KShip-10 and the Kerbonomy of Scale (pic heavy)

[eberkain]

Spoiler

The goal for this sandbox playthrough is to build bases with MKS and create a science checklist and collect everything. Doing it all with only this one big ass 2 stage rocket loosely based on the SpaceX Starship. This is the stock system with very lite mods, relying on tweakscale mainly. 

I posted about designing the rocket here. 

Mod list looks long but is very lite on any new parts...

[x] Science! Continued (xScienceContinued 5.26)
AECS_Motion_Suppressor (air brake, engine, & control surface) (AECS-Motion-Suppressor 1.3.2.3)
AirlockPlus (AirlockPlus v0.0.11)
Antenna Helper (AntennaHelper 2:1.0.7.2)
AT Utils (AT-Utils v1.9.6)
B9 Part Switch (B9PartSwitch v2.17.0)
Blast Awesomeness Modifier (BAM) (BAMCont 1.3.3.3)
BonVoyage (BonVoyage 1:1.2.0)
BreakingGround-DLC (BreakingGround-DLC (unmanaged))
Camera Tools (CameraTools v1.14.0)
Chatterer (Chatterer 0.9.99)
Chatterer Extended (ChattererExtended 0.6.2)
ClickThrough Blocker (ClickThroughBlocker 1:0.1.10.14)
CommNet Constellation (CommNetConstellation 1.5.6)
Community Category Kit (CommunityCategoryKit v5.2.0.0)
Community Resource Pack (CommunityResourcePack 1.4.2)
Community Trait Icons (CommunityTraitIcons v1.1.1)
Craft Manager (CraftManager 1.2.0)
Custom Pre Lauch Checks (CustomPreLaunchChecks 1.8.1)
Distant Object Enhancement Continued (DistantObject v2.0.2.0)
Distant Object Enhancement Continued default config (DistantObject-default v2.0.2.0)
DMagic Orbital Science (DMagicOrbitalScience 1.4.3)
Docking Cam (DockingCamKURS 1.3.8)
Easy Vessel Switch (EVS) (EasyVesselSwitch 2.1)
EVA Enhancements Continued (EVAEnhancementsContinued 0.1.15.2)
Extended information about scientific experiments in VAB (ScienceSituationInfo 1:1.3.4)
Firespitter Core (FirespitterCore v7.17)
Flexible Docking (FlexibleDocking 8.0)
Global Construction Core (GroundConstruction-Core 2.6.4.1)
Hangar Extender (HangerExtenderExtended 3.6.0)
Hot Spot (HotSpot 0.8.0)
IndicatorLights (IndicatorLights 1.7)
IndicatorLights Community Extensions (IndicatorLightsCommunityExtensions 1.6.2)
Inline Ballutes (InlineBallutes 1.2.11.2)
JX2Antenna (JX2Antenna 2.0.5)
Kerbal Alarm Clock (KerbalAlarmClock v3.13.0.0)
Kerbal Attachment System (KAS 1.7)
Kerbal Inventory for All (KerbalInventoryForAll 1:1.1)
Kerbal Joint Reinforcement - Next (KerbalJointReinforcementNext v4.1.15)
Kerbal Wind Tunnel (WindTunnel 1.2.4)
Kerbal-Konstructs (KerbalKonstructs 1.8.1.15)
Konstruction (Konstruction 1.4.0)
Kopernicus Bleeding Edge Beta - DEV RELEASE (Kopernicus-BE UBEE_1110_58)
KRASH - Kerbal Ramification Artifical Simulation Hub (simulation mod for KSP) (KRASH 0.5.33.3)
Kronal Vessel Viewer Continued (KVVContinued 0.1.1)
KSP Resonant Orbit Calculator (ResonantOrbitCalculator 0.0.6.2)
KXAPI (KXAPI 1.2.0)
Making History (MakingHistory-DLC 1.11.0)
Malemute Rover (MalemuteRover 1.4.0)
Maneuver Node Evolved (ManeuverNodeEvolved 5.0)
MechJeb 2 - DEV RELEASE (MechJeb2-dev 2.11.0.0-1037)
MemGraph (MemGraph 1:1.2.0)
Missing Robotics (MissingRobotics 1)
Module Manager (ModuleManager 4.1.4)
One Window (OneWindow 4.0)
Parallax (Parallax 1.1.1b)
Parallax - Stock Planet Textures (Parallax-StockTextures 1.1.1b)
Part Commander Continued (PartCommanderCont 1.1.6.2)
PersistentRotation (PersistentRotation 1.8.7)
PlanetShine (PlanetShine 0.2.6.3)
PlanetShine - Default configuration (PlanetShine-Config-Default 0.2.6.3)
Pood's Calm Nebula Skybox (PoodsCalmNebulaSkybox v1.3.0)
Portrait Stats (PortraitStats 18.0)
RCS Build Aid (RCSBuildAid v1.0.5)
Real Plume (RealPlume 2:v13.3.2)
Real Plume - Stock Configs (RealPlume-StockConfigs v4.0.3)
ReCoupler (ReCoupler 1:1.3.5)
Rocket Sound Enhancement (RocketSoundEnhancement 0.5.4)
Rocket Sound Enhancment - Default Configs (RocketSoundEnhancement-Config-Default 0.5.3)
SCANsat (SCANsat v20.4)
scatterer (Scatterer 3:v0.0723)
Scatterer Default Config (Scatterer-config 3:v0.0723)
Scatterer Sunflare (Scatterer-sunflare 3:v0.0723)
Science Revisited Revisited (ScienceRevisitedRevisited 1.7.1)
Sensible Pumps Continued (SensiblePumpsCont 1.3.0)
SmokeScreen - Extended FX Plugin (SmokeScreen 2.8.14.0)
Speed Unit Annex (SpeedUnitAnnex 1.3.7)
Store My Reports (StoreMyReports 1.2.0)
TextureReplacer (TextureReplacer v4.3.1)
Toolbar (Toolbar 1:1.8.0.5)
Toolbar Controller (ToolbarController 1:0.1.9.4)
Tracking Station Evolved (TrackingStationEvolved 6.0)
Transfer Window Planner (TransferWindowPlanner v1.7.2.0)
TriggerAu Flags (TriggerAu-Flags v2.10.0.0)
TweakScale - Rescale Everything! (TweakScale v2.4.4.2)
USI Core (USI-Core 1.4.0)
USI Kolonization Systems (MKS/OKS) (UKS 1:1.4.1)
USI Life Support (USI-LS 1.4.0)
USI Tools (USITools 1.4.0)
Utility Weight (UtilityWeight 1.2.1)
Water Launch Sites (Kerbal-Konstructs) (WaterLaunchSites 1.0.0)
Waypoint Manager (WaypointManager 2.8.2.6)
Zero MiniAVC (ZeroMiniAVC 1:1.1.0.1)
 

