Comm Sat Suggestions

[Able Archer]

I'd like to put a Comm Sat into orbit, because...well, I'm a newb, and I haven't done anything like that yet.

Wondering what a good design is for one that might be useful when I'm trying to land on Eeloo, or etc. in the future? I know you have to have 3 of them in orbit, etc. For now, I just thought, if I'm putting something up in space, I should make it useful. :)

I was thinking the proborobodyne with a few solar panels, a battery bank, and a couple of high gain antennae.

A thought occurred to me--if I put it up, and later want to get rid of it, is something like that recoverable? Or is it a matter of just 'killing' it from the tracking station?

Anything else I should know? (I mean....you know... :P )

[Jupiter3927]

It's best to use the most expensive relay antennas you have since those will have the longest range.
Adding more antennas extends the range but with diminishing results.
More is better but don't let the kraken find out about all your relays.

You need at least 3 relays for full planetary coverage.
I like to have 3 super cheap relays because they save some mass and have 1 powerful relay in a high, inclined orbit.
It adds mass to your ship but your network will look cleaner.

You can use a single commutron 88-88 (the top tier direct transmitter) on your probes and you will always have a connection.
Your design would work but antennas don't require power unless you're transmitting science.

No real reason to remove relays unless you want a cleaner network.
You could terminate them the boring way from the tracking station, or be fun and de-orbit them manually and watch them crash or burn up.
If you have the KIS/KAS mods, you can send a mission up to a relay to replace or add antennas.

Then a fun thing I like to do... I put the weakest antenna (commutron 16) on my smaller probes to save mass and have it go on interplanetary missions.
I have to do exactly 2 burns with this setup, 1 by Kerbin and another by the planet I want to send the probe to. The probe is uncontrollable between planets so no sun science. The relay network picks up my probe at the second planet and I can continue the mission as normal.
My way save a little bit of fuel and that's about it.

[guitarman152]

Once you get the level three tracking station it will likely be more powerful than the Sat so most ships will ignore it completely. I ran into that problem when I was trying to set them up the first time. You're gonna want the largest dish you've got Plus tonnes more to give it a higher rating than the tracking station. Also the level three station will get you all the way to Jool to begin with, just if you want a better connection you'll need some relays (more science!)

Hope some of that's helpful. It kind of depends what parts you have access to.

On recoverability you can always stick parachutes on them, and probably a heat shield to make sure they dont go *BOOM* on the way down. Then you should be able to get them back.

Above all good luck and enjoy it!

Edit: Sorry Jupiter for basiclly repeating some of the stuff you said I didn't see your post till I'd written all that...

[Able Archer]

I have the KER mod, but that's it. KIS/KAS should be next, I guess?

Are there any other "must have" mods?

[Jupiter3927]

KIS lets your kerbals carry stuff.
KAS lets your kerbals do something with stuff.
Combined, they let your kerbals build whatever wherever.
Like your VAB but not in a building and not automatic.

You could put a pile of parts on the launchpad and send it to space and have a kerbal assemble a working space station with them.

For other must haves...
SCANsat
This one lets you map planets with satellites.
Kerbal Alarm Clock lets you set timers that work through warps.
Super helpful when you have 10 different missions going on at once.
You have Kerbal Engineer so that covers my list of must haves.