JoeNapalm

That's a heck of a signature fruitsalad, there, @Cavscout74. -Jn-

Good advice. Also, learning the concept of suicide burns will assist a lot with sticking the landing. Either using KER (my preferred method) or: Until I learned that concept, the process of landing was a bit hectic. Suicide burns are scary (until you do it a few times) but you can lock your nose pointing "up" and max the throttle -- the only finesse required is starting the burn on time and killing the power at the right time. -Jn-

-- Never leave a Kerbal behind or stranded (though they may have to be patient...very very patient...I recommend they bring a book, or something). -- Never build a manned mission without abort/rescue/escape/survival mechanisms in place. -- Never build a manned rescue vehicle, if feasible to avoid it. -- Never build anything without a Drone core, if feasible to avoid it. -- Never build anything without a 2ndary power source -- Always test manned vessels unmanned (see 2nd rule) when feasible. -- There are three ways to do things: the right way, the Kerbal way, and the way that works. Choose any combination of the three. -- There are no real rules except for the rule after this one -- Do what's fun Oh, and I just found these in an old post of mine: -Jn-

I've done this a few times, since. Not saying it's the norm, by any means...usually there's a lot more screaming and flames and falling debris and gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair and stuff... ...but when it does happen, I feel pretty good. -Jn-

I just want you to know that I'm now imagining total Kerbal anarchy erupting, corporate and civil warfare, little green men at each others throats, beaten about the head and shoulders with a clipboard, etc. I'm also considering forming a band, just so I can name it "Kerbal Anarchy"... -Jn- Ifriti Sophist

Do I have to pick just one? :P I've been known to do things like put fixed solar panels on just one side of a probe... ...build and inverted orbital stage, so that the NERVs are facing upward on launch, then screw up the staging such that you not only fire said NERVs before separating from the launch stage, but also before your main engines have cut out (Spoiler alert: this does not end well)... ...or make an automated rescue vehicle and send it off to the Deep Dark to save the day, only to realize when you get there you forgot to deselect the crew from the Command Module, and it's full of stowaways... ...yeeeeeah. -Jn-

You know...that's a really good question! -Jn-

Until you get to orbit and realize you forgot batteries, lights, ladders, RCS, docking ports, snacks, and Jeb's teddy bear. -Jn-

I'm not sure my Nomad-class vessels count, as they've never made out beyond LKO, but they're intended to eventually be a fully capable Grand Tour colony vessel (much in the way that I "intend" to run a sub-six minute mile, again, someday): -Jn-

I wonder if the VAB would survive the Nomad landing on it? Oh who am I kidding...the Nomad destroys the launchpad when it lifts off... -Jn-

Step 1: Disasemble that Claw game thing in the KSC rec lounge. Step 2: TWEAKSCALE! Step 3: ALL THE BOOSTERS!! Step 4: Try to come up with a plan to recover the recovery vehicle. -Jn-

I actually, many many moons ago, had an actual debris strike. Shoulda bought a lottery ticket, while I was at it... -Jn-

All of that was amazing... ...but KSP Doof Warrior wins the EVERYTHING! -Jn-

-Jn-

Super busy this week so I don't mind a bit of a mulligan. Pulled the ol' trusty (and by "trusty" I mean "she'll kill you the second you blink") Flying Pig Mk III out of moth balls...then decided "landing safely" required some upgrades (yeah, she could land safely with chutes, but c'mon!). Instead, the Flying Pig Mk VII made the trip, averaging around Mach 4.5. She is soooo much more stable than the Mk III (which was built only to fly very quickly in a straight line), and landed gently as a down feather on the next continent over. Jeb did nearly fry himself by exiting the cockpit before she cooled down, though! Unfortunately, the Flying Pig Mk VIIb will have to feature longer ladders...Jeb and Bill couldn't get back aboard... -Jn-

Well, of course you are/are not! Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn! -Jn-

Oh, the Mk III had chutes: I just forgot to re-mount them when I was done modifying the Mk IV. -Jn-

