Mars-Bound Hokie

February 26, 2023

AGAFORD KERMAN'S MISSION LOG: Y66D164 - 4H30M

I cannot tell you how glad I am to be in a nice, (semi-)cozy spaceplane after being trapped in a smelly spacesuit for days. After I was done refueling the P-5 Olympian, I had to get out of the plane since the transfer window to Dres was opening soon. That meant I had to be stuck floating in Minmus orbit in nothing but my EVA suit until the Laythe speeder arrived.

(Wo)man overboard!

Once the Laythe speeder rendezvoused with me, I jetpacked my way to the cockpit and fumbled for the airlock lever in the darkness until I got in. First thing I did before I landed, I washed myself as best as I could with what I had. After that, I refueled the plane's Lf tanks, flew out of Minmus SOI, and now I'm at a parking orbit 50 Mm above Kerbin.

You can see Kerbin, the Mun, and Minmus (L to R) in this picture.

With 4,500 m/s of dV in my fuel tanks, according to the onboard Launch Window Planner, I have enough fuel to make it to Jool directly - but with almost 400 m/s of dV left over. After the KSP ran several simulations sending different craft - whether they be base parts or electric planes - they recommend I target Laythe directly as soon as I enter Jool's SOI. After that, I would fine-tune my approach to have a periapsis WITHIN the planet's atmosphere so that I could aerobrake. I would still have to make a braking burn when I enter Laythe's SOI so that I don't stay in a hyperbolic trajectory at best or explode from overheating at worst. Either way, too fast an approach would backfire on me. Once I can safely re-enter Laythe, I would have to find an island with a suitable ore concentration and fast. Cross my fingers I get lucky enough to fly near one.

Regarding the Base vs Station debate, I'd rather go with a station than a base. With a base, you have to make a precise landing; if you're unlucky, the only safe spots that won't end up with you sliding will be far away. On top of that, it will cost a lot more time than it would to send a completed orbital station - which would probably cost less on its own than all four base parts put together. Not to mention that, even if the craft lands smack-dab next to the base, kerbals will have to transport the cargo one-by-one in either direction.

I think we can send both, but only the first part of the base. It can serve as a warehouse for auxiliary equipment, which may not even be used since the orbital station has a lot of cargo slots as it is.

In other news, I hear we're doing great with our electric drones so far. So great, in fact, that the engineers there are building a luxury three-man transport based off the drone's general design. Since the electric engines were reportedly quieter than the jet engines, I would pay a lot of money to cruise around the planet in one of those planes if I could also take a nap in the middle and/or listen to some soothing music. But I don't have to worry about that now, since most of my time in the Neptune VIII plane will be spent in empty space with the engine off.

What do you all think? Base, or Station?

February 22, 2023

I'm excited to build interstellar starships and set up colonies on various planets like the ones you see on Star Trek.

February 20, 2023

I know, this entry is the same plane as the original post. This is just the E-40 Impulse being sent to Laythe, as I had originally planned.

When people say that something "will go down in flames," this isn't what they're talking about. Right?

Smooth landing, and recharging for the next flight.
- And since it's so far away from the sun, it needs all the electricity it can get.

5 hours ago, Cavscout74 said:

While anyone can deploy the surface experiments, it is better for an engineer to deploy the power generating items (solar or RTG) and better for a scientist to deploy the actual experiments. Engineer-deployed power sources generate additional power based on the engineer's experience and scientist-deployed experiments generate science faster, also based on the experience of the scientist deploying them. Also, they are only useful for one deployment per body, not per biome. I suppose you could deploy multiple sets to gather data faster (not certain on that) but you won't get extra data from them.

Thanks for the help. Good thing the plane can carry three people (pilot + 2 passengers) so I can leave the engineer + scientist combo at the landing spot for a while to gather science.

Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/E-40-Impulse-LAYTHE-VARIANT

February 20, 2023

I sent the E-40 Impulse to Laythe.

When my nuclear-powered delivery rocket first entered Jool's SOI, I set Laythe as the target and flew directly there (as opposed to setting up a parking orbit around Jool and going to Laythe).
Out of curiosity, I wonder how many kerbalnauts here go for the direct moon approach.

I’m not sure this is what people mean when they use the expression going down in flames.
Either way, as predicted, the plane survived re-entry - but now I had to get the plane under control before it crashed in the water.

A couple of things I had to do between re-entry and when I finally regained controls:
- The blade angle was still at 0 degrees the entire trip (I didn’t change it when I mounted the plane itself to the rocket), so I had to press and hold H to adjust it before I could hope for those engines to be of any use.
- I was nosediving at quite a concerning rate, and my attempt to pitch up wasn’t doing anything. So, I hit the reverse thrust button in order to increase the rate that my vertical velocity rose (as in got closer to zero from a negative value). Of course, I switched the engine direction back to normal before my vertical velocity hit 0 - and even then, I needed a bit more time to regain control.
In the end, I managed to fly in a somewhat more stable manner.

After landing in one piece, I extended the solar panels to speed up solar power recharge.

February 19, 2023

2 hours ago, SkyFall2489 said:

with a mission I’m racing to get down and KSP2 just around the corner.

