Jokurr

I do have several [science from around x]... though most of my satellites have returned to Kerbin (as a test to see if I could successfully complete a round trip). I suppose I can leave satellites in orbit and keep spamming those, as I've noticed I've got that mission twice for the same planet/moon. Thanks for the tips!

So in my current career mode I've successfully sent probes to Duna/Ike, Eve/Gilly, and Moho. I've got another probe on route to Jool and its moons, and a manned mission on it's way to Duna. I have more than enough science to get all the parts I need and then some, but the problem is I don't have much in the way of cash. The only contracts I get that help cover costs are "explore [planet/moon x]", and even then, I don't get contracts for all of the places I want to go. For example, I've visited Moho 3 times now (first time didn't have enough delta V to achieve orbit, second time was a successful one way trip, third time is a return journey), and I've never received any contract to go there. So basically I'm wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars to get there for no return. How can I generate a contract to go there? Is it completely random? I've picked strategies that help maximize profits but it doesn't seem to be enough. I suppose I could attach parachutes to all of my boosters so I can recover costs that way, but it would be annoying to do that mid flight. I'll also admit that I could build the spacecraft I send to other planets in orbit above Kerbin, but I don't mainly due to laziness. For example, I sent a probe to Moho that consisted of lander and an orbiting module that had enough fuel for a return journey to Kerbin. I could've launched the lander and the orbiting module separately and docked them above Kerbin, but instead I launched them in one go. The rocket to lift that into orbit above Kerbin cost me over $250,000. Prohibitively expensive :/. Any tips to cut costs or generate more money are welcome.

Considering the N1 never had a successful launch that hardly puts the Russians on top. It's one thing to design some grand rocket, it's another to actually put it into space.

There are plenty of other automated subway systems around the world (Vancouver, Dubai) and if anything they are regarded as much safer than human controlled systems. I think people will be accepting of automated/drone planes if they see the proof that it works. Driverless cars have already been tried and tested, I give it no more than 2-3 decades before most if not all cars on the road are automated, and I very much look forward to that day. The roads will be much safer for it.

You are already communicating with a ship in orbit moving at thousands of kilometers per hour relative to your tracking station. Throwing in a small rotational velocity to that is negligable.

Earth by far. As interesting as it would be to visit another planet, the Earth truly is an amazing place. It's the only planet I can walk around in a T-shirt, we have an amazing array of different of geographies, landscapes, and climates. The diversity of life we have here is truly mind boggling at times.

Countless explorers and settlers on the earth have dealt with similar situations here on the earth. Yes it would be emotionally traumatizing, but there is no need for a mass suicide once the first person goes.

Probably no materials available will be able to withstand those temperatures without an adequate cooling system (I'm hoping this is part of your design). The best bang for your buck is probably mild steel as K^2 mentioned. It's dirt cheap and plenty strong.

That's because 400 years ago we didn't know microbes even existed. Today we don't know what technology will need to exist in order to build an Alcubierre drive. Saying it is mathematically possible is nice and all, but since we don't have a clue on how to actually build one it doesn't mean much.

If you do build it be sure to post some pictures/videos here. I would very much like to see what you guys come up with.

Do you have a link to this?

I found the following through google: http://www.cientificosaficionados.com/libros/cohetes.pdf Here they use gaseous nitrogen to pressurize the fuel tank, there is a diagram on page 41. They use gaseous oxygen instead of liquid, but I imagine you could use gaseous nitrogen to pressurize a LOX tank as well. Further google searching tells me that Helium is also a viable gas. Basically any inert gas should work. I REALLY hope you know what you are doing. I can't emphasize safety enough. Do you actually plan to launch a rocket with this engine, or will it never leave a test stand?

I wouldn't say that.

I have many designs that were never put into use.

Alpha Centauri. It's close, and a binary system (so I guess I'm picking two stars for my answer) which makes it more interesting.

I once cheated when I landed a rover on Duna. I quicksaved right after I touched down on the ground, thinking everything was dandy, only to realize a few seconds later I had blown two of my tires out on landing. I edited the save to put me back into orbit with the parachutes repacked, wheels undamaged, and a fuel level similar to what I had before descending from orbit. I also edited a save once when a different lander on Duna somehow got stuck underneath the surface to get it back up to surface level, though I don't think that really counts as cheating.

Just wondering if you have a source on that? I was also curious if radiation would be a problem and the best info I could find were vague assertions that the atmosphere would be thick enough to make it a non-issue. Hard to find any hard numbers though, don't know if they've ever been measured or even estimated for that matter. That sounds a little too long, though I don't know for sure. The temperature is a frigid 94 Kelvins (or -180C or -291F), that is incomprehensibly cold. Plus the thicker atmosphere means you will lose heat much quicker than you would at the same temperature on earth. A slight gust of wind makes the issue much worse.

Wow I am not sure how I missed something like that. Well that makes life easier.

Short term I don’t see why not, as long as you have enough food to eat and oxygen to breathe during your stay. Setting up a long term colony is a bit harder compared to somewhere like Mars, even when not accounting for the extra distance. Mars has water ice which can be used to irrigate crops and generate breathable oxygen, something that can’t be done on Titan. It’s also significantly colder on Titan so you’ll need a lot more energy to stay warm. I tried to find information on what the radiation is like on the surface of Titan and apparently it is quite low due to the thick atmosphere, one advantage it would have over Mars. As an interesting side note, due to Titans mix of low gravity and dense atmosphere, a human could strap on wings and fly around like a bird. That would be pretty fun I think.

Yeah I saw this a few days ago, interesting stuff .

Add more struts. And then some more struts after that.

Probably Europa, especially as a child. The idea of oceans under the ice fascinated me.

A couple of my friends hold a similar interest and I've discussed it with them before, when it occurs under the influence can be particularly fun . Most other people probably don't have the attention span to hear me go. However my dad can run circles around my knowledge of space, especially considering he used to work in the space industry.

My SSTO only goes up to about 24-25 km before the rocket kicks in, or at a horizontal speed of about 1200 m/s. As far as the type of intake goes, the blue ones may or may not be better, I don’t know. But you don’t HAVE to use them exclusively, my SSTO only has 2 of them and 12 scoops for a total of 14 intakes, I can achieve orbit no problem. I wouldn’t worry about pushing your jet engines any further than what you’ve got, time to add a rocket to give you that final push.

Use mods like deadly re-entry and then no one can accuse you of cheating or making it easier for yourself