Smotheredrun's First Thread: Career Save with the goal of Challenge Completion!

[smotheredrun]

OK, so here is the breakdown:

A new (heavily) modded Career Save with the goal of accomplishing a few of the Challenges that I am interested in.  The primary Challenges at the moment are the Doing It Apollo Style - Redux, The Ultimate Jool 5 Challenge, and the Interstellar Rendez-vous idea.  I am sure there will be some more that I come across as I play through this save, but those are the ones for now.

This Career will use the SETI Unmanned Before Manned Contracts and Tech Tree.  Other major mods include all of Near Future Technologies, KSPI-E, Kerbin Shuttle Orbiter System, TAC Life Support - because why not make an already difficult challenge even harder?, SCANsat, DMagic Orbital Science, Kerbal Construction Time (Dev Version), and a whole host of others - the number may change based upon how many times I break my computer

For the Jool 5 challenge: 

                         -No barred mods will be used for the challenge ship's construction, orbital assembly/refuelling, or the vessel itself.  I'll post as many screenshots/videos (if I can figure that out - tech neophyte here) as I can. That Challenge may even involve 2 missions, one for the Jebediah's Level (stock science experiments) and one for non-stock experiments - we'll see how ambitious I get.

For the Insterstellar Rendez-vous Idea:

                         -The following changes have been made to the Extrasolar solar system mod pack (Valentine red dwarf star):

(changes courtesy of @AndrewDrawsPrettyPictures)

Spoiler

GameData\Extrasolar\ValentineSystem\Valentine\

Open up Valentine.cfg and replace the line of code that says "semiMajorAxis = 9.46e+15" with "semiMajorAxis = 7.569e+16"

This will move Valentine 4 lightyears or so away from Kerbol.

 

For a general "thing":

                 -Kerbin Environmental Institute will not be used until after I have done at least 1 or 2 launches.... (I find it kind of cheaty right at the start)

 

Without further ado here are the important bits:

KSP 1.2.2 build (not sure - will add later)

Gamedata folder:

Mod list:

Spoiler

B9 Aerospace
B9 AnimationModules
B9 Part Switch
CactEye Telescopes
Chatterer
Coatl Aerospace (Probes Plus)
Community category kit
Community resource pack
community tech tree
Contract Configurator
Cormorant Aeronology
Crowd Sourced Science (Broken for now) - but who cares?
CTTP
Custom Barn Kit
Decaying RTGs
Direct_LV
Distant Object Enhancement
DMagic Orbital Science
Dmagic Science Animate
DPAI
EVA Handrails Continued
EVA Parachutes and Ejection Seats Continued
Extrasolar
FASA (Launch clamps only with 1.2 fix)
Filter Extensions
Final Frontier
Firespitter core
Hide empty tech tree nodes
Interstellar fuel switch
Raster Prop Monitor
KAC
KAS
Kerbal Construction Time (Beta Release)
Kerbin Environmental Institute
KER
KIS
Kopernicus
Kerbin Shuttle Orbiter System - Test (patched) versions of both orbiters
KSP AVC
KSPI-E
KW Rocketry
Infernal Robotics
Mechjeb 2
Modular Flight Integrator
Monthly Budgets
Near Future (all)
Orbital Material Science "Continued or whatever"
OPM
Persistant Rotation
Precise Node
RCS Sounds (out of date, but works... does throw errors in the Alt+F12 debug console)
REPO Soft Tech (not sure what this is?)
SCANsat
Science Relay
SETI Contracts - Unmanned Before Manned
SETI Greenhouse
Smoke Screen
Speedy's Hex Truss System
TAC Life Support
Toadicus Tools
Trajectories
Transfer Window Planner
Tweakscale
Universal Storage
Vanguard Astrodynamics VX II engines
VaporVent
Wild Blue Tools + DSEV

We'll have to see how this goes, I haven't run this many mods before!  Updates and reports to come!

Edited February 3, 2017 by smotheredrun
typos, omissions

[smotheredrun]

Update!

Here are some pics of the Career setup in the spoiler below:

 

Spoiler

 

I am also going to try to do some Mariner/Voyager inspired missions using the Probes Plus mod as early on as I can.

[smotheredrun]

Update time!

So the Kerbal Space Program has gotten under way.  A handful of screens showing the start of the Program are in the spoilers.

Spoiler

A look at both star systems.  The red one is Valentine

The Valentine planets

After a few suborbital launches of some cheap probes into various nearby biomes, the KSC Administration decided that they should go straight to orbit.  Using some plans stolen from a competitor's space program, the first communications satellite was launched.  (Really it just made a beeping sound....  and eventually the annoyed technicians in Mission Control just hit the "mute" button).

Here is the basic ComSat.  It was pretty much launched on a bet between Bob and Bill.  (Jeb was busy testing out his parachute from the top of the VAB).

Several days later (about 20) the next satellite was ready for launch.  Coatl Aerospace was very excited to get their ready made satellite onto the next rocket!

Gravity turn!  Everything looking good!  

