[1.2] SpaceX Interplanetary Transportation System by Thrimm Aerospace [0.91]

[Thrimm]

THIS MOD HAS BEEN RELEASED! CHECK OUT THE RELEASE THREAD HERE

SpaceX Interplanetary Transportation System! With realistic sized parts (aka massive), accurate mass (launchpad might explode occasionally) and other stats as close to SpaceX presentation as I could get. Now you can colonize Mars SpaceX style.

Intended use for this mod is going to be RSS/RO, because it is obviously overpowered for stock Kerbol system. It took me a lot of time to model these parts and even longer to make them work properly, so I hope you will enjoy and provide feedback, because it is very much needed!

DISCLAIMER: This mod is absolutely overpowered for the stock game. The engine performance and ship stats are as close to their real counterparts as I could make them, and as of now it works just fine in RSS with FAR and RealHeat installed. You don't need RO for this to work 'realistically' in terms of performance, except the fact that the fuel is not right (liquid fuel/oxidizer instead of liquid methane/oxygen) and engines don't suffer from ullage and other great features that RO brings. DeltaV stats, Isp, masses and all related parameters are nevertheless more or less correct.

Currently in development

• Internals
• RSS/RO configuration for proper fuel usage - partly done, files on Github
• ISRU
• Backwards compatibility for 1.1.3 (for RSS and RO) - compatibility done.
• Config files for stock KSP
• Proper configuration for the landing legs
• Engine heating animation (I totally forgot about them)
• Split body flaps for the ship

Imgur Album - more pictures.

Downloads:

Spacedock

Curse

Github - extra configs for RealPlume and SmokeScreen, also WIP configs for RealFuels

LICENSE: All rights reserved. If you want to use models or textures from this mod, just ask.

It's the second mod ever and therefore there are many, many sharp edges and strange solutions. Some parts might summon Kraken, so be warned.

This endeavour turned out to be far bigger than I ever expected and I have certainly underestimated the complexity of such operation. Development will be slow because I have learn things on the fly, but if you would like to help with the development, please contact me.

In any case, I hope you'll enjoy the mod and please share some screenshots!

Edited October 25, 2016 by Thrimm
Update

[TheEpicSquared]

Nice job @Thrimm! I will definitely be downloading this when I get home!

EDIT: Also, do we have to attach the 42 engines one by one or are they a single part? I could imagine that getting tedious very quickly. If not, is there at least an engine mount with 42 nodes for the engines, so we don't have to guess?

Edited October 12, 2016 by TheEpicSquared

[Thrimm]

5 hours ago, TheEpicSquared said:

Nice job @Thrimm! I will definitely be downloading this when I get home!

EDIT: Also, do we have to attach the 42 engines one by one or are they a single part? I could imagine that getting tedious very quickly. If not, is there at least an engine mount with 42 nodes for the engines, so we don't have to guess?

Yes well, unfortunately you have to attach them one by one. There are predefined nodes at the bottom of the booster and the ship for them, so they snap into place and I'm trying to figure out if some sort of symmetry can be used to deal with that.

[TheEpicSquared]

16 minutes ago, Thrimm said:

Yes well, unfortunately you have to attach them one by one. There are predefined nodes at the bottom of the booster and the ship for them, so they snap into place and I'm trying to figure out if some sort of symmetry can be used to deal with that.

Ah ok. Well it's still a great mod!  

[pheenix99]

Looking forward to seeing this mod develop. I would like to offer the following for consideration:

 

• Science/Cargo bay (place experiments & what not)
• Fuel Cell as a companion/alternative to solar cells
• Add a retractible ladder to that hatch

[LeLeon]

A single 42 in one engine would be fine and extremely part-reducing. What helps for my payloadversion-wish

On 16.10.2016 at 6:49 AM, pheenix99 said:

Looking forward to seeing this mod develop. I would like to offer the following for consideration:

 

• Science/Cargo bay (place experiments & what not)
• Fuel Cell as a companion/alternative to solar cells
• Add a retractible ladder to that hatch

 

I absolutely agree here. A cargo version with nodes inside to choose between multiple 1,25, 2,5 or 3,75m sizes  loads would be awesome  And yeah a ladder or catwalk is missing. Same for fuel cell, what would be a smaller alternative.