Who said KSP1 is dead as soon as KSP2 comes out? I'm still going to play it.

Besides, I'd rather wait a while and see if it's worth the hype before I spend money on it.

February 19, 2023

On 1/16/2023 at 7:15 PM, SkyFall2489 said:

I might send my new Sparrow dropship, for exploring the other moons. Is it OK if I don't have a free port on it, because it's meant as a support ship?

Sorry for the delayed response, but I suppose a dropship for moon exploration would be useful. I'd love to see the Sparrow.

That being said, a separate launch for a station part would also be welcome. Maybe you can send both ships at once in a fleet.

February 19, 2023

As the title implies, show us what electric aircraft you got. Whether they be pure stock, stock + DLC, or modded. I'm very interested to see what you all have.

The only rule is that the end-stage (as in the plane itself) must run on pure electricity - no using Lf, Ox, Lf+Ox, or monopropellant for propulsion. If your plane is designed specifically for Duna/Eve/Laythe use, then your delivery rockets can use whatever is necessary to get it to its target (like on my E-38 Earhart and E-39 Earhart Junior). As long as the plane itself doesn't use up any chemicals to move, you should be good.

Having those (or ore or xenon) on board the plane is okay if it's for balancing purposes.
- Just don't use up any to move the plane.
- Besides, fuel cells aren't exactly a reliable power source when it comes to battery-powered plane propulsion.
  - And xenon is too weak to move anything outside of a vacuum.

Being able to carry passengers and cargo are awesome bonuses, but not required. I'll start this thread with my own entry.

The E-40 Impulse on display in the SPH
- It has "PLANE ONLY" in the name since I have plans to take it to Laythe later. In the meantime, I would have to test its capabilities here on Kerbin
Its cargo bay is loaded with science station equipment, EVA kits, and repair kits
- Although I personally don't really know how to operate the science stations. I just placed them close together and hit "Interact."

Here's a funny little blooper: Jeb hitting the "Reverse Thrust" button by mistake.
At least he remembered to turn the nav lights on (this time).

As soon as Jeb was airborne, he turned west in order to maximize the plane's exposure to sunlight
If he flew east, he would inevitably enter a dark zone and lose electric charge

Spoiler

For craft with solar panels, it is highly recommended that you stay with the sun for as long as possible to maximize charge time. It is also recommended that you go WEST since the sunlight is going in that direction on the surface. If you REALLY want to stretch our your sun-soaking time, you should go AT THE SAME SPEED AS THE SUNLIGHT.

In other words, you would have your craft travel west at the calculated velocity below (depending on your planet)

I did the Eve calculation months ago since, at the time I did the math, I was planning to send the prototype (of an unmanned drone) to Eve after the Kerbin circumnavigation test

If you can safely fly at any of those speeds (on those planets, of course), then effectively you can stay airborne FOREVER.

If you can fly faster (either due to desire and/or because flying slower in stable flight is not possible), then it's best to take off later in the day.
- In this case, it was mid-late afternoon.
If you can only fly slower, then leave early in the morning - or at least leave first chance in the morning you can get solar charge.

Nice shot of the E-40 flying over the desert.
- This was taken before I installed nav lights and rear robot arms in the current prototype.

Jeb looking at Engine One from the cockpit, as well as the mountains to the south.
- Engines are numbered starting with the furthest left (looking forward from the cockpit).

100 km away from the KSC, and the mountains to the west of it are in sight.
Under Engine 1, you can barely see the abandoned island airfield.

1 km ASL and ~8 km away from the runway.

5 HOURS, 11 MINUTES, 30 SECONDS
Since I was flying faster than the planet's rotation about its axis, I launched mid-late afternoon so I wouldn't outrun the sunny spot and therefore lose a constant power source.

E-40 Test Run Performance Stats
Crew Capacity		1 pilot + 2 passengers
Power Plant		(2 x EM-64S) x (4 x R-25)
Total Empty Cargo Capacity		12 (all loaded)
Cruising Altitude		7 km
Cruising Surface Velocity		200 m/s
Minimum Throttle Required		2/3
Blade Angle		38 degrees (45 is optimal)
Optimum Takeoff Time	Westward Flight	Mid-late afternoon
	Eastward Flight	Early in the morning (NOT recommended for long flights)

But I did not stop there:

Spoiler

Using MJ Rover Autopilot to point me in the right direction, I flew to the Temple of Tut-Un Jeb-Ahn a few minutes after landing at the KSC.

Another successful landing.
Jeb got the science station equipment out (one by one) and set up shop near the temple.
- Like I said earlier, I have no idea how they're supposed to work.
  - Please help.

Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/E-40-Impulse-PLANE-ONLY

What do you think? Show us what you've got.

February 19, 2023

On 4/29/2020 at 7:47 PM, KillerMac&Cheese said:

ive been working on my own tomcat but i cant get the wings to sweep.

I got the answer to that right here:

I have a rudimentary replica of the F-14, or rather a supersonic jet whose basic design is based of the F-14 - even down to the variable sweep wing. Rather than aesthetic, I focused more on performance. Though it did not achieve the cruising altitude and airspeed I hoped for, I was able to match those of its real-life counterpart (except the range, which MY craft surpassed).

