What did you do in KSP1 today?

[GwynJHawke]

Launched my Jool 5 mothership after completing all the beta performance tests. I launched it with the Tylo descent engine block and Vall/Pol/Bop engine block already attached and docked to the mothership. I still have to fly up the command module with attached VTOL air breathing ascent rocket for Laythe and dock it in the docking bay. I also built a prototype for a XL refueling tanker for Jool SOI.  Had to come up with a clever solution to having the front protected by heat shields but also have a grabbing unit in front to facilitate easier fuel transfer. This was solved by using a detachable heat shield and a small probe with rcs fuel and thrusters, 2.5m docking port, and foward facing grabbing unit stowed in a small cargo bay.  I might even try a version where I can dock groups of NERVs to replace the ascent engines. 

[MaxwellsDemon]

After enough of my "critical" mods got updated, I upgraded to 1.1.3 a couple of days ago.  This was partly prompted as well by a kerblam occurring when a Kerbal on EVA on Minmus got too close to a landing leg (the lander stayed mostly upright, though, and was able to launch to rendezvous normally...).  I've been running the 64-bit version for the first time, too.  So far, things seem to be going relatively smoothly, except my graphics adapter keeps restarting at inconvenient times.  

Other than that, the 1.1 campaign continues.  A good transfer window to Eve opened up, so I'm putting together my first (for this campaign) interplanetary probe.  I also went on a bit of a probe design kick, putting together probes for tech levels 4, 5, and 6, launched a "ferry/lifeboat" to the Skylab-like Space Station Alpha, and now the next mission to the Mun is on the pad, with Jeb coming up in the pilot rotation.

[Fearless Son]

On 6/25/2016 at 8:35 AM, Corona688 said:

I am experiencing buyers' remorse.  I got the survey scanner and ground scanner on the expectation that, as the tech tree itself suggests, they are an investment which return more science data.

So far, they do not.

THREE HUNDRED SCIENCE to scan for minerals I can't even use!  what

Aye, the survey scanner is primarily for mineral extraction rather than science, and it takes a big investment of science to actually use to good effect.  Still, it is not without its merits.  Taking those nodes opens up loads of well-paying contract options, and can significantly expand your range of practical options if you are willing to put the infrastructure in place.  

[SSgt Baloo]

I've discovered that, despite many of my mods needing to be upgraded, the game seems to be working fairly well, or at least better than it did before some of my mods started being updated for 1.13. I tried a few interesting (but repetitive) moon missions, but I remembered one of the planes I used to admire, the P-82 Twin Mustang, and decided to see just how close I could get. I suspect it will look even more like its inspiration if I re-do the wings with procedural parts.

I had to delay the launch until the daily eclipse was over.


The wings look a bit stubby (and rounded). I think next time I'll refer to actual drawings instead of just my memory.

It seems very maneuverable.


I used two FAT-445's as flaps (air brakes) on the center wing section. They are very effective at increasing drag.


More here: http://s28.photobucket.com/user/SSgtBaloo/slideshow/29 Jun 2016

[Mjp1050]

Gravity is on summer vacation, apparently.

Edited June 30, 2016 by Mjp1050

[Srpadget]

So today, this happened:

Or, at least, the last parts of this portion of it happened.

6 new or heavily-modified designs, 5 existing or only slightly-modified designs, 19 launches (counting refueling tankers left in LKO for later recovery), 16 separate craft making the interplanetary transfer, eventually to be reconfigured into 21 independent craft on or orbiting around Duna and Ike (2 of which will eventually return to Kerbin, the rest either to become infrastructure or get tossed by the wayside once their contracts are complete).

Ya know, it is entirely possible that this may have been a bit too much to be considered entirely sane for one transfer window...?
 

NAAAAAW!  **MOAR IZ BETTER**

Edited June 30, 2016 by Srpadget
someday I will figure out this screenshot-posting business....

[cantab]

Forgive me Kraken for I have sinned. I used quickloads to complete this mission.

Got my survey drone Tinky Winky to the Primary Base Site Candidate on the new Serran. KSP's wheel behaviour made it ... irritating.

 

The Shuttle Novelty remains on orbit with a second survey drone, Dipsy, waiting for deployment to a secondary site which I'll do next time I play.

[Kerbinchaser]

I sent  *ahem,* "tried," to send a drop ship to the Mun to start building a base. 

Edited June 30, 2016 by Lo Var Lachland
Ship. Not shin. Get it together brain!

[Vysionone]

20 hours ago, mesocyclone said:

Hello, just registered. 

Found this interesting feature while flying my drone around on Tekto (from Outer Planets Mod) north pole. Don't know if its intentional or not. Also, it was rather impressive as I flew by this thing I got the impression the whole moon was rotating just below me! 

 

You found an easter egg! (I don't think that's accidental; too good to be a texturing a mistake)

Congratulations!

[FlyingCola]

Got 500 science from a mun run today! So happy.

Also sent a science lab to orbit and another one orbiting the mun

[Gojira1000]

I decided Saturn was too close to end the RSS career on. So I'm sending a 40k dV probe to map objects around Uranus.

Heh. Heheh. Sorry. I'm four.

 

[AstroBovice]

Spent about 5 hours building a space station. Got half my solar panels on, came back and loaded the game and the solar panels started wiggling and tore my station to pieces. Loaded the game again and tried everything (retracting panels, detailing solar array from station, rotating station) and for some reason nothing will happen without the panels wiggling and tearing up the station. Luckily the Kerbals I had on it were in the main hub, the only piece that lived, so I sent up a small retrieval ship and went back to the drawing board. Wish I could have got a screen shot but I guess for now I'll just have to rethink some things and try again. 

