Cornholio

Priorities should be science > docking > NERV.

There is a leak every time you go back to the KSC. I have task manager on a separate screen and reload my game every time KSP.exe gets to about 3.4. It's a fairly frequent requirement, but luckily 1.1 SHOULD be soon and supposedly fix this problem.

As stations typically are larger and more massive than any craft that needs to dock to it (landers, refueling, etc), the docking craft should just adapt to the station's orientation.

This is by far my favorite mod for KSP. I did a little write-up in a different thread on my most recent station. It includes all Station Science parts. I really look forward to using this in the 1.1 update.

This is my current design for a station. I designed this specifically with career mode in mind. Notice that there are multiple science-specific parts such as station science items and 3.75m MPL that contains all science experiments that I have in my career. I run remote tech and TAC, requiring an antenna LS. One of the modules is Seti Greenhouse for some TAC replenishment. I intend to put several of these throughout the Kerbol system (including OPM) and therefore need to prepare for longer intervals between resupply and significant delta-v requirements to get it into place. Every piece to this is modular with a modular NERV tug. The modular NERV tug can undock from a liquid fuel tank connected to the NERVs. the undocked section contains the probe core with docking ports on both sides of a large mono prop tank, general probe pieces (antenna, batteries, etc) and RCS thrusters as the only means of thrust. I get my piece close to the station, zero out the relative velocity, undock from the NERVs, attach it to the station, and re-dock with the tank and NERVs. The redocked probe turns into a great probe that I then use as part of my RT relay for that system. If it's a particularly heavy piece to be attached, I will attach a girder with 4-symmetry RCS thrusters on the connecting side of the piece connected to the to-be-docked docking port with another docking port (I could probably word that better) and undock that small piece when I am just about lined up and ready to connect. This provides more stability and torque. Through my method, I NEVER have any SAS, reaction wheels, or RCS permanently connected to and controlling my station. This greatly minimizes part count and in my opinion makes it look better through minimalism. An example module that I would have permanently attached is: [Docking Port][1.25m->2.5m Adapter][Hitchhiker][1.25m->2.5m Adapter][Docking Port] That is a functional piece consisting of only 5 parts. I COULD reduce it further by removing the 2 adapters. I have a slightly upgraded version of my station that does in fact remove the adapters and uses 2.5m crew tubes (I think from stockalike station expansion mod) with Docking Port Sr instead of regular, and using 2.5m hubs (also I think from stockalike station expansion). When designing my stations, I will never have connections or create hubs through metal girders/grates or fuel tanks. Conceptually I can imagine a crew transfer going through a girder.... I also try to design them so that there are obvious clusters of each module: hab/command/LS on one side, science/tech on another. The only thing that I made consider adding to this station is a larger fuel supply, especially larger liquid supply as in my late career, I run mainly some sort of liquid-only engine. In my pictures (I should and may provide more/better pictures through EVA) you can see that I left one of my RCS sections of the tug connected to the station (with reaction wheels and RCS turned off) so that I can rearrange pieces when necessary. I leave my stack of LS exposed so that I can easily switch it out with a resupply mission when necessary. I built my initial station in Kerib orbit so that I could do it quickly and efficiently and so that if I realized one module did not work/fit for whatever reason, I would not have to wait for a transfer window and transfer. Because this is incorporating station science, I have every station science experiment connected to a 6-way hub. This hub has an exposed docking port, 3 legs to land with, a probe core, little bit of electric, Omni-antenna, and 3 parachutes. The idea is that I complete all of the experiments over time at the station and can return all of them easily to the surface of Kerbin. The hardest part of the station was getting the large dish connected. I wanted to connect a dish without having the body connected to a probe core, rcs, batteries, etc. I also love KAS/KIS and was considering having those pieces listed above attached and send out an engineer to remove them, but wanted to make a design that could attach the dish, undock/decouple and leave. It was not as easy as it sounds as the dish (even while folded) only has one node of connection to it. That one node would be needed for a girder to be connected to a docking port. Through the magic of changing roots and symmetrical assembly, I rigged an awful looking craft together that did exactly what I wanted it to do. I'm not sure if I could have sent up that dish in a KIS container and attached it to the surface of the station using KIS, but intend to find out for future purposes and optimization of part count. I, too, believe that station solar panels should be uniform and not jumbled. I also required ample electrical supply because of my station science experiments. This led me to use the beautiful Soyuz Station Parts panels that you see. This minimized parts count, provides a real jolt of solar electrical input, and above all, looked stellar. This is by far my favorite part of all stock or any parts packs for KSP. Building my station, I tried to make it as most functional for my career as I could. The following are all of the modules that I launched and docked separately in order of launch to the best that I can remember: Stock MPL LS Stack with stock Hub 3.75m Cupola, 3.75m MPL with all experiments except station science experiments, 2.5m Hab Greenhouse (cannot recall if that's the 2.5m or 3.75m Arm (crew tube) 2.5m Hub with arm extension Research Lab Zoology Bay Cyclotron Spectrometron Fuel Storage Girder with Solar Panels and Largest Batteries Station Science Experiments connected to 6-way Hub KIS Storage Large Comm Dish Keep in mind that each of these had a tug made up of NERV and RCS sections. All of those are either deorbited or creating redundant connection somewhere in my Kerbin system. Right now I have some of these pieces flying to Duna to make a lesser version of this. In the next transfer window, I will be sending the rest of the pieces to complete the station there. Ideally I would get one to every planet (budget and uncorrupted save permitting). I don't know the exact numbers right now, but for everything that I have the part count is rather low and the weight is rather high. I estimate (I will get actual figures later) that part count is around 240 or so. This allows me to dock other craft and refuel when necessary. I hope you enjoy it. I will post pictures of the upgraded (2.5m crew tube) version that I made around other planets/moons. Let me know if you have any questions. Like I said before, I will try to provide some better pictures later tonight when I am by my PC.

