problem with "repeat orders" command

[Silent Sorrow]

My problem is I can't access the command in certain situations. It's as follows:

I have a minelayer and it's at station at a planet. I click "load cargo" and pick up some mines. Then I click "launch remotely" and choose a destination. The "repeat orders" command is still not selectable. But when I get to the destination and click to travel back and pick up more mines, "repeat orders" IS selectable. When I then click "launch remotely" I can again select "repeat orders" and set up the loop. OK, I can live with this even though it seems to be backwards.

But here's what I don't get and can't live with:

If the destination is within one turn's range of movement for my minelayer (i.e. I've got six move points but it only takes three to get to the destination) at no point is "repeat orders" ever selectable. Even on the return trip, it's not selectable. I guess this is because everything is being done in one turn. The problem with this is there seems to be no way to set up a repeating loop, forcing me to come back each turn and labouriously redo the process.

So what's the problem here and is there a way around this?