Tim C's Car cruising in supersonic mode over Kerbin in an eastward circumnavigation flight
RECOMMENDED CRUISE STATS
- Mode: Supersonic
- Average Altitude: 17,000 m
  - Real-life F-14 Service Ceiling: 16,000 m
- Velocity: 795 m/s (to start - expect to rise as fuel is spent)
  - Real-life F-14 Maximum Speed: Mach 2.34 or 803 m/s
- Expected Range: 4,750 km (so yes, it can fly around Kerbin)
  - Real-life F-14 Range: 3,000 km

Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/Tim-Cs-Car

February 19, 2023

I made an all-electric small passenger plane and flew it around Kerbin.

The E-40 Impulse on display in the SPH
- It has "PLANE ONLY" in the name since I have plans to take it to Laythe later. In the meantime, I would have to test its capabilities here on Kerbin
Its cargo bay is loaded with science station equipment, EVA kits, and repair kits
- Although I personally don't really know how to operate the science stations. I just placed them close together and hit "Interact" (more on that later)

Jeb hit the "Reverse thrust" button during takeoff by mistake, explaining why the plane was going backwards
He had to get the plane back into position and restart the test flight all over again

As soon as Jeb was airborne, he turned west in order to maximize the plane's exposure to sunlight
- If he flew east, he would inevitably enter a dark zone and lose electric charge

Nice shot of the E-40 flying over the desert
- This was taken before I installed nav lights and rear robot arms in the next prototype
I really need to start an album devoted specifically to cool background pictures

Jeb looking at Engine One from the cockpit, as well as the mountains to the south
- Engines are numbered starting with the furthest left (looking forward from the cockpit)
Another great shot worthy of being some laptop's background picture

100 km away from the KSC, and the mountains to the west of it are in sight
Under Engine 1, you can barely see the abandoned island airfield

1 km ASL and ~8 km away from the runway
I'm so glad I disabled pitch and roll for the swept control surfaces (not the ones at the wingtips), since they were so counterproductive in previous test runs.
- So now all they're good for is roll and flaps.

5 HOURS, 11 MINUTES, 30 SECONDS
Since I was flying faster than the planet's rotation about its axis, I launched mid-late afternoon so I wouldn't outrun the sunny spot and therefore lose a constant power source.

Final test run complete

E-40 Test Run Performance Stats
Cruising Altitude		7 km
Cruising Surface Velocity		200 m/s
Minimum Throttle Required		2/3
Blade Angle		38 degrees (45 is optimal)
Optimum Takeoff Time	Westward Flight	Mid-late afternoon
	Eastward Flight	Early in the morning (NOT recommended for long flights)

But I did not stop there:

Spoiler

Using MJ Rover Autopilot to point me in the right direction, I flew to the Temple of Tut-Un Jeb-Ahn a few minutes after landing at the KSC

Another successful landing
Jeb got the science station equipment out (one by one) and set up shop near the temple
- Like I said earlier, I have no idea how they're supposed to work
  - Please help

Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/E-40-Impulse-PLANE-ONLY

February 17, 2023

I don't know if this question's already been asked. If it has, please direct me to the answer. Thank you.

And if this is not the right place to ask this question, please take me to whatever is.

That being said, would we be able to use our craft files from KSP - or, for that matter, craft we downloaded from KerbalX - in KSP2?

Sure, none of my craft are designed to go interstellar , but I figured I can start gathering money and science points quickly by using my already-proven-successful spacecraft to explore Kerbin and then the rest of the Kerbol system immediately afterwards. I already have a solid starter plane in my hangar, for instance, so the mid-air and surface surveys should be a snap. Some planets can be easily reached by my SSTOs as well, so there's a huge money-saver right there.

At the very least, I can take my first steps into space exploration (again) without having to endure the headaches and test runs associated with starting from scratch. God knows how much we all hate those.
When I do go interstellar, I may end up taking some parts of the old design (e.g. relay antenna, ore survey satellite, mobile base, plane) and slap it on the new spacecraft.
- After all, if I already have a working end-item, then all I would really need is a way to get said end-item to the target.
If nothing else, at least KerbalX would still have some use for both games after KSP2 comes out.
- It could also host the new interstellar bases, spacecraft, et cetera.

I hope we can, or else we're all doomed to severe migraines in the first steps alone.

Also, on a related note, would MechJeb be compatible with KSP2 - and would it work in the same way as it did in KSP (embedded in command module)?

February 12, 2023

On 2/8/2023 at 10:18 PM, swjr-swis said:

there is still a good bit of flexing on high G turns, but overall I think it still a success. The plane is extremely controllable at all times, and the wings stayed on even through some pretty rough testing.

I could say the same thing about Tim C's car when I replaced the hinges with the M-12 servos and configured them as you did. In fact, I'd say there was some more flapping in my prototype than yours when I underwent the same maneuvers. Overall, thanks to your help and letting me look inside the Blackwood, I was able to get a stable prototype working.

Unfortunately, Tim C's jet did not achieve anywhere near the velocity I was hoping for (1400 m/s or higher). In fact, when compared to the Blackwood's test run, it seems pretty lame. If you take a look at the performance stats below, you'll see why.

