[Antenna questions]

Hi KSP colleagues,

I am flying my KerbolX spacecraft around Kerbin.  I have attached two HG-5 High Gain antennas.  When I right-click on them, several items appear, and I would please like to understand these:

• Retract or extend antenna.  OK, that's obvious.
• Require Complete, or Allow Partial.  What is that, if I may ask?
• Antenna Rating: 5.00M (Combinable).  First, minor note about notation.  That should read 5.00 m.  But what does "combinable" mean.
• Transmit data and Stop transmitting.  This could lead to a while big thing.  I'll ask the question nevertheless if I may.  Isn't the spacecraft always transmitting data?

That's it.

Thank you for your consideration.

Stanley

[How do I add an antenna to a rocket]

Wow!  Nice to know.  Thank you.

[Saving a rocket file]

Hi @Mythos,

Thank you.  Let me think about what you are saying.

Stanley

[How do I add an antenna to a rocket]

Hi @Geonovast.

Thank you for explaining this.  I will check it out soon.

In my particular case, however, I did need mirror symmetry, and not radial symmetry.  That is because the two antennas are spaced somewhat less than 180 degrees apart -- perhaps something like 120 degrees.

Stanley

[Orbital directions in the Kerbol system are counterclockwise, right? Then ...]

Hi KSP colleagues,

I am in a flight, and I clicked on the Maneuver Tool over to the right of the screen.  Then I clicked on the fly-out arrow to visualize the maneuver.  Then I moused over the planet or the moon in question.

They always show a clockwise rotation.  That's not correct, is it?

Just to be clear, if we observed the planets in the Kerbol system from the north looking downwards towards the south, all the planets and the moons would show a counterclockwise orbital direction, right?  (Incidentally, I think that is the case for most if not all of the celestial bodies in our real solar system.)

Could someone please explain this.

Thank you.

Stanley

[How do I add an antenna to a rocket]

I need to ask a followup question to anyone, if I may.

When I was adding the antennas, I actually wanted to add three antennas all symmetrically space around the craft.  So I turned on three-way symmetry, but I discovered that I didn't have enough room to nicely space out all three antennas.  For the time being, that was alright and I proceeded to put two antennas into place.

For what I wanted to do, however, I needed mirror -- radial -- symmetry.  The KSPedia (page 15) shows the button to press to engage mirror symmetry, but I cannot locate that button.  In short, I do not know how to engage mirror symmetry.  I set up the two antennas on my spacecraft by eye, which I don't like doing.

Thus, KSP colleagues, my question is how does one apply mirror symmetry?

Thank you.

Stanley

[Saving a rocket file]

Hi KSP colleagues,

I am getting really confused on how to reload a flight.  I thought I had this figured out, but I guess I don't.

I have KSP loaded via Steam into an external hard-drive.  Here is my directory structure:

> steamapps > common > Kerbal Space Program > saves > Antenna flight [silly name, I know, but that's what it is] .

Then mid-flight I clicked the Escape key, and I got the message Quicksave As ..., and under file name the dialog box said Filename ... and it filled in quicksave.  I changed that to "Antenna flight #1," without the quotation marks.

I exited KSP altogether, then I came back in and started the game under Resume Saved.  I got a list of all my folders, one of which was Antenna work, no flights in progress.  But there should be a flight in progress.  I click on that and I have the choice of Persistent -- it always seems to create that -- and Antenna flight #1.  But all I can get to is the rocket on the launch pad.

Please, where is my flight?  What am I doing wrong?  I am not a computer expert, but I think that I understand directory structure and how to save a file.

Thank you.

Stanley

[How do I add an antenna to a rocket]

Thank you very much, @modus, for explaining this to me.

So please look at this new screenshot:

Here, below the capsule stage, I have two HG-5 High Gain antennas attached.  That's how it is supposed to be, right?  Just to make them stand out, I have one of the antennas extended, and the other retracted.  I understand that, during flight, the antennas need to be retracted.  In fact, as an experiment, I did a flight with an antenna extended and it broke off soon after liftoff.  The retracted antenna, however, did just fine.

So now, I think, I am all set with this issue.

Stanley

 

 

 

 

[How do I add an antenna to a rocket]

Hi KSP colleagues,

I understand the rudiments of constructing a rocket.  However, I am having trouble with this issue.

