Thanks for the suggestions! Collision detection was something Orbiter always sorely lacked--although Martin had valid reasons for -not- incorporating it.
I think I'll give them a miss for now, however, as I have problems enough landing on -flat- surfaces.
Actually, my current headache is making the journey from Earth to Europa and landing there--but doing it in such a way with the Arrow Freighter that I still have enough fuel to get back.
In -theory- I could "cheat" and put an orbital base somewhere in the Jovian system...
But where's the fun in that?
Is there something equivalent to the "Kethane" mod for Kerbal Space Program? Seems there should/might be with the Cargos and modular Insta-Bases, where, if parked within a certain range of a base (which has the appropriate drilling, refining, and storage facilities) that you might be able to refuel at a base?
This might already exist, and I'm only missing it. (I have tried refueling at my new Europa base, but it says there's no fuel in range.)
P.S. The "Kethane" mod for Kerbal is really quite fascinating: All planets have a hex-grid which may or may not contain "Kethane," a resource one can (with some refining) convert to fuel. You equip a ship with a device that "Scans" the surface of the planet below (any planet below) to see if the hex directly under the ship contains the substance. (I'm assuming it's random, although there do seem to be "veins") Then you can land a ship on the surface and drill for Kethane. You can make bases that process it, haulers that take it to and fro orbit, or make an everything-in-one-ship that scans, drills, processes, and uses the fuel to get from place to place.
Seems like this would be the next logical step for UCGO.