Tracking Station

	Tracking Station; KSC building
Level 1	Level 2
Location	Kerbin
	Kerbal Space Center
Altitude	67 m
Since version	0.14

The Tracking Station is a building located at the Kerbal Space Center on Kerbin dedicated to the access, observation, cancellation, and recovery of all currently active missions, including splashed-down or landed craft and debris. It does not include crashed or otherwise ended missions. Any celestial body can also be observed at the Tracking Station.

In the Space Center view, the Tracking Station is the round building south of the Vehicle Assembly Building with parabolic dishes around it. The coordinates for the tracking station are approximately 0˚ 07’ 37” S, 74˚ 36’ 19” W (as of 0.21). Prior to the 0.21 update, a single antenna was located on top of the tracking station. The collision model for each of the rotating antennae is a sphere.

In the career game mode the level of the building determines the tracking capability. At the first level, it shows only orbits. At the second level, it is able to use patched conics, and if the Mission Control facility is also upgraded to the second level or higher, maneuver nodes can be used. The fully upgraded Tracking Station gains the ability to track unknown objects (principally unidentified asteroids).

Usage

The Tracking Station GUI

The tracking station's main display is similar to the map view, with the main difference being a list on the left of the screen displaying every active mission (craft, kerbonaut on EVA, or any Deployed Flag) in the game. At the top of the screen is a button that timewarps to the next morning, and to the right of that is a set of buttons used to filter different types of missions/craft, such as Probes, Landers and Ships; by default, everything except for debris is shown. A single type can be selected using the right mouse button, and other types can be added or removed from the selection using the left mouse button. Information and physical statistics about the currently selected object are available through the buttons in the lower right like while in map view; craft have a crew manifest (if crewed), while bodies have a short description.

Once a mission is selected, several actions are available to the player.

Fly will switch the view to the selected mission. If it is either a kerbonaut on EVA or a craft with a working command module, it is also possible to control the craft. However, even if it cannot be controlled, it can still be switched to, so it is possible to view the surroundings. This also works with flags, allowing you to observe the environment around the selected flag.
Terminate will destroy the vehicle. If the vehicle has a crew, they will be killed and listed as “lost” in the Astronaut Complex. This option is disabled if recovery is possible.
Recover will recover the vehicle from the world and keep the crew on the duty roster, returning them to the “Available” status. This action can only be performed if the mission is located anywhere on Kerbin and has come to a halt, including splashdown in the ocean. It also returns all science gathered that wasn't transmitted.

The GUI also has a time warp bar to the right of the filters, making time acceleration possible within the Tracking Station view.

Asteroids

Unknown Object info

In version 0.23.5 the tracking station became able to detect asteroids. While viewing the tracking station, new icons named "Unknown Object" will periodically appear in the vicinity of Kerbin. If one is selected, clicking the Track button will give it a temporary designation and display additional information such as its class, orbital path, and any future interaction with Kerbin's SOI. The asteroid will also become visible in space while controlling vessels, where it can be selected as a target for maneuvers.

While an asteroid is selected, an Untrack button is shown, which, if clicked, will discard the asteroid's name and data and return it to Unknown Object status. Unknown objects will eventually disappear as they drift away from Kerbin.

Levels

Level 1: Free
- Orbits visible in map view.
- Max DSN Power: 2.00G
Level 2: 150,000
- Patched conics visible in map view.
- Max DSN Power: 50.0G
- Maneuver nodes are available (requires Mission Control at level 2)
Level 3: 563,000
- Tracking of unknown objects like asteroids and comets.
- Max DSN Power: 250G
- Maneuver Tool available.

Biomes

Level 1: the Tracking Station hex is available as an area biome.
Level 2: the Tracking Station Hub is added as a structure biome.
Level 3: the three Dishes are added as structure biomes.

Notes: structure biomes must be in contact with a craft to be accessed. To access the Dishes, touch them on the side facing the Hub.

Gallery

Old tracking station interface without the possibility to filter ships
The tracking station until 0.21, next to the launch pad, before that was redesigned in 0.19