Space Stations! Hurruh!

[Ravenplucker (OP)]

I have researched the orbital habitat module technology. But the question remains...

How the hell do I build them?

They're 250,000 tonnes each and my shipyard can only handle 32000. It would take decades (or centuries) to get my shipyards large enough to build a ship with one of these attached. Is there an alternate way to make them? I just want to get them into orbit around Venus.

[laz]

You don't need a shipyard to build them.

You can build them like you would a PDC.

Just goto your industry tab screen

If you goto the construction options bit where it has installations, if you click on it and look at the differnt categories you will notice that build orbital habitats is part of building PDC's as well

Enjoy

[Ravenplucker (OP)]

What if I want to send them to an uninhabitet plant to give it population? Do I just transport it piecemeal using my cargo ships?

[welchbloke]

What if I want to send them to an uninhabitet plant to give it population? Do I just transport it piecemeal using my cargo ships?

you would better off building a tug and towing it where you need it. Don't forget to build Jump Gates if you are planning to move it to a different system.

[MattyD]

Also the speed at which a shipyard increases capacity increases with size.

100,000 to 110,000t takes a lot less time than 10,000 to 20,000t.

have faith and keep expanding.

Of course, a shipyard with only one slipway expands quicker than those with multiple.

[UnLimiTeD]

And keep in mind it's normally a commercial ship. As such, you build it in a commercial yard.
Those are a lot bigger, you can expect (if you start with two fresh built yards) to get the commercial yard to 260k tons (enough for module+armor, bridge, engineering space) by the time your military yard reaches around 40-50k tons, maybe earlier.
As a stop gap, building them as a PDC does good enough, they'll probably have some substantial armor all on their own, and if you focus your industry, are quick to build as well.
And yes, you'll then just produce enough pieces and transport them with your freighters, one by one.
Just keep in mind it's rather hard to relocate them once build.

[Eagle_eye]

actually, PDCs can't have orbital habitat modules.  However, any ships with an orbital habitat can be built exactly like a PDC.

[Libelnon]

actually, PDCs can't have orbital habitat modules.   However, any ships with an orbital habitat can be built exactly like a PDC. 

. . . Well that makes no sense.

[Anarade Relle]

In the ship design screen any ship you give a Orbital Habitat Module too becomes buildable by your planetary industry (like a PDC).   To build a Orbital Habitat you go into your industry screen and in the menu under "Construction Options" pick Build PDC/Orbital Habitat and then select your Orbital Habitat design.

[Vanigo]

. . . Well that makes no sense.

A PDC, by definition, is on the ground. An orbital habitat is designed for microgravity and has to be in orbit. However, they are built from the same menu because they're both built by construction factories.

[Libelnon]

A PDC, by definition, is on the ground.  An orbital habitat is designed for microgravity and has to be in orbit.  However, they are built from the same menu because they're both built by construction factories.

Ah, that makes a bit more sense.  I'd always imagined PDCs as satellites in low orbit, as opposed to surface built structures.