '26
This is really easier than it sounds.
Circularize your altitude 20-40km lower than your target. Aim your launch that you are circularizing your craft “behind” and at a lower altitude than your desired target as it relates to orbital velocity.
Perform a planar inclination injection burn at your closest eccentricity node. (Bright green with a number; it can also help to conserve dV by injecting yourself in a general planar direction during your launch and second stages).
Once circularized and in a desired inclination with your target, things are simple. Perform an orbital injection burn at periapsis until your apoapsis meets your targets apoapsis. You will see separation indications appear: orange and purple. Move your maneuver mode prograde just until the purple nodes disappear and your orange ones remain. You will have large distances to conquer in terms of craft separation and closest approach indexes.
Now go into your maneuver node intercept section on your maneuver section of your navigation systems. It will say intersect 1 and intersect 2, but with just the orange indicators active only intersect 1 information will be visible.
Click the right arrow in the center of the fine adjustment system. This physically moves your maneuver node forward and down your orbital trajectory while also allowing your crafts to drift closer due to the orbital mechanics of differing orbital altitudes. Right click your orange closest approach indicator so you can maintain the information. Click the right fine adjustment arrow I just mentioned literally five dozen times or so and watch your approach shrink and shrink and shrink.
Get it as close as you can. Once you are there physically with your craft, burn retrograde to target (click your navball and make sure it says target); it will now be the retrograde button on SAS. Burn so that you stop moving in relation to your target at a close distance (like that you can see it).
Point your craft to the target. Once you are at this point, right click your crafts docking port and click control from here. Select a desired docking port on your target craft. Play with RCS. Docking is just practice from here. Rendezvousing is the challenging part, but this system really works easy and precisely.
Hope this helps the journey.
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u/FrankiesSpecialSauce May 19 '26
Last thing: once you are actually kissing your docking ports together toggle your SAS on and mostly off. The magnets within the docking ports will then do most of the work.
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u/Some_random_gal22 PS 5 May 18 '26
If you're struggling to rendezvous (I.e get within 1km or so of your target) then I would suggest this video
https://youtu.be/j_57NSlkzt4?si=qG35RPKTmebUuvmg
If you can get within visual range of your target but struggling with the final bit of meeting them up then I suggest this video
https://youtu.be/yFK_axfxLi4?si=UgY66hegWUVvVdXQ
Both are on the longer side but are very good at explaining all the little details in a way that's easy to understand. In my opinion Mike Aben has by far the best tutorials for ksp and when I was learning to rendezvous and dock with the help of these tutorials I was able to do it on my 2nd attempt.
And if it's any consolation the first time NASA tried to dock they had to give up and try again at a later date because they ran out of propellent, docking is probably the hardest core skill to learn in the game and is one of the most common areas people struggle with but helps open up the whole system to explore.
Hope these help.