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CoreI

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  1. Definitely the best feature video yet! If I had to guess, the end teaser is definitely for something like stock kOS. I'd love stock krpc, but I can't see them implementing players coding in a language like Java or Python.
  2. Those look super nice! I wonder if the addition of procedural radiators means we might get some procedural heat shielding for spaceplanes...
  3. In my opinion, solid rocket motors in KSP 1 are very difficult to use. This is primarily due to their thrust profile being constant (AKA once you light them, they produce a constant amount of thrust). Setting the thrust limiter lower means having a low initial TWR, defeating the purpose of the SRB. Keeping the thrust limiter high mean having a massive TWR late in the burn, resulting in higher velocities deeper in the atmosphere, causing large ΔV losses due to drag. Additionally, the constant thrust makes off-center SRB's (think Space Shuttle) extremely finicky and difficult. Fortunately, this is not how SRBs work in the real world. Motors which are used on real rockets have different shaped fuel grains which allow them to have a varying thrust profile over time (see bottom of post for examples). For example, here's the plot of the Space Shuttle SRB's thrust over time: So, my suggestion is to implement varying thrust profiles for SRBs in KSP 2. Of course, the thrust profile of a booster can't be changed once it rolls out to the pad, because the fuel grain is still a solid. There are a few ways I can see implementing this, going from most complicated and least new-user friendly to vice versa. 1. Custom fuel grains: Let players draw their own SRB fuel grains to achieve exactly the thrust profile they want. Now, this probably isn't the best idea, since it requires players to have decent knowledge of how SRBs burn fuel. 2. Custom thrust profiles: Let players graph their own thrust profiles, within the bounds of what is possible through SRB grain shapes. I'm thinking a graphing system similar to KSP 1's robotics controller. This still isn't very new-user friendly because it requires players to plan timing during their launches fairly meticulously. 3. Preset grain shapes/thrust profiles: This is probably the most realistic implementation. Have a few grain shapes and their corresponding thrust profiles already in the game, and allow players to switch between them like how they switch through variants of a part in KSP 1. This will allow players to have flexibility with how the SRB burns, while keeping things fairly simple for new players. Perhaps in career/science mode, new grain shapes can be unlocked gradually by researching technologies, giving new players an easier learning curve. Here are some examples of grain shapes and their corresponding thrust profiles:
  4. Today my Ares Program, seeking to land a Kerbal (5, actually) on Duna crept closer to its goal! However, not without setbacks. I added the starboard life support module to Hermes, the transfer ship which will take Kerbals and the Duna Descent Vehicle (attached to the bottom of Hermes) to Low Duna Orbit. That LS module was the final module for Hermes, so it is now complete. However, it has not yet been detached from Tycho Station (top left, much smaller than Hermes itself). Meanwhile, on Duna, Ares preparation continue for the Kerbals to make the journey next transfer window. Today I maneuvered 2/3rds of the Duna communications network into place (key word: 2/3rds). Then, I landed the base for the first Ares mission (left). Then I attempted a landing of the Duna Ascent Vehicle (middle and right). As I descended, I realized the vessel was right on the edge of the nearly-complete comm network's blind spot. However, I was able to maintain communications for 99% of the descent... until I was 100m above the surface. I had some throttle applied, so the DAV only hit the ground at 15 m/s, but it was enough to destroy the engine and snap the ship in half. Now I'm faced with the dilemma of whether to send the crew AND replacement DAV next transfer window, or delay the landing by a window and just send the replacement DAV next window.
  5. Today I continued orbital construction of the Hermes, which will take the first Kerbals to Duna. In the foreground is the under-construction Hermes, including the structural truss, primary fuel/engine module, and robotic arm. The mass of parts in the background is Tycho Station, which houses the engineer facilitating construction, and holds RCS parts for the engineer to attach to modules which can't be installed with the robotics arm. I still need to attach Hermes' dorsal and ventral fuel tanks, science module, life support modules, habitation modules, and the Duna Descent Vehicle.
  6. Today, I completed the opening stages of my career save's The Martian-inspired Ares Program by finishing the construction of Tycho Station (yes, that's a The Expanse reference, for those who have read/watched it). The station will use its robotic arm and deployable RCS packages to help Kerbal engineers construct the much larger Hermes vessel which will transport Kerbals to Duna orbit. In addition to finishing Tycho Station, I sent the first crew, consisting of Virlas, Raysel, and Glener, to Ceres Base on the Mun. * Bottom left: scout rover which determined the site for the base. * Bottom right: construction rover which attached the modules to the base once they were delivered * Center: Ceres base itself * Back: The Grey Dragon ship which brought the Kerbals to the Mun and will take them home.
  7. This is just a QoL fix, but I think it would save a lot of people a lot of time. Currently, when you go to load a craft in the VAB/SPH, the list of crafts is sorted alphabetically. Which is fine and all, and makes it easy to eventually find what craft your looking for. However, once you have dozens or hundreds of craft, it becomes very unwieldy. To solve this problem, I propose a very simple solution: folders. Give the select craft window folders. If a player has 15 variants of a rocket, they can put all 15 into a folder which takes up a single line, and not have to scroll past all 15 every they want to access a craft in the back half of the alphabet. That way, players can group up craft and organize them much better in the VAB/SPH. Building on the above, once players start putting craft into folders, it'll be easier to lose where you saved a ship. So, if folders are implemented, it would probably be a good idea to add a search feature too.
