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Vexillar

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    Interplanetary travel question

    in Science & Spaceflight

    Posted

    Hi @Victor3

    As previous answers have said, the travel time is determined by the transfer orbit's period.  This is, (as represented by Kepler's third law) proportional to the square root of the cube of the semi-major axis, a.

    [How much of the orbit's period is used in the transfer might vary according to timing, alignment or desired efficiency, but it remains the fundamental factor on which the other factors bear.]

    Hence, the further from the Sun, the longer the period, independently of the difference in the start and end body's SMA.

    So - using @KerikBalm's example above, if we take the the orbital period for an orbit with a of 1 AU to be 1 year, the period for an orbit of 0.75 AU would be about 0.65 years.  The period for an orbit with a equal to  a 1.25 AU orbit would be about 1.40 years. So the further out one is from the Sun (or the planet in whose moon system one is transferring), the longer the period.  Period.

     

     

    KSP Loading... Preview: Advanced Maneuver Mode

    in KSP1 The Daily Kerbal

    Posted

    13 hours ago, MechBFP said:

    I also spy with my little eye the changes to the UI regarding ASL or AGL for the altimeter. 

    Well spotted! :cool:

    12 hours ago, Loskene said:

    I like the final choice for the altimeter mode UI too, looks like you took the best of every suggestion in that brainstorm thread for a neat result. Great work :cool:

    Indeed... shows that positive feedback from the forum improves the game for everyone.

    All in all, can't wait for this release :prograde::prograde::prograde::targetpro:

    A "KSP Loading..." Preview: Vernor Engine Revamp

    in KSP1 The Daily Kerbal

    Posted

    All in all, a great revamp, I think.  In keeping with the old part, but better in so many ways (esp. rivets gone :) ).  As @Lupi alluded, the old part's concave top made it difficult to clip/blend it nicely with angled surfaces while trying to get the position and direction just right.  The new one should make that a bit easier.  Bit if it were possible to have an "unblistered" bare nozzle variant as per @StrandedonEarth's suggestion, that would be the sprinkles on the icing on the cake. :D 

    (I've wondered about the rationale for the aero blister... in my head, it's because this part would be used mainly on large craft - that would not fit inside a fairing - and so even for a deep space missions the verniers would be out in the wind on launch.  Also because it came before fairings were in the game, and because Eve.)

     

    So what is Serenity?

    in KSP1 Discussion

    Posted

    2 hours ago, RealKerbal3x said:

    Why would merch have a section on the bugtracker though?

    Well, you could describe DLC as "merch", as in something that is sold for money... Judging by the rate that the part revamps are going, we should have a full set by 1.8, which is due around June-July.

    On the other hand, a kerbal eagle, looking tranquil, standing on a nice base, perhaps?

    Mods in Stock

    in KSP1 Suggestions & Development Discussion

    Posted

    My personal essentials (and shout-outs to modders)

    • @sarbian and @blowfish Module Manager [so essential, so often forgotten]
    • @IgorZ KIS (Kerbal Inventory System) and KAS (Kerbal Attachment System)
    • @Nils277 Kerbal Planetary Base Systems
    • @Nils277 Feline Utility Rovers / @RoverDude Malemute Rover

    Must-haves:

    Nice-to-haves:

    • @shaw Texture Replacer (alongside a suit pack showing clear but subtle specialisation and rank markings)
    • @RoverDude Konstruction! (and probably more from USI)
    • @MOARdV (et al. ant.) Aviation lights / @IgorZ (et al. ant.) Surface Mounted lights
    • @TriggerAu KAC (Kerbal Alarm Clock)
    • @Athlonic Chatterer

     

    And huge thanks to all the other modders out there who have shared their kreations.  Season's Greetings to all!

    (Apologies if I've missed any modders or mis-attributed any - please PM me and I'll gladly correct)

    2mm hole in ISS

    in Science & Spaceflight

    Posted

    I think the Russians improvised pretty well.  Ideally there would have been tools tested for the job and some means of containing the debris (what do you mean, vacuum cleaners don't work in a vacuum?) 

    In space you have to make do with what you have.  Even if it is Iron Age tech.

    So far:

    Theory 1 was a micrometeorite strike - retracted fairly quickly by NASA because of the drill marks, among other things.

    Theory 2, from the Russians, was that the hole had been drilled from the inside, allegedly by American Astronaut(s), to force an evacuation so that one of the Americans could be treated for illness.

    Theory 3 was that the hole was made on the ground and covered up (in more than one sense).

    The reason for the spacewalk to examine the outside and retrieve samples is to confirm or deny that the hole was sealed up from the outside - in which case the hole cannot have been made in orbit.

    Post the spacewalk, we can be sure that no damage was evident on the outside thermal blankets or micrometeorite shield - further discounting natural causes.  From the TV pics, it did appear that there was a significant glob of sealant pressed onto the pressure hull - far larger than the 2mm hole itself - which would be impossible to put in place from the inside.

    Theory 3 therefore seems overwhelmingly likely, so yes, that would be highly embarrassing to the manufacturer (and, let's say, career-limiting to the individuals responsible).

    It would be comforting to have that confirmed, even if the detail of the report was classified (along with the ground-based investigation as to who and how and why, that will inevitably follow).  But with the current state of International relations and sabre-rattling, it's perhaps not too surprising that the embarrassment goes to the top.

    Happily, this incident (and the coincidental booster detachment failure) has not resulted in prolonged grounding of Russian manned launches.  There's no alternative at the moment, and being forced to leave the ISS unmanned for a lengthy period might have resulted in malfunctions or damage that were difficult or impossible to rectify.

    Inclination help

    in KSP1 Gameplay Questions and Tutorials

    Posted

    (ninja'd)!  Yup - what @Snark said...  If you're having trouble figuring how to match inclination with the station, then use those burns at the Ascending and Descending nodes (choose the station as target and you'll see AN and DN in the map view).  Or if you just want to get the station into a Munar equatorial orbit to save you aligning each visiting craft, use the cheat Alt-F12 menu.

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