How to Build a Space Station in Kerbal Space Program (KSP)

Last Updated: June 10, 2022

Along with landing on Eeloo, having a large Mun base and making an interplanetary satellite link coverage system, building an orbital space station is one of the most ambitious things to do in Kerbal Space Program. You'll need a basic knowledge of some activities, including docking, and it's probably a good idea to start small. However, once you put your mind to it, the results can be very satisfying! Our how-to guide will give you the instructions you need to start building your own space station in KSP.

Steps

1
Practice docking. You simply cannot build a space station without any knowledge of docking. Because of the weight of the entire thing, you will have to send it up in stages and this will require performing an orbital rendezvous and docking.
2
Plan your space station. How big will it be? What will you use it for? Will it have short-term and/or long-term accommodation for Kerbanauts? Will it have refuelling facilities? Where will you put it? Bear in mind, it is best to build your first in Kerbin orbit as this does not require as much fuel as it does to go for, say Duna, but it will require more than a plain ship does.

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3
Build the first section!
- As mentioned above you will have to send your space station up in stages. Something like this: 1st Stage, command module (manned), accommodation etc, 2nd Stage, command module (unmanned), refueling post, docking port/s on side for spacecraft to dock to, 3rd Stage, anything you want! Try to make sure that there is only one Kerbal aboard the station while it is being built (like Jebediah because he is always happy), also, when you send the refueling post make sure it is empty and then send up a Supply Services ship to your space station with more Kerbals and fuel to transfer - this is what the SpaceX Commercial Supply Services flight to the ISS do.
4
Try to get an equilateral orbit around your chosen celestial body, and decide on an altitude. Think: if your station will greet spacecraft coming from other missions then you will want it around 100 kilometers (62 mi) - that way you can transfer the crew to the station while they wait for another ship to take them home. Alternately, put it in a lower orbit at about 80 kilometers (50 mi) for refueling because then both arriving and departing ships can benefit
5
Take it from there! Well done, by now you should have you starting module in orbit around your chosen body. Now you need to finish it: send up some fuel tanks, extra accommodation, research facilities - whatever you can think of! Once you are happy with your station then think about sending a flight up every so often - to refuel it and take Kerbals home and/or send up new ones - or find a mod the requires you to send up food and oxygen every so often.