These contracts sometimes...

[Bobe]

[SciMan]

What's the big problem? Nobody said you have to launch it ALL on the same rocket. Orbital assembly is allowed, and I'd even suggest that the requirement for docking ports is a suggestion to use that method.

Also, 4000 units of liquid fuel, I think 2 Jumbo-64 tanks should hold that (or 4 X200-32, or 8 X200-16, or 16 X200-8 or FL-T800, or...)

So, a core station of Cupola + lab module, add a Hitchhiker hab module and a few fuel modules, and so long as you have a single solar panel or fuel cell, an antenna, and a spare docking port when you're done constructing the whole thing you should be good, right?

The real problem I see is doing all that and still turning a profit on Funds. Even using SSTO spaceplanes or fully reusable rockets, that looks to be a hard thing to do.

[Unfawkable]

What's the big problem? Nobody said you have to launch it ALL on the same rocket. Orbital assembly is allowed, and I'd even suggest that the requirement for docking ports is a suggestion to use that method.

Also, 4000 units of liquid fuel, I think 2 Jumbo-64 tanks should hold that (or 4 X200-32, or 8 X200-16, or 16 X200-8 or FL-T800, or...)

So, a core station of Cupola + lab module, add a Hitchhiker hab module and a few fuel modules, and so long as you have a single solar panel or fuel cell, an antenna, and a spare docking port when you're done constructing the whole thing you should be good, right?

The real problem I see is doing all that and still turning a profit on Funds. Even using SSTO spaceplanes or fully reusable rockets, that looks to be a hard thing to do.

This. Plus if you use the Mk3 liquid fuel only parts, you'd make it in one launch. I had a contract for a station with 19 Kerbals, a lab, 6000 Liquid fuel, 1500 monoprop. Around the Mun. Was a hefty reward too, think it was around 600.000. Made it in one launch by using the crew plane part. If you feel that's cheating, you can also do it with the hitchhiker containers, but you would have to use docking, and launch at least twice.

[Bobe]

What's the big problem? Nobody said you have to launch it ALL on the same rocket. Orbital assembly is allowed, and I'd even suggest that the requirement for docking ports is a suggestion to use that method.

I understand that, but why would a station need all those tanks hanging off it? I'm not saying I couldn't do it if I tried, I'd most likely be making losses like you said, I simply don't see the practicality in it. Yes this is KSP and things aren't always realistic, but I think most things have to at least make sense.

[Sir Nahme]

refuelling station?

[tater]

The contracts are random. They are effectively written by a finite number of moneys with keyboards.

[baggers]

refuelling station?

I'm sure I know a space programm that will be happy to buy some fuel at that station.

Is it cheap?

Can you refuel at a contract station, by the way? (isn't it stealing, in that case?)

[SAI Peregrinus]

refuelling station?

Since LV-Ns don't need oxidizer, yes. Especially handy if you can keep it around as one for that purpose, you'll have plenty of fuel for your big interplanetary ships later on.

[Superfluous J]

The contract doesn't specify that you can't have oxidizer there.

I'd get the fuel from Minmus, myself, and then after completing the contract use the station to refuel my grand tour ship

[Alshain]

What is the problem, I built this station for an almost identical contract. I made a profit too (though I shipped the fuel up by plane and send both fuel tanks up empty on the same rocket). I also put Oxidizer on it.

- - - Updated - - -

Can you refuel at a contract station, by the way? (isn't it stealing, in that case?)

Once the contract is over, the game stops tracking it for contract purposes.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Alshain

[Mad Rocket Scientist]

"Shortly after disproving bad theories on how a day on Kerbin was only 6 hours long, the founder trying something truly genius at RealChute realized that none of us knew for sure if Kerbin was in fact perfectly round, and not an oblate spheroid as some lunatics suggest. So this is where you come in."

Where shall we begin?

"Shortly after disproving bad theories on how a day on Kerbin was only 6 hours long, the founder (Of what? RealChute?) (Lack of comma) tryingsomething truly genius at RealChute realized that none of us knew for sure if Kerbin was in fact perfectly round, and not an oblate spheroid as some lunatics suggest (His true genius was to suggest that Kerbals didn't know what shape Kerbin was?). So this is where you come in."

Why does RealChute care about the shape of Kerbin? Why does a single-purpose research station need fuel, and a cupola?

Clearly the founder (Of RealChute?) is a member of the oblate spheroid Kerbin organization.

