[WIP] Narrative Technology Tree

KSK · November 8, 2017

Hey folks,

It's very much a work in progress but I thought I'd have a go at writing a mod to replace the stock part descriptions, the tech tree node descriptions, and (eventually) a couple of other bits and pieces for consistency. At the moment the 'mod' is just a pair of ModuleManager patches but further down the line - assuming this is possible - I'm hoping to re-jig the technology tree screen a bit to make everything look a bit nicer. Any suggestions from real modders on how to do that would be gratefully received!

If anyone wants to take a look at the current build, it's simple:

Install the latest version of ModuleManager
Copy the spoilered text below into your text editor of choice and save into your KSP Game Data folder as a .txt file (strips out any hidden characters that might make Module Manager barf.)
Change the file extension from .txt to .cfg

Apologies if that's all a bit obvious but it took me a while to figure out why ModuleManager wasn't reading my patch so I thought it was worth posting some instructions in case anyone else came unstuck.

Tech Tree descriptions (finished)

Spoiler

@TechTree {

// Have one of these RDNode sections for each node you want to tweak.
// The thing in brackets next to "id" is whatever the id is for the
// node you're tweaking.

@RDNode:HAS[#id[start]] {
@description = The Kerbin Interplanetary Society was founded on optimism, enthusiasm and no small number of crazy ideas. The practicalities of building working rockets left no room for our wilder dreams of exploring the stars - but we never forgot them. - - - Jebediah Kerman: “KIS - A History of Kerballed Spaceflight.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[basicRocketry]] {
@description = The Kerbin Interplanetary Society had a motto. ‘We all build them - we all fly them.’ Admittedly, our first designs were distinctly creative - with our budget we didn’t have much choice. But friends don't let friends fly on badly made rockets. - - - Jebediah Kerman: "KIS - a History of Kerballed Spaceflight."

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[engineering101]] {
@description = Some kerbals see the Kerbin Interplanetary Society as a romantic tale of defying the odds. Others dislike the fact that we literally started out in a junkyard. I say that we wouldn't have gotten anywhere without some solid engineering. - - - Jebediah Kerman: "KIS - a History of Kerballed Spaceflight."

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[survivability]] {
@description = Listening to static on the radio and hoping to Kerm its just re-entry blackout? Waiting for the drogues, then the mains then the “we’re in the water - blunt end down!” call from the crew? That's the longest wait of all. And it never gets any shorter. - - - Geneney “Gene” Kerman: “Tales from the Trenches - A Flight Director’s journal.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[stability]] {
@description = Once you get beyond hobby rockets, passive aerodynamics alone aren’t enough to maintain stable flight. It’s never wise to ignore them completely though - in an emergency, that little extra stability could make the difference between a safe abort and a tragedy. - - - Bob Kerman: “First Steps into the Unknown.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[generalRocketry]] {
@description = With the LV-T series, we finally managed to combine a reliable regenerative cooling system with our latest injector plates to produce an engine that could run far hotter and at far higher pressures than anything we’d built before. The result was a breakthrough that let us put the first kerbals into orbit. - - - Wernher Kerman: “Lighting the Fires.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[aviation]] {
@description = Before Jeb and I founded the Kerbin Interplanetary Society, I was a scientist working on high altitude propulsion concepts at the Kerbin Aeronautical Institute. Sadly, limited time and money meant that the KIS would always prioritise rockets over aircraft. - - - Wernher Kerman: “Lighting the Fires.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[basicScience]] {
@description = The Space Program was a dream come true for the astronomy community. Far away worlds barely visible through our telescopes could be studied up close in unprecedented detail - and might even be visited in person. - - - Dunney Kerman: “Principles of Planetary Geology.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[flightControl]] {
@description = “T minus 60 seconds and counting. Guidance is internal, auto sequencer is running! Launch Control reports - we have a Go for main engine start…” - - - Leland Kerman: “KBS News - Live from the Space Centre.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[advRocketry]] {
@description = “The LV9 series is a pretty mixed set of engines. They tend to be optimised for vacuum or near vacuum but the propellants, chamber cooling method, and throttling capacity vary widely from model to model. - - - Bob Kerman: “First Steps into the Unknown.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[generalConstruction]] {
@description = We are agreed then, good kerbals? Further development of space station components shall be put on hold and our satellite business shall be our primary focus until such time as the market, or government backed externalities supports an increased kerballed presence in space. - - - Ademone Kerman: “Rockomax Corporation Board minutes.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[propulsionSystems]] {
@description = Rocket engineering was not one of our strengths but thankfully, Wernher Kerman at the KIS agreed to start a production version of his original LV1 prototype. It proved to be just what we needed for our first interplanetary probes. - - - Germore Kerman: “Probodobodyne - the Early Years.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[spaceExploration]] {
@description = “On this day, we - voyagers from the planet Kerbin - first set foot upon the Mun. We came in peace for Kerm and kerbal.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[advFlightControl]] {
@description = Life support systems, booster pressurisation and, of course, monopropellant storage for the reaction control and orbital manoeuvring thrusters. Stratus Inc have been proud suppliers of critical gas storage components to the Space Program since the very first orbital flight. - - - Halnie Kerman: “Space - a Contractor’s View.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[landing]] {
@description = It’s funny in a way, but until the Mun program, the idea of landing a spacecraft just wasn’t something we needed to consider. Barkton is right by the coast so splashdown seemed like the obvious choice for returning capsules. - - - Geneney “Gene” Kerman: “Tales from the Trenches - A Flight Director’s journal.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[aerodynamicSystems]] {
@description = Many racers don’t have any formal engineering training at all but over time you start to pick up an instinct for new planes just by walking round ‘em and giving them a good look over. Telling the greasebuckets that their brand new swooper is gonna fly like an airhog is a different matter. - - - Valentina Kerman: “From Racer to Test Pilot.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[electrics]] {
@description = Our first spacecraft relied entirely on batteries for power. They're simple, reliable and can be installed almost anywhere. For longer flights, carrying sufficient batteries became impractical and more sophisticated power systems were required. - - - Bob Kerman: "First Steps into the Unknown."

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[heavyRocketry]] {
@description = Initial proof-of-concept and critical component scale up showed remarkable potential for the Mun program. Accordingly, the Board authorised Project Windjammer to progress to the integrated testbed phase. - - - Ademone Kerman: “Rockomax Corporation Board minutes.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[fuelSystems]] {
@description = “Think Better. Think Bigger. Rockomax.” - - - Rockomax Corporation company slogan.

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[advConstruction]] {
@description = “Absolutely Tom. For smaller diameter cores they worked fine but the systems just didn’t scale up to staging our larger lateral boosters. Everything looked straightforward enough on paper but it took us quite some time to figure out the details. - - - ‘Engines and Engineers’. Studio interview with Hanbal Kerman - Rockomax chief engineer.

