Flight Question How to docking with XR5？

[769270865]

I found out it is hard docking use XR5,it just kind hard to control.I fell it is easyer if that docking port is at front of the ship.Is there a different rendezvousk skills for this type of ship that docking port is on the top?
or I just need fly more?

 

[ADSWNJ]

You need to change the direction of your RCS thrusters to fly the docking, or it will feel really weird. With that done, it should be very much the same as a nose-on approach. Go up to the docking display (Ctrl-up, Ctrl-up) and set the mode to docking.

One thing though - it's a bad habit to use main thrusters or retros to maneuver near another craft. If you get into the habit of doing this on a front-on docking ship, then it won't work in docking mode on the XR-5 (i.e. the mains and retros cannot be rotated!).

 

[Cras]

I don't really think dorsal docking is any more difficult than nose docking to be honest.

I recommend using an attitude control mfd to keep yourself aligned and then just worry about translations. That helps with the workflow in docking.

And keep it slow....dont go in with a crazy high closing rate, for as ADSWNJ noted, you dont have any retros to slow you down when moving in for dorsal docking.

 

[dbeachy1]

1. Be sure you set your RCS jets to docking config by clicking the lighted RCS DOCKING CONFIG button on the main panel or docking panel (ALT-J is the hotkey). The button is right next to the RCS Mode selector knob.
2. Switch to Docking Camera View via the button on the upper panel or by pressing CTRL-UP twice from the main panel.
3. Dock normally.

For details, refer to the section titled Using the Docking Camera on pages 59-61 of the XR Flight Operations Manual.

 

[Ripley]

Eheheh...my first XR5 docking was tricky as well.
I didn't know of that docking panel, docking camera, ALT-j, etc...and did it "the normal way".
I eventually docked, and it was quite satisfying, but I felt it ought to be done another way...