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Buffalo 2 Modular Space Exploration Vehicle


Angelo Kerman

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7 hours ago, Ooglak Kerman said:

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?

the cab has deployable ladders.

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Updates are slowing down as my job hunting ramps up, but today I finished the Converter Support Unit. Without Wild Blue Tools is a half-strength version of the stock mini ISRU, but with WildBlueTools, it is equvalent to the Micro ISRU Omniconverter. It has both rover and station variants. Here's a look:

R4uSxLI.png

N0z7LGr.png

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On 10/7/2022 at 6:12 PM, Rutabaga22 said:

That's really cool! Omniconverter is really cool, I just wish I understood how it worked lol

An OmniConverter is a resource converter that, rather then have every conversion chain available at once (which is basic, unrealistic™ and is information overload in the converter part's PAW when you add ISRU mods), has a number of slots (usually just 1) that you can equip a chain into, has a better resource flow multiplier for its size vs stock, does not care about radiator demand, and it can optionally cost you to change the equipped conversion chain later.
More text in spoiler.

Spoiler

Let's take Angel's bin shaped OmniConverter for example. It has one slot but it has an amazing 1x multiplier on it (versus the stock 2.5m ISRU which is bigger and longer. We will assume this part is 0.9375m long and equivalent to 0.625m  diameter). Due to being smaller and better with any one ISRU chain at a time, it brings a feeling of legit "Master of one" vs the stock "Jack of all trades."

You can choose to install Ore -> MonoPropellant for your RCS, or Ore -> LiquidFuel for your nuclear engine, but due to the one slot you can't have both. It may require some resource (like WBI "Equipment") and Engineer skill to change your selection outside the VAB. No worries though. You can turn off the requirements or easily squeeze in another bin shaped OmniConverter and not have to worry, and it's easily possible for an OmniConverter with more than one slot to occur, but I don't think Angel-125 will provide any himself. That's something I would do.

You can write your own OmniConverter ISRU chain and it would be available to install into any part from any mod that is an OmniConverter, saving you or anyone else some effort in MM patching. Finally, there is a tag system so some OmniConverters can be whitelisted and only allow certain chains to be installed into them.

 

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6 hours ago, JadeOfMaar said:

OmniConverter with more than one slot to occur, but I don't think Angel-125 will provide any himself. That's something I would do.

I'm pretty sure there are a bunch of parts in Pathfinder or Heisenberg with multiple OmniConverter modules on the same part, but they are separate omniconverters.

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3 hours ago, SkyFall2489 said:

I'm pretty sure there are a bunch of parts in Pathfinder or Heisenberg with multiple OmniConverter modules on the same part, but they are separate omniconverters.

You know of those. That's awesome. I wanted to give examples but I assumed the other person wouldn't be easily interested in installing a big mod just for that. Some OPT spaceplane parts (when Pathfinder is installed) also gain OmniConverters.

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Today I took a break from Buffalo 2 in order to update the UVMaps and texturing for my Mk-33 mod. You can find the update here. I've got some personal stuff going on but for Buffalo 2, I'm slowly figuring out how the Power Support Unit will look. It'll definitely make use of the outer shell from the Converter Support Unit. Anyway, here's the Mk-33 in all her glory:

v47K4fs.png

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JGWRf4H.png

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Small update today, I'm recovering from an arduous job interview. Anyway, I completed the Power Support Unit. It generates half the Electric Charge of the stock fuel cell array. Here's a look:

Kg2MBg6.png

With the Power Support Unit, Converter Support Unit, and new B2 Mineshaft done (it can be a drop-in replacement for the OG Mineshaft), I've updated the pre-release for those interested in giving it a try. You can find it here.

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Today in between recruiter calls, I built the B2 Hub. Technically it should've been in the last release, but it spilled over into the current one as it could be a component of bases as well. Anyway, the B2 Hub has two variants. Rover:

PKGMT38.png

... and Station:

hVk8pXn.png

With that done, I have just one more part to make to complete Buffalo 2 v1.2: Back to Bases!

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16 hours ago, Angel-125 said:

Today in between recruiter calls, I built the B2 Hub. Technically it should've been in the last release, but it spilled over into the current one as it could be a component of bases as well. Anyway, the B2 Hub has two variants. Rover:

 

... and Station:

 

With that done, I have just one more part to make to complete Buffalo 2 v1.2: Back to Bases!

Nice!  The station hub has real possibilities.  To the VAB - uh - mobile

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1 hour ago, Rutabaga22 said:

Is buffalo 2 rated for kerbin reentry? I'm in a bit of a situation...

Hard no, and due to the parts' intentions, don't expect it. You wouldn't expose a rover to reentry. You wouldn't expose a science station to reentry. And you wouldn't use parts for either of those for a spaceplane body. I recommend you make a habit of checking heat tolerances when you look through parts in-game.

Hard stats: It looks like many or all of them have 2000K on the outside (same as the stock rocket fuel tanks and engines) but their internal limits are 1000K which is even lower than the stock experiments and most stock cockpits/pods. You don't want to take any chances with that.

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5 minutes ago, Ooglak Kerman said:

Sounds like a rescue - or failing that - go full on Kerbal and do your best for re-entry.  Share the details!

When you need a MOOSE (fitting Wild Blue's naming theme) to go with Buffalo. Lol.

The APUS mod has a 3-seat pod you can use for escape/rescue situations.

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2 minutes ago, JadeOfMaar said:

When you need a MOOSE (fitting Wild Blue's naming theme) to go with Buffalo. Lol.

The APUS mod has a 3-seat pod you can use for escape/rescue situatio

It wasn't a rescue. I took my orbital buffalo to orbit, but the 2 kerbals had a 1 man reentry pod.

Edited by Rutabaga22
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1 hour ago, JadeOfMaar said:

When you need a MOOSE (fitting Wild Blue's naming theme) to go with Buffalo. Lol.

The APUS mod has a 3-seat pod you can use for escape/rescue situations.

A MOOSE kit might be interesting. Just create an inflatable heat shield and add a command chair and deorbit motor. Be sure to pack your own chute though!

Somebody did this:

FRXMzXTXEAMYc7K.jpg

So, maybe just a simple ladder, inflatable heat shield, and deorbit kit.

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