The first of the Ker-Mariner program satellites, Mariner 1.  Looks like it's ready to deploy its panels and antennae!

"Bob!  Bill!  What happened????  This was supposed to be an orbital satellite!  Not one of those cheapo suborbital ones!"

"Rats" said Bill.

"Dang It!" Bob was pretty upset.  He was sure the engine was supposed to be placed on the side of the probe, instead of the bottom.  "Think we should have told Jeb where we put that engine?  And that he'd have to adjust course 90 degrees for each burn?"

"Looks like a Launch Failure to me Bob.  Don't worry about it.  Let's just not tell him"

"Ok Bill."

Needless to say, Gene Kerman was less than thrilled that the unmanned program has only a 50% success rate when it came to getting things into space.

A meeting involving all of the department heads and the Chief Test Crew (Jeb, Val, Bill, and Bob) was called. 

A major redesign of the probe was ordered.  Wernher was heard to be screaming that ALL rocket engines would be pointed at the ground upon assembly in the VAB.  No exceptions.

In the mean time, the Terrestrial Aviation Department (TAD) was up and running.  Of the many designs that were put forward for testing the C7-Seahawk* has won the first phase of the KSC Search and Recovery (no one in the Administration building expects any Kerbalnauts to survive spaceflight, let alone atmospheric return) Program.

Although unable to actually launch this thing, the SPH's Engineering team is very excited about the simulated flights so far.  Only six casualties from the Crew Recovery Bay - well within acceptable parameters as this aircraft is only expected to recover pieces of Kerbalnauts - and no pilots killed!  The team can't wait until the newly widened and extended runway is ready!  So far vertical flight tests have proven to have great lift offs and explosive landings.

* This design is from @Raptor9's SPH Hanger out of his Craft repository here.

 

 

That's all for now.  It will be another few days for the new Ker-Mariner 2 probe to be ready after the major redesign.  The "Unnamed Booster Section" is fully assembled and had changed little from the Ker-Mariner 1 mission.

 

[smotheredrun]

Hello KSP Forums! More updates are on the way. It's been a busy couple of weeks

[smotheredrun]

Back after a long absence the mission reports are on the way!

Here are some of the things I've been up to in KSP while getting ready to submit a report to the Doing it Apollo Style-Redux thread.

First orbits of satellites and single Kerbal capsules:

Spoiler

Will be adding photos "soon"

Probes:

Mun: Coming soon

Minmus: Coming soon

Duna:

Here are some shots of my Ker-Mariner IV probe, headed to Duna.  Uses parts and modified design from @akron's Quetzal probe from his Probes Plus mod (I am a few versions behind the current dev/release version)

Spoiler

An approach shot:

 

A closer look

 

A side view

 

And a backside view

Eve:  Ker-Mariner V is very similar to the IV, so just imagine it's heading to a purple planet instead of an orangy-red one

Stations:

First (and second) temporary orbital stations, they are slightly modified from @Raptor9's catalogue of Exploration Vehicles.  It is an EV-1C Skiff with an MPL orbital laboratory, launched from his Thunder 1 rockets.

Spoiler

Launch of the new small Kerbin Shuttle Orbiter, intended for small payload deployment and crew rotations.....  NOT INTENDED TO RETURN WITH A PAYLOAD......  That small section of fine print in the shuttle design specs was missed by the KSC engineers and flight planners....

Spoiler

Here is the first prototype:

KSO Resolute - She flies again....  Soon^TM

 

And here is the maiden voyage's landing.... well at least after the complete stop:

Any landing you can walk away from, right?

Testing of the new landing capsule's decent stage, landing gear, and ascent stages.

Spoiler

"soon"  

Now that your caught up, we get to the meat of the program!  Jeb (and can't remember who yet) launch a prototype CSM for expeditions to the Mun and Minmus.  This prototype is based off of the crew return capsules used with the current Space Lab 01 temporary station.

Spoiler

on the way

 

And here you go!  The launch of the first Munar lander for Kerbalkind!  A few changes were made to the CSM based off of some reentry shenanigans that occurred with the prototype: 

 

 

And here sitting on the pad ready for launch with Jeb, Bill, and Hannan Kerman is the Armstrong III:

 

And here are the details of the mission!

Mods used:

Spoiler

Quality of life, information, life support:

Trajectories

DPAI

Mechjeb (information readouts only!)

KER

Automated Screenshots

(x) Science with Here and Now!

Chatterer

Kerbal Alarm Clock

Transfer Window Planner

Kerbal Construction Time

TAC - Life Support

 

Parts:

ASET ALCOR - Advanced Landing Capsule for Orbital Rendezvous

ASET Landing Legs - they work!!!!!

Coatl Aerospace - Probes Plus

B9 Aerospace (info drive - see screen shot)

KW Rocketry Redux 

DSEV (fuel tanks - same volumes, but used because they look fancier than stock tanks)

Kerbin Shuttle Orbiter System (docking ports)

Vanguard Astrodynamics (lander engine)

 

Think that`s all that I could find....