[pheenix99]

33 minutes ago, LeLeon said:

A single 42 in one engine would be fine and extremely part-reducing. What helps for my payloadversion-wish

 

I absolutely agree here. A cargo version with nodes inside to choose between multiple 1,25, 2,5 or 3,75m sizes  loads would be awesome  And yeah a ladder or catwalk is missing. Same for fuel cell, what would be a smaller alternative.

I forgot to mention life support (supplies storage, recycler, etc).

[TheEpicSquared]

What's the diameter of the booster? Cause if we're making a cargo version with a second stage, a fairing of the same diameter would be nice.

[Thrimm]

2 hours ago, LeLeon said:

A single 42 in one engine would be fine and extremely part-reducing. What helps for my payloadversion-wish

 

I absolutely agree here. A cargo version with nodes inside to choose between multiple 1,25, 2,5 or 3,75m sizes  loads would be awesome  And yeah a ladder or catwalk is missing. Same for fuel cell, what would be a smaller alternative.

I didn't want to use an engine ring mainly because I wanted this mod to be as modular as possible. With standalone engines, you can actually make your own rocket variants with procedural tanks and whatnot, if that fitted only this particular design then applications would be obviously limited. And 42 is a nice number after all, the answer to the meaning of life, the universe and everything

1 hour ago, TheEpicSquared said:

What's the diameter of the booster? Cause if we're making a cargo version with a second stage, a fairing of the same diameter would be nice.

The booster is 12m in diameter.

[LeLeon]

2 hours ago, Thrimm said:

I didn't want to use an engine ring mainly because I wanted this mod to be as modular as possible. With standalone engines, you can actually make your own rocket variants with procedural tanks and whatnot, if that fitted only this particular design then applications would be obviously limited. And 42 is a nice number after all, the answer to the meaning of life, the universe and everything

The booster is 12m in diameter.

modular as always fine, a ring would be a handy option (stage sorting in VAB, on the fly), then i can kick the single engine cfg out of the gamedata. i understand the needed engine power on booster stage, when u try to climb orbit with the both megaships. tested it:)

for all other ships they are just cheaty. stock vector can go with 1000 liquid on 14 to + engine ~2800 delta. raptorSL in same situation ~5400 (with a +3 times higher twr. in career mode i can handle it with the pricetag of around 80-100k. but that has no effect on sandbox and science, here it brakes the balance to other mods.

i know the mod is just released, but without critics, no evolution. a small cargobay with door would help to store some small thing, so the beautiful ship has no tumors on the hull. some space for kis-kas container and some science or energy things like small reactor or stock fuel cell (its enough fuel in the ship for that).

 

i see a hitchhiker fan

Edited October 24, 2016 by LeLeon

[Thrimm]

12 minutes ago, LeLeon said:

modular as always fine, a ring would be a handy option (stage sorting in VAB, on the fly), then i can kick the single engine cfg out of the gamedata. i understand the needed engine power on booster stage, when u try to climb orbit with the both megaships. tested it:)

for all other ships they are just cheaty. stock vector can go with 1000 liquid on 14 to + engine ~2800 delta. raptorSL in same situation ~5400 (with a +3 times higher twr. in career mode i can handle it with the pricetag of around 80-100k. but that has no effect on sandbox and science, here it brakes the balance to other mods.

i know the mod is just released, but without critics, no evolution. a small cargobay with door would help to store some small thing, so the beautiful ship has no tumors on the hull. some space for kis-kas container and some science or energy things like small reactor or stock fuel cell (its enough fuel in the ship for that).

 

i see a hitchhiker fan

All of this will probably come at some point in the future, as well as stock config files. Right now comparing those engines to their stock counterparts makes no sense at all - their stats are the real (or expected) Raptor stats as announced by SpaceX, and I designed it with all of that in mind.

On the other hand, adding modular cargo bays, fuel tanks etc is a cool idea, but it would require me to completely redesign everything. It's a concept I've been thinking about as well, but the sheer thought of going through heatshield texturing process fills me with dread. If I manage to avoid that, by all means modular design for everything will come. But this would be a big update for this mod, so no promises about 'when'.