For a bit of context, I tested the Blackwood's range flying at full throttle along the equator. More specifically, I was testing to see if it could fly around the planet's circumference (plus whatever ground would be added due to the planet's rotation) and I wanted to log a good cruising altitude and velocity. The Blackwood had flown almost 1,200 km away from the KSC before I was running on fumes and had to land.
- I also had to keep the engines running in dry mode to avoid the power going out during gliding, since it only has 50 charge capacity. That's exactly why I have batteries in all my (serious) aircraft, so the craft doesn't lose power and die during gliding.
  - And why I had a 1,000 charge minimum rule in my Around the World in 80 Minutes challenge from years ago.
I did the same to Tim C's Car. Though it has nearly triple the range as the Blackwood, it ultimately fell ~380 km short of the KSC.
- At least in the first test flight of the new prototype, which was before I put 156 Lf units back in the rear tanks.
  - The second run was successful, albeit I was running on fumes near the end and had to glide.

**(UPDATED) Jet Cruise Stats**
	Blackwood	Tim C's Car
Average Airspeed (m/s)	810 (W)	795
Average Altitude (km)	17.5 (W)	17
Range (km)	~ 1,200	~ 4,712 (W)

Tim C's stats have been replaced with the results from the second test run, which had the extra fuel added
The range for Tim C's car was calculated as follows:

The 1.5 part will be explained later.

I was looking forward to building a jet that could match, or even surpass, Bill's Car in terms of speed while being able to complete the circumnavigation. Sure, my wings still have a bit of flapping (at least when the wings are out), and it's even more obvious in sharp maneuvers, but it's nowhere near as bad as it was before. As long as the plane is stable, there shouldn't be a problem.

Plus, it's pretty "kerbal" of us to design a supersonic jet whose wings can "flap."

Anyway, here are some pictures of Tim C's (second) test flight. Though the first run wasn't too bad, I figured I can do better.

Takeoff went well. No (excessive) wiggling, and it got airborne at a reasonable speed.
After I got airborne both times, I switched the afterburner to supersonic mode and swept the wings to begin the circumnavigation flight.

Pretty neat sunset shot, huh.
- Would make for a beautiful desktop background, actually.
This was taken during the first test run. Though I said I would take the stats for the second one, I'll leave pictures I think look cool.
After the aircraft autopilot finally got its act together, it flew at a steady flight path along the equator at the speed and altitude mentioned in the above table.
- Took longer to figure out where in the first test flight than the second run.

Another cool snapshot that was taken at the first test run.
I had to cut off the engines when I noticed that I had 95 Lf left. I may not have been able to make it to the KSC in this case, but at least I can do an off-road landing test.
Just like in the Blackwood test flight, I had to go into glide mode. This plane was very easy to control.
- However, I didn't have to keep the engine running continuously to preserve electric charge.

(FIRST TEST RUN)
Tim C standing in front of his prototype in the desert.
- Picture taken 393.8 km away from the KSC (so close).

All pictures following this line will be from the second test run.

Tim C's jet flying nose-first into the night.

100 km away from the KSC at over 17 km altitude.
- You can barely make out the lights beneath the horizon.
I was at 100 units LF left when this shot was taken, so I cut the engines and extended the wings so I can glide. Surprisingly, I was able to glide all the way there without much of a hitch
- I did have to turn the engines on (but in regular mode) when I saw that I was flying off-center to the runway and soon before touchdown.

Almost there.

Tim C giving a salute after a successful circumnavigation flight around Kerbin.
Rare footage of adult Tim C Kerman with a standard KSP haircut.

Overall performance stats for this flight.
As seen in the upper right corner of the screenshot, Tim C was almost out of gas.
- Like low enough to get a stern talking-to from the FSDO at the very least.
Unlike his dad's personal supersonic jet, he was NOT able to make it around the world in less than 80 minutes. Rather, it took him nearly 90.
- That's why I included 1.5 hours in the range calculation.
  - (Circumference of the planet) + (distance the KSC moved in the 1.5-hour period) = ground distance traveled = range
- His "uncle's" jet also beat his time and cruising altitude, but at great risk of exploding and his flight also ended with a nearly-empty tank.
  - Jeb's not actually Tim C's uncle; he's just close friends with Bill, so that's why Bill's and Val's kids call him "Uncle Jeb."
- His mom's jet's circumnavigation time is unknown.

So, anyway, that's it for Tim C's Car's test run. I'm welcome to suggestions on how to improve performance, if you all have any. Overall, thank you for your help - especially you, @swjr-swis.

Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/Tim-Cs-Car

February 8, 2023

I made a replica of Boston's guitar-shaped spaceship and attempted to fly it.

The craft five seconds after liftoff.
- If you look at Boston's iconic album cover, you can see the resemblance.
Understandably, this craft was a pain to keep semi-stable. What really irked me was having to find a suitable thrust limit for the six Twitch engines at the headstock.
RECOMMENDED THAT THIS CRAFT BE USED FOR SHOWCASING PURPOSES ONLY

Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/Boston-UFO

February 7, 2023

After @swjr-swis posted his replica of the Bell X-5 on the USAF Museum Replica Showcase, I decided to try and make my own variable sweep-wing aircraft. I then looked inside his plane, as seen in the screenshot below, and decided to mimic it in "Tim C's Car" - which would be based loosely on the F-14 Tomcat.