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[miniaturization]] {
@description = “My team at Steadler did an incredible job fitting a fully functional docking system to that tin can capsule and we never, ever got the credit we deserved for it!” - Geofkin Kerman’s personal diary.

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[actuators]] {
@description = Our first attempts at separating booster stages with hydraulic pushers all failed. Much later, Roncott Kerman, one of our younger engineers, invented the lightweight, reliable actuators that still bear his name to this day. - - - Bob Kerman: “First Steps into the Unknown.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[commandModules]] {
@description = There are many good and practical reasons for spacecraft to have multiple crewmembers but the most important one is also the simplest. It lets many more kerbals experience the wonder of seeing their homeworld from orbit. - - - Bob Kerman: “First Steps into the Unknown.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[heavierRocketry]] {
@description = “Pitch and roll program complete. Whew… I tell you folks. I’ve been reporting from here since the first orbital flights - but you never get used to the sheer raw power of those machines.” - - - Leland Kerman: “KBS News - Live from the Space Centre.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[precisionEngineering]] {
@description = In the end, the technologies behind our second generation probes were developed by a slew of organisations from across Kerbin. Proof, if any more were needed, that incredible things can happen when enough people come together with a common goal. - - - Germore Kerman: “Probodobodyne - the Early Years.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[advExploration]] {
@description = Propelled by a tidal wave of public support after the Mun landings, we set our sights outward. - - - Jebediah Kerman: “KIS - A History of Kerballed Spaceflight.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[specializedControl]] {
@description = Reaction wheels, in their various guises, are motorised flywheels that allow very accurate spacecraft attitude control. All Steadler reaction wheel modules are provided with a complete set of RV-102 reaction control thrusters to automatically cancel excess angular momentum. - - - Geofkin Kerman: “Steadler Engineering Inc. Technical Manuals.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[advLanding]] {
@description = More reliable landing systems and increasingly accurate guidance and control systems led us to start looking seriously at fly-back booster stages. However, daunting structural and propellant reserve requirements caused us to abandon our first reusability program. - - - Wernher Kerman: “Lighting the Fires.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[supersonicFlight]] {
@description = Even supersonic flight is nowhere near fast enough to make orbit. The question is - what are we going to do about that? - - - Al Kerman: "Classified Briefings - C7 Special Projects Division."

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[advFuelSystems]] {
@description = Apparently there was an old engineering joke at Rockomax. “Lighter, stronger, cheaper - pick any two.” I understand that the joke has gone out of fashion since we started working together. - - - Wernher Kerman: “Lighting the Fires.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[advElectrics]] {
@description = "And... they're in! Mission Control confirms - the power arrays are unstowed at last and the crew are safely back in the capsule. Their next task will be to restart the rest of their spacecraft systems..." - - - Leland Kerman: "KBS News - Live from the Space Centre."

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[specializedConstruction]] {
@description = The Common Orbital Rendezvous and Docking Systems (CORDS) program proved that the KIS and Rockomax could work together. CORDS became a standardised set of spacecraft interoperability protocols that the Kerbin Space Agency uses to this day. - - - Geneney “Gene” Kerman - “Tales from the Trenches - a Flight Director’s journal.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[precisionPropulsion]] {
@description = Increasing booster sizes will require increasingly powerful separation systems. The Propulsion division is therefore authorised to begin work on a new series of small rocket engines to meet that need. - - - Ademone Kerman: “Rockomax Corporation Board minutes.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[advAerodynamics]] {
@description = Our continued progress has been critically dependent on a robust program of basic research conducted by the Kerbin Aeronautical Institute and others. It is only proper that we in turn share as much of our data as we are able to. - - - Al Kerman: “Declassified Briefing - C7 Special Projects Division.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[heavyLanding]] {
@description = Wings optimised for high altitude, high speed flight often have correspondingly reduced lift at low altitudes, resulting in higher take off and landing speeds. So far, undercarriage designers have been able to keep up with requirements. Valentina Kerman: “From Racer to Test Pilot.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[scienceTech]] {
@description = From the very earliest telescopes to the gamma ray spectrometers carried aboard the first Munar orbiters to the latest multispectral imaging systems, studying astronomical bodies from afar has always been the key to efficient scientific exploration on the ground. - - - Dunney Kerman: “Principles of Planetary Geology.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[unmannedTech]] {
@description = With the QBE and OKTO2 autonomous command units, robotic probes are finally starting to reach the point where some observers are questioning the need for crewed flights. I’m flattered by their enthusiasm but realistically we still have a long way to go - - - Germore Kerman: “Probodobodyne - the Early Years.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[nuclearPropulsion]] {
@description = The Kerbin Nuclear Standards Agency's inspectors are not famed for their sense of humour. It took us longer to get regulatory approval for the LV-N than it did to design, build and flight qualify it. Mind you, KNSA oversight was invaluable in overcoming public concerns about nuclear rockets. - - - Jebediah Kerman: "KIS - A History of Kerballed Spaceflight."

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[advMetalworks]] {
@description = I refer the Board to our previous minutes and recommend that we restart our space station development program in order to support our increasingly complex crewed flight operations. - - - Ademone Kerman: “Rockomax Corporation Board minutes.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[fieldScience]] {
@description = Safety reasons prevented the first kerbonauts on the Mun or Minmus from venturing too far from their landers. I know more than one geologist who still regards that first spindly, battery-powered rover as the true beginning of the Space Program. - - - Dunney Kerman: “Principles of Planetary Geology.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[highAltitudeFlight]] {
@description = What we simplistically refer to as High Altitude Flight, requires aircraft capable of operating in - and transitioning between - a number of aerodynamic and velocity regimes. The challenges remain formidable. - - - Al Kerman: "Classified Briefing - C7 Special Projects Division."