[LeLeon]

7 minutes ago, Thrimm said:

All of this will probably come at some point in the future, as well as stock config files. Right now comparing those engines to their stock counterparts makes no sense at all - their stats are the real (or expected) Raptor stats as announced by SpaceX, and I designed it with all of that in mind.

On the other hand, adding modular cargo bays, fuel tanks etc is a cool idea, but it would require me to completely redesign everything. It's a concept I've been thinking about as well, but the sheer thought of going through heatshield texturing process fills me with dread. If I manage to avoid that, by all means modular design for everything will come. But this would be a big update for this mod, so no promises about 'when'.

Perhaps a double door with small cargohold on the white top would be easier with texturing. so no heatshield touch? buran was open on top, too. 

i see no need to make a section for cockpit, fuel, passenger, cargo modular. Your 12m design is very special, there are no normal engines who can handle that size and weight, so why a modular vehicle, that can be bigger. 1 version with passengers, 1 version with fuel and perhaps a cargo version with a 7,5 - 10 diameter top opened cargo hold. reduces the work. 

only tweakscaled or cheat engine can do the same TWR to launch as your 42 engines handle it (but expensive and HEAVY AS HELL, tried a stock "Vector", 9,1m diameter, 143k Thrust, TWA at launch 1,41, weight of 572 tons and pricetag of 2,57 millions). the single engine does not lag like the 42 combined. yeah!

[Thrimm]

Just now, LeLeon said:

only tweakscaled or cheat engine can do the same TWR to launch as your 42 engines handle it (but expensive and HEAVY AS HELL, tried a stock "Vector", 9,1m diameter, 143k Thrust, TWA at launch 1,41, weight of 572 tons and pricetag of 2,57 millions). the single engine does not lag like the 42 combined. yeah!

If I were to guess, the lag is caused rather by the plumes rather than by the part number. I frequently make SSTOs with 200+ parts and experience little lag while flying outside of the atmosphere. Firing up multiple rapiers changes things however. Side note: both Raptors use stock effects, ASL is the same as vector, vacuum has Rhino's effect. Especially the one from Vector seems to have a performance hit. I'm not sure how this can be solved while keeping things accurate though.

[RedKraken]

Very nice Mr Thrimm. Great work!

http://imgur.com/a/bsLhf

[LeLeon]

Landing Legs please to "Ground" imo. While other aero parts work with vessel, just your legs can work with that vessel size, backside  and MASS.

Edited October 24, 2016 by LeLeon

[reekchaa]

Great work, Thrimm!

I just wanted to add info from Elon himself after his AMA yesterday about craft tail control surfaces for landing in full atmosphere... 
 

Quote

" The spaceship and tanker would have split body flaps for pitch and roll. Probably just use the attitude control thrusters for yaw. "

( https://www.reddit.com/user/ElonMuskOfficial/ )

So 'split flaps' like on the vertical stabilizer of the Space Shuttle might be what we end up with for atmospheric controls, but equally important is the center of lift positioned so we can Stall the craft upwards at the last moment to allow the gimbaling engines to set us down gentle and not nose-dive every time.  

 

[Duski]

Absolutely great work!

Been anticipating a mod for this for about... Well, a month now. About making it modular as possible, why not you integrate what the SSTU Labs mod does by making it a single part and you can change the engine layout through right clicking the engine. That would make it have a single part count while being entirely modular.  I want to use this ITS so badly but having 42 individual engines kind of necks my game. Would be appreciated if you could do this feature!  

Edited October 27, 2016 by Duski

[Thrimm]

On 27/10/2016 at 1:16 PM, Duski said:

Absolutely great work!

Been anticipating a mod for this for about... Well, a month now. About making it modular as possible, why not you integrate what the SSTU Labs mod does by making it a single part and you can change the engine layout through right clicking the engine. That would make it have a single part count while being entirely modular.  I want to use this ITS so badly but having 42 individual engines kind of necks my game. Would be appreciated if you could do this feature!  

