Relay Satellite
Please note that this page is incomplete, and requires the help of the community. |
A Relay Satellite is a Probe orbiting a Celestial body that serves the function of creating a Relay Network.
Contents
Uses
Relay Satellites are used to communicate with the Kerbal Space Center without the need for a direct connection to it. Without a connection to the Kerbal Space Center, an unmanned probe will either not be able to function, or will be in limited probe control, depending on your settings for the game. (A spacecraft consisting of a pilot would not be affected.) With the fact that each antenna has a limited range, this makes relay satellites a necessity for almost every interplanetary mission[citation needed]. Relay Satellites give the function for other Probes to stay connected to the Kerbal Space Center without having the requirement to be in the line of Kerbin, or the range.
Design
A relay satellite must have at least one relay-capable antenna and sufficient electricity to operate it. It must be placed where it has a connection to the rest of the CommNet network, either it being a ground station on Kerbin or another Relay satellite. However, no matter how much the distance between the satellites, the transmission will ultimately end up at Kerbin, or else the transmission will not be established at all.
Recommendations
Relay satellites are exceptionally useful if put into a suitable type of Orbit according to the circumstance.