Tutorial:Setting up a CommNet system

Setting up a CommNet system

With the addition of CommNet, you need a system of relays to connect back to the KSC. Here's how to set up a constellation of satellites to ensure complete coverage.

Creating a satellite

• Start with an RC-001S probe core
• Underneath, add a reaction wheel and a few z-1k battery banks
• Add some Gigantor-XL solar panels around the outside. 3 panels is enough for near Kerbin, but you'll need more if you go farther out.
• Add a relay satellite on the top (RA-2, RA-15 or RA-100, depending on range)
• Done!

Triangle orbit

A triangle orbit will be the main orbit used in the constellations. It consists of three co-orbital satellites, 120 degrees apart. The orbital altitude must be greater than the radius of the body you are orbiting.

Constellations

Each system needs it's own constellation.

Kerbol

Equatorial triangle orbit between 600,000,000m and 4,200,000,000m. A second equatorial triangle orbit at at around 25,000,000,000m (For Eeloo coverage). Use RA-100 relays.

Moho

Equatorial triangle orbit above 250,000m. Polar triangle orbit above 250,000m. Use RA-2 relays.

Eve and Gilly

Eve

Equatorial triangle orbit above 700,000m. Polar triangle orbit above 700,000m. Use RA-2 relays.

Gilly

Equatorial triangle orbit above 13,000m. Polar triangle orbit above 13,000m. Use RA-2 relays.

Kerbin system

Kerbin

Equatorial triangle orbit above 600,000m. Polar triangle orbit above 600,000m. A second equatorial triangle orbit at around 60,000,000m. Use RA-2 relays.

Mun

Polar triangle orbit above 200,000m. Use RA-2 relays.

Minmus

Polar triangle orbit above 60,000m. Use RA-2 relays.

Duna and Ike

Duna

Equatorial triangle orbit above 320,000m. Polar triangle orbit above 320,000m. Use RA-2 relays.

Ike

Equatorial triangle orbit above 130,000m. Polar triangle orbit above 130,000m. Use RA-2 relays.

Dres

Equatorial triangle orbit above 138,000m. Use RA-15 relays. Polar triangle orbit above 138,000m. Use RA-2 relays.

Jool system

Jool

Equatorial traingle orbit above 6,000,000m. Polar orbit above 6,000,000m. Use RA-2 relays. A second equatorial triangle orbit at around 300,000,000m. Use RA-100 relays.

Moons

Polar triangle orbit. Altitude depends on moon(500,000m for Laythe, 300,000m for Vall, 600,000m for Tylo, 65,000m for Bop and 44,000m for Pol). Use RA-2 relays.

Eeloo

Equatorial triangle orbit above 210,000m. Use RA-100 relays. Polar triangle orbit above 210,000m. Use RA-2 relays.

Final word

There you go! You should now have complete coverage of the Kerbol system. A probe equipped with a 2G antenna should be able to get a signal from anywhere in the solar system. A smaller antenna may have dead spots towards the edges of spheres of influence.