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[largeVolumeContainment]] {
@description = The Structural Engineering team remain extremely doubtful about Kerbodyne’s S3 series. Neither do we have any reports as yet that Kerbodyne have developed an engine capable of taking advantage of their oversized tanks. - - - Ademone Kerman: “Rockomax Corporation Board minutes.”
}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[composites]] {
@description = Despite the obvious weight advantages, it took a long time for composite materials to find widespread acceptance within the Space Program. I still like to think that Stratus Inc’s series of composite overwrapped pressure vessels played a significant part in that. - - - Halnie Kerman: “Space - a Contractor’s View.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[electronics]] {
@description = The space environment is tough on electronics, especially integrated circuits. Radiation hardening is expensive and shielding is heavy. For low-orbit and cis-munar spacecraft we solved both problems by developing multiply-redundant systems. For longer trips to Duna and beyond, we had to reconsider our options. - - - Bob Kerman: “First Steps into the Unknown.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[largeElectrics]] {
@description = It sounds simple on paper. Need more power? Bring bigger photovoltaic arrays. Unfolding those arrays in space though, is far from simple. Stiction, or static friction, tends to glue the panels together and was a serious problem with the first Gigantor arrays. - - - Geneney “Gene” Kerman: “Tales from the Trenches - a Flight Director’s journal.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[heavyAerodynamics]] {
@description = We used to call them Air Hogs on the racing circuit. Cargo holds like trucks - and performance envelopes to match. Flying an Air Hog into space - that I have to see. - - - Valentina Kerman: “From Racer to Test Pilot.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[ionPropulsion]] {
@description = Exceptionally high efficiency but meagre amounts of thrust make the ion drive an ideal propulsion system for short to medium range interplanetary probes, where photovoltaic panels remain a viable power source. - - - Germore Kerman: “Probodobodyne - the Early Years.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[hypersonicFlight]] {
@description = Sweet Kerm above but I never knew a plane could fly so *fast*. - - - Valentina Kerman: “From Racer to Test Pilot.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[advUnmanned]] {
@description = Robotic technology has now reached the point where, for example, a planetary science rover no longer needs painstaking step by step instructions from its control team. It is sufficient to set general directives and allow the onboard software to deal with the minutia. - - - Dunney Kerman: “Principles of Planetary Geology.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[metaMaterials]] {
@description = "We have been experimenting with embedding sensors into our composites, Tom, but that's for our smart materials program. I'm not sure where the meta-materials thing came from - as far as I know they're just a theoretical curiosity.” - - - 'Engines and Engineers’. Studio interview with Halnie Kerman - Stratus Inc.

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[veryHeavyRocketry]] {
@description = Kerbodyne Space Projects Ltd. were basically the old Steadler Engineering propulsion department who started their own company when Steadler decided to focus on capsules and guidance systems. One look at the specs for their first production engines made it clear that Ademone had some competition on her hands. - - - Jebediah Kerman: “KIS - A History of Kerballed Spaceflight.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[advScienceTech]] {
@description = “In-situ Resource Utilisation or ISRU is the key to the Kerbol system. And *we* will hand that key over to all kerbalkind. Not the KIS, not Rockomax, but Kerbodyne Space Projects Ltd!” - - - Geofkin Kerman’s personal diary.

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[advancedMotors]] {
@description = The moment I saw the new Mobile Science Rover I knew I was looking at the future. The next generation of planetary scientists will be going there in style! - - - Dunney Kerman: “Principles of Planetary Geology.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[specializedElectrics]] {
@description = The new Zaltonic fuel cell arrays seemed like a promising new business opportunity. After all, fuel cells require fuel and we had considerable expertise there. In practice the Zaltonic arrays ended up occupying a limited middle ground between increasingly efficient photovoltaics and the new radioisotope generators. - - - Halnie Kerman: “Space - a Contractors View.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[highPerformanceFuelSystems]] {
@description = … accordingly, tankage at this scale requires entirely new welding and fabrication techniques. Part 1 will deal with equipment installation and setup. Part 2 will be concerned with process conditions, alloy composition tolerances and… - - - Geofkin Kerman: “Kerbodyne Space Projects Ltd. Technical Manuals.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[experimentalAerodynamics]] {
@description = The very best test pilots are also test engineers. Kerbals who can push their machines beyond their limits - and work out how to keep them there. - - - Al Kerman: "Classified Briefings - C7 Special Projects Division."

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[automation]] {
@description = “That’s a fair question, Tom, since the KIS was all about putting kerbals into space. We’re not worried though - in fact the new automated systems are helping us build the infrastructure that will let kerbonauts travel further than we ever dared to dream!” ‘Engines and Engineers’ - studio interview with Geneney “Gene” Kerman.

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[aerospaceTech]] {
@description = Single stage to orbit is easy. Single stage to orbit and back is much less easy. As for single stage to orbit and back with a worthwhile payload fraction? Well that’s the real trick. - - - Al Kerman: “Classified Briefing. C7 Special Projects Division.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[largeUnmanned]] {
@description = And so, as I finish this epilogue, Probodobodyne remains at the cutting edge of space exploration, leading the Kerbin Space Agency ever onwards to new discoveries and new wonders beyond the imagination of kerbalkind. - - - Germore Kerman: “Probodobodyne - the Early Years.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[experimentalScience]] {
@description = New discoveries prompting new questions and driving the development of new technologies to answer them. This is the way science has always worked - and now our space program is mature enough to open up whole new worlds to this age old cycle. - - - Dunney Kerman: “Principles of Planetary Geology.”

}

@RDNode:HAS[#id[experimentalElectrics]] {
@description = The problem with photovoltaics is that they don’t work too well when you’re out past the orbit of Jool. We did consider fuel cells but a back of a djan packet calculation told us all we needed to know about that. Fortunately, the Kerbin Nuclear Standards Agency conceded that a nuclear generator really was the only option for an Eeloo probe. - - - Germore Kerman: “Probodobodyne - the Early Years.”

}

// and so forth for other RDNode entries
}

Parts Descriptions (WIP)

Spoiler

//Start

@PART[mk1pod]
{
@description = As we helped Jeb into the capsule, all I could think about was the amount of untried technology packed in around him. We tested everything on the ground of course - but testing it in space is something else again. - - - Geneney “Gene” Kerman: “Tales from the Trenches, a Flight Director’s journal.”
}

@PART[solidBooster_sm]
{
@description = Solid Rocket Boosters. Lots of thrust, not very efficient and once you light them, they stay lit until they run out of propellant. Wernher never liked them, disparaging our RT-5 booster as a ‘trashcan full of boom’. The nickname stuck. — - - Bill Kerman: “Learning Rocketry the Hard Way.”
}

@PART[basicFin]
{
@description = Passive stabilisation for rockets. The basic principle is easy enough - if the rocket is pointing in the right direction, the fin does nothing. If the rocket starts going off-course, the fin starts generating lift, which tips the rocket back in the right direction. Basic fins are fixed in place after installation so need to be placed carefully for best effect — - - Bob Kerman: “First Steps into the Unknown.”
}

@PART[GooExperiment]
{
@description = The original Mystery Goo was a sample of experimental hull sealant that Bob took up on one of our early flights. On opening the sample container he discovered that a clear polymer gel had transformed into a 'viscous black goop.' This was later traced to a combination of a slight leak in the container, greater than expected vibration during flight and a trace contaminant reacting with the container wall. At Gene's insistence, we commissioned a local laboratory supplier to build us a small external monitoring pod, to let us run subsequent experiments outside the capsule. We ended up taking all sorts of materials to orbit, including tubes of algae and other marine life. Whatever we packed into that pod though was always dubbed Mystery Goo, in honour of Bob's first sample. - - - Jebediah Kerman: “KIS - A History of Kerballed Spaceflight.”
}

@PART[trussPiece1x]
{
@description = Building things in space is hard. For a start anything you haul into orbit needs to be as light as possible, strong enough to still do its job and small enough to fit into a rocket fairing. Don’t even get me started on the details of zero-G power tool design or the tendency for bolts to float away in free-fall unless you keep a close eye on them or find some way of fixing them in place. - - - Danfen Kerman: “On-orbit assembly — a practical guide.”

