michal.don

While I really enjoy RO/RSS (the sense of achievement is just great there), I find myself escaping to my stock/3.2x installs when I just want to have fun and launch something to space right now. So, RSS when I want to really conquer space, and 3.2x or stock when I just want to see explosions or build enormous stuff. MIchal.don

Hello, and welcome to the forums! To begin with, RSS/RO is hard. And I mean very hard. There is a lot of things that stock KSP doesn't simulate, such as ullage, rated burn time, limited throttle and ignitions and so on. I didn't manage to get to orbit for a long time, myself. If you enjoy carreer mode in stock KSP, I'd suggest installing RP-0 as well, which takes you through the whole spaceflight history, from sounding rockets to high atmosphere to landing on the Moon, building spacestations and sending probes to distant worlds. It is demanding, but at least you don't start with hundreds of different engines, having no clue which to use in the first place. To get you started, I'd suggest @NathanKell's youtube tutorial series, which covers rocket designing and piloting in great detail: I hope this helps, good luck! Michal.don

Yeah, KSP sometimes works in mysterious ways parts don't align, ships disappear, and other kraken-like accidents.... Thanks for the picture, OP edited. Michal.don

If you have KSP from steam, go to your library, select KSP/Properties/Betas, and then you can choose a version all the way back to 1.0.5. Unfortunately, I don't know how non-steam installs go, but I'm sure there is a way, too.

No, there isn't, and I think there won't be for quite some time. But since 1.3 did not bring too many significant changes, it isn't much of an issue. So go grab yourself a 1.2.2 and conquer the Moon

Hello, and welcome to the challenge! The rules state: "The Orbiter must be lifted into space by a Launch System that decouples or un-docks once expended, allowing the Orbiter to land entirely under it's own power." That means, as @Alchemist correctly said, you have to use a launch system of ETs/boosters, even if your craft is capable of SSTOing Other than that, you can create a craft as crazy as you wish, the rules are pretty flexible. EDIT: Of course a YT series is OK, be sure to share the link here when you finish the missions Yep, it looks like enormous shuttles are the trend nowadays The margins were quite tight, and the reentry must have been hot like hell, poor pilots must have feared for their lives. But then again, they are Kerbals, so they might have had a good time in the flames. NIcely flown mission, congratulations on your new, shiny badge, commander! A competition for the biggest shuttle, indeed I really like your base design, and the creativity it took to get it all to the Mun. Assembling it at the poles is a noteworthy deed as well. The only thing I mind a little is the fact the rover couldn't dock to the base properly - designing the payloads to be compatible on the Mun is a big part of this challenge. But given the fact that you assembled the base from many pieces on the surface, I think I can forgive that one detail, and award the commander badge: Good job seriously! Don't worry about that, even smaller shuttles can be quite capable, as my "Kolumbia" proved time and time again - it completed all the mission despite being a small one too. Although I admit, sometimes it was quite hairy Regarding your mission - nicely flown, and I really like the design of the ComSat structure - a nice touch Good job, here are your badges, commander: Michal.don

If anybody is awake and has time, the docking to the ISS is coming pretty soon here:

You sure aren't wasting any time, either Except for the docking port missiong on the array, it looks like an almost routine mission, finished with a pin-point landing - good job! Here is your badge, congratulations! Yeah, I think it does And it makes me curious how the rover and the EEV will look like, this is absolutely crazy... Carry on, I'm looking forward to the mission report (also, a great example of compact packaging) Yeah, explosions are a neccessary component of any shuttle design and program here Don't let that discourage you, and I'm looking forward to see your report! Michal.don

I can't really see it in the dark picture, but are you possibly designing a stock robotic arm? If that is so, please do share your progress, it looks really interesting! Well, 54t should be more than enough equipment for almost any mission. Good luck on the base building, looking forward to seeing the base