Testing the Duna Dog Mk III rover: This is what happens when you forget to properly stage your payload...I've read The Martian, I should have known better. But, amazingly...I knew the Dog was tough, but I didn't realize just HOW tough... Seriously...entire 22K DV lifter pile-driven into it at full throttle...and it only broke off the relay antenna. (It even has a backup antenna in case of catastrophe, so it still runs.) Further testing on the Mun: Managed to break off relay antenna, there, too...along with, eventually, one headlamp...so now we've hardened the nigh indestructible rover into the Duna Dog Mk IV. Now featuring a wider overall wheel-base, as well as re-positioned headlamps and relay: I said "nigh" indestructible because on re-entry testing, I...uh...forgot to re-attach the chutes.... Tough rover, but not THAT tough, sadly. -Jn-

*cue dramatic music* Have you ever deployed a rover millions of kilometers away, only to have it helplessly turtle? No more! Never again have to make an awkward announcement to a judgemental public, depressed scientists, an unreasonable Board of Directors, or angry, angry engineers! Napalm Demolitions Unlimited introduces...The Duna Dog Mk III!!! Equipped standard with a full suite of science instruments, along with a cutting-edge inexhaustible* "Eko-Green"** powerplant, The Duna Dog Mk III received five star crash and crash recovery ratings from the Kerbal Space Institute, the Kerbin Travel Safety & BBQ Advisory Committee, as well as the coveted "Golden Impactor" Award from the Kerbal Konsumer Advocacy Review! The Duna Dog Mk III! Coming soon to a showroom near you! -Jn- * Inexhaustible under normal usage on Kerbin over level ground, while not transmitting. ** The Duna Dog Mk III is intended for unmanned usage. Prolonged exposure to "Eko-green" powerplant may be hazardous or lethal to organic life. Not licensed for use on Kerbin. DO NOT INGEST.

As my VAB was eaten by Nomad V (finally resolved) I made a purposeless drone: Doesn't really DO anything, but she was fun to fly... -Jn-

I started before there was a Career mode, and have bounced off it pretty hard on every attempt I've made to give it a fair shake. I know some people are all about spreadsheets and realism and progression -- that just isn't why I play this game. I build a big, Kerbal spaceship out of a pile of random parts (mostly found on the side of the road), fill it with little green men, and throw it into space. I don't need "directed play" and after all those hours of sandbox-before-sandbox-was-a-thing I find that it chafes. I've even tried giving myself all the money and science just to get the contracts...but the contracts just end up getting in the way of what I want to do at any particular moment. I would never have built this (my avatar pic, actually) if I was constrained by budgets, schedules, or to-do lists: -Jn-

When I logged in, I noticed my pics from Jeb's adventure with the Buckaroo I SRB "Science Vessel"...annnd then I remembered that I'd forgotten to switch control to his chair, so when he ejected, I stayed in control of the Buckaroo I. After a safe water landing, I'd logged off, that evening...forgetting about Jeb. So I went looking, and here's where I found him: About 1000m deep, on the bottom of the ocean. I'm pretty sure that expression translates to "I think I saw the Kraken! Is it still behind me?!" Once I assured him that there was "no such thing as the Kraken, it's just a myth, like the Loch Kess Monster and Career Mode", he popped his safety harness: Now I want to build a rescue helo, complete with kerbal rescue divers. ... Then it was off to test the Nomad V -- this time, I thought I'd see I could deadstick her in, controlling her descent profile, keeping those tender struts in the back away from the heat. With her shiny new observation copulas, and a whole @#$%ton more fuel than the IV, she cuts a handsome line: There still might be a couple of design points that need refinement: The observation copulas provide front-row seats to Armageddon. Maybe I should just build the whole dang ship out of those little radial flower tanks? Back to the drawing board... Easiest fix is using those inflatable shields, as recommended, but they don't look sexy enough and block the crew's view. Drogues and/or airbrakes might work... -Jn-

Three words: "KAS Harpoon Gun!"

I gotta do this. Didn't there used to be telescopes? I see a bunch of "?" in the tracking station with "last seen" dates... I am hoping the fleet of probes I just sent out to all the planets will help spot something. -Jn-

Huh...why didn't I ever think of that? I like how you Moved the chutes to be flush with the hull. I'm totally stealing that. -Jn-