}

@PART[parachuteSingle]
{
@description = The version number alone should tell you plenty about the importance of parachutes to the Space Program. I don’t recall exactly why we abandoned each and every one of the Mk1 through Mk15 parachute systems but I do recall that the Mk16 was the first one that we had enough confidence in to fit it to a capsule. - - - Bill Kerman: “Learning Rocketry the Hard Way.”

}

// Basic Rocktry

@PART[fuelTankSmallFlat]
{
@description = Fuel tanks look simple enough from the outside but in many ways they’re just as sophisticated as the engines underneath them. Ensuring a smooth propellant flow at all fill levels and orientations, preventing the propellant from sloshing around in the tank, making sure you don’t get any awkward resonance modes … the problems mount up as the tanks get larger. Then you have to make the things as light as you can. Suffice to say that we started small and worked our way up to larger tanks cautiously. - - - Bill Kerman: “Learning Rocketry the Hard Way.”

}

@PART[solidBooster]
{
@description = Development of the RT-10 booster was plagued by technical difficulties and - if I’m being honest - was never our highest priority program due to Wernher’s distrust of solid motors. The ones we did fly did their job capably enough. - - - Geneney “Gene” Kerman - “Tales from the Trenches - A Flight Director’s journal.”

}

@PART[liquidEngine2]
{
@description = The first successful LV-T20 test fire marked the pivotal moment when we knew we finally had the hardware to send kerbals to orbit. Regeneratively cooled and incorporating our latest combustion chamber design, it was a true powerhouse for its time. The LV-T45 was a significant upgrade to that venerable old engine. - - - Wernher Kerman: “Lighting the Fires.”

}

// Engineering 101

@PART[sensorThermometer]
{
@description = In my experience, people tend to get obsessed with ‘space grade’ parts. For the most part, this is fair enough - space is a harsh environment and allowances have to be made for that. But sometimes an off-the-shelf part will do quite nicely. As Jernie was fond of saying, there really isn’t any need to reinvent the thermometer. - - - Germore Kerman: “Probodobodyne - the Early Years.”

}

@PART[stackDecoupler]
{
@description = The decouplers - oh sweet Kerm, the decouplers. We tried everything: pneumatics, hydraulics, various mechanical pushers. Eventually, for lack of a better option we settled on a simple explosive bolt, carefully sized to separate a spent rocket stage without blowing a hole in the newly lit rocket stage above it. And if you think that sticking rocket stages together with explosives is a stupid idea, you’re not the only one. - - - Jebediah Kerman: “KIS - A History of Kerballed Spaceflight.”

}

@PART[longAntenna]
{
@description = Simple, rugged and (above all) relatively cheap, the Communotron 16 was used extensively on our first satellites and crewed orbital capsules. It still finds a place in numerous spacecraft today, although it’s lack of relay capabilities limits its use on modern communication satellites. - - - Bob Kerman: “First Steps into the Unknown.”

}

@PART[SurfAntenna]
{
@description = For all it’s good points, the basic Communotron 16 mount can be sometimes be awkward to fit on certain spacecraft chassis. The 16-S side mount was one of my early side projects and turned out to be surprisingly useful in adapting the basic C-16 antenna to meet our expanding spacecraft design requirements. - - - Bob Kerman: “First Steps into the Unknown.”

}

// General Rocketry

@PART[liquidEngine]
{
@description = LV-T30 development was extensively delayed by combustion instability and unexpected acoustic resonance modes and ended up entering service long after the LV-T45 engine that was supposed to replace it. Its fixed nozzle design means that it needs to be paired with gimballing engines or aerodynamic surfaces for adequate stability control. - - - Wernher Kerman: “Lighting the Fires.”

}

@PART[solidBooster1-1]
{
@description = The BAC-C (for Butadiene Ammonium Composite C no less) was the pinnacle of our solid rocket program and a cost-effective backbone of all our early satellite launch vehicles. I don’t think our marketing department ever forgave the nameless engineer who referred to it, on camera, as a ‘thumping great rocket’. - - - Hanbal Kerman - “Rockomax Propulsion Department - Notes from the Whiteboard.”

}

@PART[fuelTankSmall]
{
@description = The FL-T100 provided several invaluable lessons in propellant tank design but it really was too small to be practical for launch vehicle applications. The FL-T200 was a step in the right direction at double the capacity of the older tank and is still a good choice for on-orbit service modules or the upper stages of small launch vehicles. - - - Bill Kerman: “Learning Rocketry the Hard Way.”

}

// Stability

@PART[noseCone]
{
@description = As with most things in this business, a simple appearance can hide a large amount of sophisticated engineering. Rocket nose cones are a case in point. For subsonic flight, a rounded nose tends to be better but for supersonic flight, a sharper, more conical nose is preferred. Rockets of course, travel in both flight regimes - so which shape do you choose? - - - Adelan Kerman: “Sweating the Details - a View from the VAB.”

}

@PART[winglet]
{
@description = A development of the Basic Fin and works in the same way. We designed this larger passive aerodynamic surface for correspondingly larger rockets. - - - Adelan Kerman: “Sweating the Details - a View from the VAB.”

}

@PART[radialDecoupler]
{
@description = If you ever want to give Gene a fit of the conniptions, just mention the words ‘radial decoupler’. They gave us even more sleepless nights than the TR-18 series and led to Bill using some distinctly colourful phrases that I didn’t even know he knew. For all that though, the TT-38 series turned out to be a functional if inelegant way of separating lateral boosters from the main stack. - - - Jebediah Kerman: “KIS - A History of Kerballed Spaceflight.”

}

// Survivability

@PART[sensorBarometer]
{
@description = Once the popular press found out that we were designing a barometer for our next generation of spacecraft they never seemed to tire of reminding us that there is no air in space. When we landed the Hope 2 probe on Duna, guess which instrument we didn’t forget to include with the science payload? - - - Germore Kerman: “Probodobodyne - the Early Years.”

}

@PART[radialDrogue]
{
@description = Re-entry - or the art of braking a spacecraft from orbital velocities to a survivable number of metres per second on touchdown without using rockets. A re-entering capsule will normally rely on one or more sets of parachutes for final braking. Drogues are designed to open at relatively high altitude and speed and help to slow and orient the capsule before the main chutes deploy. - - - Nelton Kerman - “Dreams of Space - the Rockomax Years.”