It sounds like a great idea, but I think I may not be skilled enough (yet) to implement it

[barophobicTurtle]

Hi!  Nice work on the mod, etcetera!

I tossed together some configs for compatibility with a few other mods, if you want to use them.  They are:

1. USI-LS. Gave it a space to store Supplies, a built-in recycler, and hab-time bonuses, all enough to last for a ~110 day trip to mars, if fully loaded with 104 kerbals.  The recycler is a liiittle bit overpowered, but it kinda has to be in order to avoid eating into the delta-v budget to an unreasonable degree.

2. KIS.  Gave the ship a large storage space on the inside, and the tanker a slightly less large one.  The problem is that with this many kerbal seats, the right-click menu doesn't actually fit on the screen because KIS wants to give all of them their own inventories.  Not sure if there's a way to get around that.

3. SMURFF.  Just a tiny file to make SMURFF ignore the spaceships, booster fuselage, and engines.

They probably aren't perfectly balanced, but afaict they hit roughly the performance levels that they should.  (though i admit i haven't played with KIS much, suggestions welcome there)

(I also made a modified version of your cfgs that half-scales everything (6m diameter, 28 kerbal seats) so i could have a somewhat more kerbal-scale ITS (and so it would actually fit in the VAB ) but i might need to play with the drag numbers- if it's empty it practically floats down to the ground at 100m/s once it gets through reentry.  That could totally be one of the other mods i have installed screwing things up, though.  Needs further testing.)

Edited November 1, 2016 by barophobicTurtle

[Thrimm]

3 hours ago, barophobicTurtle said:

Hi!  Nice work on the mod, etcetera!

I tossed together some configs for compatibility with a few other mods, if you want to use them.  They are:

1. USI-LS. Gave it a space to store Supplies, a built-in recycler, and hab-time bonuses, all enough to last for a ~110 day trip to mars, if fully loaded with 104 kerbals.  The recycler is a liiittle bit overpowered, but it kinda has to be in order to avoid eating into the delta-v budget to an unreasonable degree.

2. KIS.  Gave the ship a large storage space on the inside, and the tanker a slightly less large one.  The problem is that with this many kerbal seats, the right-click menu doesn't actually fit on the screen because KIS wants to give all of them their own inventories.  Not sure if there's a way to get around that.

3. SMURFF.  Just a tiny file to make SMURFF ignore the spaceships, booster fuselage, and engines.

They probably aren't perfectly balanced, but afaict they hit roughly the performance levels that they should.  (though i admit i haven't played with KIS much, suggestions welcome there)

(I also made a modified version of your cfgs that half-scales everything (6m diameter, 28 kerbal seats) so i could have a somewhat more kerbal-scale ITS (and so it would actually fit in the VAB ) but i might need to play with the drag numbers- if it's empty it practically floats down to the ground at 100m/s once it gets through reentry.  That could totally be one of the other mods i have installed screwing things up, though.  Needs further testing.)

That sounds great! Thank a lot for contributing - if you're willing to share I'll include them in the future update and credit you for them obviously.

[barophobicTurtle]

6 hours ago, Thrimm said:

That sounds great! Thank a lot for contributing - if you're willing to share I'll include them in the future update and credit you for them obviously.

Sure!  Here is a link for them that should...  probably work.

Here's also a link to the half-scale version of the mod, if you or anyone else wants to try using that.  It's still a little WIP, like i mentioned, and note that it isn't compatible with the normal version because i haven't renamed all of the files and folders so the game will get confused if you have both installed.

[Mekan1k]

My only question: are there internals?

[The-Doctor]

On 10/31/2016 at 3:31 PM, Thrimm said:

It sounds like a great idea, but I think I may not be skilled enough (yet) to implement it

will the cargo version be useful without using KIS/KAS?

[Thrimm]

On 27/11/2016 at 1:34 AM, The-Doctor said:

will the cargo version be useful without using KIS/KAS?

Yes, that is the plan. However it might need a crane so unless I add a custom version of IR unloading stuff might be tricky.

[Draconomial]

I saw the video on the SpaceX subreddit. How's development going @Thrimm?