Buffalo 2 Modular Space Exploration Vehicle

[Blufor878]

My first space station file to go on KerbalX. And two of the interior sections are courtesy of @Angel-125's Buffalo 2! Specifically the lab and the galley.

https://kerbalx.com/ManateeAerospace/Lanhua-Station

[Ooglak Kerman]

2 hours ago, Blufor878 said:

My first space station file to go on KerbalX. And two of the interior sections are courtesy of @Angel-125's Buffalo 2! Specifically the lab and the galley.

https://kerbalx.com/ManateeAerospace/Lanhua-Station

Ya gots to have a galley!

[Blufor878]

7 minutes ago, Ooglak Kerman said:

Ya gots to have a galley!

For the ice cream that we definitely use for spaceflight, and not for gift shops!

Edited October 2, 2022 by Blufor878

[Nazalassa]

Let's try to make a tram out of these parts

[Manul]

18 minutes ago, Nazalassa said:

Let's try to make a tram out of these parts

FUR parts are more square and better fit this role

[Angelo Kerman]

27 minutes ago, Manul said:

FUR parts are more square and better fit this role

Superstructure variants of the Buffalo 2 parts also work.

[Nazalassa]

I'm making a monorail!

I use the superstructure variants for the tracks (that big beam on which the monorail goes).

So I'll say a small thing:
To do superstructures, you sometimes need HUGE parts.
I would like to see a part that has (at least) the superstructure cross-section but with a customizable length, or if not possible (or if you want to keep it simple) different variants with lengths of 1,2,5,10 and 100 meters (or the like). That'll be better for tracks and huge suerstructures, no?

Anways, great job -- works better than stock.

[Rutabaga22]

I'd like to see a variant of the endcap for superstructure with windows.

[Nazalassa]

I have noticed that Kerbals have difficulties passing through the doors of the B2 side hatch (even if they are opened).

Also the right window of the observer variant of the command module has a small issue

Edited October 3, 2022 by Nazalassa
they be opened not closed lol

[TheSaint]

Hey, there is a question that just occurred to me: Is it possible to make a manipulator arm that can undertake KAS/KIS/stock construction functions? It would be nice to make construction pods that could, you know, actually construct stuff.

[Angelo Kerman]

23 minutes ago, TheSaint said:

Hey, there is a question that just occurred to me: Is it possible to make a manipulator arm that can undertake KAS/KIS/stock construction functions? It would be nice to make construction pods that could, you know, actually construct stuff.

Unfortunately, no. I tried doing that with THOMPBERRY (the repair bot in EVA Repairs) to no avail. Stock EVA Construction is explicitly tied to kerbals, and from what I can tell, so is KIS/KAS.

[TheSaint]

1 hour ago, Angel-125 said:

Unfortunately, no. I tried doing that with THOMPBERRY (the repair bot in EVA Repairs) to no avail. Stock EVA Construction is explicitly tied to kerbals, and from what I can tell, so is KIS/KAS.

I figured that was probably the case. Oh well, guess my guys have to draw straws to unhook the reactor module....

[Manul]

5 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

Superstructure variants of the Buffalo 2 parts also work.

Bison is also rectangular but it has no bellows

[Nazalassa]

Whoops the monorail derailed

[Angelo Kerman]

Today I made more progress on the RSU parts; now there's an optional notch in the mid section part to accommodate the Buffalo Chassis Coupler. Why? Here's why:

The docking port notch is there to enable a chassis-based rover to slip under the RSU, pick it up, and haul it somewhere. Stock landing legs are standing in for a set of stilts that I'll be making later.

[Rutabaga22]

This is really exciting. Would you consider having a half deploy of the stilts so you can connect all the base pieces with buffalo, then full deploy all the legs at once?

[Blufor878]

On 10/3/2022 at 1:55 PM, Manul said:

FUR parts are more square and better fit this role

I mean, I'm a pretty big railfan myself, but this seems like an abuse of the budget.

Keep up the good work.

[Nazalassa]

Also I think that 6 m/s crash tolerance for the endcaps is a bit too low, why is it inferior to the rover parts' ?

[Angelo Kerman]

2 hours ago, Nazalassa said:

Also I think that 6 m/s crash tolerance for the endcaps is a bit too low, why is it inferior to the rover parts' ?

They should probably be updated. To save time I tend to copy existing config files and modify them.

[Angelo Kerman]

Today I finished up the baseline Resource Support Unit parts. With these done, I started working on the Converter Support Unit. Here's a preview:

It borrows the mesh from the original Buffalo's Micro ISRU. I'll be retexturing that to bring it up to Restock standard.

Anyway, the first pre-release of 1.3: Back to Bases, can be found here. It has the three RSU parts in it.

[Rutabaga22]

Downloading now. SO excited.

[Rutabaga22]

Used the parts to make an orbital buffalo!

[Blufor878]

Some shots of my space station from before, now with visitors and a new module (also thanks to Buffalo 2).



Oh, and for those who are wondering, the main pod of the crew vehicle is courtesy of @benjee10's Coriolis Space Systems.

 

 

Edited October 6, 2022 by Blufor878

[Rutabaga22]

1 hour ago, Blufor878 said:

Some shots of my space station from before, now with visitors and a new module (also thanks to Buffalo 2).



Oh, and for those who are wondering, the main pod of the crew vehicle is courtesy of @benjee10's Coriolis Space Systems.

 

 

you should make a space station module that has the buffalo resource support module and an engine so that it can grab a space station module and dock it.

[Ooglak Kerman]

So far - to me - there doesn't seem to be a good way for crew to enter back into a Buffalo 2 vehicle - such as the Big Rig.  I've tried the stock ladders and at best it is janky.  Has anyone come up with a good solution?