Smeghead wrote:As for fuel depot; you can transfer fuel from one craft to another if they are connected with a docking port, it is probably best built in orbit around Kerbin though, but that would of course force you to learn how to do orbital dockings (which is hard!)
Actually, once you get the mechanics down, doing orbital dockings become surprisingly easy. Especially if you keep things in an equatorial orbit. Just make sure the target is in a roughly circular orbit. (A few kilometers variation between Periapsis and apoapsis is fine). Launch the docking vehicle into the same orbit. If the target orbit it inclined, use the map screen to wait until/judge when the target orbit is directly overhead the Kerbal Space Center and launch at that moment. Put the apex of your launch profile a dozen or so kilometers below the target orbit. Use a maneuvering node to circularize your orbit. At the same time look at your position relative to the target.
If the target is ahead you need to catch up, so you need to move faster. This means a lower orbit. So when circularizing put your apoapsis and periapsis about 10 to 20 kilometers below the target orbit. Conversely, if the target is behind you in the orbit, it needs too catch up to you, so you need to move slower. This means a higher orbit and putting apo and periapsis about 10 to 20 kilometers above the target orbit.
Once you get into an orbit, set the target vessel as your target in the map screen. you will now see 2 markers called the Ascending Node (AN) and Downward Node (DN). Remove all previous maneuvering nodes and set one at the next AN or DN whichever comes first. Plan and execute a normal or anti-normal burn to align the tilt of the orbits.
Now you should have a single set of orangey intersect markers. One is the target location at intersect (The closest the 2 vessels will be together during a given orbit) the other is your location at intersect. Assuming the next node will still be quite far apart this means waiting until you get a closer intersect, so time accelerate until the intersect distance drops to a few kilometers. (Keep an eye on the difference in distance on each orbit, since you lose pretty much a fixed amount, so you don't overshoot).
Once you get the closest encounter through orbiting you'll need to plan another maneuvering node. This time make a slight prograde (forward) burn that puts your apoapsis AT the target orbits altitude. Then slide the maneuver node around until the intersect is as close at you can get it. (Don't aim for zero, 2 kilometers is mega awesome). Execute the maneuver, wait for the distance of the vessels to close and then turn your ship to retrograde. The speed indicator above the navball should now automatically have switched to target mode. Once you are close enough to the target vessel, burn retrograde until your speed relative to the target is 0. You are now at a fixed distance to the target, in the same orbit.
Aim towards the target marker (Purple circle reticle) and make a small burn. to start moving towards the target. Turn retrograde and wait until the distance has close to about 200 meters, then kill your speed again. Now the time has come to use RCS. Move in for the docking and take your time. It helps to keep both ships aligned north south, there is much less drift that way and it's much easier to aim.