The interior of @swjr-swis's Bell X-5 replica.
I implemented the same angle limit and target angle (both in part settings and action groups) for my own aircraft.

However, when I put the finished product on the runway, the wings started wobbling up and down. It stopped after a few seconds - and after I confirmed that the H and N keys were working as expected - but it started again when I hit 70 m/s during takeoff. After using up almost all the runway on wet mode (yes, I'm using Panther engines) to take off, the wings that remained on the plane look like they're flapping - hence causing a loss of control followed by a crash.

I started with a Wing Connector B, D, and then a Small Delta Wing. The wings touched the runway and snapped off every time.
- When I removed the D connectors, the outcome remained the same as prior.
I then replaced those wings with single swept wing parts, but still got wobbling wings - although there were way fewer instances of snapping off on the runway.
- Even when I tried autostrut - grandparent part and rigid attachment, it was no use.
Before you ask, I doubt the takeoff length is due to bad aerodynamic design. I copied the prototype but kept the swept wings fixed (as in no variable sweep-wing mechanism), and the plane took off just fine.

Tim C's personal supersonic jet - or "car," as named per family tradition - flapping its wings.

How can I get my supersonic plane's wings to stop wiggling all the time? Here's the craft file of the latest variable sweep-wing prototype if you want to mess with it: https://mega.nz/file/LfxjSa7A#WBfQEUkCpdAAqCubWl1yiX9hiSczPHBxbdLd-QHLDoE

Thank you all very much.

February 7, 2023

On 2/5/2023 at 12:24 PM, Grogs said:

If you want more specific advice than that, I suggest you post some pictures of your design. Good luck!

Yeah, how can we give an accurate answer on how to help you if we don't know exactly what we're working with? A screenshot of the contract would be nice as well, as well as how far into the tech tree you are.

Is it explicitly required to have wheels?
- If so, what kind?
- If not, then why do you want a mobile base? Is it to gather science in various biomes and harvest science faster?
Exactly what kind of transmission equipment is required? Specific antenna models? Relay vs direct?
What kind of equipment do you have at hand?

Here's my favorite Mun Base, a replica of the Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated building from Phineas and Ferb.

That base won't pass your contract, but I have a mobile base that probably will (assuming the contract isn't too restrictive on the wheel type). Though the rocket is designed for a Duna landing, it can be easily modified for a Mun landing - or just straight-up launch it there as-is, wiggle the mobile base off the last rocket, and deal with the profit loss.

The lab is stashed in the cargo area behind the cockpit.

Hope this helps, and welcome aboard.

February 6, 2023

On 2/5/2023 at 6:18 AM, Nazalassa said:

Welcome to the forums @Tholotos! If you press "escape" (pause the game), you can then click on the "Space Center" button, which will take you to the Kerbal Space Center.

Alternatively, you could hit the blue "Space Center" button after hovering over the altimeter at the top of the screen.

February 4, 2023

Before going to bed last night, I made a replica of the space station depicted in Blue Öyster Cult's Club Ninja album cover (see below)

Source: Wikipedia
Shuttles not included, although I won't be surprised if someone made spacecraft similar to those already
- Besides, I already have a couple of solid docking-capable spaceplane models for this
  - Not the P-5 Olympian, since it would most likely end up colliding with the station

The Club Ninja at 300 km altitude with a 45-degree inclination.
- The delivery rockets still had ~2700 m/s of delta-V left before detachment.
  - A subsequent test run proved that the rockets would have at least 2,800 m/s left if launched at an orbit half that altitude and at 0 degrees inclination. Plenty of fuel to get to Ike.
I installed support beams at the center of the curve so that it didn't wobble and break off during liftoff.
- Whoever drew that album cover must have rejected the idea of the entire station being sent in one launch - or was too drunk/high to remember supports.
Honestly, I'm surprised nobody else built this already.
- Just like when I built Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated years ago; nobody else thought of making a replica on KSP.

Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/Club-Ninja

I guess I'll see ya "Dancin' in the Ruins" tonight

February 4, 2023

I have recreated the space station depicted in the album cover of Blue Öyster Cult's Club Ninja (see image below), sent it to LKO after two failed attempts (and more boosters), and posted it on KerbalX.

Source: Wikipedia
Shuttles were not included in this test run.

Now that you all know what I was aiming for, here's how it turned out.

The Club Ninja at 300 km altitude with a 45-degree inclination.
- The delivery rockets still had ~2700 m/s of delta-V left before detachment.
  - A subsequent test run proved that the rockets would have at least 2,800 m/s left if launched at an orbit half that altitude and at 0 degrees inclination. Plenty of fuel to get to Ike.
I installed support beams at the center of the curve so that it didn't wobble and break off during liftoff.
- Whoever drew that album cover must have rejected the idea of the entire station being sent in one launch - or was too drunk/high to remember supports.
Honestly, I'm surprised nobody else built this already.
- Just like when I built Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated years ago; nobody else thought of making a replica on KSP.