I have a KeralX stock rocket  I would like to place an HG-5 High Gain antenna inside of it.  Actually, I want to place three of them inside.  So I should do these things, right?

• Remove the nosecone.
• Put in the antennas.
• Put the nosecones back on.

But it doesn't look right.  In the screenshot, you can barely see the antennas on the bottom of the capsule:

So, then, please, how should I put the antennas inside this rocket?  And then, how do I deploy them when the time is right?

Thank you, everyone.

Stanley

 

 

[How do I go from observing my rockets in Kerbin orbit to the Tracking Center? How do I get back to observing my rockets?]

OK.  Thank you, @modus.  I should have been able to figure that out.

[I have two flights going on at the same time ...]

Hi @modus,

Oh, I understand.  The ship will be very small to observe.

Good.  thank you.

Stanley

[I have two flights going on at the same time ...]

Hi KSP colleagues,

I have two rockets in orbit  around Kerbin at the same time.  I can see both spacecraft in Map Mode, but not in the other mode where I see the physical spacecraft.

If the two vessels are in proximity of each other, then I should be able to see them simultaneously, shouldn't I?

Stanley

[How do I go from observing my rockets in Kerbin orbit to the Tracking Center? How do I get back to observing my rockets?]

Hi Caerfinon,

Thank you for your message.

Sorry to be so dense, but how to I get to the Tracking Center?

Stanley

[How do I go from observing my rockets in Kerbin orbit to the Tracking Center? How do I get back to observing my rockets?]

Hi KSP colleagues,

Right now I have two rockets orbiting Kerbin.  I would like to see their progress in the Tracking Center.  By accident I have managed to do this in the past.  But then, once I have gotten to the Tracking Center, I never know how to get back to observing my rockets.

Could someone please explain how to do this -- get to the Tracking Center and then get back.

Thank you.

Stanley

[From the specifications, how do you determine a powerful rocket?]

Hi @swjr-swis,

Yes, everything you said makes good sense.  Making suggestions as I did is easy.  You have convinced me, however, that carrying out such suggestions is difficult.

At this point, then, I rest content that KerbalX.com is a great site.  I am glad that I joined, and I look forward to making use of it.

I appreciate your getting back to me.  Thank you.

Stanley

[Hangars -- Can you set up new ones?]

I am just noticing this now.  I am glad you told me that this was an update, because I was wondering what was going on.

[From the specifications, how do you determine a powerful rocket?]

41 minutes ago, swjr-swis said:

KerbalX.com doesn't list dV/TWR because it only shows what is directly readable from the craft file - dV and TWR are not saved as numbers in the craft file. The potential dV and TWR have to be calculated from the sum of the craft's fuel, mass, and the attributes of the different (sets of) engines in different stages, while adjusting for atmospheric pressure and gravity. So it is left up to the uploader to provide that information on the craft page if they so wish, in whatever form they feel is appropriate.

Hi @swjr-swis,

Hmm....  Well, that's inconvenient.

I still like KerbalX.com very much.  If they required those who uploaded files to specify dV and TWR, however, that would help KerbalX.com users.  KerbalX is a great site, but requiring this information would make it even better in my opinion.

OK.  Thank you for your instructive reply.

Stanley

 

[Hangars -- Can you set up new ones?]

Hi KSP colleagues,

I may download a few spacecraft from KerbalX.com.  As we all know, if you click on the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) or the Space Plane Hangar (SPH), you will see rockets and planes populated there.  Moreover, I purchased KSP from Steam, so I also have Steam as a hangar.  Remember, when I say a new hangar, I mean a new tab.

Setting up additional hangars would afford me a way of keeping my spacecraft tidily arranged.  I was hoping that just adding a folder in the appropriate place in my file structure would take care of the issue, but it doesn't.

Just to be clear, here is the directory structure of the drive under which I have KSP installed:

> Steam > steamapps > common > Kerbal Space Program > Ships > SPH, and then the same for the VAB, as such:
> Steam > steamapps > common > Kerbal Space Program > Ships > VAB.

I proceeded to do this: > Steam > steamapps > common > Kerbal Space Program > Ships > KerbalX.  But that did not create a new hangar.

Also, incidentally, I don't have Steam as part of the directory structure, but a Steam tab shows up when I am in the game.