Here's my fixed version of the contract:

"Shortly after disproving bad theories on how a day on Kerbin was only 6 hours long, the founder of RealChute, in a stroke of true genius, realized that none of us knew for sure if Kerbin was in perfectly round, or an oblate spheroid as some lunatics suggest. So this is where you come in."

Better? I thought so.

[Warzouz]

I had a 6000m/s around minmus once. This is so ridiculous because to fully explore minmus (full science in each biome), you only need half of an orange tank.

Usually, I edit those contracts. I also transform them into "upgrade station" by reducing the launch ID parameter of the contract. It's a bit of cheat, but much more RP.

Right now I was asked to create a new space station around Minmus with refine capacity. I already have a space station which is scalable and quite well designed for my usage. Is much more fun to extend the actual station. It's more RP.

[Superfluous J]

"Shortly after disproving bad theories on how a day on Kerbin was only 6 hours long, the founder trying something truly genius at RealChute realized that none of us knew for sure if Kerbin was in fact perfectly round, and not an oblate spheroid as some lunatics suggest. So this is where you come in."

I KNEW that SOMEONE had to read those things.

[Nefrums]

just build the space station without the fuel, and then dock random interplanetary vessel to the station before leaving kerbin and the contract will be completed.

[-ELF-]

It will be a very good interplanetary refuelling spot later, won't it?

And besides... It is cool! 8)

[mikegarrison]

just build the space station without the fuel, and then dock random interplanetary vessel to the station before leaving kerbin and the contract will be completed.

Exactly. The crew capacity of the ship you dock will even count toward the contract. In fact, if you build a ship to carry a lab somewhere, your ship itself might fulfill this contract without ever being a "station" at all. If your ship has a (docked) 3-person lander, a viewing cupola as the ship command pod, and a lab, then your ship might count as meeting this "station" contract all by itself.

[federicoaa]

I got something like that, but the last point was to have the station attached to an asteroid...

[Terwin]

I am currently fulfilling a contract like that for landed on the mun.

Left a slot empty to pick up a rescue contract landed on the mun with those 4K extra liquid fuel.

First time I have used the mk3 bays(got my lab in there along with all the experiments to go with it)

Question:

Does heat dissipate when the vehicle is out of focus?

I currently have 3 nuke powered rockets in the Kerbin SOI(including the above station) and they do not seem to be cooling down much when not in focus.

(and one of them explodes a fuel tank if I use non-physical warp when it is in focus, not sure why. Hopefully that will stop once I get the temp low enough(hottest part below 1000k was not sufficient, but perhaps below 800 or 600K will))

[problemecium]

4000 units of LiquidFuel isn't hard for a station around Kerbin. You'll probably end up needing to build it that big eventually when you want to refuel large ships.

Now 4000 units on a Mun base is something I have trouble understanding...

[MarvinKitFox]

That's an easy one.

I had a contract for a Base.

On Gilly

With a power, antenna, docking port.

With a LAB

And space for 11 kerbals

And must contain 5000 units of ORE

.

AND must be on wheels.

.

.

Interesting factoid.

Wheels don't work well on Gilly. They slip n slide, and tend to leave you "in space" when you and a whole jury could swear it is sitting on the ground at 0.0m/s

But only if all 4 wheels are touching ground. so..... I spent a year and a half like this, so that I could be in "landed" state and still have my drill reach the ground

[Superfluous J]

Now if only you could spend that much money and have such a station appear in orbit for you.

[Reactordrone]

I had a 4000 units of fuel on a Mun base contract fairly early. After contract completion I just flew it back into orbit and used it as a refueling station.

[Jesrad]

No, Gene, we're definitely not gonna mine 4000 ore from Eve and then delivering it to Gilly.

[AbacusWizard]

I frequently build orbital stations containing lots of fuel so I can refuel docked spaceships later on. (I don't see much point in a surface outpost having more fuel than was needed to land it, though.)

And of course it doesn't have to be all launched in one go. I launched the central core of Starbase Alpha (medium fuel tank with docking spokes, detachable lab section and crew quarters section) into orbit, then launched a pair of colossal fuel bananapods designed to attach to the docking spokes (as well as a stylish orbital transport skiff with external seating for six). Kinda high on part count, especially with another ship docked to it... but the nice thing about the bananapods is that they can detach and maneuver independently, including flying off to rendezvous with a big ship in a parking orbit 2.5 km away.

[Camaron]

Pssh. Launching fuel stations is one of my favorite things to do.

(From 0.90)

(From 0.90)