Well, depends on the particular trouble that you're having docking. For some things there are pills that will do the trick for ya. If that's not the problem, then maybe you just need a make-over and to "play the numbers" a little more.
:lol:
....but seriously, as long as you are within at least 200K (possibly even more, really), you can get there.
Here's what you need to do -
- Select the target vessel's xpdr freq in your com MFD
- Select the docking MFD and then target a given docking port
- Click the HUD button on the docking MFD once you have selected the target port
- Once you do that, you'll see the 'tunnel' of boxes show up in the hud, as well as a + and a circle with a + in it.
Now, the tunnel is essentiall the track you want to ride down. You don't have to go from the very end, but it's not a bad idea either (as long as you have plenty of RCS and LOX). You will note that the boxes have a small bar on one side. That is the "up" side. Make sure that you are oriented so that that bar is passing over your head.
The + symbol is your velocity vector. The circle with the plus is the opposite. So... if you put the plus over the target, you are closing on it. If the circle plus is over the target, you are heading away from it.
What I do is, once I get within the aforementioned 200K or so, and do all the MFD stuff, I'll find the circle plus, point at it and burn to zero my relative velocity. then I'll point at the target, and burn to head more or less straight towards it.
As I approach, the + will drift. I'll either point in an over-correcting fashion and burn to bring it back over, or I'll use translation thrusters and slide it back over. This can take a while, don't be afraid of the time accel, but be careful with it.
Once I get close enough, I'll use translation to orient myself in line with the tunnel, then rotate as needed. Then the docking can actually begin.
The X in your dock MFD is an indication of your rotational orientation, that should be in the center of the rings. the large + in the MFD is the relative location of the target vessel. That too should be in the center of the rings. At this point, don't worry about the + velocity vector in the HUD, as you get close and slow, it may be out of your field of view. It's only an issue as you ease on in those last few meters (which by that point it should be dead ahead).
You'll also see an arrow at the top of the rings, this is your roll vector, that should be at the very top. The amount of difficulties you have on will determine amount of drift.
As you close, you can be coming in around 25m/s or so, but you REALLY need to slow down as you get closer. You should make contact at 1m/s or so (ideally).
Keep rotating to keep the X in the center, and the arrow on the top, and the large green plus in the center (rot for X and arrow and lin for plus), then just slow down and ease it in. As you get close you will see the green rings light up moving in toward the center.
Also, make sure your hatch/nose/etc is open. I've bumped into the ISS a couple times on one docking run because I forgot about that. doh! lol
It's actually pretty easy.