[Iamsodarncool]

12 hours ago, Vaporized Steel said:

Im finally getting close to finishing my most hardcore engineered craft I have so far played with in KSP. Spent longer on it then any other craft before, I name it the Eagle Spire 25.

It weighs about 120 tons on the pic and can get 3 Kerbals from LKO to EVE, make a precision landing by gliding up to 25km up to 9km eve altitude, drop a ascent rocket, including a mini glider rocket to get from low altitude to the mountain top. Pure Stock. Works like a dream! Although getting it there, was time consuming.

Oh my god that's the coolest thing ever. Please please make a video of the mission once the craft is completed.

[LaytheDragon]

Today, I invented Banana Staging (needs a better name, but "Banana Staging" shall for now be fine), and Banana-Staged Drop Tanks. I also brought the Transport Trucker to Jool from its parking orbit (the Transport Trucker to Jool is the name of the VAB launcher with the truck attached, but I also did send it there today).

That is just the prototype Banana-Staged Drop Tanks ship in the album, as by now, the radial decouplers have been replaced with slightly-lighter Clamp-O-Tron Jrs, which also come with built-in crossfeed, eliminating the need for fuel pipes. The heavy I-Beams in the above prototype have also been replaced with tiny struts (see Banana Staging pictures in spoiler). Banana-Staged Drop Tanks is (potentially) revolutionary, as it exterminates the problem of having to eject two drop tanks at once to keep a one-engine ship utilizing drop tanks in balance. The draggy apparatus (and extremely minimally during tests the mass of the decouplers, the almost-completely-empty-to-save-mass separatrons, etc.) makes it unefficient for 1.25 meter ships such as the prototype one, but it should provide more flexibility to the usual benefits of drop tanks for larger launchers and vacuum stages.

And here is Banana Staging itself, below in the spoiler. Banana Staging is basically an inline version of Asparagus Staging. Even though the drop tanks can be dropped one-at-a-time rather than two-at-a-time, there has to be a minimum of two engines per drop tank rather than one. I know not whether Banana Staging is more efficient than Asparagus Staging or not (the Rockomax-sized tester did reach orbit, though).

Spoiler

 

On the topic of sending the Transport Trucker to Jool, see the below Imgur album.

I ended the day off with a nice future Tylo gravity assist that, after a 20 m/s burn, will not only put my craft in orbit of Jool, but will also give it a convenient encounter with Pol (I need to refuel before I can (attempt to) land the Transport Trucker on Tylo or Vall).

Edited June 30, 2016 by LaytheDragon
Post-post polishing

[Brownhair2]

Captured an asteroid and sent a probe to Eeloo (I launched it and performed the ejection burn. It isn't actually there yet)

Edited June 30, 2016 by Brownhair2

[GwynJHawke]

Caught an E Class asteroid that weighed in at 3121 tonnes. Managed to get it into a tilted orbit just at the edge of Kerbin's SOI. Damn thing was a pain in the ass. But now I'll have a good rock for my refinery. This will make it a lot easier to run fuel to Discovery. Fill up the tanker, fire retrograde, fall in towards Kerbin, aerobreak in the atmosphere, and rendezvous in LKO. Then the tanker is mostly empty and far easier to get back to the edge of the system.

[Sidereus]

Uh, Jeb, would you kindly remove your aircraft from the roof of the Astronaut Complex?

Thank you.  -- Mgmt.

 

Edited June 30, 2016 by Sidereus

[Jasper_f]

I crashed my airplane with Valentina after a long mission. Couldn't bear the loss and reverted to launch. Apparantly I messed with the space-time continuum, because reverting to launch destroyed Kerbin. I smiled thinking that Danny would've been proud.

 

 

Edited June 30, 2016 by Jasper_f
Image was not displayed correctly

[MaxwellsDemon]

I mostly designed stuff...  I'd come up with a Soyuz-inspired design and spent a considerable amount of time tinkering to find just the right launch vehicle for it.  The next Munar mission is on the crawlerway to the pad.

[Kerbinchaser]

Sent a probe to Ike in my career save... And forgot batteries. 

Edited June 30, 2016 by Lo Var Lachland

[TimePeriod]

Was bored, made mothership.

Was disappointed, attempting new mothership tomorrow.

Sleep now.

[Kerbinchaser]

I also just sent a probe to Eve in my career save. 

[N_Danger]

 Went to Moho 

Jeb took the lander down and planted the flag

And after finding out he didn't have enough fuel to get into orbit he resorted to...  other measures

A rescue tanker had to be sent because the Service Module also didn't have enough fuel for a return to Kerbin.

But after many trials the crew returns home

 

Now for the last planet to plant a flag on and have the crew return to Kerbin from, Eve (and its moon Gilly but that's just a victory lap around the track)

 

 

[cantab]

Not much, just had a random idea for a lifter and tried it out.

Twin Boar under 3.75m stack, with an inverted fairing for fashion and aerodynamics. There's a gotcha - to make it look good you need to build the fairing *then* place the Twin Boar. The design works pretty well.

[MDZhB]

I finally got 1.1.3, I'm hoping wheels are better now. I designed a simple 1 Kerbal orbital docking craft for crew delivery, but the first test failed and killed Jeb.