}

@PART[HeatShield0]
{
@description = A spacecraft returning from low Kerbin orbit will aerobrake from orbital velocity to a few hundred metres per second generating phenomenal amounts of heat in the process. This can be mitigated by good entry vehicle design and some form of heat shield. Most of our early sounding rockets were used for experiments with a variety of scaled down capsule and heat shield combinations. - - - Geneney “Gene” Kerman - “Tales from the Trenches - a Flight Director’s journal.”

}

@PART[HeatShield1]
{
@description = Ablative heat shields decompose at high temperature to produce a layer of char that prevents heat ingress to the reentering spacecraft and - more importantly - a cooler gaseous boundary layer between the shield and the atmosphere. Ablators also have the advantage of being relatively tough and light. We designed this size of heat shield to match the Mk1 command pod that carried the first kerbals into space. - - - Bill Kerman - “Learning Rocketry the Hard Way.”

}

@PART[radPanelSm]
{
@description = Keeping things cold in space is surprisingly complicated. Without conduction or convection to carry away waste heat, you’re forced to rely on radiators. This small radiator panel is sized and shaped to fit flush to the outer surfaces of spacecraft hulls. - - - Adelan Kerman: “Sweating the Details - a View from the VAB.”

}

@PART[miniLandingLeg]
{
@description = Although our first Munar probes were deliberately designed as impactors, it was obvious from the beginning that soft-landing probes would be required for a serious planetary science program. Rocket nozzles don’t tend to make good landing platforms, so one of our early priorities was to develop a compact set of folding landing legs. - - - Germore Kerman: “Probodobodyne - the Early Years.”

}

@PART[parachuteRadial]
{
@description = The Mark 16 parachute was a nose-mounted unit, intended to be fitted to the top of the Mk1 command pod. The Mk2-Rs were an offshoot of our research into drogue chutes and can be fitted radially around a larger capsule. We did experiment with using Mk2-Rs to recover spent booster stages but met with very limited success. - - - Bob Kerman - “First Steps into the Unknown.”

}

@PART[ServiceBay_125]
{
@description = After the first crewed orbital flights proved that we could put kerbals into space and bring them safely back to Kerbin, we began to think more seriously about what they could whilst they were up there. This small Service Bay was sized to fit a Mk1 command pod and was our first attempt at building a spacecraft capable of carrying scientific equipment and other cargo for experiments on-orbit. - - - Geneney “Gene” Kerman - “Tales from the Trenches - a Flight Director’s journal.”

}

// Advanced Rocketry

@PART[liquidEngine3]
{
@description = The LV909 is still our workhorse, vacuum-optimised engine for the upper stage of small orbital boosters and for sundry other small tasks such as high delta-V orbital manoeuvres or propulsive landing on airless worlds. I designed a pressure fed and a turbopump powered version to suit all applications. - - - Wernher Kerman - “Lighting the Fires.”

}

@PART[radialLiquidEngine1-2]
{
@description = One of the most successful techniques we found for steering our BAC-C derived boosters was to equip them with small gimballed vernier engines on side-mounted nacelles. The Mk55 is a scaled up version of the same concept that we found useful for guidance control on larger rockets or for some of our less conventional designs where centrally mounted main engines weren’t possible. - - - Nelton Kerman - “Dreams of Space - the Rockomax Years.”

}

@PART[fuelTank]
{
@description = I still think of the FL-T400 as our first proper fuel tank. It incorporated all the lessons we learned from building the T200 and T100 tanks and, at double the capacity of the T200 tank, finally gave us something we could start to design an orbital booster around. - - - Bill Kerman - “Learning Rocketry the Hard Way.”

}

// General Construction

@PART[MK1CrewCabin]

{
@description =

}

@PART[strutConnector]

{
@description =

}

@PART[Mk1FuselageStructural]

{
@description =

}

@PART[decoupler1-2]

{
@description =

}

@PART[largeAdapter]

{
@description =

}

@PART[launchClamp1]

{
@description =

}

//Aviation

@PART[sweptWing]

{
@description =

}

@PART[tailfin]

{
@description =

}

@PART[airplaneTail]

{
@description =

}

@PART[miniIntake]

{
@description =

}

@PART[wingConnector2]

{
@description =

}

@PART[wingConnector5]

{
@description =

}

@PART[StandardCtrlSrf]

{
@description =

}

@PART[structuralWing3]

{
@description =

}

@PART[Mark1Cockpit]

{
@description =

}

@PART[miniJetEngine]

{
@description =

}

@PART[miniFuselage]

{
@description =

}

@PART[MK1Fuselage]

{
@description =

}

@PART[GearFixed]

{
@description =

}

@PART[GearFree]

{
@description =

}

// Flight Control

@PART[R8winglet]

{
@description =

}

@PART[winglet3]

{
@description =

}

@PART[sasModule]

{
@description =

}

// Basic Science

@PART[probeCoreSphere]

{
@description =

}

@PART[batteryPack]

{
@description =

}

@PART[science_module]

{
@description =

}

@PART[ScienceBox

{
@description =

}

@PART[radPanelLg]

{
@description =

}

@PART[radPanelEdge]

{
@description =

}

@PART[HighGainAntenna5]

{
@description =

}

// Heavy Rocketry

@PART[liquidEngine2-2]

{
@title = SK1-G ”Poodle" Liquid Fuel Engine
@description = Our attempts to build a next generation solid rocket motor based on the BAC-C were not successful. Firing the motors wasn’t a problem but their mass and poor performance curves were. Faced with no alternative, we began work on the SK1 series of liquid fuelled engines to power our next generation of rockets. The vacuum adapted SK1-G was an early success and eventually became our standard upper stage engine. - - - Hanbal Kerman - “Rockomax Propulsion Department - Notes from the Whiteboard.”

}

@PART[engineLargeSkipper]

{
@title = SK1-P "Skipper" Liquid Fuel Engine
@description = The SK1-P, affectionately known as the Skipper, was the second engine of our SK1 series to find widespread acceptance. Unlike the smaller SK1-G, the Skipper was designed as a heavy lift engine, optimised for launch stages and atmospheric operations. - - - Hanbal Kerman - “Rockomax Propulsion Department - Notes from the Whiteboard.”

}

@PART[MassiveBooster]

{
@description = In itself, the KD25K does not present a threat to our business. It’s an oversized booster in search of a payload, that we believe to suffer from all the problems identified in our own Next Generation Solids program. However, a super-heavy launch vehicle sized to match the KD25K would be a serious threat indeed, however unlikely it seems at present. - - - Ademone Kerman: “Rockomax Corporation Board minutes.”

}

// Propulsion Systems

@PART[liquidEngineMini]

{
@description = Our first orbital boosters were primarily solid fuelled and only used liquid fuelled engines for orbital insertion and on-orbit manoeuvres. The 48-7 series is our longest running and most successful series of small liquid fuelled engines. - - - Hanbal Kerman - “Rockomax Propulsion Department - Notes from the Whiteboard.”