Yep, all looks good for commander level! Nice series of missions, the station really looks great, and it seems the precision of the reentry and final approach improved from mission to mission. Congratulations, and happy potato hunting! Ah, so the most daring shuttle project of all time is finished! I can't really describe how impressed I am, this is really something entirely else. Deep respect to you and your crews, and it's an honor to award you the badge: Also, since this badge doesn't give enough credit to this unbelievable mission, I must award you with the "Skunkworks" badge - the one for extraordinaly awesome engineering and piloting. I hope and believe the former admins of the challenge would agree with me. You sure aren't wasting any time The inclination change burn is fine by me, so nothing prevents me from awarding you the commander badge: The shuttle looks really good, I'm curious how large a base you will construct fot the Mun STS 2-4 No problem - the STS 1-B and STS 2-B are voluntary missions which might or might not be completed alongside the STS 1 and 2 missions. So, if you decide to do so, you can complete the STS 2-B and take down the fuel pod on the flight where you take the commcats to keostationary orbit. It's up to you. Michal.don

A nice mission, everything looks good. I can't see whether the sats are spin-stabilised, but other than that, everything seems fine. Here are your badges: Hey, @53miner53 with another shuttle, what a surprise Jokes aside, this shuttle is really a great looking spacecraft, and looks like a capable one, as well. I think the reusability of the booster somewhat limits the capacity of the shuttle, but I'm looking forward to see what comes next! Welcome to the challenge, I'm glad to hear you decided to take part, the shuttle of yours looks quite interesting. A for the changes, I agree that they probably won't be neccessary for the next few mission, I'm curious how far you'll get before the need to extensively modify your shuttle comes Here are your badges: Just a small detail - could you please provide a screenshot of the fuel pod in the final orbit with the resource tab open? I can't see the pod anywhere in the album Great to see you back in service What can I say about the shuttle? It looks terrific, and very elegant for its proportions. Just curious, what is its payload capacity to LKO? And I believe that the LV-N propulsion will have suffucient delta-V to go pretty much anywhere you like with a bit of planning. So, a very well earned commander badge: Looking forward to seeing more! (I'll review more missions later today, and probably merge the posts) Michal.don

A thing I learnt the hard way - "Cryogenic" type of tanks is inferior to "Servce module" in terms of Hydrolox storage possibilities. Do not count on using hydrolox engines several weeks from LEO, but for running the fuel cells on a two week lunar mission, it is enough.

A sophisticated example of "moar boosters!!" Serious congratulations, I'm really looking forward to seeing the full story! I might be walking on thin ice here, but I'll say that you can. But just the attitude hold, and just during reentry. The other parts must be piloted by you. Michal.don

I encourage you to try, most of the missions are really challenging and fun. Good luck! I made an edit to the rules - one I've been thinking about but did not implement until now. Since the asteroid mission is rather a humorous one (but still a very difficult one), I cancelled it as a requirement for the Munar and interplanetary missions. As long as you completed STS 1-8, you are good to go beyond LKO. But you should still try STS-9, potato landing is really fun Well, I did not implement the bonus missions, that was @Speeding Mullet in the last iteration of the challenge. But I do like the concept, too, so there may occur bonus missions for STS-3 and later. And, I do have an idea for another tier of missions - the "Test pilot" flights. I still have to think them through a bit though. But a small spoiler, just to share the kind of things i have in mind I can't say that this is the most elegant-looking shuttle I've ever seen, but I guess Jeb would really approve of the design, and it gets things done in a very kerbal way I gladly award you the commander badge for the STS-1, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of your designs! Michal.don EDIT: I'll rather mention it here, too. A new mission is available, "The STS Mun-2-4" Read the description in the OP, and build me a base on the Mun

Hello and welcome to the forums! If "ultra realistic" and "real life like" is your goal, I'd reccomend the Realism Overhaul/Real Solar System/(Realistic Progression-0) combination. It truly makes KSP a brand new game, but it can be quite frustrating in the begenning because of the difficulty and many differences. But you will surely find any help you need at the forums, that's why we are here Michal.don (PS, RO/RP-0 aren't out for 1.3, just for 1.2.2, but I don't think that is much of an issue)