Angelo Kerman

Awesome! And a little confused.. Is Mr. Dilsby now in Jeb's fighter and Jeb's fighter is docked to the Gumdrop?

Yup, definitely optional. In lieu of a true mass effect core, I'm looking into a contragravity generator. Think of hover mode from my Kerbal Flying Saucers' gravitic engine, but built for Blueshift as an alternative. The generator cancels 95% of a planet's gravity, leaving the craft's inertial mass- and its delta-v- intact. Here's a quick look (with the S2 warp core standing in for the generator's 3D model): The closes analogy to this device would be the "Hack Gravity" cheat function, but only applied to the vessel.

Unfortunately I'm unable to circularize the orbits of nearby spacecraft along with the active vessel. The game just won't let me do it. Just another limitation of warp dragging... The idea of a tractor beam though... Perhaps I could modify the stock grappler code so that it draws a beam...

That would actually be more like the stock Advanced Grabbing Unit. Instead of a claw, you'd have a beam of light.

"Cannot timewarp while vessel is warp dragging" is what people will see if they try to timewarp while warp dragging. Thanks for the suggestion! I'm also looking into the possibility of auto-circularizing while warp dragging...

This is a tough one, do you have steps to reproduce it?

Oh yeah, warp dragging during timewarp is definitely not possible. The moment that I add cruise control velocity to all the loaded vessels, they instantly fly out of formation and off to who knows where. I'll have to see if I can add a failsafe to prevent timewarp during warp dragging.

Star Frontier can't exceed light speed while dragging the asteroid, but that's ok. Warp Dragging accounts for the mass of nearby vessels now. It doesn't work when you warp during timewarp though. It might be possible but for now it's real-time only.

Yeah, I hate to say it but a mass effect core in KSP isn't practical. There's too many places where I'd have to change how delta-v is computed, plus it fundamentally changes the rocket equation. On top of that, to keep acceleration low, you'd have to throttle the engines way back, and lose the cool exhaust plume effects. In order to get a vessel that looks cool with exhaust effects and has high acceleration and high ISP (essentially what a mass effect core does) I'd have to fiddle with engines, fix joint strength, and who knows what else. Just not worth the effort, especially when I have a gravitic engine already in Kerbal Flying Saucers. So, instead, I'm looking at an old phenomenon from the early days of Blueshift: warp dragging. Back in the day, if you went to warp when another ship was in physics range, the other ship would be dragged along with you. It was a bug, and one that people used to drag other things like asteroids around. I'm thinking about making that possible again, but the active warp engine would need to account for the other object(s) mass. That would mean you could drag other objects, but they'd slow you down. Warp Dragging would be an optional feature that you can configure in Settings.

I was able to investigate creating a mass effect core and suffice to say that it's no simple task due to the way that KSP calculates mass in various places. There was a mod some time ago that had a method that technically worked, but it really messes with the delta-v calculations. For those interested, it's this one: I'm finding that to get a proper mass effect core to work would require a large amount of effort that might not be worth the trouble.

Sounds like Excursion will undergo a major refit!

Wow! Glad you were able to recover some useful stuff!