Craft file: https://kerbalx.com/Mars-Bound_Hokie/Club-Ninja

I guess I'll see ya "Dancin' in the Ruins" tonight

January 26, 2023

~~Wise men say only fools rush in, but I...~~ Prepare yourselves for an awesome piece of history with the Lockheed VC-140B Jetstar.

Also known as the L-1329 Jetstar, as the civilians know it.

The aircraft and cargo itinerary on display in the SPH.
I included the AKA part in the craft name in case anybody's looking for the civilian model as well as the Air Force One variant
- If they want to alter or remove the flags after downloading, they're more than welcome to do so.
With all the fuel tanks loaded, the plane was so tail-heavy that it leaned backwards as soon as it was on the runway. As a result, I had to add another fuel tank and some oxidizer to the front as well as drain the rear tanks so that takeoff would be more balanced.
- In other words, I had to trade range for balance.
Another problem I encountered was that the outer engines would flame out sooner due to their tanks not being connected to the rest of the them. I then installed fuel lines so that the plane would have consistent thrust throughout the entire flight - but at the cost of draining the fuel supply faster.
In conclusion, the aircraft is at almost half capacity when you take off and expect a terrible range.

We interrupt our scheduled aircraft showcase to bring you a short tidbit of history with a side of Kerbin lore.

Spoiler

Elvis Presley owned a fleet of three private aircraft, two of them being Jetstars.

One of them, the Hound Dog II, is now on display at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee.
- Along with his Convair 880 named Lisa Marie.
The second one, registered N440RM, rotted in Roswell, New Mexico for 35 years after Elvis died. Although it was recently put up for auction, it's extremely likely to never fly again - mostly due to its lack of engines and care since its retirement. Odds are it would end up a collector's item and/or put on display in some museum.
- Sources:
  - https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/32175-what-ever-happened-to-elvis-presley-fleet-of-private-jets
  - https://simpleflying.com/elvis-presley-lockheed-jetstar-auction/

Now for some KSP lore:

Spoiler

Houndog Kerman was a famous singer on Kerbin in the days of the Famous Four's grandparents. Though he had been dead for decades, his greatest hits were still admired by kerbals of all ages - from his old screaming fans to the teenagers who had enough of the modern-day garbage. Some admitted to have first discovered Houndog after watching the Lele and Patch movies and TV series.

He and his family are now buried at his mansion in Kevinville, where two of his private aircraft are put on display. The third is currently rotting in an aircraft graveyard in the Scorcher Desert.

Some other facts regarding Houndog Kerman:

Houndog's mother was murdered via poison, and some groupie he was sleeping with got blamed for it.
- But the groupie in question was actually innocent.
- Unbeknownst to all but three, the true culprit was Sanger Kerman - who became the grandmother of Misty Kerman (and great-grandmother of Irpond Kerman).
  - Sanger framed the groupie so she could get closer to the groupie's then-boyfriend, whom she was cheating on with Houndog.
    - Sanger had no interest in Houndog himself, but she did keep some of his best-selling albums.
Just like his real-life (partial) namesake, Houndog died from drug-related causes when the Famous Four's parents were kids themselves.
Jeb dressed up as Houndog in the last KSC costume party he attended before his years-long mission to Eeloo. He also brought a guitar and did covers of some of his greatest hits.
- It also wasn't the first time he went as Houndog. Often, in high school and in Basic, he tried to win over girls by either dressing up as him, using lyrics from his songs, or mimicking his mannerisms. To Bill and Val's surprise, most of his attempts were successful.
  - However, as a side effect, he would also attract the attention of grandparents - or at least women old enough to be grandparents.
- Jeb surprised everyone attending that party by not only his choice of outfit, but how well he sang.
Lele and Patch was Bill's favorite movie as a child. One time, when his mother heard him singing and dancing to the upbeat cover of "Fated to Love" in the end credits, she brought her old Houndog album and played the original version.
- It was also meant to be a lullaby, since it was well-past Bill's bedtime.
- At school, Bill hid his taste for Houndog since "My classmates are not into the so-called 'Grandpa music,' which, unfortunately, Houndog Kerman would fall under." Later, in high school, when he realized that the most of the music that his classmates liked was "pure, unadulterated garbage," he no longer cared if people knew he liked Houndog Kerman's songs.
Bob Kerman has the full "Houndog Kerman's Top 40 Hits" album in his KSP-issued kPad.

Now back to our feature presentation:

The Jetstar taking off from the KSC.
Immediately after this photo was taken, Jeb remembered to turn the cabin lights back on.

The Jetstar getting airborne.
"Houndog has left the building," Jeb said as he took off in the Jetstar.
- That saying was made popular to disperse lingering audiences, paparazzies, and other groups of fans at the end of Houndog Kerman's concerts.
- The jet being tested is not the same jet that Houndog Kerman himself used, but since Jeb recognized this plane as the same model, he decided to use that popular saying on the comms.
  - He was flying an old military transport that was used only for high-ranking officers and immediate assistants.
- RIP,

Though I was barely able to match its real-life counterpart’s cruising speed of ~250 m/s, I was not even close to its service ceiling of 13.7 km.
- This picture was taken at ~4 km altitude.