}

@PART[microEngine]

{
@description = You’d never hear him say it but Wernher’s original Launch Vehicle 1 (LV-1) prototype rocket engine was, quite literally, the invention that sparked a space program. The modern, production, version is one of the smallest engines available but still useful for satellites and uncrewed probes. - - - Jebediah Kerman - “KIS - A History of Kerballed Spaceflight.”

}

@PART[miniFuelTank]

{
@description = Originally designed to work with the LV-1 and LV-1R rocket engines, the Oscar-B design proved to be quite versatile and has since been put to a variety of uses in various spacecraft systems. How it acquired its nickname is a mystery lost to the earliest days of the Space Program. - - - Bob Kerman - “First Steps into the Unknown.”

}

// Fuel Systems

@PART[fuelLine]

{
@description = I still remember the look on both Bill and Wernher’s faces when I sketched out my cross-fed booster design. On paper it looked like a great idea - transfer propellant from your lateral tanks to the central tank in-flight, so that once you stage the lateral boosters, the core booster is fully fuelled and ready to go. Getting the External Fuel Duct to work in practice proved to be a real headache - even after we painted arrows on it to indicate fuel flow direction. - - - Jebediah Kerman - “KIS = A History of Kerballed Spaceflight.”

}

@PART[fuelTank_long]

{
@description = The last of our FL-T propellant tanks, the FL-T800 followed our, by now familiar, scheme of holding twice as much propellant as the preceding tank in the series. In my opinion its also the best looking tank of the series but maybe that’s just me. - - - Bill Kerman - “Learning Rocketry the Hard Way.”

@PART[fuelTank4-2]

{
@description = The X200—8 is a rather deceptive design, consisting of an outer shell surrounding multiple spherical pressure vessels for holding the propellant. - - - Hanbal Kerman - “Rockomax Propulsion Department - Notes from the Whiteboard.”

@PART[fuelTank2-2]

{
@description = Unlike the X200-8, the X200-16 is a genuine tank in that its walls are actually part of the pressure vessel containing the propellant. As the model number suggests, the X200-16 holds twice as much propellant as the X200—8, largely because of its more efficient design. - - - Hanbal Kerman - “Rockomax Propulsion Department - Notes from the Whiteboard.”

}

@PART[fuelTank1-2]

{
@description = The X200-32 is a huge tank holding fully twice as much propellant as the X200-16, whilst retaining the same mass-fraction. It required significant developments to our tank welding, reinforcement and fabrication techniques. - - - Hanbal Kerman - “Rockomax Propulsion Department - Notes from the Whiteboard.”

}

// Advanced Construction

PART[pointyNoseConeA]

{
@description =

}

PART[fairingSize1]

{
@description =

}

PART[rocketNoseCone]

{
@description =

}

PART[radialDecoupler1-2]

{
@description =

}

PART[radialDecoupler2]

{
@description =

}

PART[largeAdapter2]

{
@description =

}

PART[stackTriCoupler]

{
@description =

}

// Aerodynamics

PART[airScoop]

{
@description =

}

PART[CircularIntake]

{
@description =

}

PART[noseConeAdapter]

{
@description =

}

PART[standardNoseCone]

{
@description =

}

PART[airplaneTailB]

{
@description =

}

PART[wingConnector]

{
@description =

}

PART[wingConnector3]

{
@description =

}

PART[structuralWing2]

{
@description =

}

PART[sweptWing2]

{
@description =

}

PART[Mark2Cockpit]

{
@description =

}

PART[JetEngine]

{
@description =

}

PART[nacelleBody]

{
@description =

}

// Landing

PART[HeatShield2]

{
@description =

}

PART[landingLeg1]

{
@description =

}

PART[LaunchEscapeSystem]

{
@description =

}

PART[parachuteLarge]

{
@description =

}

PART[SmallGearBay]

{
@description =

}

// Advanced Flight Control

PART[advSasModule]

{
@description =

}

PART[landerCabinSmall]

{
@description =

}

PART[radialRCSTank]

{
@description =

}

PART[linearRcs]

{
@description =

}

PART[RCSBlock]

{
@description =

}

// Space Exploration

PART[crewCabin]

{
@description =

}

PART[ladder1]

{
@description =

}

PART[roverWheel2]

{
@description =

}

// Miniaturisation

PART[adapterSmallMiniShort]

{
@description =

}

PART[adapterSmallMiniTall]

{
@description =

}

PART[stackSeparatorMini]

{
@description =

}

PART[dockingPort3]

{
@description =

}

// Electrics

PART[probeCoreOcto]

{
@description =

}

PART[solarPanels5]

{
@description =

}

PART[batteryBankMini]

{
@description =

}

PART[foldingRadSmall]

{
@description =

}

PART[spotLight1]

{
@description =

}

PART[spotLight2]

{
@description =

}

// Heavier Rocketry

PART[liquidEngine1-2]

{
@description =

}

PART[Size2LFB]

{
@description =

}

// Precision Propulsion

PART[smallRadialEngine]

{
@description =

}

PART[radialEngineMini]

{
@description =

}

PART[omsEngine]

{
@description =

}

PART[sepMotor1]

{
@description =

}

PART[toroidalFuelTank]

{
@description =

}

// Advanced Fuel Systems

PART[adapterSize2-Size1]

{
@description =

}

PART[adapterSize2-Size1Slant]

{
@description =

}

PART[fuelTank3-2]

{
@description =

}

PART[RCSTank1-2]

{
@description =

}

PART[rcsTankMini]

{
@description =

}

PART[RCSFuelTank]

{
@description =

}

// Specialised Construction

PART[pointyNoseConeB]

{
@description =

}

PART[fairingSize2]

{
@description =

}

PART[trussAdapter]

{
@description =

}

PART[stackSeparator]

{
@description =

}

PART[dockingPort2]

{
@description =

}

PART[stackPoint1]

{
@description =

}

PART[stackBiCoupler]

{
@description =

}

// Actuators

PART[GrapplingDevice]

{
@description =

}

// Supersonic Flight

PART[wingStrake]

{
@description =

}

PART[structuralWing]

{
@description =

}

PART[mk2Cockpit_Standard]

{
@description =

}

PART[turboJet]

{
@description =

}

PART[mk2_1m_Bicoupler]

{
@description =

}

PART[mk2SpacePlaneAdapter]

{
@description =

}

PART[mk2FuselageShortLFO]

{
@description =

}

PART[mk2FuselageShortLiquid]

{
@description =

}

PART[mk2CargoBayS]

{
@description =

}

// Advanced Aerodynamics

PART[airbrake1]

{
@description =

}

PART[CanardController]

{
@description =

}

PART[wingConnector4]

{
@description =

}

PART[deltaWing]

{
@description =

}

PART[delta_small]

{
@description =

}

PART[elevon2]

{
@description =

}

PART[elevon3]

{
@description =

}

PART[smallCtrlSrf]

{
@description =

}

PART[elevon5]

{
@description =

}

PART[structuralWing4]

{
@description =

}

PART[sweptWing1]

{
@description =

}

PART[smallHardpoint]

{
@description =

}

// Advanced Landing

PART[HeatShield3]

{
@description =

}

PART[landingLeg1-2]

{
@description =

}

PART[radialDrogue]

{
@description = Re-entry - or the art of braking a spacecraft from orbital velocities to a survivable number of metres per second on touchdown without using rockets. A re-entering capsule will normally rely on one or more sets of parachutes for final braking. Drogues are designed to open at relatively high altitude and speed and help to slow and orient the capsule before the main chutes deploy. - - - Nelton Kerman - “Dreams of Space - the Rockomax Years.”