So, here is my question, please: Can I possibly do something to get a new tab to show up?

Thank you.

Stanley

[From the specifications, how do you determine a powerful rocket?]

Hi KSP colleagues,

I hope that I am posting this question in the correct forum.

Just a few hours ago, I discovered the website KerbalX.com.  I learned about this from this forum's The Spacecraft Exchange.  The website KerbalX.com impressed me so much that I have now joined it.

So here is my question.  I am trying to find a good heavy lift rocket so that I could go to the far ends of the Kerbol system if I chose to try.  For right now, while I am still learning KSP, I am playing in Sandbox mode, and therefore I am not trying to be efficient.  I just don't want to run out of fuel, and if I have excess fuel, then for right now I don't care.

Well, then, what is the main specification to which I should direct my attention?  Wouldn't it be delta-V, or am I wrong about that?  If not delta-V, then what?

I cannot say that I have examined this thoroughly, but I don't see that delta-V is listed on any of the summaries of the rockets in KerbalX.  Maybe it is listed, and I am not looking in the right place.  Or perhaps I should be looking for some other specification to measure the rocket's power.

Thank you.

Stanley

[Munar orbit: I am still getting confused]

Perfect @Zhetaan, That did it.  Once I brought down the apoapsis to near Mun's orbit, everything fell into place.  I set up a new maneuver at Mun's projected periapsis and established Munar orbit.  You tremendously helped me once again!

I am grateful.

Stanley

[Munar orbit: I am still getting confused]

Hi KSP colleagues,

I keep thinking that I have establishing a Munar orbit down pat.  Then I go to practice it again.  Sometimes I get it, and sometimes I don't.

Could you please look at the screenshot below.  I am ready to put in my second and last maneuver.  I have Mun set as a target.

So, where should I click on the blue line to establish a Munar orbit?  And then what should I do?

Thank you for your consideration.

Stanley

[Sphere of influence]

7 minutes ago, Zhetaan said:

You've got the right idea.  However, I would point out that, like most things KSP, there's a mod for that.  It's called Principia and simulates n-body physics.

Hi @Zhetaan,

First, thank you for the added scientific information.

Second, thanks for telling me about the mod.  Believe me, however, I have my hands full with the stock program before I so much as consider adding mods.  Still, I and, I am sure, other KSP colleagues are glad to know about Principia.

Stanley

[Sphere of influence]

Hi @RCgothic and @18Watt,

Good.  Thank you for addressing my questions and confirming my understanding.  Mind you, please, I am not criticizing KSP at all for modifying physics.  I just needed to get all this straight in my mind.

Hi @Geonovast,

I didn't mean to post my question in the wrong place.  Thank you for moving it.

Stanley

[Sphere of influence]

Hi KSP colleagues,

I would please like to think out loud for a moment about this amazing and highly educational game of Kerbal Space Program.  I am still new to it, so I have much to work out.  I want to make sure that I understand something correctly.

According to the Kerbal Space Program wiki, the distance from the center of Kerbin to Mun is 12'000'000 metres.  Moreover, Kerbin's sphere of influence is 84'159'286 metres, whereas Mun's sphere of influence is 2'429'559 metres.

Therefore, Mun and indeed Mun's entire sphere of influence lie entirely within Kerbin's sphere of influence.

And next I am going to quote a statement from Wikipedia:

Kerbal Space Program "simulates trajectories and orbits using patched conic approximation instead of a full n-body simulation."

Thus, when we analyze Mun's influence on a nearby spacecraft, are the following statements correct:

• We only have to consider Mun itself along with Mun's sphere of influence.
• We do not have to take into account Kerbin's sphere of influence.
• In the real world, Mun -- as well as Kerbin -- would affect a spacecraft in Mun's vicinity.  In the real world, this would exemplify a 2-body problem.  Indeed, we could also consider the influence of Kerbol, and thereby have a 3-body problem.
• However, the physics of KSP are such that within Kerbin's sphere of influence lies a hole -- that is, a discontinuity.  That discontinuity is Mun's sphere of influence.

Do I understand things correctly?

Thank you.

Stanley

[Minmus orbit achieved; Now can I set up a Communication Network?]

Hi @bewing,

Thank you for your reply.

I am in Sandbox mode.  I should have said this from the outset.

Stanley