After Jeb was directly over land, he decided to do a barrel roll in the Jetstar despite warnings that it was not designed to do aerial stunts.
- When ATC asked why on the radio, he answered, "Houndog died in the bathroom doing drugs, dude. What better way to honor his legacy by doing something crazy in his jet?"
  - To which Bill immediately replied, "FOR THE HUNDREDTH TIME, YOU’RE NOT FLYING HOUNDOG KERMAN’S JET! One of his Jetstars is on display at his estate IN KEVINVILLE! His other Jetstar IS ROTTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCORCHER DESERT - and, need I remind you, DOESN’T HAVE ENGINES!"
  - Jeb asked him to chill out and "Don't hate on Houndog, man."
Soon after Jeb got the plane right-side up, he was given the green light to begin the landing test.

After a couple of quicksaves and a lot of distance, I managed to pull off a successful landing.

And finally the off-road takeoff test.

I know that I put in a lot of Elvis references in a USAF aircraft discussion thread, but we can't ignore the fact that the (civilian) Jetstar was used by a cultural icon. Now that all that's out of the way, we can get back to building replicas of cool warplanes.

Obviously, I can't do ALL of these on my own.

Replicas Remaining: 240

:rep:

:sad: REST IN PEACE, HOUNDOG KERMAN :valsad:

WE WERE ALL FATED TO LOVE YOU

January 22, 2023

And now for another lazy entry, the ~~Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis~~... I mean the STS Space Shuttle.

My best STS orbiter replica - minus the ascent rockets, obviously
Since the shuttle (model) on display at the museum is just the shuttle with the cargo bay opened, just the orbiter alone is satisfactory for this showcase
- Honestly, if it's not the real space shuttle and just a mock-up, why is it even on the list that I pulled off Wikipedia?

JEBEDIAH, YOU IDIOT!!!!!
- One guess how that high-thrust hijink ended

Replicas Remaining: 241

Help is always welcome

January 21, 2023

I think my heaviest launch is the Moho Ring Station at a launch mass of 4,024.08 tons.

Yes, you read right. I can send a ring station to Moho.

The station at the VAB. As you can imagine, I need all those SRBs if I want to save delta-V for the trip to Moho.
I was going for a compressed version of the Jool ring station (see my KerbalX) to save weight and, by extension, increase my dV.
- Maybe I should have gone a little bit smaller and sacrificed some functions like ore conversion.

We have liftoff.

And here is the eventual result.

January 21, 2023

Behold, my fellow kerbalnauts, the North American F-86A Sabre.

Boy, I sure am getting a lot of North American Aviation planes lately. Maybe I should make a separate showcase thread for them.

The fighter on display in the SPH
As you can see, this model does not have a probe core on it. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you only allow pilots to use it.
- Not that you'd let anyone other than qualified pilots fly one-man dogfighters anyway, right?
I had to drain the rear fuel tank and move the wings back a bit since it was tail-heavy in earlier test runs, especially during takeoff.
The cockpit comes loaded with four EVA repair kits
- Although I don't know if pilots can use those. Please let me know.

The Sabre flying over the mountain range west of the KSC (I really need to name it)
In afterburner mode, this baby can fly at well over twice its real-life counterpart's top speed. Maybe even thrice.
- This shot was taken at ~12.3 km altitude.

The performance specs of the real-life F-86A Sabre on display in the museum.
- Maximum Speed: 685 mph --> 306.2 m/s
- Range: 1200 miles --> 1931.2 km
- Ceiling: 49,000 ft --> ~14.9 km
Source: https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196118/north-american-f-86a-sabre/

Kenby Kerman doing a barrel roll in the desert mountain range minutes after crossing the ocean west of the peninsula where the KSC is.

I then did a landing test after that, but ended up killing the pilot and had to revert to launch. It wasn't so much the design that caused the CATO so much as it was my landing technique - notably my attempt to slow down by A LOT before touchdown. So, I went further up north in another test flight.

I was way too high and fast to land when I took this shot, so I switched the engine mode to "regular" and had to glide for a few minutes.
Note to users: give yourself A LOT of time and distance to land.

Another successful landing (after the failed one)
Ready to shoot down MiG-15 (counterparts) another day

And yet another successful off-road takeoff
Though the default mode is regular (subsonic), you can switch to afterburner mode for a shorter takeoff distance
- I made sure to switch back to regular after starting to climb.

A bit of lore if you're interested:

Spoiler

Jeb's maternal great-uncle, Kenby Kerman, was a fighter pilot in the air force before Amelia Kerman (his daughter and eventually Jeb's mother) was born. He saw action during his time there; his favorite plane was the Sabre fighter as seen in the above screenshots. Decades after his retirement, he hired a private investigator to track down his favorite fighter and applied to do a showcase flight at the annual Krakopolis Airshow. When they accepted his offer, he was all to happy to "Show the youngsters that this old guy's still got some speed under his wings."

Spoiler

Kenby would have been a Flight LA8202 victim, but he got sick at the last minute and had to be taken to the hospital in Woomerang. He was mad that he missed his flight, but he then felt relief when he learned that the plane he would have taken otherwise had crashed; there were no survivors. After he was discharged from the hospital, he then got a refund for his plane ticket and decided to take the train to Baikerbanur.