Chapter 2 Karbal Kerman, space news correspondent for Kerbal News Network, just finished covering Phoenix Aerospace’s Münflight announcement. It was an intriguing idea to capture the nostalgia of the early days of spaceflight! He looked forward to covering it as the announcement became reality. For now, though, he had to finish editing his exposé on the political corruption that happened over fifteen years ago when KSP was making their Shuttle Decision. His research showed that Drax Aerospace influenced members of Kongress to choose the Drax Shuttle Launch System over the Lindor Shuttle, a competing design. Correction, make that two competing designs. The Kerman Air Force proposed a smaller orbiter- their first Blackstar proposal- that launched on a piloted and winged version of the Lindor L-1C first-stage booster. The winged booster was supposed to provide almost all the velocity needed to reach orbit and then detach the orbiter. The orbiter would finish attaining orbit while the booster reentered the atmosphere and landed at a convenient airbase. It was one of the first fully reusable shuttle designs- except it didn’t work. The booster wouldn’t survive reentry heating due to the technology of the day, and any kind of additional heat shielding would’ve made the booster infeasible. But that got Karbal thinking… What if the Lindor Shuttle became SLS instead of Drax’s Shuttle? How would history have played out? Karbal took some notes, checked some of his old files, took some more notes, drafted an outline, and before he realized it, it was morning already. He realized that he had something that the alternate history buffs would love to read, so Karbal slept a few hours, created a pen name, and began writing… * (ALT) Keep Looking Up Part 1: The Shuttle Decision Jool 31, 1991: The Space Shuttle Mariner was poised on Pad A at the Kerman Space Center, ready to launch for the very first time. Four years ago, Kongress approved the Shuttle Launch System, just as it happened in our timeline. But in this alternate timeline, things are different. After the renowned investigative journalist Karl Kerman published an award-winning article on Drax Aerospace’s efforts to illegally influence Kongress’ decision, they immediately rejected Drax’s Shuttle proposal in favor of the Lindor Shuttle- and the Drax executives landed in jail. John Kerman, veteran of eight K-20 KerbalSoar flights- including one to each of Kerbin’s müns- was the Kerman States’ most experienced astronaut and was the command pilot of the first Shuttle flight. Joining him was rookie astronaut Roberta Kerman, one of the first of a new class of Shuttle astronauts. John looked out of Mariner’s windows and silently thought about how much the space center had changed. Given how long it took to process a Lindor launch vehicle, KSP added Pad B and Pad C along with another Vehicle Assembly Building to handle the expected workload. Off in the distance, he could also see Pad Alpha, built to handle Kerman Air Force K-20s that began polar flights to Dolores Air Force Station after Münflight 3. He knew that the KAF Skyhawk, sitting in its VAB, was fully stacked on its Edna booster and ready to fly in case Mariner experienced a malfunction in orbit and her crew needed rescue. But once the Shuttle began flying with its full crew of four, the K-20 could no longer rescue a stranded Shuttle’s astronauts. And once Shuttle became fully operational, the Air Force intended to retire their fleet of K-20s in favor of the larger and more capable vehicle. In fact, by consolidating all missions on the Shuttle, redundant architectures like the K-20 and its Edna launch vehicle, and all their support facilities, could be eliminated to save costs- and to justify the high flight rates needed to keep Shuttle costs low. Three seconds before launch, the first stage’s Kerbodyne KE-1 Mastodon engines roared into life and quickly built-up full thrust. The Lindor struggled to be free, and right on time, explosive bolts in hold-down posts detonated, granting the giant rocket’s wish. Simultaneously, the three service masts on the launch tower quickly scurried out of the way to ensure that the Lindor could rocket into the sky unopposed. At nearly 500,000 Funds per flight, it was hard to justify the throwaway Lindor 5. Fortunately, engineers had previously experimented with a solution when KSP launched Skybase into orbit- an experiment that proved to be a success. They built the Lindor L-9R- the official name for the heavily modified Lindor 9 Reusable First Stage Booster. Based on the venerable L-1C first stage that sent a total of six missions to the Mün and Minmus, the L9-R had nine Kerbodyne KE-1 Mastodon engines (The L-1C had five, plus two more that powered expendable boosters) and a stretched fuel tank. 1 minute and 26 seconds after liftoff, at an altitude of 28 km and traveling 948.3 meters per second, the L-9R completed its burn. Mariner’s flight computers then commanded the first stage to separate from the rest of the vehicle, and stack decouplers and separatron solid rocket motors got to work rapidly putting distance between the spent booster and the rest of the rocket. Two seconds later, the five RE-I5 Skipper engines powering the L-2 second stage ignited, and the Lindor Shuttle continued her climb. As with its L-1C predecessor, the L-9R separated from the stack at a relatively low altitude and speed, and that translated to experiencing less atmospheric heating than other proposed reusable Shuttle designs. As a result, the first stage coasted another 32 km higher before unlocking its propellant reserves and making an engine burn in preparation for its next phase of operations. Thanks to a technology transfer agreement with the vonKerman Republic, the L-9R was equipped with “grid fins” that helped steer the stage towards its landing zone on Welcome Island. Coupled with four deployable landing legs that were up-sized versions from the vonKerman’s recoverable boosters, the L-9R could land safely, be refurbished, and fly again. For Mariner’s first flight, the Lindor vehicle stack used the same L-9R that launched Skybase into orbit, albeit refurbished and modified to apply lessons learned from its first flight. But once again, the reusable booster proved its worth and landed safely. And given its cost savings, KSP was already in the process of building three more reusable first stage boosters. 