 

Year 1 Day 3

After days of hard work the engineers have finally completed their new vehicle and are working up the nerve to send a manned mission to the Mun. The Krew gather at the test site to inspect the cargo bay capacity, but they mainly just stood at the edge enjoying the view. 

The goal is to build a self sufficient Mun outpost, but the first order of business it to build a communication network and do some planetary surveys to find a good place to build an off-world home.  The engineers have been hard at work developing communication and scanning satellites and packing them into the cargo bay. 

All packed away and ready for launch.  

Booster ditched just before circulization.  

After achieving orbit the flight computer indicates 4500m/s of DeltaV.  A course is set for a high intercept with the Mun.  The uplink relays are intended to live at a 1000km orbit to relay signals back to Kerbin, so that is the first destination.  

The SCANsats need to be deployed into a polar orbit, so midway there they are released and perform course correction burns. 

The ship successfully entered a high resonate orbit around the mun and began deploying the uplink satellites that synchronized their orbits to 1d 3h 4m 34s

The primary Mun Uplink relays are deployed and active, on course to reestablish a low orbit.  The global relay system is set to be deployed into a 35km altitude and inhabit six planes at 55 degree inclination. 

The orbital period at this low altitide is 46m 50s.  According to the Kerbal math wizards we need to deploy one set of sats every 468.3 seconds.  After dealing with a couple snags related to fuel transfers and poor planning, the sat groups were deployed successfully. 

With all the satellites deployed it was time to return home for some well deserved rest and food.  Jeb takes one final look out the window at his future home. 

The blunt nose shape has no trouble absorbing the heat of reentry and the opposing  aero surfaces quickly slow the craft down. 

As the speed falls, the aero surfaces are reversed and the entire craft flips for a powered landing. 

which touches down in the middle of the ocean. 

After a while in the control room back on Kerbin, all the satellites are deployed into their proper orbits. 

 

Edited January 10, 2021 by eberkain

[Spaceman.Spiff]

That is quite a cool looking rocket!