And here is the mission itself.  The full albums is in the link below.  The Spoiler contains the shorter version.

http://imgur.com/a/Edrnv

 

Spoiler

Here we go!!!!

Main Engine Start

 

Launch clamps released

 

Rats, looks like we hit the Umbilical Tower!  FASA will be pi"%/&!!!!!!!

 

"Jeb!"

"Yes, Control?"

"You've lost your stabilizer fin off of booster number 3"

"Cool!"

 

S'all good though!

 

Booster separation

 

1st stage burning nicely

 

1st/2nd stage separation

 

Blew the fairing, now burn for orbit!

 

Orbit established, now set up that Munar encounter!

 

Done!

 

Which button did what again?  Glad we brought that "Info Drive" from B9 Aerospace!  

Jeb:  Press "o" Bill!

 

Let's see what goodies they gave us!

 

Swing around to pick out our prize

 

and approach

 

Almost

 

Contact!

 

And now we wait for a bit.

I had loads of fuel left in my second stage, so why not keep it for the munar insertion burn, right?

 

Burn for the Mun!

 

Drain that extra tank!

 

Tank`s empty, let's take out the lander

 

not the cleanest removal, but it worked

 

No scratches either

 

Use the map to watch our insertion burn

 

insertion complete.... Almost....  Went to an AP of 29 km above the mun.

 

Bill goes to check out the new lander

and spends the next 20 screenshots looking for the light switch

 

Bill:  Found the lights!!!!!!

Jeb and Hannan:  Yay!

 

beauty shot

 

testing landing gear

 

Arrival at the mun!

 

 

 

Here is the second part of the mission:

http://imgur.com/a/t7H3O

 

And here are some of the better shots:

Spoiler

Forgot to turn on the life support

 

LZ selected

 

MechJeb is for info readouts only.  All manual all the time for me.... I mean Jeb

 

Jeb's view..............  LOVE THIS POD!

 

Almost....  As @illectro usually says in his videos... "Ever so gently........."

 

Touchdown!  First 3 Kerbals on the Mun

 

Let the sciencing commence!

 

We'll nail a contract or two while we're here

 

Science again!

 

And again

 

Group photo!

 

Had some fuel left in the Descent stage, so figured I'd use it.

 

 

Discard and OH! Should have left some gear down there to collect that impact data, shouldn't I?

 

Tank butt

Made you look

 

 

Rendezvous

 

Docking approach

 

Transfer crew and science, then ditch the ascent module.  You'll be missed ALCOR I.

 

A little science experiment on reentry at Kerbin:  Let's see if we can save the whole CSM by using the engine and RCS?

 

Looks like we can!

 

"Mission Control?"

"Go ahead Jeb."

"Gene, looks like we came back with some extra gear.  Can you send out the boats to come get us?"

"Huh?  What do you mean extra gear?  How much?"

"Um... the whole Command Service Module.  Engine, tanks, comms...  Everything"

"The boys in the budget office will be thrilled!"

 

Edited April 17, 2017 by smotheredrun
adding stuff

[smotheredrun]

Hello all, I am updating/adding to the spoilers in my post above.  More details on my past few weeks will be forthcoming!  Thanks all for reading!

In the next few weeks, I am trying to get my infrastructure ready for some interplanetary transfers of probes and even a Kerballed mission to Duna.  I'll be posting some more pics soon!

 

Subsequent Munar Missions:

Armstrong IV through VI:

Armstrong IV:

Attempted to land on Mun with a rover and deployable science package (DSP).  Crew had to ditch the rover and DSP as the two payloads made the lander very unstable.  Crew completed landing approximately 600 m from the Armstrong Memorial on the Mun.

Rest of mission completed without incident.

Armstrong V was postponed due to design issues.  To be completed after Armstrong VI mission.

Armstrong VI went to Minmus.  Success. Images to come.

Armstrong V :

Spoiler

Launched after more than a month of delays due to the design of the rover/DSP payload compartment.  

 

Crew attempted to land with a rover and DSP again.  However, during descent, the landing crew of Dilkin (Pilot) and Tanrie (Scientist) Kerman were killed when their lander collided with a hillside.  The impact happened as the crew was attempting deceleration and an emergency abort-return-to-orbit procedure.  

The tragedy was the result of the combination of several factors.  Too steep a trajectory for the vehicle mass and altitude, poor landing zone planning (high mean Munar altitude) and too low of an initial orbit were the primary causes.  The final cause was a failure of the stage separator between the descent and ascent modules.  With the separator non-functional, the ascent module's engine was unable to fire, dooming the crew.As a result, the Armstrong Program is on hold while new landing vehicle designs are designed and tested.

The lone survivor, Caleny Kerman (Engineer) returned to Kerbin and is part of the team overseeing the redesign of the Munar vehicles.

 

More to come!  The next stage of the program involves long term space habitation, research, and the testing of various Exploration Vehicle designs for voyages out to Duna and Eve.

Edited April 17, 2017 by smotheredrun
Stuff!