7 minutes and 42 seconds after launch, the Lindor Shuttle’s L-2 second stage completed its duties and separated from Mariner, leaving the orbiter to circularize its orbit. The L-2 stage remained unchanged since the days of launching K-20s with their D1B upper stages into orbit. It represented dependability and reliability. Unfortunately, the legacy hardware also represented the greatest expenditure of the Lindor Shuttle. Unlike the first stage, the second stage, coasting 150 km above the surface and traveling at 3,675.1 meters per second, was traveling too high and too fast to safely reenter the atmosphere. So, while Mariner completed its circularization burn via its single Skipper engine, the L-2 stage burned up eight and a half minutes later. But engineers had to wonder- could it too be recovered? John and Roberta breathed a sigh of relief and congratulated each other (even though the flight computers did all the work)- they were in orbit! With the launch completed, they got to work transforming the vehicle into on-orbit mode. They started by opening the payload bay doors, turning on the bay lights, and extending the high-gain antenna. Like Pathfinder- the first K-20 KerbalSoar- the Lindor Shuttle had payload bay doors, but unlike its predecessors, which replaced the bay with a crew cabin on subsequent K-20s, Mariner’s payload bay was a permanent addition. The size of the payload bay- and thus, the overall size of the shuttle, was dictated by Kerman Air Force requirements. Simply put, they wanted the ability to launch their large, “classified payloads” (we all know that they’re spy satellites) into orbit and to retrieve them for servicing as needed. In their competing Blackstar orbiter proposal, the Air Force designed a bay that could handle payloads up to 7.5m long and 1.875m in diameter. Realizing that they needed as many Shuttle flights as possible to keep costs down, KSP’s design met those requirements and even exceeded them. The Lindor Shuttle had a bay that could fit cargo up to 2.5m in diameter and had an airlock and docking equipment while still having plenty of room left over for the Air Force’s classified payloads. The payload bay was more than enough to handle KSP’s payload requirements- especially since the Lindor itself could still launch what they had in mind. Even on her maiden flight, Mariner was put to work. With a series of carefully timed engine burns, John piloted Mariner over to Skybase for a fly-around to check on the station’s status. A year ago, a trio of his fellow astronauts departed the station on Sojourner, the last operational civilian K-20 that made its final flight. Since the K-20 was designed with the Mk 1 Clamp-O-Tron Junior docking port and Shuttle used the larger Mk2 port- another gift from the vonKermans, and one that ensured that all spacecraft could dock together regardless of origin- Shuttles visiting Skybase needed an adapter. Fortunately, Mariner carried one. After John finished his fly-around, Roberta got to work. Nestled in Mariner’s payload bay was the Docking Adapter Module, a specialized component that KSP engineers built based on the venerable Mark One Laboratory Module. The DAM had both types of docking ports at each end of the module. But more than just a docking adapter, the DAM was a dedicated prototype greenhouse capable of growing food for the astronauts. KSP hoped to demonstrate that with the right edible plants that could also renew the air supply, spacecraft could carry fewer supplies for long-duration missions. Attached to the Mk2 port was Mariner’s other primary payload: the Teleoperated Maneuvering Vehicle. Tested last year via an Edna launch, engineers designed the TMV to maneuver hardware in space and position it for assembly. The first TMV had issues with receiving ground commands, but a thorough check of its software resolved the bugs, and this time, Roberta piloted the craft from a console in Mariner’s cockpit. After performing pre-flight checks and unlocking the propellant flow valves, Roberta fired the explosive bolts holding the DAM and TMV in Mariner’s payload bay, and the Shuttle’s first cargo took flight. With practiced precision, Roberta maneuvered the TMV out of Mariner’s payload bay and slowly piloted it over Skybase. She lined up the Mk 1 docking ports and slowly approached the space station. A few meters before docking, she rotated the TMV to line it and the DAM up with Skybase’s orientation. The DAM docked with the windmill-like station with a satisfying clunk. “Excellent job, Mariner,” Mission Control called out from the radio. “Seals look good. You’re go for TMV undocking and transpositioning.” “Roger that,” Roberta responded. Her hands played across her console, and the TMV separated from the Docking Adapter Module. As the constellation of spacecraft approached Kerbin’s nightside, the rookie astronaut piloted the TMV back into Mariner’s payload bay and docked with the aft docking port. She made it look easy. As she locked the TMV’s propellant tanks, John initiated the next phase of the mission. He expertly oriented Mariner to line up its docking port with the newly vacated port on the DAM. With precision movements and patience, Mariner’s docking port lined up with the DAM, and