According to my checklist, there are a few other F-86 variants on display in the museum - specifically, the Cold War section. Per the showcase rules, I'm leaving those jets to you all.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis is fair game for everybody, including me, but honestly it's kind of a lazy job if you already have a working F-86 variant model. Just alter the rear stabilizers for a (working) T-tail and BA-BAM.

242 more replicas to go. I could use a little help here, please.

And boy, do I suck at some of these replicas.
- After I made the Sabreliner, I tried to replicate the VC-137C (the fourth Air Force One). Each time, I ended up either skidding along the runway, getting nose-up before crashing into the ground again, just not taking off, struggling to keep the plane stable, or a combination of the above.
- I also tried making some other replicas months ago - most notably the quad-engine Air Force One models and the X-4 Bantam - but ended up with similar outcomes.

January 19, 2023

Phew, it's been a long time. Looks like I'd better get my KSP hype warmed up before KSP2 comes out.

But do not worry; I'll still be playing the classic game nevertheless. If nothing else, this is good practice for when I go interstellar.
- Hope my craft files from KSP are compatible with KSP2.

Now, back to this. After failed attempts at building some models on the list - including the Air Force One variant that came with an elevator - I got a working replica of the North American T-39A Sabreliner in action.

The aircraft on display in the SPH
It doesn't exactly brag an impressive speed, range, cruising altitude, or... anything for that matter. Honestly, the only good thing about it is that it can fly and looks like its namesake.
- Between this and India Golf Niner Niner, I think I'd rather fly the latter. At least it's supersonic, and its model has a history of evading surface-to-air missile strikes.
Sort of like its real-life counterpart, this could serve as a light trainer before students move on to supersonic aircraft.

Jeb giving a salute before boarding the jet for a test flight.
In KSP lore, former Prime Minister Lynson Kerman used this to travel from Dangerzone AFB to his ranch and vice versa from the end of his term in office until he died from a heart attack.
- Though there were theories of an assassination plot - seeing as how his predecessor, Kennedy Kerman, was killed in a sniper attack - they died down when it became known that Lynson Kerman was a chainsmoker and, unsurprisingly, had a history of heart attacks.
- That was when Ned Kerman, father of Jebediah Kerman Senior (and eventual grandfather of Jebediah Kerman II of the Famous Four) decided to quit smoking for good.

The Sabreliner making a turn to the northwest after taking off from the KSC.

Flying near the edge of the mountain range west of the space center.
Like I said, not an impressive cruising altitude.
- But it does make for some nice shots for on-board photographers.

Per my standard aircraft testing procedure, I did an off-road landing (and subsequent takeoff).
I had to toggle the engines off even though I put the throttle all the way to 0%, otherwise I'd hear jets running all day.

10 relics of aviation history down, 243 to go. Any and all help in completing this checklist would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, and one more thing:

Spoiler

The National Museum of the United States Air Force is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. On Saturday, May 20th, 2023, the museum will open its Centennial Exhibit.

December 18, 2022

How can I forget the day that started it all?

December 17th, 1903 - Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully fly their Wright Flyer in Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

Orville at the controls while Wilbur running alongside the Flyer.

P.S. The Wright Brothers were originally from Dayton, Ohio. That's why Ohio's called the "Birthplace of Aviation" (hence why you see it on a lot of Ohio license plates).

Source: https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/17-december-1903/

December 5, 2022

@katateochi

I would like to make a suggestion for KerbalX - a Cargo Slot Capacity Line.

For two years, we have had cargo capacities in not only specialized parts such as the SEQ-24, but the passenger and command modules as well. We already have a crew capacity line on KerbalX, so why not one for how many cargo slots the craft has in total?

For everybody else reading this, what do you think?

December 1, 2022

16 minutes ago, SkyFall2489 said:

However, re-entry and aerobraking are 2 different things - a ship could enter an atmosphere to slow down from escape velocity to a lower orbit, then raise its periapsis out of the atmosphere. This offers potential delta-v savings.

If my ITV was low on fuel when approaching Kerbin, aerobraking would seem like the logical option. However, I then run the risk of blowing something up in the atmosphere while aerobraking to lower my apoapsis. Worst-case scenario, I make a pit stop at Duna and send an ore transport to refuel the ship before going to Kerbin.

16 minutes ago, SkyFall2489 said:

Also, with the ITV you may want to think about designing a specialized SSTO that can carry all that fuel, crew and cargo to LKO, but not have ISRU or much equipment to go very far as it won't need it.

I'm already in the process of removing the ISRU and science equipment from a P-5 Olympian while adding a SEQ-24 to it. Simple job, and I should be able to fly to Mun or Minmus orbit if the mission requires it. The modified SSTO may not carry enough spare fuel to give to the ship, but that's what mass ore transports and space stations are for.

16 minutes ago, SkyFall2489 said:

do newer ITPs not carry 7? 7 crew is a hitchhiker and an mk1-3, so I might have assumed.

As of now, the single-use ITPs still carry 7 - and no extra cargo modules. That's why I turned to the ITV in the first place; to increase passenger and storage capacity in a streamlined spacecraft network.

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