[eberkain]

A secondary mission to deploy three dual band relay satellites to geostationary orbit was launched, but when returning the ship did not attempt the flip maneuver until it was sub 300 m/s the lower assistance from the aero surfaces made it impossible to fully re-orient.  The ship crash landed belly first, but luckily the cargo bay served as a crush protection for the crew and everyone survived. 

Year 1 Day 42

Mun Mission Two is loaded and ready, a landing site has been selected in the Farside Crater region. No surface exploratory landing was conducted in advance. Good luck Krew. 

The cargo manifest is... 

• A mobile crane capable of relocating the base modules. 
• A Habitat module with a crew quarters and agroponics expansion.
• A Pioneer module to coordinate local supply caches with storage modules.
• A Mining module to harvest Minerals for the production of Fertilizer. 

Meet the handpicked crew tasked with setting up the initial base facilities.

LIFTOFF!!!

 

Orbit achieved and course locked in for the Mun. 

Performing Circulation Burn at the Mun.

Braking for landing. 

TOUCHDOWN.  And the landing site even looks fairly level for base deployment. Good job team. 

Problems in the cargo bay were resolved with some clever EVA work and construction. 

Took some careful work to get the crane out of the bay, but in the end all looked good. 

Unloading base modules proceeding well 

Relocating the modules a safe distance from the landing zone. 

Managed to get the mining module down from the upper slot without trouble. 

The crew disembarks. 

A photo op was on the schedule, but they couldn't figure out how to plant a flag without knocking it over.  Are we sure these Kerbs will make it on the surface of the Mun.  Maybe we need to add a new class to the training. 

The mission planning called for us to walk all the way to the base site, but they also gave us a laser welder...

All modules and crew move to the base site without incident. The first step of the mission is complete. 

Now to unload the Kontainers and get the base up and running.  We brought 9k Material Kits and 9k Supplies to get started, and 1k Machinery to support the maintenance ops for a good long while. 

The crane really needs to load up on some counterweight for these types of lifting operations, but time is short. 

There were some troubles getting all systems online, but the issue was resolved and habitats are working, agroponics is online and on site fertilizer production is online. 

Time to get back home and plan the next mission.  

Burning for orbit. 

The larger surface area of this nose cone eliminates the need for a radiator.

Ship was reoriented at about 800 m/s at 10km altitude.  By the time the descent had reached 1km the speed dropped all the way to 55m/s, and an easy landing followed. 

Edited January 10, 2021 by eberkain

[Vanamonde]

That's a big rocket. 

[Lewie]

Man, this is something! How much deltav does that sucker have (without payload) on the launchpad?

[eberkain]

10 minutes ago, Lewie said:

Man, this is something! How much deltav does that sucker have (without payload) on the launchpad?

it says 9564 m/s (vac) with no payload and using the vac engines only on the second stage. 

the fully fueled second stage with 500 tons of payload still gets 3100 m/s

My thought process on how I ended up here is at...

 

[eberkain]

Year 1 Day 55

Mun Mission Three is to expand the capabilities of the outpost by adding Material Kit production on site, a more robust power system, cultivation of new Supplies using harvested resources, which requires more resource extractors, Habitation and Recycling for 4 additional crew members. And a science exploration rover. Now to make it all fit in the cargo bay. 

The Cargo Manifest is....

• Malemute Exploration Rover - can support 2 crew for 20 days, fuel cell powered, science experiments included.
•  Kerbitat with recycling, hab module, cultivation module and storage. 
• Power hub with workshop for MatKits, storage and a conference room
• Mineral extractor with smelter to produce raw chemicals 
• Metallic Ore extractor with smelter to produce raw metals 
• Water harvester to support cultivation
• Dirt Harvester to support cultivation

The new crew members that are to join the Alpha Outpost crew are...

Liftoff of KShip-10 Mission 3

Orbit achieved and solar panels deployed.  Systems green, reporting 4500 m/s of DeltaV even with over 100t of payload. 

 

Night side burn for the Mun. 

Low flyby set, coasting to capture point. 

Braking burn, alpha base coming up. 

Encountered some technical issues, but Jeb was quick to diagnose and we have touchdown. 

Time to get to work. 

Crew is ready to disembark and pile into the science rover. 

Everything is unpacked and ready to deploy.  I think we need a bigger truck. 

Moving every module one at a time is a slow process.  

Took some work, but everything is on site with no major problems. 

In the cargo containers this time we brought along 9k Polymers (those can't be produced at the base), 12k Material Kits, 1.5k Specialized Parts.  