As legos defined my childhood and paved way for my love of KSP, I signed it and hope it gets made.

This made me smile.

Similarly, I was suggesting those particular destinations because they WOULD make them at least slightly more interesting to visit for me personally and probably others as well. Your biome mods definitely inspire motivation as far as I am concerned.

This looks excellent, going to try this when I get home. Edit: I say keep these extended planet biomes coming, Snark. Moho, Dres, Eloo...

I am an actuary for a life insurance company.

Great.... Now I won't be able to unhear this...

Can you provide detail about the kinds of probes with which antennae you have? For non-Omni-directional, please provide your selected target. Also, heights of each probe and which body would help too. Screenshots of the tracking center and probes' antennae tooltips would help.

KSP. I play strictly career mode so I see no advantage to another parallel career. I do see an advantage to having a sandbox parallel for craft testing as another has mentioned in this thread.

...when I somehow relate and successfully demonstrate on a piece of paper orbital mechanics to a topic of middle-school math that I am tutoring. Edit: and the student understands the concept better than subtracting negatives...

Two things cause me to start my career over: Corrupted saves (usually from combinations of all of my mods I assume) An update that adds something that I find exciting enough to restart (contracts, asteroids, 3.75m parts...... not landing gear). Most of the time I just persist with my career until #1 happens.

The game is way too unstable for me to play without using quicksave/reload. I use many mods too which only adds layers to the potential problems.

I saw that mod, haven't tried it though. I felt it wasn't too stockalike from the one picture. I may give it a shot when I get home...

Too bad. Good luck with your progress! Cheers.

Could you make some anti-flotation parts in this pack too? Parts that are very heavy, yet small enough so that they aren't out of place. From what I understand, the new buoyancy allows for full ore containers and some structural parts to help sink craft, but those are large, tedious, and overall impractical. Parts designed to help sink would open up many underwater worlds. Edit: Good luck!

I also would have to go with Minmus for favorite moon. I have recently really gotten into building larger all encompassing (not literally, but functionally) bases and with the vicinity, the large flat areas, low gravity, and general environment, Minmus stands above all others. Planet-wise, I want to say in a non-stock answer, I really like Arkas and Piggie a lot.

One 1st class ticket for an official Steam KSP owner, please. I'll take my caviar and ultimate spa 15 minutes after boarding please.

I have flown by Piggie before, but I was wondering if anyone knows how much dv is required for capture. Values for ascent and descent would also be very appreciated.

DMagic's science parts caused me to go on an endless hunt for more and more science parts. I have many from the common like DMagic's to obscure like Kerbal Dust Experiment. Hope/can't wait to see more from you. Again, everything you have showcased looks beautiful.

I was referring to range/cone angle etc. I think that your parts are beautiful and would use your pack at least for the antenna if it works with RT. Also, just my opinion, I like your versions of these science experiments, but would more than anything prefer to see new experiment in addition to/instead. I only speak for myself and may not reflect your goal for this part pack. Good luck!

I like and use a fair amount of realism mods and parts in the game. I use TAC and Remote Tech just to name 2. I do draw a line though at RSS or any mod that makes the planets/moons and solar system larger. I understand and respect the idea, but I have fun exploring planets, not struggling to fly by the moon.