}

PART[parachuteDrogue]

{
@description =

}

PART[GearSmall]

{
@description =

}

// Specialised Control

PART[avionicsNoseCone]

{
@description =

}

PART[asasmodule1-2]

{
@description =

}

PART[vernierEngine]

{
@description =

}

PART[rcsTankRadialLong]

{
@description =

}

// Command Modules

PART[cupola]

{
@description =

}

PART[Mark1-2Pod]

{
@description =

}

PART[mk2LanderCabin]

{
@description =

}

PART[ServiceBay_250]

{
@description =

}

// Advanced Exploration

PART[Large_Crewed_Lab]

{
@description =

}

PART[telescopicLadder]

{
@description =

}

PART[telescopicLadderBay]

{
@description =

}

// Precision Engineering

PART[probeCoreHex]
{
@description = The HECS probe core was the first to use our Modular Equipment Drivers. Simple idea - plug one end into the probe core, plug your science instrument into the other end and you’re good to go. Unless you insert them the wrong way round. That just gets you a bang, a couple of crispy circuit boards and about two weeks work sent straight down the Wak. We learned that one the hard way - and redesigned the power couplings shortly afterwards. - Germore Kerman: “Probodobodyne - the Early Years.”

}

PART[structuralMiniNode]
{
@description =

}

PART[strutCube]
{
@description =

}

PART[strutOcto]
{
@description =

}

PART[mediumDishAntenna]
{
@description =

}

PART[stackDecouplerMini]
{
@description =

}

PART[RelayAntenna5]
{
@description =

}

// Advanced Electrics

@PART[solarPanels2]
{
@description =

}

@PART[solarPanels4]
{
@description =

}

@PART[solarPanels1]
{
@description =

}

@PART[solarPanels3]
{
@description =

}

@PART[ksp_r_largeBatteryPack]
{
@description =

}

@PART[LgRadialSolarPanel]
{
@description =

}

@PART[foldingRadMed]
{
@description =

}

// Nuclear Propulsion

@PART[nuclearEngine]
{
@description =

}

// Large Volume Containment

@PART[Size3MediumTank]
{
@description =

}

@PART[Size3SmallTank]
{
@description =

}

@PART[size3Decoupler]
{
@description =

}

@PART[Size3to2Adapter]
{
@description =

}

// Advanced MetalWorks

@PART[trussPiece3x]
{
@description =

}

@PART[stackSeparatorBig]
{
@description =

}

@PART[dockingPort1]
{
@description =

}

@PART[stackQuadCoupler]
{
@description =

}

// Composites

@PART[fairingSize3]
{
@description =

}

@PART[structuralIBeam2]
{
@description =

}

@PART[structuralIBeam3]
{
@description =

}

@PART[structuralIBeam1]
{
@description =

}

@PART[structuralPanel1]
{
@description =

}

@PART[structuralPanel2]
{
@description =

}

@PART[dockingPortLateral]
{
@description =

}

// High Altitude Flight

@PART[IntakeRadialLong]
{
@description =

}

@PART[ramAirIntake]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk2Cockpit_Inline]
{
@description =

}

@PART[adapterSize2-Mk2]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk2_1m_AdapterLong]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk2FuselageLongLFO]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk2Fuselage]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk2FuselageShortMono]
{
@description =

}

@PART[MK1IntakeFuselage]
{
@description =

}

@PART[structuralPylon]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk2CargoBayL]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk2CrewCabin]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk2DockingPort]
{
@description =

}

// Heavy Aerodynamics

@PART[airlinerCtrlSrf]
{
@description =

}

@PART[airlinerMainWing]
{
@description =

}

@PART[airlinerTailFin]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk3Cockpit_Shuttle]
{
@description =

}

@PART[turboFanSize2]
{
@description =

}

@PART[adapterMk3-Size2]
{
@description =

}

@PART[adapterMk3-Size2Slant]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk3CrewCabin]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk3FuselageLF_25]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk3FuselageLF_50]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk3CargoBayM]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk3CargoBayS]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk3CargoRamp]
{
@description =

}

// Heavy Landing

@PART[InflatableHeatShield]
{
@description =

}

@PART[GearLarge]
{
@description =

}

@PART[GearMedium]
{
@description =

}

// Field Science

@PART[seatExternalCmd]
{
@description =

}

@PART[roverBody]
{
@description =

}

@PART[roverWheel1]
{
@description =

}

// Science Tech

@PART[SurfaceScanner]
{
@description =

}

@PART[SurveyScanner]
{
@description =

}

@PART[sensorAtmosphere]
{
@description =

}

// Unmanned Tech

@PART[probeCoreCube]
{
@description =

}

@PART[probeCoreOcto2]
{
@description =

}

// Electronics

@PART[HighGainAntenna]
{
@description =

}

@PART[sensorAccelerometer]
{
@description = I'm told that high precision accelerometers are a critical component of spacecraft guidance systems. They also make excellent seismometers. I always rather liked the idea that a piece of equipment which helped us navigate to other worlds would help us to study them once we got there. - - - Dunney Kerman: "Principles of Planetary Geology."

