Fits and Starts: Building my first orbital MKS station. Why does it keep getting bigger?

[Soda Popinski]

Curie Orbital Akademy and Gas Station has taken between 3 to 6 launches, thus far depending on how you count.  I'm learning / messing with MKS, hence the akademy module, and power distribution module.  The original launch consisted of an MSL and Hitchhiker Can as a habitat, along with a set of Nom-o-Matics.  While launching the second module of the Ada Lovelace Munar Kolony, I stopped by Curie to grab a couple of scientists, and also brought along a small truss with an inflatable mini-habitat, and the newly invented Docking Ports (not Jrs).  I attached it with the Jr. Port on board.  This truss also had an antenna, as I sort of forgot one on the original launch.

Having accepted a contract to rescue some kerbals, I figured I could bring them down on my crappy SSTO which I have yet to successfully land.

Crappy SSTO, "Reliant"

 

I really need to unlock more super-sonic flight parts.  The Panther just isn't cutting it.

Landing attempts

 

He came in sort of hot, hence the red glow.

At least Valentina got close to KSC.

I found after orbiting it at 72km, I didn't have the delta-V to get it up to 150km, where Curie lives.  I was already getting ready to launch my first tanker, and figured I could rendezvous and refuel it en route.  The tanker launch vehicle had extra lift capacity, so I included another Truss segment along with 4 de-orbit pods.  The Truss had 4 docking ports around the middle.  Turns out, my SSTO docking port was right at about the CoM, so instead of refueling it, I just attached it to the tanker's front docking port, and pushed it up to Curie.

At that point, I realized I couldn't dock the SSTO to the truss docking ports, because there wasn't enough room.  So I attached it to the end of the truss for now, with plans to bring up docking tubes in a later launch.  On the 2nd tanker launch, I included hardware to de-orbit any other capsules I get on rescues (heat-shield, probe core + batteries, parachutes, and Konstruction Docking Port Jrs).

The next big construction launch was to send up the MKS Akademy and required Power Distribution Unit (turned out to be overkill).  This would be used to train up Kolonists for the Ada Lovelace Munar station and future Minmus kolony.  I included 4 docking tubes along with an RCS tug to help put them in place and with future berthing operations.

Here's an image before I de-orbited the last engine stage.  I realized later I should have disassembled them for MKS parts, but oh well.

 

So right now, I've got the SSTO berthed (on top), 2 fuel tankers with those great looking (high part count) inflatable tanks (replace when I unlock Mk. III fuselage), the Heisenberg Nuklear Tug below, and half of the Bohr Munar Bus (passenger trailer / aka "Short Bus") on the left.  The drive section of the Bohr is picking up an empty 2 kerbal passenger compartment from a previous rescue, which I'll convert into a de-orbit vehicle for a tourist and rescuee.  This was necessary, as I originally planned to bring them down on the SSTO in the lawn chairs in the cargo hold, but realized the tourist can't EVA to it.

At this point, I realized I can't run the PDU for too long, while in sun, as the heat build up is too high.  I included Konstruction Ports on the PDU with plans to attach trusses with Gigantor Panels once I unlock them to take the strain off the nuklear reactor.  That should help make the fuel last longer.  With the heat issues, I'll also throw on some more radiators.

Edited April 11, 2017 by Soda Popinski

[Mikki]

I`d love to see more `Dudes parts in stock, when i play my modded game i get crazy about all the cool stuff.
I think you`ve got the "Dudeness" too! Cool contraption, makes me greedy again to return to all the mods! 
Cheerz! 

[Soda Popinski]

Curie Station has gotten even bigger.  It's getting kind of crowded.  Got 2 tankers docked, 2 nuklear tugs, 1 RCS tug, 1 SSTO, and a new Space Station en route to Mun (picking up personnel).  I also brought up more "re-entry kits" to de-orbit debris / empty capsules / rescued capsules.  The Munar Bus passenger trailer is connected at the end, as I'm going to use the Bus drive section to haul the new Henrietta Lacks Munar Orbital Laboratory out.

I plan to add a truss with more radiators.  For now I can't run the PDU 100% as it gets too hot.  I'll likely add solar panels and batteries to the truss, so I can cover all my power needs via solar.


 

Edited April 21, 2017 by Soda Popinski