Rescue Kerbal from Orbit Contract: How to get them aboard capsule?

[Mechanism]

I've successfully rendezvoused with the kerbal I was contracted to rescue, but I can't get him aboard the capsule. I figured I could take control of the kerbal and have him board my craft but it won't let me do that. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

[El Rushbo]

Does your capsule have an open seat?

[ray]

I created a box with boosters and went back down to kerban with him in the box

[Mechanism]

I just figured out you have to use the bracket hotkeys [ or ] to switch to the kerbal. I was trying to control the kerbal using the space center but it was saying that I can't control objects I don't own.

[El Rushbo]

Ah.

[DeltaDude]

I have just used a return spacecraft made of two Mark-1 Capsules linked together.

That is because I would take rescue missions with a low level of science.

Works with FAR and DeadlyReentry, that are the mods I use. If the design works with those it must with stock.

[ChillestBro]

Yeah, I was going to say you need to be close enough and switch to the EVA'd kerbal, as they are not "controlled" by players unless your active vessel is within range.

[Otto the Auto]

I had to be within about 1500m of the little guy.

[Mobscene]

Originally posted by darkday560:

I created a box with boosters and went back down to kerban with him in the box

I've got to see a video of this.

[tmightyquinn]

I'v gotten to about 410 meters of him, and I still can't take control. Heck, I've even taken jebediah right out next to him, and I still haven't been able to take control.

[Keggerous]

I'm having a hell of a time getting close to him. I can get into his orbital path but it's never when he's there. MY orbits have come so close to perfectly matching then i have to make a small adjustiment so i can start closing the distance between us. Anyone know of a way to get right next to him without having to fiddle with everything for 20 revolutions around the planet. The best way i have practiced is by matching his orbital plane as lose as possible, then circularize as best as possible to match his orbit. But dont completely curcularize until you have timed it so you will right on top if him when your orbits match. This has been by far the msot difficult part. Matching orbits but also maintainign a position close enough to him to EVA and save his ass.

[tmightyquinn]

Do you know that tab on top of the navball that either says "orbit," or "surface," and then shows you speed in relation to whichever one it is? Well, If you have a target set, there is also a tab for where you are moving in relation to your target. What I did is, set him as a target, matched his orbital plane, then set the periapsis to right next to some random point on his orbit. If you increase your apoapsis to maybe 20-40 thousand m above his orbit, and waited until the encounter nodes were decently close together. After that, if you toy with your orbit a little, you should be able to get the encounter nodes to less than 1 km. then, just wait until you are close enough to your stranded kerbal, switch to the target tab above the navball, and burn retrograde until you speed says 0. (this does not mean that you are stranded in space, just that you are not moving in comparison with your target.) after that, you can just turn toward him, accelerate, and then burn retrograde until you stop, over and over again. If you still can't do it, try the asteroid redirect mission in the training section. It's practically the same thing.

[Rene]

Originally posted by Plutoniman:

I'v gotten to about 410 meters of him, and I still can't take control. Heck, I've even taken jebediah right out next to him, and I still haven't been able to take control.

Use [ or ] (the same keys you use to switch to nearby ships) to take control of him.

Originally posted by Keggerous:

*snip*

Search for guides (here on Steam, Youtube tutorial videos or whatever you prefer) on rendezvous. They usually also cover docking, which you do not really need for the rescue contract.

[tmightyquinn]

I still don't know what keys you're talking about

[tmightyquinn]

...oh. I thought you were just having trouble with your keyboard... nevermind.

[Sir Devio]

Originally posted by Ricky Recon:

I just figured out you have to use the bracket hotkeys [ or ] to switch to the kerbal. I was trying to control the kerbal using the space center but it was saying that I can't control objects I don't own.

The bracket keys were the ticket. Thanks for the post!