John nudged the orbiter “up” to dock. And just like that, the airliner-sized Shuttle, longer than Skybase, docked with the station. The astronauts secured Mariner and then transferred to the DAM’s greenhouse. After turning on the lights and opening the shutters, they took a break. That’s when things started to go wrong. Skybase started to tumble in space! The structure groaned and flexed at the two docked Clamp-O-Tron Jr ports as Mariner and Skybase fought for control over which set of gyros would orient the station in space. The astronauts quickly evacuated back to the shuttle while Mission Control went through their emergency procedures for Skybase. Together, both station and shuttle switched off their gyro systems, allowing the complex to slowly stop oscillating. A root cause analysis session later determined that both Skybase’s and Mariner’s flight control computers decided that they were responsible for orienting the complex and sent commands to their respective gyro systems. Because of their positions relative to the center of mass, the complex began to flex- almost to the breaking point of the DAM/Skybase docking interface. Disabling both primary gyro systems resolved the issue. By activating the backup gyros in Skybase’s logistics module- which were not as powerful and were closer to the center of mass- Mission Control stopped the flexing and got the station reoriented properly. But lesson learned; orbiters must relinquish control to the station when they visit, and the station needed to use the gyros closest to center of mass for orientation. And as part of the mitigation efforts, KSP came up with a “Naming Priority” system to help determine which spacecraft should have control at any given time. With the situation under control, John and Roberta went back to the greenhouse to continue their work. Currently configured as a botany lab, the module had numerous sensors to monitor plant growth in microgravity. The results of the experiments would enable future crews to reconfigure the lab into a greenhouse, but for now, John and Roberta were satisfied that after hooking up all the tubes, power cords, and sensors, there were no issues when the finally turned the whole thing on. Next, the astronauts double-checked the seals between the DAM and Skybase before entering the station. They noted some buckling in the metal transfer tunnel, but they verified that there were no air leaks. Nonetheless, Mission Control made a note to bring up some struts to reinforce the connection between the DAM and Skybase. John opened the hatch, and the two made their way into Skybase’s logistics and airlock modules. After performing their checks and not noticing anything out of the ordinary, John and Roberta transferred fresh EVA equipment and repair kits to the logistics hub. The final stop of their tour was the orbital workshop proper- the converted D1B upper stage. Roberta noted an odd smell that turned out to be an out-gassing of various plastic components that were repeatedly exposed to heating and cooling. Mission Control took note to send up more air filters along with fresh supplies of Snacks, fresh air, minerite, and other items. Skybase also needed four Refit Kits to set up the machinery needed for its next phase of operations. But that would have to wait for another flight. For now, John and Roberta were content to complete assessing the state of Skybase and noting what needed updates and repairs. The astronauts returned to Mariner, and over the next two days, they conducted tests and evaluated its on-orbit performance. They found that the orbiter performed remarkably well thanks to the experiences gained from flying the K-20 KerbalSoar. They particularly liked using the TMV to maneuver payloads in space- no clunky robot arm needed! But their time at the station had to end, so John and Roberta boarded Mariner, undocked, and put some distance between themselves and Skybase for their trip home. Forty-four minutes later, Mariner performed her deorbit burn and eleven minutes after that, she hit the upper atmosphere. As with the K-20, the Shuttle aimed for an impact point a few hundred kilometers short of KSC, and then pitched upwards enough to both glide to the space center and slow down. It was both an art and a science to slow down right above the space center, but unlike its predecessor, Shuttle had jet engines to ensure a safe return. So, it came as no surprise when Mariner overshot the space center by 37 kilometers, and John had to light the jet engines and turn the ship around. “We heard some bangs and shimmies on the way down,” John remarked. “It sounded like something went boom,” he said calmly, as if reporting the weather. He set Mariner down on the runway with barely any concern, and then taxied over to the spaceplane hangar and stopped just outside of the structure. Once the pair shut down the orbiter’s systems, they deplaned and stood outside for a publicity photo. The first flight of the new Shuttle was a success! Well, almost a success. Engineers examined the spacecraft to find out what the “bangs and shimmies” were. As it turns out, they were the result of the wingtip RCS thrusters sheering off from the extreme heat and pressure of atmospheric re-entry. They’d have to be redesigned for the next flight...

I've had an insane work schedule coupled with moving for the past month and a half, and am still working on the multi-segment warp coils. No ETA as yet. Part of my goal is to not put timelines out as that caused a lot of burnout before. It depends upon time, interest, work, etc.

Well done! Congratulations on achieving all your primary and secondary objectives at Sarnus. Great use of gravity assist and conservative fuel burns, and way to go with the hole-in-one atmospheric probe landing on an island in the middle of a lake.