  8. I finally sent my first crew to Orcus Base on Minmus. This base has been under construction since July IRL, so it's a relief that the base is finally operational. Not featured in the image are the debris fields from a several crashed SkyKranes and Habitation Modules. Due to the failures, Orcus went 500,000 Funds over-budget and almost bankrupted the space program. Now I'm taking the lessons I learned from building Orcus and applying them to Ceres on the Mun. Hopefully this time without spending 1,000,000 Funds. 6 months after the scouting mission (Kerbal time), I deployed the core module for Ceres. I left the scout rover where it was, so it could act as a target for the core module. After separation from the rocket's upper stage, the core module landed a mere 9 meters from the target. Next up for Ceres is deploying a SkyKrane into orbit and a construction rover to the surface, so I can start launching and installing the rest of the modules.
  9. Today I focused my efforts on a mission to nail down exactly where my Munar base (to be names Ceres) will be. Additionally, I wanted to finish an old contract to return a probe from the Mun. Why not do both at once? Here's the landing platform. Not only does it bring the scout river and return rocket to the surface, but it also acts as a comm relay for both vessels once they separate. The landing platform once the rover is deployed. I was a little worried about something going wrong with the decoupler, but the separation went off without a hitch. The rover found nice, flat spot on the rim of a crater. Bonus points for the view being pretty! Return rocket separation went well too, not only fulfilling a contract, but also delivering some science back to Kerbin. I've attempted missions of this complexity before, but never had anywhere close to a complete success. Fortunately this time it achieved all the desired objectives, and then some. Hopefully the deployment of Ceres Base to the site I found goes just as well.
  10. Today I conducted some aerodynamics tests of my new vertical-launch spaceplane (named Pallas, after the bird, not the asteroid), before it's launched into space. I wanted to see how it would fly with empty fuel tanks during final descent, so I dropped it from an Osprey carrier aircraft. I was worried about the planes colliding after separation, so I tied the decoupling to an action group, which slows Osprey by deploying the flaps, activating the airbrakes, and reversing the engines. Successful landing! The next steps for Pallas include another drop test, this time with full fuel tanks; an in-flight abort test; and finally an uncrewed orbital/reentry test flight.
  11. Haven't posted on the forums in a while, but I'm particularly proud of how this turned out. Today I finished conducting a crew transfer for Exodus Station. All my first-station-around-a-planet stations in this career mode save are named after books in the Old Testament (Genesis Station being the station around Kerbin). Genesis looks like garbage, so I'll spare your eyes and not put a picture of it here. On the other hand, I love the way Exodus, along with its Cygnus crew transfer vehicles, turned out looking. Here's an image of Exodus Station with two Cygnus ships docked: https://imgur.com/a/QZjx8dE Additionally, this was the first time I had the nerve to use the automated docking algorithm I wrote using krpc with a crewed craft. I wrote it to be quite conservative, with a speed limit of sqrt2 m/s. It approaches to a position 10m straight out from the docking port, stops, then moves in to 5m, stops, then moves in for the docking. This gives me lots of time to abort if necessary, and I'm quite proud of it. Also, it uses less monopropellant and is faster than if I dock manually, which is nice.
  12. I know for certain that the krpc connections are working. When running the script in question, the throttle moves to 1 in the game. If I add a print statement displaying the vessel's current altitude in the while loop, it continuously prints the correct value in the python shell.
  13. Sorry if this isn't entirely a KSP question. A few days ago I discovered the kRPC mod, and so far it has been fantastic. The next thing I wanted to do with it was to display telemetry in my computer's terminal. I first wanted to test integrating it with my automated sub-orbital launch program. I followed the example telemetry program at https://krpc.github.io/krpc/tutorials/docking-guidance.html. The terminal from which I ran the python shell cleared, but all it showed was the little grey key icon (the one that it puts up if it needs your password). I entered my password and hit return, but nothing happened. Heres a picture of my python shell, terminal after running the script, and the script itself: https://imgur.com/a/f9dwiZ2 I've searched the internet for anyone having this issue when using curses, but to no avail. Does anyone know what I am doing wrong?
  14. Two weeks ago I got Kerbal Operating System. I really shouldn't have. I haven't touched my career game since i got KOS. Jeez, this mod is cool. Over the past couple of weeks, I've been going through a testing program, slowly evolving towards a self-landing orbital-class booster. It's hard. Finally, I have had success! After much reloading of quick saves (and infinite fuel) and slight code editing, I nailed it! I flew a little plane out to the Island Airfield and set its coordinates to be the target. https://imgur.com/a/WTGce I'm going to rest on my laurels for a while and wait before trying that without infinite fuel, although I feel like it might make it from the launchpad, to suborbit, and land with the fuel it has. MIGHT.
  15. Today I bought Making History (Seems pretty stable. No bugs yet). What's the first thing I decided to do? I strapped together five 5m cores, of course! I decided to aptly name the resulting rocket: "What have I done?" https://imgur.com/a/ynoJX Speaking of the KE-1, is there any news on whether it's going to get a balancing pass? I feel like it needs more power.
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