The new production plant is online and all the extractors are operating. Forgot to put radiators on the power plant, but such is the way of things. Will get it next trip.  

Time to pack up and take the ship back home. 

Exploration rover heading out to a high spot to deploy experiments. 

Numerous technical issues plague the life of the new rover, but they did manage to take some snazzy pictures. 

Edited January 10, 2021 by eberkain

[Kerminator K-100]

How do you get the parts down? Are you using KAS winches?

[eberkain]

17 minutes ago, Kerminator K-100 said:

How do you get the parts down? Are you using KAS winches?

yes, KAS is amazing

[eberkain]

A flaw in the KShip design forced the engineers into making a revision.  The primary fuel tank was replaced with a higher heat tolerance part which has the side effect of both extending the length of the craft and reducing the fuel capacity by a small amount.  The opportunity was also used to install a life support system and redesign the booster one more time.  

The flight plan carried the ship out past minmus on a free return to test the higher heat tolerances of the redesign. 

Reentry was well within comfortable tolerances despite the higher return velocity.  We believe the new design can survive a return from Duna, a future test is in order. 

And a perfect landing. 

 

 

[eberkain]

Year 1 Day 114

Mun Mission Four is the final expansion of the starter base on the Mun., the goal is to provide logistics support for the base to access regional supplies, on-site part construction via the KonFabricator, equipment needed to balance out the production chains and crew facilities to bring the on site Kerbs to 12. 

The Cargo Manifest is....

• Kerbitat Module with Purification system and expandable habitats
• Logistics module with expandable storage
• Metal Production module with multiple smelters
• Polymer Production module with multiple smelters
• KonFabricator module with MatKit storage

The new crew members joining the base are... 

LAUNCH!

Approaching the Mun

Braking Burn targeting the landing area. 

Coming in to the landing site. 

Perfect touchdown. 

Time to get some work done. 

I think this will be the last mission of the remote crane, its starting to show a lot of wear and tear. 

The KonFabricator is a bit bigger than other modules we have brought so far. 

 

How much do you flex bro? 

KFab takes is rightful place in the center of the base. 

Local engineers spent some time putting some strut-shaped duct tape on the crane so hopefully we can move the remaining gear before it breaks down. 

The new production modules should increase the production levels of the workshop. 

The new crew is ready to join the group till the next rotation. 

Catching a lift in the science rover

Getting containers moved over. 

Consolidating all the on site containers.

 

KShip is headed home for some well deserved maintenance. 

 

Edited January 10, 2021 by eberkain

[eberkain]

Year 1 Day 228

Duna Mission One had been in the planning stages waiting on a transfer window.  The project manager decided this was a good opportunity to establish a comm relay and scanning network of our planetary neighbor. A new KShip was fitted with long term survival facilities, a crew was selected and the mission launched. 

The mission should arrive at Duna in 240d.

Edited January 10, 2021 by eberkain

[eberkain]

Year 1 Day 239

Mun Mission Five is a science collection expedition. The KShip will serve as a mothership to a lander that will visit the surface of the planet and deploy experiments and return.  After several revisions a simple can design designed to make short hops was chosen for the lander and four were able to fit into the bay.  Backup supplies were also added.  Four scientist/engineer teams were selected to perform the work (the landers are remote piloted) and the mission was launched. 

Launch!

Burning for the Mun. 

Parking in a low orbit. 

Its game time. 

Poles

Highlands

Polar Crater

TWO

Canyons

Farside Crater

Midlands

THREE

Twin Craters

Midland Craters

Lowlands

FOUR

Polar Lowlands

Highland Craters

Resupply and tanking of the KShip. 

Northeast Basin

Northwest Crater

All the landers return to the nest.  Only a few scattered sites left to hit. 

 

Farside Basin

East Farside Crater

returning for resupply

Southwest Crater

East Crater

Kerbin Eclipse

Final docking

Returning home

safe water landing

Edited January 10, 2021 by eberkain

[eberkain]

A secondary mission was launched and placed some dual band relays into a high orbit out beyond the Mun, to makin comm with the Duna mission that was in-transit.  Also, more issues with the base design of the KShip has caused the engineers to return to the drawing board yet again.   This new revision, model E, includes fuel drain valves, a larger cargo bay, a new crew elevator, and adjustments to the aero surfaces.  

Mun Mission Six is a test flight to setup an automated mining depot to provide a substrate supply to the existing base facilities. 

 

Mission accomplished. 

Edited January 15, 2021 by eberkain