}

@PART[RelayAntenna50]
{
@description =

}

// High-Power Electrics

@PART[largeSolarPanel]
{
@description =

}

@PART[batteryBank]
{
@description =

}

@PART[FuelCell]
{
@description =

}

@PART[foldingRadLarge]
{
@description =

}

// Very Heavy Rocketry

@PART[SSME]
{
@description =

}

@PART[Size3AdvancedEngine]
{
@description =

}

@PART[Size3EngineCluster]
{
@description =

}

// High Performance Fuel Systems

@PART[Size3LargeTank]
{
@description =

}

// Meta Materials

@PART[adapterLargeSmallBi]
{
@description =

}

@PART[adapterLargeSmallQuad]
{
@description =

}

@PART[adapterLargeSmallTri]
{
@description =

}

@PART[stationHub]
{
@description =

}

@PART[dockingPortLarge]
{
@description =

}

// Hypersonic Flight

@PART[AdvancedCanard]
{
@description =

}

@PART[shockConeIntake]
{
@description =

}

@PART[turboFanEngine]
{
@description =

}

@PART[toroidalAerospike]
{
@description =

}

@PART[radialEngineBody]
{
@description =

}

// Experimental Aerodynamics

@PART[wingShuttleDelta]
{
@description =

}

@PART[wingShuttleElevon1]
{
@description =

}

@PART[wingShuttleElevon2]
{
@description =

}

@PART[wingShuttleRudder]
{
@description =

}

@PART[wingShuttleStrake]
{
@description =

}

@PART[adapterMk3-Mk2]
{
@description =

}

@PART[adapterEngines]
{
@description =

}

@PART[adapterSize3-Mk3]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk3FuselageLFO_100]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk3FuselageLFO_25]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk3FuselageLFO_50]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk3FuselageLF_100]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk3FuselageMONO]
{
@description =

}

@PART[mk3CargoBayL]
{
@description =

}

// Advanced Motors

@PART[wheelMed]
{
@description =

}

@PART[roverWheel3]
{
@description =

}

// Advanced Science Tech

@PART[ISRU]
{
@description =

}

@PART[MiniDrill]
{
@description =

}

@PART[MiniISRU]
{
@description =

}

@PART[RadialDrill]
{
@description =

}

@PART[RadialOreTank]
{
@description =

}

@PART[SmallTank]
{
@description =

}

@PART[sensorGravimeter]
{
@description = To be perfectly honest, I remain unconvinced by gravioli theory. Dubious theoretical underpinnings aside though, gravimetry is a real science and a very useful one at that. One can tell a surprising amount about a planet from a detailed consideration of its gravitational field. - - - Dunney Kerman: "Principles of Planetary Geology."

}

// Ion Propulsion

@PART[ionEngine]
{
@description =

}

@PART[xenonTank]
{
@description =

}

@PART[xenonTankLarge]
{
@description =

}

@PART[xenonTankRadial]
{
@description =

}

// Advanced Unmanned Tech

@PART[probeStackSmall]
{
@description =

}

@PART[HECS2_ProbeCore]
{
@description =

}

// Automation

@PART[mk2DroneCore]
{
@description =

}

@PART[commDish]
{
@description =

}

@PART[RelayAntenna100]
{
@description =

}

// Specialised Electrics

@PART[batteryBankLarge]
{
@description =

}

@PART[FuelCellArray]
{
@description =

}

// Aerospace Tech

@PART[RAPIER]
{
@description =

}

// Experimental Science

@PART[LargeTank]
{
@description =

}

@PART[OrbitalScanner]
{
@description =

}

// Large Probes

@PART[probeStackLarge]
{
@description =

}

// Experimental Electrics

@PART[rtg]
{
@description =

}

So what's this all about?

The current flavour text for KSP has a definite quirky style to it which, whilst it has its charms, doesn't appeal to everyone. My version is rather more serious but preserves a couple of the core KSP memes. The basic premise is that the geopolitical considerations which drove the Space Race on Earth simply weren't there on Kerbin. As a result, the early spaceflight pioneers were all enthusiasts and amateurs along the lines of the British Interplanetary Society or the Verein für Raumschiffahrt. My particular band of enthusiasts are (in a fit of originality) called the Kerbin Interplanetary Society (KIS) and yes, they started out in a certain familiar junkyard. However, starting out in a junkyard does not have to mean that your rockets are made of junk...

The whole point of the KIS was to put kerbals into space. As Bob Kerman pointed out, "we're the Kerbin Interplanetary Society - not the Kerbin High Altitude Camera Club." Hence, the descriptions are all written for the stock tech tree and take an unashamedly 'crewed first' approach. The format is borrowed from Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, in which each part description or technology advance is described from the point of view of an in- game character. In my case the characters are split between in-game characters and characters from my own KSP fiction - links are in my signature file if anyone's interested.

Hope you like the mod. Updates to come soon, any comments welcome!

Cheers,

KSK.

Edited December 4, 2017 by KSK

KSK · November 11, 2017

Update

Replacement flavour text for the tech tree is now finished and I've updated the OP with the new .cfg file. Please feel free to give it a whirl and let me know what you think!

I've also written up a couple more replacement part descriptions, mainly for the science parts. More on that to come.

Cheers,

KSK.

Edited December 4, 2017 by KSK

Chemp · November 12, 2017

I love the new descriptions. I'll give it a try as soon as possible.

If anybody else is interested in doing some translations too, here's the relevant code for MM provided by @HebaruSan:

@PART[noseCone]
{  
	@description = descdesc_noseCone
}

Localization
{
	en-us
	{
		descdesc_noseCone = Fits atop Mk1 parts, and is likely more aerodynamic than anything you'll put it on.
	}
	es-es
	{
		descdesc_noseCone = Spanish translation of that
	}
}

Edited November 12, 2017 by Chemp

KSK · November 12, 2017

Fantastic - thanks @Chemp!

When I get a moment I'll refactor the patch for localization so I can drop in the translations as and when folks get them done.

KSK · November 27, 2017

Update

I'm working through the part descriptions node by node - so that's the order they appear in in the patch. I've added a first draft of the first few nodes worth to the original post. A long way to go - and the aero parts are going to be fun - but it's a start.

Cheers,

KSK.

Edited November 27, 2017 by KSK

KSK · December 4, 2017

Update

Template for the part description patch is finished, so every part has a placeholder section with the (hopefully) correct part name included, although most of the actual descriptions are currently blank.
Descriptions added for all the parts unlocked by the Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 tech tree nodes.
Descriptions added for additional engines, fuel tanks and science instruments. These were written as and when I had an idea for what to write and so are kind of scattered through the patch.
Added a couple of extra POVs to the list for increased variety. Wise words (mostly regarding aero parts) to come from Ornie Kerman, for those that follow First Flight.

To Do

More descriptions!
Comment each placeholder section with the part names as they appear in-game, for ease of further tweaking if anyone feels so inclined.

Edited December 4, 2017 by KSK

Nightside · December 4, 2017

Great idea, I really like the perspective of space explorers.

I loved Alpha Centauri, did you ever read the Frank Herbert books upon which that universe is based?

Edited December 4, 2017 by Nightside

KSK · December 4, 2017

Thanks!

If it's the Destination Void series you're thinking of (I had to look that up so I'm pretty much guessing), then I'm pretty sure I haven't. I have very vague memories of reading The Lazarus Effect but I don't recall spotting any similarities to the SMAC universe and I'm fairly sure that I would have. Which means my vague memory is likely wrong.

Either way, I'm intrigued now - may have to go and add them to my reading list!

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[WIP] Narrative Technology Tree

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